Andy Harris

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition tonight to H.R. 7790, the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, a bill that just continues the majority's reckless spending spree without actually fixing the infant formula crisis this administration caused. Like parents across America, I am frustrated by the Biden administration's lack of urgency to address this completely predictable crisis. In fact, infant formula supply challenges started last fall and were exacerbated with the Abbott recall of infant formula and the facility closing in February. At that time, the administration and the FDA should have made it a priority, back in February, to get this plant safely back online as quickly as possible. Instead, they allowed yet another crisis to occur. In fact, the facility remains idle 3 months later, with just a recent announcement by the FDA that they have now come to an agreement with Abbott on how to reopen the plant. The answer to the formula shortage is the families need more formula, and we need to get one of the largest domestic producers of formula safely operating again. But this is not a money problem. This is a leadership problem. It is another example of this administration's disregard for hardworking American families who are already struggling with record-high gas prices, food prices, and inflation soaring to a 40-year high. All of us have constituents impacted by this formula shortage, and this is one issue we should have been able to address in a bipartisan manner. I thank Ranking Member Granger for her leadership on this issue, offering commonsense solutions that wouldn't have added to our national debt and would have held the FDA accountable for its foot dragging. Unfortunately, Republican input was dismissed, and this bill just continues the Democrats' strategy of throwing money at the same bureaucrats who caused the crisis and who have not made its solution a priority so that that failed agency can hire even more bureaucrats. This is yet another missed opportunity to allow Republicans and Democrats to work together for the benefit of American families. Instead, the majority is going it alone, having caused this problem just like they caused the high gas prices, crime in our streets, and rising food prices. They are not solving it with this bill; they are just spending money and adding to the debt our children and grandchildren have to repay. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, come back to the table, work with Republicans, and let's have a bipartisan solution.

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise with concern about some of the wording in the preamble. I think this is the reason why we should actually go through the normal process, not a suspension process for something as critical as this resolution. Clearly, I have no argument against the threat that Russia has against democracies in Europe. My problem is with page 2, line 3: ``. . . internal threats from proponents of illiberalism.'' That is a progressive, leftwing dog whistle for Poland and Hungary. Why in the world, as Russia is attacking Ukraine, and Poland is the center for bringing our military assistance into Ukraine, why in the world in a preamble would we appear to attack one of our NATO allies? It is unnecessary. It is unwise. Again, having a Center for Democratic Resilience, I don't have an argument with that. My argument is with the preamble that clearly includes inflammatory language toward two of our best allies in NATO: Poland and Hungary.

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding me time. Mr. Blumenauer and I have jointly led and sponsored this bill for four Congresses. Although we disagree about recreational marijuana--he supports it; I oppose it--as a physician, I realize that if we are going to have medical marijuana legal, as the gentlewoman from Michigan says, in over three dozen States, we really ought to do research on it to see what it is used for and what it can't be used for because, Madam Speaker, many claims are made about it. Some are legitimate; some are illegitimate. The American public, if we are to have this product legal in 37 States now, they deserve to know whether it works for what the claims are made. What this bill does is simple. It makes it easier to do rigorous medical research, the same type of research we expect to be done on any of the drugs that are sold as medicines in this country. That is what this bill does. It has been a long time coming. I thank the chairman for bringing this bill out. Hopefully, it gets across the finish line in both Houses and goes to the President's desk for signature. Madam Speaker, the American public deserves to know what medical marijuana is useful for because, again, for anyone who has one of the conditions that it might be useful for, this could be a godsend. For other conditions where it is claimed, it will be found to be not effective, but the American public needs to know. The Medical Marijuana Research Act is the way to get this done. Modernize our research methods. Bring them up to the scientific standards we use for every other type of medication in this country that is sold as a drug. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 5657.

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the bicentennial birthday of a true American hero, Harriet Tubman. Born in Dorchester County, in Maryland's First Congressional District, Harriet Tubman is best known as the conductor of the Underground Railroad. Born a slave, Tubman escaped and risked her own freedom to guide countless other slaves to freedom at great personal risk. In honor of her life achievement, in the next few weeks, numerous events will be held in and around Dorchester County to celebrate her 200th birthday. The Harriet Tubman State Park and Visitor Center will be hosting discussions with archaeologists and historians, as well as conducting walking tours, live music events, artifact displays, and a film premiere. As we close out Black History Month and begin Women's History Month, I urge my colleagues and all Americans to join me in honoring the memory of Harriet Tubman. She truly embodied the American spirit. From her thirst for freedom to her courage under fire and her passion for helping her fellow man, she is an example to us all. Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate her here today on the floor of the people's House.

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, we surpassed 100,000 overdose deaths this year, a 28 percent increase. The amount of fentanyl seized at our southern border--seized--is over 100 million pills and 11,000 pounds. Now, as a physician who has administered fentanyl, this is enough to kill hundreds of millions of Americans. The price of heroin is now down to $20 a dose; the price of fentanyl down to $2. One stunning supply chain success this administration has under its belt is the fentanyl supply chain across our southern border. One place this administration has successfully fought inflation is in lowering the price of illegal opioids on our streets. The latest effort by this administration to promote drug use is now to spend $30 million to supply clean crack-smoking pipes to addicts. Mr. Speaker, just say no.

