Michael Guest

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools for their progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups and for their overall academic excellence. This year, 325 public and private schools across the country were awarded the distinction of a National Blue Ribbon School by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. I am proud to announce that Brandon Elementary School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. Brandon Elementary School's hard work in closing the achievement gap demonstrates that all students can achieve high academic levels. I am thankful for Brandon Elementary School's efforts, as I believe the education of our youth, the future leaders of our State and country, is a crucial component of our society. I congratulate Brandon Elementary School on being recognized for this outstanding achievement and encourage the school's administration to keep up the wonderful work they are doing that is having such a meaningful impact on the lives of young men and women.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, Calvin Lamar McDonald, Jr. was a distinguished Navy veteran who was loved by everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. Born in Meridian, MS, he graduated from Meridian High School during World War II, which motivated him to enlist in the United States Navy. He loved his country and was honorably discharged from the Navy twice. After his time in the Navy was completed, he graduated with an engineering degree from Mississippi State University. During his second enlistment into the Navy, Lamar was placed in Gulfport, MS. He hitchhiked home nearly every weekend to see his future wife, Betty Jean Speed. They married, moved home to Meridian, and raised three children together. It has been said that Lamar McDonald was the most popular man in the City of Meridian. Going out to eat or to the grocery store was no small task because he had friends to talk to everywhere he went. As much as the town loved him, he loved it right back. When the Civil Rights movement was underway, Lamar was on the City Council and received threats regularly. Despite this, he continued to act in the best interest of all citizens. In the 1990s, when Congress considered closing the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Lamar stood up once more and defended the community that he loved. He truly believed that every single person was made in the image of God, and he treated people as such. For all the great stories of how Lamar cherished his community, there are many more to share about how he loved his family. He was a great man, husband, father, grandfather, and friend who left a lasting impact on countless lives, not just in Mississippi, but everywhere he went. Lamar will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and community, but the positive impact he made on Meridian, our state, and Nation will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, America is a nation of laws, but in many parts of our country, the rule of law is under attack. At a time when the Nation should be reopening and healing, we see rising crime in many cities across America. And where this rise of crime is most prevalent is in cities that have decreased funding for its officers. In 2020, we saw the highest number of murders in over 25 years. And now in 2021, we have seen a spike in violent crime and attacks against law enforcement officers. The Defund the Police movement has been the catalyst behind this rise in crime and attacks on our law enforcement. It has fueled hatred against our fellow citizens who risk their lives to protect us from crime. And sadly, there are many progressive members in this Chamber who have supported this dangerous movement. The first step in addressing the increase in crime is not banning guns from law-abiding citizens as proposed by the President. Rather, we must reject the Defund the Police movement and ask those that support it to recognize its disastrous impacts on our communities.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2795, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act. As vice-ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee, I know how important it is for us to approach protecting this great Nation in a comprehensive manner by tackling all types of threats, including: hackers, terrorists, violent criminals, and human traffickers. Criminal organizations use human trafficking to fund their operations by defrauding, coercing, and exploiting both adults and children, forcing them into labor and commercial sex acts. The DHS Blue Campaign enables and empowers the DHS workforce and customer-facing industries they work with--industries such as airlines--to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and take the proper steps to alert authorities. H.R. 2795 enhances the Department's existing training opportunities by developing internet-based training programs to train Federal, State, local, Tribal law enforcement officers, and others as part of the Department's Blue Campaign. This important piece of legislation also established the Blue Campaign Advisory Board within the Department to coordinate Blue Campaign efforts and work cohesively to combat human trafficking. Empowering State and local law enforcement to recognize potential human trafficking is the first step in helping them assist these victims, many of whom have been told that they have broken the law and can't seek police assistance by their traffickers. H.R. 2795 does this and helps disrupt these criminal networks, which is an important component in dismantling criminals and the terrorists financing their acts around the world. I want to thank Representative Meijer for his leadership, and Chairman Thompson for moving this legislation out of committee, and I urge my colleagues to support this important bill to further secure the homeland. