John Joyce

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, last week, a report from Moody's found that the average American is now spending an extra $460 a month on everyday items like gas and groceries. Because of this staggering inflation caused by President Biden's failed policies, the average American family is being impacted. The burden of this out-of-control inflation has fallen on working families, who can least afford to pay for the skyrocketing price of goods. Now, instead of addressing the root causes of inflation, President Biden and Vice President Harris are once again championing their build back broken agenda, an agenda that would pour gasoline on a fire that is already far out of control. Americans cannot afford this reckless spending, and we cannot afford to allow radical socialist policies to further destroy our Nation's economy. It is time to return to fiscal restraint. It is time to stop spending money that we don't have. It is time to stop spending money on things that we do not need.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for holding this incredibly important Special Order, and I thank him for yielding. Since day 1 of his Presidency, Joe Biden has chosen to weaponize his power to attack the energy industry and raise the price of gasoline for Pennsylvania drivers. This impact financially, for every Pennsylvanian, and in fact, for every American citizen, is being felt tonight as we hold this Special Order. By canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, by canceling new drilling leases, and by suggesting that the energy beneath the feet of my constituents is not an acceptable source of power, President Biden has turned his back on American energy. Sadly, he has turned his back on the American people. Because of the President's policies, America right now is drilling less oil than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. To counter this war on American energy, I am proud to be working with my colleagues to introduce the Blueprint to Save America and to help return our Nation to energy dominance. Not just energy independence, but energy dominance. It is time to reverse President Biden's executive actions to stop new drilling. It is time to produce the coal, the oil, the natural gas, and the Marcellus shale that is needed to power our cities, our communities, and our grids. I thank the gentleman for holding this Special Order tonight to bring attention to the roadmap that we have built to return our country to that needed energy dominance. President Ronald Reagan once said that we maintain ``peace through strength.'' By rebuilding our energy infrastructure and once again becoming a net energy exporter, we can help our allies while at the same time lowering the price of energy right here in America. I look forward to continuing to advocate for this budget that will help my constituents back home in Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleague, Representative Hern, for holding this Special Order.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Dairy Month this June and recognize the incredible work that is done by small dairy farms in Pennsylvania, I am reminded of the words written by Rick Harvey: ``And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, `I need a caretaker.' So God made a farmer. God said, `I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again . . . then go to town and stay up past midnight at a meeting of the school board.' So God made a farmer.'' In Congress, I am proud to represent the incredible dairy farmers of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District who operate our farms and work to provide the milk, the butter, the yogurt, and the ice cream that Americans eat each and every day. As a doctor, I have seen firsthand the advantages that providing whole milk has for our Nation's young people. The nutrients, the vitamins, that milk provides are essential to the development of healthy brain tissue, healthy bones, and healthy muscles. That is why it is so important that we once again have whole milk back in schools in the cafeterias so our students can have this each and every day. This June, as we celebrate National Dairy Month, let's remember and let's thank our farmers who do so much to support our health, our nutrition, our Nation, and each and every one of us. Stop Runaway Spending

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, right now, American families are facing higher prices and supply chain shortages in our Nation's grocery stores. Right now, the cost of beef is up 10 percent from last year. The cost of bacon is up 15 percent. The cost of oranges is up 16 percent. Chicken is up 19 percent. The cost of eggs is up more than 30 percent. Last week, I spoke to a mother in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, who told me that she was still unable to find baby food on store shelves. When she could, that price had shot up nearly 15 percent. These price hikes are unsustainable, and as prices are rising faster than wages, families doing their grocery shopping are forced to make hard decisions about what they can buy and what they can provide for their families. Inflation is a tax on all Americans, and the skyrocketing costs that we are seeing right now are a direct result of President Biden's failed policies, policies that pumped trillions of dollars into our economy without a second thought about what that money would do to Pennsylvania families in my district. It is time to stop this runaway spending, and it is time to get our economy moving once again.