Mike Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true Louisiana icon, Dr. C.O. Simpkins, Sr., a doctor, veteran, distinguished public servant, and civil rights leader, who passed away last week. Doctor Simpkins, a proud native of Mansfield, Louisiana, leaves behind a wonderful legacy of service to his fellow Louisianians: He defended our Nation as a captain in the United States Air Force; he treated our families as a beloved dentist; and he served honorably as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. Dr. Simpkins' greatest impact was unquestionably in the fight for civil rights. He was a friend and contemporary of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King; he was a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; and he was a tireless advocate for freedom, justice, and equality. Today I am honored to join my colleagues from the Louisiana delegation to introduce legislation to designate a U.S. Post Office in Dr. Simpkins' name in his hometown of Mansfield. It is a small but sincere gesture of appreciation for a good man whose legacy lives on in our Nation, our State, and our communities. Godspeed, Dr. Simpkins.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. I truly thank my friend, Congressman Barr, for hosting this Special Order. I applaud the sentiments that he just shared. I associate myself with them and the conviction that he has. I certainly share it, and I know so many of my colleagues, at least on this side of the aisle, do as well. In 1923, there was an average, middle-class family man named Roy Otis Martin, who bought a rundown lumber mill in Alexandria, Louisiana. He worked hard. He established it, he expanded it. He ultimately transformed it into one of the largest economic generators for our State. This is what makes America great. This is true freedom. This is real opportunity. And it is a story that has been repeated so many countless times throughout our Nation's rich history. However, many Americans, particularly our younger generation, seem to be losing hold of these values. There was a survey that just came out this past March; we all lamented the findings: 49.6 percent--almost 50 percent--of millennials and members of Generation Z responded to this poll and said that they would, ``prefer living in a socialist country.'' It is shocking. Just last month, there was another poll that came out. It found that 70 percent of millennials say they are likely to vote socialist; 15 percent of millennials think the world would be a better place if the Soviet Union still existed. Only 57 percent of millennials believe the Declaration of Independence better guarantees freedom and equality over the Communist Manifesto. These are just shocking numbers, and they are really frightening, because it is this mindset that is the antithesis of everything that our Founders fought for. What do we stand for in America? We stand for core American principles, the principles of individual freedom and limited government and the rule of law; things like peace through strength, fiscal responsibility, free markets, and human dignity. And those are all of the values that socialism steamrolls. Those are the ideals that this country was founded on, and they have to remain the foundation for everything we do because it is central to our identity. Unfortunately, now more than ever, there is this false message that has taken root, one that says government is better, that more government is even greater. Most of those running for President in 2020 on the Democrat side of the aisle are promising free healthcare and free education, and some are going as far as actually promising free money to every American on a monthly basis for those who put their trust in the government. The problem is, the government was never intended to be our savior. Our Founding Fathers built this Republic on strong convictions that every American is entitled to individual freedom and they should never be controlled or owned or dictated to by the government. In fact, Thomas Jefferson said the following during his first inaugural address: ``What more is necessary to make us happy and a prosperous people? Still one thing more, fellow citizens--a wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.'' There are two competing visions for America today, and that is the bottom line. The contrast is becoming ever more crystal clear. You simply cannot be for individual freedom and liberty and also be for socialism. Those are mutually exclusive pursuits. You simply can't have both. Socialism is the antithesis of everything we stand for in America, beginning with our national motto, inscribed right there above the Speaker's head. Do you know that socialists sneer at the motto ``In God we trust?'' You know why? Because as social Democrat-turned Communist hero and Soviet Union Premier, Vladimir Lenin, explained in 1905, this is what he wrote: ``There is nothing more abominable than religion.'' Every socialist is, as a rule, an atheist. But now is the time for us to articulate with clarity, conviction, and consistency exactly what our Founders stood for, what America is for, who we are, and why we are exceptional. I close by just thanking, again, the gentleman from Kentucky for putting this Special Order together at such a critical hour in our Nation's history. And we will continue to fight wholeheartedly against socialism, so that all Americans can have the same opportunity that our forefathers had to turn lumber mills into legacies.