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I urge Members to support this bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3138, the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2021. I thank Chairwoman Clarke, Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Garbarino, and my other committee colleagues for their leadership on H.R. 3138. Over the past year, we have seen the devastating impact a ransomware attack can have on our Nation's most critical infrastructure. But we must not forget that no one is immune from cyber criminals, including our State and local governments. I am pleased today that the House is taking action to give our State and local partners, and CISA, a leg up against these cyber criminals. This bill will have a tremendous impact on the cybersecurity posture of State and local governments by focusing important funding and expertise on the front lines, the State and local levels. I urge all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 3138, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, tonight the eyes of the Nation will be on TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Mississippi State Bulldogs face the Vanderbilt Commodores to determine who will be crowned the national champion in NCAA Baseball. Mississippi State will not only be playing for their fellow students, the faculty, and alumni, but also for our great State as they seek to bring home the first Division 1 National Baseball Championship in Mississippi history. Led by the offense of Tanner Allen, Rowdey Jordan, and Kamren James and the pitching of Will Bednar and Landon Sims, this group of athletes has brought life and excitement back to the people of Mississippi in the wake of a deadly pandemic. We could not be prouder of these young men and all that they have accomplished. Tonight, I and the entire State of Mississippi will be hanging on every pitch of this winner-take-all game at the College World Series. Good luck and Hail State.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, this legislation includes more than $715 billion in wasteful spending. One out of every two dollars would go toward Green New Deal requirements. Funding for passenger rail for big cities has been increased eight-fold in this bill, sacrificing our rural roads and bridges for costly urban projects. The Electric Charging Station Grant Program in this bill would receive four times more funding than a rural grant program and take away funding from States that don't comply; even in States like Mississippi, which has less than 1,000 electric vehicles. This bill is bad for our economy. It is bad for our rural States. And without significant change, this bill is bad for America.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, the McLennan Community College baseball team recently won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I National Championship. The Highlanders capped their season with a victory over reigning champion Central Arizona by a score of 7-3 at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colorado, in the championship game to complete an undefeated run at the Junior College World Series. For McLennan, located in Waco, Texas, this was the team's first appearance in the finals since 2015 and its second national championship in baseball, with the first coming in 1983. The Highlanders are led by head coach Mitch Thompson, my brother-in- law. For Thompson, who has had a long and distinguished baseball career, this was his first national championship. Thompson played college baseball at Fort Hays State University in Kansas, where he twice earned academic all-conference honors and served as team captain as a senior. Following his graduation from Fort Hays State in 1988, Thompson began his coaching career. Prior to being named the head coach at McLennan in 2013, Thompson served as an assistant at Mississippi State University, Radford University, Auburn University, and Baylor University. Additionally, he was a scout for the Kansas City Royals organization in 2013. Throughout his coaching career, Thompson has become widely respected as a recruiter and evaluator of talent. I want to congratulate Coach Thompson and his team on their fantastic season. Coming off a year in which the baseball season was cut short, this season provided unique challenges and was unlike any other the players had previously experienced. I am proud of the McLennan team and all that the Highlanders accomplished this year by bringing home the top prize in junior college baseball.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, the American College Application Campaign (ACAC), which is part of the ACT's Center for Equity in Learning, is a national effort to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families pursuing a college degree or other higher education credential. About 3.7 million students from all 50 states and the District of Columbia have been served, submitting nearly 6 million college applications since the campaign's inception in 2005. ACAC gives a School of Excellence award for each state, and I'm proud to recognize Mendenhall High School as the 2020 School of Excellence award winner for Mississippi. Mendenhall High School was selected ``based on its demonstrated commitment to student success, timely submission of data, and serving as an exemplary model for our state's application campaign,'' according to ACAC. As its selection for this prestigious award demonstrates, Mendenhall High School creates unique opportunities that have positive and lasting impacts on the lives of its students. Because of the hard work of teachers, staff, and administration, Mendenhall High School students are better equipped to pursue higher education or become leaders in their communities out of high school. I am personally thankful for Mendenhall High School's efforts, as I believe the education of our youth, who are the future leaders of our state and country, is a crucial component of our society. I congratulate Mendenhall High School once more on being selected for this outstanding award and encourage the school's administration to continue this wonderful work, which is having such a meaningful impact on the lives of young men and women.