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, last week, I heard from a woman in my district who told me about the direct impact that rising energy prices are having on her family. This year, her energy bill will climb from $135 to $398 a month. This constituent is not alone, and because of this record-setting inflation, two-thirds of Americans have been forced to use their savings just to pay for everyday expenses. With gas now costing more than $5 a gallon, with diesel costs up nearly 70 percent higher than they were a year ago, it is Pennsylvania families who are now paying the price for President Biden's failed energy policies. Instead of using American energy, President Biden is preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia in an attempt to bring more foreign oil into our markets here in America. Americans cannot afford these record-setting prices, and we cannot afford to allow the Biden administration to continue its war on American energy.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, this week we mark the 78th anniversary of the D-day landing in northern France. Three years ago, I had the honor of visiting the Normandy coastline to see the Utah and Omaha beaches, to see the memorial where the 2nd Ranger Battalion made their heroic stand, and to see the graves of the men who did not come home and who are now buried in the French countryside. Those who fought in Normandy and across France on the road to victory in Europe came from all walks of life. Those individuals were bound by a common goal: to stand for freedom and to liberate the oppressed. They were part of our Nation's Greatest Generation. And now as they grow older and move on to their eternal salvation, we must continue to remember their courage and to remember their sacrifice. Their legacy of service and bravery is at the heart of what makes the United States the greatest nation on Earth.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, this past week, I joined a group of 12 of my colleagues to visit our southern border and to see firsthand the crisis that President Biden's open border policies have created. What we saw were massive gaps in our border wall that allow for the cartels to traffic money, drugs, and human beings across our southern border. The Border Patrol agents whom we spoke with told us that in the Rio Grande sector that they are encountering nearly 10,000 migrants each month. In the past year Border Patrol agents have apprehended people from 174 nations attempting to cross our border. And even more troubling, they have encountered 42 individuals on the terrorist watch list. According to Border Patrol data, over 1,200 pounds of fentanyl were seized in the month of April alone, and at a time when we have just seen over 100,000 Americans killed by drug overdoses, this spike in fentanyl trafficking has made each and every State a border State. It is time to address this crisis. It is time to finish our border wall--a wall that President Biden has refused to complete while $350 million of unused border wall rust away underneath the Texas sun. In his budget for this year, Joe Biden doesn't even mention the crisis on the border. Instead of giving our Border Patrol agents the tools that they need, President Biden has proposed to cut $800 million from the Department of Homeland Security budget. If President Biden were to visit the border, he would see this crisis firsthand. But, instead, he has chosen to hide from the problem and continue to allow deadly drugs to flow into our communities and kill our citizens. The American people can't afford to wait any longer. It is time for the President to order the completion of the border wall and finally-- finally--keep all Americans safe.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this week, as gasoline prices climb to over $5 a gallon at home, Pennsylvania families are now paying twice what they paid when President Biden first took office just 18 months ago. By Biden's canceling of new drilling leases and decision to impose burdensome standards on our energy producers, the President has turned his back on the energy crisis that our communities right now are facing. A new report out this week finds that at this rate, Americans are on track to pay over $5,000 a year for gasoline. These prices are unsustainable, and instead of addressing the problem, President Biden has chosen to side with the far-left activists instead of the working- class Americans who are paying these prices at the pump. The answer is clear: We need to produce American energy for American families to lower the cost of gas and stop the runaway inflation that is right now crippling our Nation.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, as we stand here today, gasoline in my hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania, costs an average of $4.49 per gallon; that is the highest price that we have ever paid for gasoline. On day one of his Presidency, Joe Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. Just last week, President Biden doubled down on his failed policy of crushing American energy producers by canceling three key oil and natural gas leases. It is this reckless leadership that has led to record-breaking prices that have made it so hard for rural Americans to afford to drive to work, go to doctor appointments, visit relatives, or bring their kids to a baseball game. It is time to turn away from these failed policies and, once again, rely on the energy that lies beneath the feet of my constituents--the energy that comes from American coal, American oil, American natural gas, and American Marcellus shale. Madam Speaker, we cannot afford these high gas prices, and we cannot afford this failed leadership.