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I rise to offer this amendment to the underlying legislation, H.R. 729, the Coastal and Great Lakes Communities Enhancement Act. My amendment seeks to provide critical reforms to duplicative, burdensome, and outdated policies that hamper energy exploration and critical coastal restoration. To be clear, coastal restoration is vital to deterring ecosystem degradation and fueling economic sustainability for communities who call this southernmost part of Louisiana home. The loss of our coastal areas presents an increased threat to safety within residential communities, and it negatively impacts business investments due to the difficulty in obtaining insurance. Since the 1930s, Louisiana has suffered nearly 1,900 square miles of land loss, and it is anticipated to lose an additional 4,000-plus, unless Congress acts to loosen the regulations that have delayed critical projects that bolster vulnerable habitats and communities. Take my home State of Louisiana, for example, which has greatly suffered from overreaching government regulation. In March of 2017, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana announced the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project was going to be delayed an additional 2 years due to permitting issues. This project is considered the very cornerstone of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's 2017 Coastal Master Plan to mitigate flood risks, restore and protect critical habitats, and ensure Congress is not debating the issue 15 years after the region has been irreparably lost and sunk into the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, this amendment supports the national security interest of the United States to ensure our men and women in uniform are able to properly train for future missions. In 2016, a Federal court of appeals revoked the U.S. Navy's authorization to use sonar for critical national security training because it conflicted with the rules and regulations under the MMPA. To address these delays directly, my amendment simply makes commonsense updates to the MMPA that help increase regulatory efficiency and remove duplicative permitting requirements under Federal law. For anyone to insinuate that this amendment will destroy protections and result in wetland and species decline is simply untrue. In fact, the reforms made by my amendment would further support coastal habitats and species restoration, U.S. national security interest, and American energy independence. Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I really appreciate the gentleman's zeal, but I want him to know the focus is on the right thing. We are focused here on solving problems. This is not the first time this legislation has been misunderstood or even mischaracterized. As I stated previously, those who say that this amendment would weaken the effectiveness of certain elements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act resulting in industries involved with offshore areas having unfettered access to conduct activities that are detrimental to marine life is just absolutely not the case. This amendment would roll back burdensome regulations on companies seeking to do business in offshore areas, but it does it in a very safe and responsible way. The current process is just too burdensome; it is too time-consuming. Though the MMPA includes statutory deadlines for Federal agencies processing Incidental Harassment Authorization applications, industries operating in offshore areas cite delays that lasts hundreds of days, and that is just simply not acceptable. Previously, the Government Accountability Office reported on this exact issue. The GAO discovered that the National Marine Fishery Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to meet basic tasks, which included accurately recording application dates and timelines. In addition, the GAO found that some IHA applications sat within these agencies for years. In addition, ESA's list of species recovery efforts have also been hampered or delayed by the current IHA process. During a previous Water, Power and Ocean Subcommittee hearing on marine mammal predation of ESA-listed salmon species in the Pacific Northwest, the then-regional director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife testified that, ``the conditions associated with the current requirements of Section 120 of the MMPA are challenging and expensive to implement, limited in scope and legal challenges have slowed the progress in reducing impacts to salmon.'' That is just one species, as an example, but it illustrates the need for this amendment to be adopted to H.R. 721. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop), our distinguished ranking member.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Sergeant Joseph Richard III, a Louisiana native who gave his life fighting for our country during a third tour in Iraq in his 5 years of U.S. military service. Sergeant Richard was deeply devoted to his family and his country. He was a loving husband, son, brother, and uncle who dedicated much of his life to ensuring his loved ones--and every single one of us--were able to enjoy the many freedoms we too often take for granted. Sergeant Richard was the recipient of 12 distinguished service medals, including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He made the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield fighting against one of our Nation's fiercest enemies, and, for that, he will never be forgotten. In fact, his parents, Joe and Elaine Richard, were both here in D.C. with us last week to memorialize forever their son's sacrifice in the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. I take this moment to extend my sincerest and deepest appreciation to them and the countless others whose lives were blessed by Sergeant Richard. No one understands the true life of freedom more deeply. I pray that God's grace continues to comfort them, and I thank them for their service and sacrifices over the many years. We know our soldiers don't serve alone. Mr. and Mrs. Richard, thank you for raising a hero. We will also work hard here in Congress to honor your sacrifice and the sacrifices all of our soldiers make.