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with the hope that after nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade's attack on the most basic of human rights, the right to life, will soon meet its end. Why are we going to be marching tomorrow? We do it because we believe that every person, born and unborn, deserves a chance at life. We march to shed light on the incredible resources available to expectant mothers who find themselves in desperate situations. We march to send a message that humanity cannot sit by and quietly tolerate the deliberate ending of human life. Mr. Speaker, I am a physician, and I have helped thousands of women deliver their babies over the course of my career. When I underwent my training, I was taught that caring for expectant mothers meant caring for two patients, not one. As you can see here, advances in ultrasound technology have reinforced that training from decades ago. Mr. Speaker, these are not blobs of tissue we are talking about. These are human beings. The science is clear: From the moment of conception, new human life enters the world with its own unique DNA, and in a matter of weeks even a heartbeat. Mr. Speaker, we march for an end to the human tragedy of abortion, and I pray each day that we come closer to this righteous conclusion.

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, today the House majority will likely pass the faulty Health Appropriations bill, which eliminates the protection of the Hyde and Weldon amendments. This will happen despite polling that consistently shows nearly 60 percent of Americans oppose the use of hard-earned taxpayer dollars for abortion. And even more compelling, more than 75 percent of Americans oppose the use of their tax dollars to pay for abortions overseas. As we all know, the Hyde amendment prevents the use of Federal tax dollars for abortions. This policy rider has withstood the test of time and enjoyed bipartisan support for 45 years, including from Senator Joe Biden. But just as important to me, as a physician, is the Weldon amendment, which prevents healthcare providers from being compelled to participate in a medical procedure to which they hold religious or moral objections, namely abortion. Removing this protection would result in gross violations of the Constitutional rights of Americans. Madam Speaker, the Hyde and Weldon amendments are just two examples of commonsense measures we have enacted over the years to protect life. I urge my colleagues in the majority to reconsider dismantling these important protections of the right to life.

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Carol Clews, a pro-life leader in Maryland who passed away from cancer this spring. Archbishop Lori, without exaggeration, called her a ``towering figure'' in the pro-life movement. Carol's vocation was to help women in their crisis pregnancies by directing the faith-based Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns, where pregnant women could go for support until and after their children were born. Her pregnancy center, staffed mostly by volunteers, helped thousands of women and their children in a time of need. When the City of Baltimore decreed that her pregnancy center had to display a poster that promoted abortion, she refused to do so and took the case to Federal district court, where she prevailed. On appeal, the Fourth Circuit upheld the important religious protections and free speech rights of pregnancy centers from attacks by pro-abortion governments that want to deny the choice of life for women during one of the most vulnerable times of their lives. The pro-life and pregnancy center movements in Maryland will greatly miss Carol Clews and her faith and courage. The thousands of women and their children who were helped by her pregnancy centers are her legacy.