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to congratulate the men and women from Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District who have received appointments to our Nation's service academies. Through their academic work, their commitment to physical fitness, and their readiness to serve, these students have demonstrated that they are ready to begin the training that will ultimately lead to their commissioning as officers in our Armed Services. This morning, I am proud to recognize: Elizabeth Pfisterer of Adams County, who will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point; Brian Johnson of Blair County, who will attend the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis; Eli Burtner of Somerset County, who will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point; Nathan Kirkwood of Franklin County, who will attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis; and Meagan McHale of Franklin County, who will attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Nassau County, New York. Thanks to these excellent young men and women, their commitment to our Nation and to our military must be recognized. The soldiers, the sailors, the airmen, and marines that you will one day be asked to lead deserve officers who are disciplined and thoughtful. Thank you for your commitment to our country, and may God bless you and your families as you begin this new chapter of your lives. Today, I congratulate you.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gardners Candies, a staple of the Central Pennsylvania community, on celebrating one hundred and twenty-five years of operation. Founded in 1897 by James ``Pike'' Gardner in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, Gardners Candies began operations in a small store along with a wagon that allowed ``Pike'' to sell candy throughout the region. For over a century, Gardners has produced gourmet chocolate including their famous, ``Original Peanut Butter Meltaway.'' In 2021, Benzel's Pretzels and Gardners Candies entered into an agreement to bring together these iconic brands in the production of Gardners' chocolate covered pretzels. I'm proud of the family sustaining jobs created by the candy making companies in our community. From producing classic treats to creating quality jobs, Pennsylvania is known the world over for its candies and confectioners, and I am proud to have some of the world's finest right here in our community. On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Gardners Candies on this milestone and wish them every continued success.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana for holding this Special Order and for his leadership, for having these discussions at such an important time. Mr. Speaker, right now, millions of refugees have been displaced from their homes. Children are being forced to go without food, clothing, and shelter, and thousands of civilians are being murdered in the streets. These are the effects of the Russian Federation's war against the free and sovereign people of Ukraine. The human cost of this war is devastating. We need to bring an end to the hostilities. The United States must stand ready to support the people of Ukraine with the tools and the weapons necessary to fight against and defeat the Russian Army. There is another component to our mission that cannot be overstated. As our NATO allies continue to support President Zelenskyy in Ukraine, they will face economic retaliation from Russia. Just this morning, Russia announced that it would halt the sale of natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria. While this decision will create difficulties for the people living and working in these NATO countries, it also provides the United States an opportunity to stand with our allies and show Putin that his cheap and dirty gas is not needed to power this war. President Ronald Reagan once said, ``We know only too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted.'' Unfortunately, President Biden's energy policies have so far not shown the strength that this moment requires. It is time to approve the permits needed to bring more American energy, like coal, oil, natural gas, and Marcellus shale to the market. We need to supply our neighbors and our allies with affordable American energy. It is time to promote American energy dominance and show Russia that its energy reserves do not give Putin a blank check to attack his neighbors. America can provide the energy that our friends and allies need. It is time to come to the aid of Poland and Bulgaria, and it is time to produce and supply American energy. Again, I thank Mr. Johnson for his leadership.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last week, I visited with the police officers in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to hear firsthand about the drug epidemic that is facing communities in my district. One of the officers told me a story of how just the night before, he recovered over 150 bags of heroin after receiving a 911 call for a man abusing a puppy on a public street. This story gets to the heart of what these deadly drugs do to our communities. Instead of addressing this crisis by securing our border, President Biden has chosen to end title 42, a program that has helped our Border Patrol agents protect Americans. Mr. Speaker, it is time to fight the drug epidemic that has allowed heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl to take the lives of so many Pennsylvanians, so many Americans. It is time to secure our border and make title 42 the law of the land. It is time to face the drug crisis head on. It is time to protect all of our communities.