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate my colleague's presentation here. It is clear and concise, and he raises important points. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2181, the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, as well. Mr. Chairman, this is a flawed bill. It is simply another attempt by our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to prevent our country from taking the next steps in this era of American energy dominance. What is important here is that American energy dominance is a great strategy. It is a strategy that helps all Americans, those in this immediate area and around the country. The legislation before us will, of course, permanently restrict oil and gas development in the area immediately surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Now, bear in mind, of course, as has been pointed out here, exploration is already restricted within the park; and, of course, that is rightfully so. But it is bad policy to create an arbitrary buffer zone for a prohibition on development in the area around the park. In this Congress, our friends on the other side of the aisle have made their priorities crystal clear regarding the management of our country's resources. So far, they have placed moratoriums on oil and gas production in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, in the Pacific and Atlantic planning areas, and in ANWR. Apparently, that is not enough. What we are hearing today is that now we need to ban production in the New Mexico areas, as well. Mr. Chairman, at what point do we say enough is enough? The evidence shows, time and again, that placing restrictions on energy development only increases prices for American consumers. And make no mistake, these increases have the largest impact on our most vulnerable communities. I said this on the floor in September--many of us have--and I will say it again today, the United States is blessed because our land is filled with an abundance of natural resources. My own congressional district back in Louisiana is home of one of the largest natural gas reserves in the country. We believe, we insist that we have the means and the responsibility to use those God-given resources to create jobs, foster economic growth, and pave the way to an era of American energy dominance. Oppressive policies like the ones before us today have been our own worst enemy. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, as we approach Veterans Day, I rise to bring awareness again to the alarming rate of veteran suicide. This country owes all of our veterans and armed services personnel a limitless debt of gratitude for their sacrifices, so many that they made on our behalf. Our country simply wouldn't be the Nation it is today, of course, were it not for the many ways in which they have valiantly served. Very sadly, veteran suicide remains an urgent crisis that devastates too many families across our Nation every single day. The statistics are staggering. We know now that we lose up to 6,000 veterans to this unspeakable tragedy every year. For far too long, our country's brave men and women who fought abroad for our freedoms fall victim to suicide when they return home, and, of course, they leave families without fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. There are few things more heartbreaking than to hear of another brave soldier taking their own life, and we naturally ask the questions: How could this one have happened? Is there more that we could have done to intervene? I just want to say this. Here in Congress, we have a moral obligation to ensure that our veterans are given top priority and the resources and quality healthcare they need and truly deserve. We will continue to work on that priority. We will continue to advocate for all of those who served, and we will continue to draw attention to this terrible crisis in America. May God bless and watch over all of our troops and all those who have served the call of freedom.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, we are here tonight to draw attention to the Democrats' unprecedented and dangerous impeachment exercise. It is unprecedented because this has simply never happened before. In our nearly two-and-a-half centuries as a nation, there have only been three instances of impeachment proceedings against a President. In all three cases, the impeachment inquiry was first properly authorized by a full vote of this House. Of course, today's sham was initiated unilaterally via a press conference. We haven't had a vote. They won't give us one. There is no due process for the accused, but, instead, there is a secret, partisan process somewhere behind closed doors. There is no respect or recognition for the rights of the duly elected Members of this House, even those of us on the committees of jurisdiction, like my House Judiciary Committee. It is unprecedented and it is also dangerous. And this is the biggest point: Corrupting and weaponizing impeachment to generate a predetermined political outcome is simply not right or fair, and it jeopardizes this entire institution. Do you know why? Because, if the American people are not able to trust the final results of the impeachment process on a matter this serious and this important, millions of citizens lose faith in the institution and lose faith in our Republic. This is a sham, and it needs to stop.