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I had the opportunity to join with my other Republican colleagues to visit the southwest border. This was not a gesture, as the Vice President has referred to these visits. It was, instead, a learning opportunity. The conditions we saw and the stories we heard conveyed a situation far worse than we had previously imagined. We learned that border encounters are at a 20-year high. We spoke directly to Border Patrol and law enforcement officers who told us that they are so overwhelmed with the care of migrants that they are unable to execute essential core roles of their job. We learned how drug cartels are taking advantage of the overwhelmed system and saw the routes they use to smuggle drugs and people across the border. What we witnessed could only be defined as a crisis. This is why I encourage all of my colleagues and the Vice President to set aside political gamesmanship, visit the border, and see the crisis firsthand.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I want to first thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for bringing this important bipartisan legislation to the floor. H.R. 2016 would begin the critical process in working to consolidate the overlapping disaster response programs that delay disaster assistance for citizens in Miss Gonzalez-Colon's district, as well as in my district. Mississippi has withstood flooding, hurricanes, and tornadoes over the last 2 years, and many of these response efforts are still underway today. This is no fault of the Federal agencies that are tasked with responding, but it is, instead, the product of overlapping programs that result in duplicative assessments that delay the recovery process. This bill would establish a Federal working group to help identify a more streamlined approach to helping Americans respond to natural disasters. This commonsense approach to solving delays in Federal disaster response would help expedite recovery and give Americans confidence in the Federal response. I appreciate Congresswoman Gonzalez-Colon's leadership on this issue, and I ask my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for bringing this bipartisan legislation to the floor. H.R. 1262 would create a task force to recommend reforms and improvements to the notice to airmen system, a crucial domestic and international flight safety notification to pilots that has become both inefficient and outdated over the years. The current state of the notice to airmen system has the potential to create life-threatening situations for both pilots and their passengers. This reform would provide the needed steps to provide important safety information to our Nation's pilots in a timely and concise manner. In the most recent FAA reauthorization, Congress made it a priority that the agency delivers a new and modernized notice to airmen system, yet we have seen few results to date. This legislation would make that priority a reality within 1 year from this bill's enactment. I would like to thank Congressman Stauber for his leadership on this issue and for prioritizing aviation safety within this bill.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, former President Ronald Reagan once said, ``The best social program is a job.'' Job creation and growing our economy are bipartisan issues that benefit all Americans. This past year, we saw the impact that COVID had on our businesses, both large and small. But now, as we are reopening the economy, many employers are unable to find workers to keep up with the high demand for goods and services. A major roadblock to businesses being able to hire staff comes from the Federal supplemental unemployment payments made on top of the unemployment already received by the States. These payments have caused many potential employees to continue collecting unemployment from the government rather than reentering the workforce. Thankfully, many Republican Governors, including Mississippi's Governor Tate Reeves, have ordered the end of the Federal unemployment payments now that the economy is open. As a Congress, we need to follow the example of Mississippi and other States and bring this program to a close, as more Americans find it possible to return to normal life.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, the men and women of law enforcement live by a creed that sets them apart from all other professions. Unfortunately, that creed, to serve and to protect, often places them in harm's way. While Scripture does not speak directly about law enforcement, we see that Christ said, ``blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.'' The peacemakers we honor today are not only law enforcement officers, but they are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. They are leaders who face danger on a daily basis to help transform their communities to be better places to live and to worship and to raise a family. Their service, their love of fellow officers, their love of community, and the sacrifice of law enforcement must not be forgotten. That is why I am proud to join Congresswoman Julia Letlow from Louisiana to introduce the resolution expressing support for recognizing National Police Week. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that over 90 of our House colleagues have joined this effort. The men and women of law enforcement will always be remembered as heroes.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, since mid-January we have seen a surge of immigrants coming into the country along our southwest border. The numbers are staggering, and the situation along the border continues to deteriorate daily. In March, over 172,000 individuals were encountered by law enforcement, the highest number of monthly encounters in the last 15 years. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the border and met with both Federal and State law enforcement officers. We heard repeatedly that recent changes by the Biden administration have driven the overwhelming surge. Lost in the border conversation is the incredible amount of resources being diverted to try and manage the immigrants we are encountering. This shift in resources is being exploited by drug cartels who continue to use the southwest border as the primary pipeline to bring cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the country. The question can no longer be: Is there a crisis along the border? But instead it should be: How long will the crisis last, and how bad must the crisis become before the President will act?