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to condemn Vladimir Putin and the Russian Army. These brutal and violent thugs have attempted to rehang the Iron Curtain for the sole purpose of committing abject violence against the free and sovereign people of Ukraine. The killing of women and children outside of Kyiv is a vile act. These acts amount to war crimes. It is time to deliver the lethal aid that the Ukrainian people need to deter the violent acts that the Russian people commit upon Ukrainians. It is time to cut off Russian exports to the free world. No country that values the sanctity of life should want to buy their goods from Russia. No place, where free people live, should use the energy that Russian refineries produce be accepted. The Biden administration must hold the line and impose severe sanctions against Russia for their multiple murderous acts, and the people of Ukraine must know that Americans stand with them in their fight for freedom.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, since President Biden took office, more than 2 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at our southern border. Now, Title 42, a key portion of our border security, is set to expire at the same time that our Border Patrol agents are preparing for a record surge of illegal border crossings. The American people cannot afford President Biden's and proclaimed border czar Vice President Harris' failed border policies. On President Biden's watch, we have seen record-high levels of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl being trafficked into our communities from across our open southern border. These drugs are deadly, and over 93,000 Americans have died of overdoses just in the past year. These policies have made Americans less safe, and they have made our communities less secure. In his fiscal year 2023 budget, President Biden failed to even mention our border security crisis, a border security crisis that affects each and every American community. The truth of the matter is, President Biden has no plan to secure our border. President Biden has no plan to secure our communities. Without the proper funding for our Border Patrol agents, this surge in illegal border crossings will lead to a humanitarian crisis, a drug crisis, and a national security disaster. President Biden has failed to address the challenges that we are facing today on our southern border. It is time to keep our communities safe. It is time to fund our border security. It is time to reauthorize Title 42, and it is time to secure our southern border. Today, the actions must occur.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. As Congress debates legalizing marijuana, Americans in the real world are facing an energy crisis that we in Congress cannot afford to continue to ignore. In my hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania, the cost of gasoline is now $4.28 a gallon; over 50 percent higher than it was just one year ago. In rural communities, these skyrocketing prices are forcing families to make hard choices about what they can afford and what they cannot afford. Instead of working to support the needs of these Pennsylvanian families, President Biden and his administration have continued to work against American energy producers. On day one of his Presidency, President Biden made good on a longtime liberal wish list item. He canceled the Keystone XL pipeline. Now, in his budget, President Biden has chosen to put solar panels ahead of natural gas. He has chosen to put windmills ahead of coal. He has chosen the Green New Deal ahead of Pennsylvanians. Now, the President has decided to recklessly release oil from our strategic reserves without a concrete plan to refill them. This stopgap measure does not support our national security and it will do little to help lower the cost of fuel for American families. It is time to invest in American energy. It is time to return to American energy dominance. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, since the founding of our Nation, American farms have been at the bedrock of our economy. Our farmers, growers, and ranchers produce the dairy, wheat, corn, apples, and peaches that we have relied on for generations to feed our families, our neighbors, and the world. There are over 52,000 farms across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the struggles that affect them affect each and every one of us. Right now, our farmers are facing so many difficult challenges. The cost to run a farm is estimated to grow by nearly 7 percent next year. To make matters even worse, the cost of fertilizer has already risen by over 50 percent in the past 12 months. Now, the Biden administration is preparing to implement new taxes on fertilizer imports from overseas. Now is not the time to tax our farmers even more. President Biden cannot use our growers and producers to pay for his out-of-control budget. We need to ensure that our farmers have the resources that they need to continue producing the food that each of us relies on every day. We need to make sure that they have the fertilizer, the grain, and the seeds that it takes to work a farm or to tend an orchard. American farmers feed the world. It is time to stop imposing new and crippling taxes on our hardworking farmers. It is time to let them get back to work on feeding all of us. President Biden's Far-Left Spending Proposal