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on Roll call No. 555-- motion to table.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Chairwoman, I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding. I rise in opposition to this bill and my colleagues' efforts to impede the rapid growth of American energy exploration. This bill is flawed in a number of ways, as we have recounted here already during this debate. First and foremost, it is clear that banning energy exploration will increase the prices that families pay at the pump and the prices they pay to power their homes. Unfortunately, the tax on our Nation's energy producers aren't new. We know what happens when government intervenes by imposing burdensome regulations and senseless moratoriums like we are seeing today. For years, New England States have pushed restrictive energy policies, and what we are considering here on the floor is no exception. A handful of Governors and State legislatures are narrowly focused on hindering the exploration and development of critical energy resources. What those policies have resulted in are increased prices for consumers, and they have done nothing to reduce demands for fossil fuels. In fact, as Congressman Duncan recounted just a few moments ago, last year, those policies culminated in a Russian tanker delivering natural gas to the Boston Harbor. Why? Because there weren't enough pipelines available to bring it from nearby Pennsylvania. You heard it right. Despite being just a few hundred miles from the Marcellus Shale, one of the largest natural gas reserves in the country, our New England States were forced to import natural gas from Vladimir Putin. Nobody on this floor--the advocates of this bill--seem to have a problem with that. Now my colleagues want to implement these policies on a Federal level with moratoriums on drilling. The event in Boston shows us that the legislation before us would have no impact on reducing demand for fossil fuels. We would simply have to import more from our adversaries. That is not good policy. As has been explained, to add to the madness, the bill is completely irreconcilable with the Land and Water Conservation Fund, one of the biggest priorities of the Natural Resources Committee in this Congress. The LWCF receives its funding from oil revenues generated off the coast of States like Louisiana, my home State. On the very same day that the Natural Resources Committee marked up these bills to ban offshore oil and gas exploration, the committee marked up another bill to permanently fund the LWCF. The majority wants to see mandatory spending of $900 million per year out of the LWCF, but at the same time, it wants to eliminate completely its funding source. That is just simply nonsense. Our country is blessed with an abundance of natural resources. We have the right to use those God-given resources to create jobs, foster economic growth, and pave the way to an era of American energy dominance. Oppressive policies like the ones before us today have been our own worst enemy, forcing us to rely on hostile, foreign nations to meet our energy demands. We simply can't do that any longer. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, it is my great privilege to introduce my friend and Louisiana native, Reverend Asriel G. McLain, as our guest chaplain to lead the opening prayer today. Reverend McLain has held leadership positions in numerous churches throughout the United States, including Louisiana, Michigan, and Texas. He has written over a dozen books and frequently gives lectures on equipping Christian education leaders for effective ministry and discipleship. Reverend McLain received his bachelor of arts from Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, and his master of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. He is the proud father of four children: David, Joseph, Desiree, and Danielle. Some of the family is here today. He is also a lifelong member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. In addition to his work behind the pulpit and inside the classroom, Reverend McLain followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a leading voice on advancing the cause of justice and equality for all Americans. Having witnessed and endured the hardships of racism personally, Reverend McLain has devoted much of his life to ensuring that future generations can enjoy equality in all aspects of life. It is a great honor to ask God's blessings over us, and I ask my colleagues to help me in welcoming my dear friend, Reverend Asriel McLain.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Elsie Waites, who passed away on May 28, 2019. Mrs. Waites was a native Louisianan from Gloster and was born on May 9, 1920. Throughout her life, she was always known as someone who loved and cared for those around her. Of her many accomplishments, Mrs. Waites was an avid volunteer in her local community, helping young children achieve their dreams. She also took it upon herself to organize a local quartet group, where she sang for several years traveling throughout the State. While Mrs. Waites lived an extraordinary life dedicated and devoted to service and compassion, her first priority was always her family. She was a loving mother and grandmother to 8 children, 21 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great-grandchildren. One of Mrs. Waites' children, Mrs. Barbara Norton, is my good friend and former colleague in the Louisiana House of Representatives. I wish to extend my sincere and deepest sympathies to all of the family and friends whose lives were blessed by Mrs. Waites. I pray that God's grace gives them comfort during this time, and that they are able to reflect on all the joyful memories that she provided. Proverbs 31 reminds us that: A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done . . . Her children arise and call her blessed.