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, today, the House debated several bills to address the health and safety of children and newborns, including those that would ban crib bumpers and mandate stability standards for furniture that could fall on children. Unfortunately, this body did not consider any legislation that would continue to ensure that precious taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions that intentionally kill babies. At a time when this protection of the unborn may be stripped from Federal funding bills for the first time in nearly 50 years, it should be pointed out that abortion ends exponentially more lives than crib bumpers or furniture. Madam Speaker, I, therefore, ask unanimous consent that the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 18, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record an article written by David Stevenson, the Director of the Center of Energy and Environmental Policy at the Caesar Rodney Institute. This article summarizes many of the various concerns raised by multiple stakeholders with regard to current plans for offshore wind development on the United States' Outer Continental Shelf. These concerns are particularly timely in light of the Biden Administration's approval of the Vineyard Wind Offshore Wind Project off the coast of Massachusetts earlier this week. For years I have sought to raise concerns with proposed offshore wind projects relating to commercial and recreational fisheries, navigational safety, national security, natural resources, environmental conservation and the impacts these massive projects have on local communities. Nonetheless, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has decided to move ahead with the approval of this project without adequately accommodating these concerns. I fear that this project is a harbinger of what is to come and that in the not-so- distant future, much of our East Coast will be pocked by these large industrial projects to the detriment of all of the interests I have already mentioned. Madam Speaker, I urge my fellow members and the Biden administration to address these issues before it is too late to ensure the responsible development of our treasured coastal and marine resources. [From CRI News, May 4, 2021] Offshore Wind Too Ugly for the Hamptons but OK for Other Beach Resorts? (By David T. Stevenson, Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy) Officials in New York and the Federal Government determined that the proposed offshore wind turbine lease area off the Hamptons is too close and ruins the serene ocean viewshed. They also noted it is a threat to navigation, fishing, and endangered marine mammals. The Fairway lease areas sit as close as 12 miles off the Long Island coast near the Hamptons. In official comments to the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) submitted July 30, 2018, New York suggested the wind turbines be no closer than 20 miles from shore. This recommendation was based upon an earlier study by BOEM that concluded that 600-foot-high turbines produced a ``dominate impact ``on the beach view 15 miles offshore. Adjusting for the new 50% taller turbines, the suggested distance from the shore should be 30 miles. In Europe, the closest lease area for these jumbo turbines is 44 miles out. The New York decision begs the question of why lease areas from Maryland to Massachusetts aren't being rejected on the same merits. There are four proposed lease areas within 20 miles of the islands of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and Block Island. Another four lease areas are off southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Ocean City, Maryland, which range between 10 and 13 miles off major beach resorts. Yet BOEM is about to approve the ``Vineyard Wind'' project just 14 miles from shore, establishing a precedent likely to influence federal decisions on all the other projects. Visibility is a small part of New York's concerns. The State's extensive outreach revealed proposed lease areas posed a great concern to a high number of commercial and for- hire fishermen. The passage around or between wind farms could pose a safety risk for vessels attempting to maintain a course heading and could increase vessel costs, especially for the fishing industry facing daily hazards and a potential loss of fishing gear. The BOEM Final Environmental Impact Statement for the ``Vineyard Wind'' project concluded that the leases would have a major impact on Coast Guard Search and Rescue Operations. They also determined a major negative impact on scientific studies used to determine the annual fishing limits for various species. Both impacts relate to the need to fly higher to find people in need of rescue and to make fish counts. There are other potential environmental impacts. There are only 356 endangered Northern Right Whales left, and they regularly visit many of the proposed lease areas. Recent accidental deaths were caused by vessel strikes, entanglements, and ocean noise, all of which will be worsened by offshore wind projects. Horseshoe crab blood is the only known substance for testing antigens in vaccine development. The COVID-19 vaccine could not have been developed without it. The blood is harvested, and the crabs are returned to the sea. The crabs burrow into the sandy seafloor to hibernate for the winter, primarily in a federal reserve off the New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland coast. Offshore wind projects, with acres of cement and rocks to prevent sand scouring, would land on top of the reserve, and electric cables and turbines will create noise and electromagnetic fields with an unknown impact on the crabs. The crab's eggs are critical food for migrating birds like the endangered Red Knot. The problems discussed above are common to the eight lease areas located too close to shore. The Hamptons have some of the most expensive beachfront home values in the country. Many of those homes are owned by wealthy Manhattanites. One can only wonder how much influence these wealthy folks had on the decision to shut down the Fairways lease areas. What's good enough for New Yorkers should be good enough for the rest of the East Coast.

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life and sacrifice of Corporal Keith Heacook, a police officer whose funeral I attended on Monday. He was tragically killed in a violent assault while responding to an early morning domestic disturbance call. As a member of the Delmar Police Department, a police force that straddles the Maryland- Delaware border, Corporal Heacook honorably and selflessly served not just my district, but also the constituents of southern Delaware. Mr. Speaker, it was appropriate that a man who laid down his life in service to his community was given such a fitting funeral with over 1,000 law enforcement officers paying their final respects. Coincidentally, this week, we honor the courage and sacrifice of all our men and women in blue nationwide--men and women who literally put their lives on the line every day so that we can live safely in our homes and in our communities. Corporal Heacook leaves behind a widow and a young son. Mr. Speaker, I ask everyone to join me in praying for his family during this challenging time and for all the families of all the brave men and women who have laid down their lives to protect us.

Mr. HARRIS

Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I oppose the ruling of the Chair.

Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I guess it is appropriate for someone from Maryland to speak on this issue because this is Maryland's land we are talking about. This land was given for the purpose of a Federal enclave by Maryland. How dare Congress take Maryland's land from it. That is not why it was given. Mr. Speaker, let's talk about the unconstitutionality--well, you have heard about the unconstitutionality. We don't need to talk about it any more. I urge everyone who is watching us on C-SPAN today: Go get your copy of the Constitution. It is written in black and white. This is very plain. This is clearly unconstitutional. Mr. Speaker, I hope America was paying attention to the majority leader's speech, that one line where he said ``this is all about politics.'' In fact, he even gave the history. He said, well, in the past, the Republicans wanted Senators, and so and so wanted Senators. We don't live in the past. We live in the present. Mr. Speaker, is this what America wants? Do they want pure politics? Not my words. That's what the majority leader said: This is all about politics. Mr. Speaker, let's ask: Why did our Founders do what they did? Every American who is watching, think about what you saw last summer. You saw a White House under siege. You saw a mob. And we know Members of this House have promoted mobs. They did it last weekend. It will happen again. If we put the boundary next to the Federal buildings, it will be subject to a mob, a mob controlled by a State, not a Federal enclave. That is the last thing this country needs, and it is the last thing the Federal Government needs. I see my colleagues on the other side of the aisle shaking their heads. How else would one describe that group outside the White House? It was an uncontrolled mob. Thank God that Federal troops, Federal forces, Federal law enforcement were allowed to be there to stop that mob. That is why we need the District of Columbia to be the Federal enclave. Mr. Speaker, I oppose the bill.

Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the gentleman's words be taken down.

Mr. HARRIS

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

Mr. HARRIS

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