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on Monday, President Biden laid out his budget for the coming year, a budget that contains $73 trillion in spending, $58 trillion in taxes, and over $16 trillion in debt. When he unveiled this far-left spending proposal, President Biden said that a budget is a statement of values. However, by failing to mention our border security, by tacking on billions of dollars for environmental justice, and by stripping out the Hyde amendment, President Biden has delivered to the American people a budget that does not share our values. We need a budget that protects the border. We need a budget that stops the flow of illegal drugs, like fentanyl, into our communities. We need a budget that promotes American energy in the face of egregious Russian aggression. We need a budget that defends all human life. We don't need this socialist spending spree; we don't need $58 trillion in taxes; and we certainly do not need $16 trillion in new debt that mortgages the future of our children.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, when I first became a doctor, I made a promise that I would never perform, assist, or support in any abortion or any abortion procedures. All doctors take an oath. They swear to first do no harm. I made a promise that I would never participate in the taking of a human life. At 10 weeks a baby in their mother's womb has developed a beating heart. At 11 weeks, the baby will have developed elbows, fingers, and toes. And at 27 weeks, a baby inside the womb can hear their mother's voice. It is clear that these children are human--constructed in the image of God--and worthy of protection and worthy of love. It is time to protect human life, it is time to protect the unborn, and it is time to end this egregious practice of abortion. Recognizing the Work of Dr. George Hruza

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work of Dr. George Hruza. A graduate of New York University, Dr. Hruza went on to complete both a dermatology residency at New York University Medical Center as well as a laser surgery fellowship at Harvard Medical School. Later, Dr. Hruza completed a Mohs and dermatologic surgery fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Dr. Fred Mohs. Dr. Fred Mohs developed this revolutionary surgery--a technique that allows for the precise removal and the repair of skin cancer. Throughout his career, Dr. Hruza has proven himself to be a leader in the field of dermatology. His tireless commitment to his patients and their families has undoubtedly saved countless lives. Dr. Hruza has come to Washington and done skin cancer screenings for members of staff and Members of Congress--several who might be present here today. As the American Academy of Dermatology's president, Dr. Hruza's relentless advocacy for innovation has helped to shape the way that skin cancer today is treated in the United States. Skin cancers were previously deadly. My own grandfather died from skin cancer, a skin cancer that would be treated today by someone like Dr. Hruza and cured. It is my privilege to call Dr. George Hruza a leader, a colleague, and a friend of the United States Congress. As he continues his work as the United Skin Specialists Missouri director, I wish Dr. Hruza every continued success; his success in working to treat patients, his success in developing innovation, and his success as one of the leaders in dermatology not just in the United States but throughout the world.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, we are facing multiple crises in our country. Inflation is surging, gasoline prices are skyrocketing, and the Biden administration is still refusing to act. In Adams County, Pennsylvania, a gallon of gas costs $4.43. That is $1.40 more than it did just 1 year ago. Rural Americans should not be forced to pay the price for President Biden's failure to drill American oil, a failure that has led to the highest gas prices in our Nation's history. In a recent survey that I conducted in my weekly newsletter, over 3,000 of my constituents responded, and 96 percent of them reported that the rising cost of goods has affected their individual budgets. It is time for President Biden to take responsibility for what his reckless spending has done to our country. Because of this reckless spending, Americans are forced to make difficult choices about what they can afford to buy, about what medications they can afford, and about which bills they are able to pay each month. It is time for President Biden to care more about the families in Pennsylvania, more about the families in America, than he does about the Green New Deal. It is time to drill American oil. It is time to utilize and expand Pennsylvania's wonderful energy resources. It is time to use the resources that are under the feet of my constituents: the coal, the natural gas, and the Marcellus shale. Biden welcomed a pipeline to Putin, and yet he shut down the Keystone XL pipeline. It is time to return to American energy independence and American energy dominance. It is time to get to work for the American people.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman and appreciate his comments. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), my colleague and friend from the Doctor's Caucus.

Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson).

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