Mike Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for those important words. You are exactly right. They need to be better funded and given greater resources and greater training, and we support that because we back the blue. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), a dear friend who certainly shares that sentiment.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. I thank the gentleman for that voice of authority on the issue. Mr. Speaker, I have been honored to be joined on the floor by so many colleagues from around the country tonight to honor our law enforcement officers this National Police Week. I was sitting here as I was listening to the speeches tonight, and I was reminded, as we always are as we sit on this floor of the people's House, of the words that are inscribed right above your head there, our Nation's great motto, In God We Trust. We are a Nation under God, as we know, and millions of Americans find daily inspiration in the Word of God. On National Police Week, it is appropriate to note that we find there a useful reminder about the noble calling of those who serve our communities so bravely. Indeed, it is a divine calling, and I think those who are calling for the defunding and the disrespect of our police need to remember that it was God himself who ordained that authority. In the 13th chapter of the book of Romans, it is subtitled Submission to Governing Authorities. I just want to read that in closing tonight, Mr. Speaker. It begins in verse 1 of Chapter 13: Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God himself has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Mr. Speaker, I conclude tonight with that admonition, that we give honor where honor is due. That is what National Police Week is about. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for those great words. I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez), a very important voice and someone who has been on the front lines of community service, a first responder, a fire chief, which is my favorite previous job of his, although he has been a mayor as well.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield to the gentleman from the Third District of the great State of Texas (Mr. Taylor).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for her remarks. We will stand up for the police. Mr. Speaker, you have heard many comments and similar sentiments here tonight. It has been echoed over and over. Mr. Speaker, I yield to one more of my colleagues who is from the Sixth District of the great State of Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his perspective from New York. We will go from coast to coast out West back to California. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the Eighth District of California (Mr. Obernolte).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Those are strong words, and they are accurate. People have politicized this issue, and it is turning them against law enforcement, and it is a terrible, terrible situation. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the Sixth District of the great State of Tennessee (Mr. Rose).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from the great State of Alabama for his remarks. Indeed, these are concerns that we share from coast to coast. We will go back up to the great State of New York and hear from my friend who is a legislator and former Secretary of State. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the State of New York (Mr. Jacobs).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the First District of the great State of Alabama (Mr. Carl).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. May I inquire as to how much time is remaining, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for those comments. Mrs. Lesko is another good friend and colleague. We trust her voice on so many things. Nothing highlights the need for law and order more than the current crisis at the border created by the Biden administration. She has seen this firsthand as she represents Arizona. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Fischbach. That is an important perspective from the great State of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Kim. You are so right that we need to back the blue, and I am so grateful to be joined by so many colleagues that share that sentiment. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Mrs. Fischbach), another freshman who has made a real mark here on Capitol Hill and who is very passionate about this issue as well.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Baird. I appreciate those comments. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for his remarks. Mr. Speaker, from there, I am delighted to go north a bit. We will go to my friend GT Thompson, who is the ranking member on the House Committee on Agriculture, and who happens to represent the largest geographical district in the State of Pennsylvania, in terms of congressional districts.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and I appreciate his remarks. Mr. Speaker, from Utah, we will move over to one of our favorite representatives from the great State of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds), a freshman who also made a big mark here and who came from the Florida House of Representatives.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those important words. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield next to a gentleman from Utah, a freshman who has made a big mark here in the First District of Utah. He is also a former officer of the U.S. Foreign Service. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the sheriff for his service and that passion. It is appropriate tonight, of course. Mr. Speaker, I yield next to the gentleman from Kansas' big First District. The district, I think, has 63 counties. It is one of the largest in the country. He has got a lot of work to do. And they know him well because he also happened to have been the 50th Lieutenant Governor of the State of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and appreciate those remarks. That is an important perspective. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Baird), a gentleman who also knows quite a bit about sacrificial service to the country and our communities.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Arkansas. We do join him in those prayers for Officer Franks and the others around the country who are recovering from this violence that so many law enforcement officers have had to endure over the past year. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield next to another gentleman in our conference, who speaks with great authority on the issue, particularly on Police Week. Mr. Troy Nehls of Texas 22 was the former sheriff of Fort Bend County, Texas, and he knows of which he speaks. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Nehls).

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those words straight from the heart, and he speaks, as we said, with great authority on it. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Womack), my neighboring State, who will speak with equal passion on the issue.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, during our time tonight, my colleagues and I will recognize the great men and women of law enforcement and the critical role they play in keeping our local communities safe. National Police Week is particularly important this year. Of course, we observe it annually, but we all know, over the last year, law enforcement has been under constant attack by the political left in this country. Everyone can see it with their own eyes. The left has demanded to defund police departments. Some Democrats, even elected officials, have even gone as far as to call for abolishing the police. Yet, in the face of that madness, police officers, nevertheless, continue to put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, our families, and all of us. It is such a critical part of who we are as Americans. As has been noted, we have lost many more officers in the line of duty over the past year, and we mourn those tragic losses. Despite the sacrificial service and the bravery of law enforcement, there are some Democrats even in this body, Mr. Speaker, who continue to push the false and outrageous narrative that police are actually somehow to be regarded as enemies of the communities they serve and that we don't need them. Well, tonight, my Republican colleagues and I are here to tell you that they are wrong. We need police officers, and we need law and order. Nothing makes this more apparent than the spike in violent crime and homicides we have seen in Democrat-led cities that have defunded their police departments. Specifically, there are a few examples here. In Austin, Texas, they have seen a 50 percent rise in homicides. In Los Angeles, they saw an 11.6 percent rise, and in New York City, 45 percent. By the way, in New York City, they have a 97 percent rise in shootings. Defunding the police is a terrible idea, and anyone who looks objectively at this issue obviously knows that. So, what should we do about it? We should support our police officers and those in law enforcement. We should encourage them to continue building strong relationships in all aspects of our communities. We should give law enforcement the tools and training they need to maintain law and order. Lastly, as a Nation, we must back the blue. We would argue it may have never been as important to do that as it is right now. Mr. Speaker, I have a number of colleagues who will speak to this issue, and I will begin by yielding to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), my dear friend, who was not only a professional hockey player, most people know that, but a lot of people may not realize he is also a retired police lieutenant. So, he is, obviously, qualified to speak on this issue.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney), another important voice to this Special Order tonight, my friend and colleague and classmate. We mentioned earlier how important New York is in this whole issue, particularly this year with the rapid rise in New York City, in particular, of their homicide rate and violent crime. I know she has a lot to say on the issue.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, it is a con job, indeed. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.