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I ask that we do the right thing here. I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table H.R. 3401, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment. This bipartisan bill passed the Senate with 84 votes and could be sent to the President's desk for his signature today to solve this crisis.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Chair, I rise in support of my two amendments that were made part of the en bloc that we are debating. My first amendment reflects congressional intent for the Army to prioritize necessary funding for its combat development centers. These centers throughout the United States play a critical role in ensuring a capable and ready ground force. Take, for example, Fort Polk, which is home to the Joint Readiness Training Center, JRTC, located in Louisiana's Fourth Congressional District near my home. Fort Polk JRTC provides invaluable training to prepare for the unique situations and challenges a unit may face while being deployed. As we continue to grow our ground forces, investing in the necessary infrastructure to replace the existing facilities at Fort Polk, such as the Joint Operations Center, we remember, is paramount. This much- needed upgrade would allow our troops better training and ensure full readiness for when our men and women in uniform are called upon to defend freedom around the world. My second amendment ensures congressional intent that the Air Force continues to maintain its revised plan for construction and upgrades to the Weapons Generation Facility enterprise. Ensuring these critical upgrades to those facilities is critical to the national security interests of the U.S., especially given the recent aggressive actions from our adversary. Deterrence is a requisite to maintaining peace, and if Congress is going to be serious about preserving our nuclear infrastructure, these upgrades must be prioritized. My home State of Louisiana has invested millions of dollars to pave the way for the Weapons Generation Facility at Barksdale Air Force Base, home to Global Strike Command. I urge the Air Force to continue to work with Congress and the Louisiana delegation to support the wide array of strategic deterrence that we do there at Global Strike. Madam Chair, in closing, I am proud to represent both these vital military installations here in Congress. Both are critical to our national security interests in the United States, and I appreciate the Appropriations Committee for giving it due attention. Madam Chair, I urge support of both amendments.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 3056, an emergency supplemental to provide critically needed funding for the humanitarian crisis and catastrophe now at our border, and I ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 217-- Passage of H.R. 5.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 131.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, if the request cannot be entertained, I urge the Speaker and majority leader to immediately schedule the Born-Alive bill so we can stand up and protect the sanctity of human life, and I ask all Members to join in that request.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 74--MTR on H.R. 840 and ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 75--Final passage of H.R. 840.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from the great State of North Carolina for inviting me to speak on this topic. I stand before you in disbelief and in sorrow tonight. It has been mentioned that the State of the Union Address was originally scheduled to take place today, and it has been rescheduled for next week. I think it is appropriate for us then to bring attention to what is happening here in the people's House. I think the American people deserve to know that. As we speak, I think the American people need to know that partisan tactics are underway by certain House Democrats to undermine American values and traditions that have been cherished and practiced here since the time of our founding. As we finally begin our committee work in the 116th Congress, I am proud to serve again on the Judiciary Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. We have just begun the process of adopting our committee rules there, and today, we were issued a list of proposed rule changes that the Democrat majority and the Natural Resources Committee will apparently push through at our hearing tomorrow. Among the radical new changes to the rules is a stunning action to remove the phrase, ``So help me God'' from the oath taken by witnesses before they testify to Congress. Did you hear that? Let me repeat it. Among the radical new changes in our committee is a stunning action to remove the phrase ``So help me God'' from the oath taken by witnesses before they testify to Congress. This latest example of the aggressive surge to the far left that we are seeing has to be stopped. This new agenda is threatening the very fabric of our Nation. Throughout America's history, our Presidents and elected officials have taken a solemn oath of office including the words, ``So help me God.'' This goes back to our founding. Since the Judiciary Act of 1789, every justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and all lower-court judges have taken an oath of office which concludes with the same phrase and, of course, every court of law across this land, in every