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, over the last year, Republicans and Democrats have worked together on numerous occasions to provide COVID relief for the American people. Unfortunately, this bill was not that way. This legislation is a completely partisan bill that has yet to receive one Republican vote in either the House or the Senate. This spending bill will appropriate nearly $2 trillion at a time in which we still have $1 trillion in unspent funding from previous relief bills. This bill will be passed at a time in which our economy is growing, in which unemployment is dropping, in a time which Americans are being vaccinated. Instead of prioritizing public health needs or focusing on reopening our economy, reopening our schools, or even securing our border, we will be voting to add almost $2 trillion to our national debt; but most of the spending is going to fulfill campaign promises and fund the agenda of the far left. We must reject this partisan bill that even many Democrats admit is the most progressive legislation in the last quarter century, and Congress must instead focus on working together for the good of the American people.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, Coach Wally Bumpas was an icon to the many young men and women he mentored, and I'm honored to have known him when he coached at Brandon High School. Coach Bumpas taught history and coached football in Lambert, Shelby, Winona, Jackson, McComb, and Brandon, Mississippi, and in 1990 was inducted into the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame. He loved his players and seeing them advance in their careers and personal lives. Coach Bumpas was an avid reader, especially of World War II history, and he found great pleasure in traveling and fishing. Among his fondest times were trips to Europe and an African safari with his wife, Kennie, and fly fishing in the Bahamas with many friends including Quinton Dickerson, Dave Goldberg, and Charlie Modica, Jr. They thoroughly enjoyed his company and advice, and they cherish the photos, stories, and memories of the time they shared together. After retiring from a longtime coaching career in 1995, Coach Bumpas was hired at his retirement party by former Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice. Working in Governor Fordice's successful re-election campaign that year with many new friends including Lisa Buelow Ireland, Coach Bumpas began a second career in politics and public service. In 1996, Coach Bumpas worked on the successful campaign of former Mississippi Third District Congressman Charles W. ``Chip'' Pickering, Jr. He subsequently served for many years on Congressman Pickering's congressional staff in Mississippi. Congressman Pickering always considered Coach Bumpas to be a loyal, trusted friend and was grateful to have him as a member of his staff. Coach Bumpas also enjoyed researching his genealogy and learned he descended from French Huguenot Eduod Bompasse, who arrived at Plymouth on the ``Good Ship Fortune,'' the first boat to arrive after the Mayflower, on November 10, 1621. In recent years, Coach spent his days enjoying his home on Lake Lorman in Madison County, Mississippi. Coach Wally Bumpas passed away at the age of 84 on December 6, 2020, surrounded by family. He is survived by his wife and the love of his life, the former Kennie Tuth Robison, whom he married on July 23, 1961, at St. John's Catholic Church in Oxford, MS. He is also survived by son Wally Bumpas, Jr. and wife Reni, daughter Elizabeth ``Sis'' Bumpas, son Ken Bumpas and wife Lisa. as well as seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Coach Bumpas was preceded in death by his brother Gilbert Dell Bumpas, Jr. Through his actions of encouragement to thousands of people he knew, Coach Bumpas left Mississippi a better place than he found it. He will be missed greatly by those who knew him, but the lessons he instilled in so many will continue to positively impact lives for many years to come.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, since the outbreak of the coronavirus in the United States, the promise of the development of a vaccine has allowed Americans to remain optimistic in the midst of tragedy. Now, after months of sacrifice, the coronavirus vaccine has been found. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the hard work of scientists working around the world and the support by the tremendous feat of government innovation known as Operation Warp Speed. Now, following the discovery of the vaccine, we must focus on the production and distribution of the vaccine to the American people and to those across the globe. Public officials are optimistic that distribution of the vaccine could begin in a matter of weeks, a massive jump forward in the process to rid the world of this dangerous virus. This production of millions of dosages of vaccine will not happen overnight, but thanks to Operation Warp Speed and the Trump administration, the vaccine will reach vulnerable Americans faster than anticipated, saving thousands of lives in the process. Mr. Speaker, I thank all who helped advance this extraordinary accomplishment.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to welcome my new colleagues who will join the 117th Congress. This group includes individuals from diverse backgrounds, including a historic number of conservative women. The ideals that these conservative Members stand for are a rejection of the ideals of the radical left. The American people have spoken and voted against defunding the police, against overreaching legislation to take election independence away from our States, against adding Justices to the Supreme Court, and against moving our country toward the failed policies of socialism. Instead, the American people are interested in issues that will move our country forward, like supporting our veterans, securing our border, addressing our aging infrastructure, and ensuring our country remains a safe place to live, worship, and raise a family. In short, the American people want and deserve from their leaders real solutions to problems facing our Nation, and I will continue to work with others toward finding those solutions and advancing our conservative principles.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to call attention to this deadly disease, to recognize the advancement our Nation has made in the battle against breast cancer, and to spread information about the fight to save the lives of those impacted. It is estimated that more than 275,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year. For this reason, it is vital that those at risk take proper steps to reduce their risk for this disease. Our medical personnel have made great progress in our fight to cure breast cancer, but we must continue to do more. Madam Speaker, I hope everybody will join me this month in spreading awareness about breast cancer, comforting those who have been impacted or are fighting cancer right now, and thanking our medical personnel for their dedication to treat and cure this deadly disease.

Mr. GUEST

Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, no matter your political affiliations in 2001, there were no greater heroes than our first responders who risked their own lives to save their fellow citizens on 9/11. Republicans and Democrats thanked our first responders, while children across our Nation looked up to them as examples of what it meant to be heroes, to risk their own well-being in service to their fellow citizens. Now, across the Nation, we see a stark contrast to that scene from almost 20 years ago. Radicals now seek to defund the police. They threaten the men and women who risk their lives in service to our community, and, at times, they target our officers with violence, which, in the most tragic of cases, means these officers who are also fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters never return home to their family. I am calling on Members of Congress who have remained silent in recent months to now publicly oppose the violence against our law enforcement community so that we can put an end to the basic attacks against our first responders.