one of them, all witnesses have always been sworn in for testimony with those same concluding words. For more than two centuries, immigrants from all around the world have come here and taken America's oath of allegiance to become naturalized citizens which also concludes with the phrase, ``So help me God.'' Madam Speaker, some of our Democrat colleagues need to be reminded of our history. Why did the Founders institute this practice? Well, let's remember what they said. Our first President, George Washington, was the Father of our country. And in his famous farewell address, he gave his advice that echoes down through the generations to you and to me as the elected Representatives of the people. He said, famously: ``Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.'' John Adams was our second President. He came next. What did he say? He said: ``Our Constitution is made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.'' In other words, what these two Founders and their fellow patriots all understood from our history, was that there are many important rules and practices that can help sustain and build a healthy republic, but the key they said, the essential foundation of a republic has to be a common commitment among the citizenry to the principles of religion and morality and accountability to God himself. The Founders acknowledged this self-evident truth that all men are created equal and that God gives all men the same inalienable rights. However, they knew, that in order to maintain a government ``of the people, by the people, for the people,'' as Lincoln later said, those inalienable rights must be exercised in a responsible manner. They, thus, believed in liberty that is legitimately constrained by a common sense of morality, and a healthy fear of the God who granted all men our rights. The Founders understood that all men are fallen and that power corrupts. They also knew that no amount of institutional checks and balances or decentralization of power and civil authorities would be sufficient to maintain a just government if the men in charge had no fear of eternal judgment by a power higher than their temporal institutions. That is just a quick review of our history, but that is the reason we conclude our oaths in this country with the phrase ``So help me God.'' Heaven help us if we ever forget that obligation. Inscribed on the third panel of the Jefferson Memorial right here in Washington, D.C., just a few blocks from here, is his sobering reminder to every single one of us as American citizens. He said this, it is right there on the wall: ``God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.'' Madam Speaker, I just want you to know and I want the American people to know back home here on the night that should have been the State of the Union Address, as we talk about the State of our union, I want you to know that we are going to fight this radical rules change tomorrow in our committee because it matters. And we will continue to raise the alarm about the dangerous leftist agenda that is taking hold here in this Congress. While I am at it, I would be remiss if I did not note, Madam Speaker, that this is not the end. The radical agenda is advancing in State legislatures now as well. Last week, New York's Governor signed the infamous Reproductive Health Act, the RHA, into law. This bill's extreme provisions eliminate protections for the unborn, endangering the health of mothers, and eliminate New York's few remaining safeguards for developing human life. As enacted, the RHA establishes the fundamental right to abortion. It permits nonphysicians to perform abortions; it repeals State protections for children born during an abortion; and it eliminates all fetal homicide provisions. The bill's broad health exception allows for an abortion at, literally, any point in their pregnancy. Look, this measure is unconscionable. It is disturbing. And we expect our friends and all people of good conscience--even on the other side of the aisle--to condemn this outrageous attack on the vulnerable. Madam Speaker, we are forgetting our history. We have to remember why we as Americans believe in the sanctity of human life. I will conclude with this, by just reminding us, again, that our Founders openly acknowledged, they broadly proclaimed what has been called the American Creed. It is listed in the second paragraph of the Declaration that ``we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,'' and that God is the one that gives us our rights, and our rights are unalienable. The first listed is the right to life. Have we thought about why the Founders said that? Because they understood that every single person is made in the image of God. And because every person is made in the image of God, every single person has inestimable dignity and value. Your value is not related in any way to where you grew up or the color of your skin or how intelligent you may be, what your talents are, what you make for a living. Those are irrelevant. Your value is inherent because it is given to you by your creator. Madam Speaker, I conclude with this: As we reflect upon the State of the Union, the state of the Union is strong in so many ways, but we have our challenges. Among the challenges is an assault, an aggressive agenda to remove and erase these critical and important foundations. So here on the People's Night, here in the people's House, we want to remind the people of what is happening on our watch. We will stand against these things. We will continue to defend what is best about our American traditions, and we are honored to have that opportunity.

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 43, MTR for H.J. Res. 28