Nicholas Langworthy

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. House Resolution 994 provides for consideration of two measures, H.R. 7160 and H. Res. 987. The rule provides for H.R. 7160 to be considered under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means or their respective designees and provides for one motion to recommit. The rule further provides for consideration of H. Res. 987 under a closed rule, with 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation. H.R. 7160, the SALT Marriage Penalty Elimination Act, would bring much-needed relief to hardworking Americans in high-tax States that make the cost of living unbearable. This legislation is an important fix to our Nation's tax code that will raise the cap for joint income filers, married couples, to $20,000. This legislation makes right a provision in our tax code that is clearly unfair and penalizes middle-class families in many States across our Nation. Mr. Speaker, President Biden's reckless spending of hard-earned taxpayer dollars means that American families are already saddled with high inflation. Add to that the exorbitant taxes paid by those who live in States like I do that are run by Democrats who want to take and spend even more of their money. Many of my colleagues have argued that raising the cap for the State and local tax deductions is just bailing out blue States for their reckless spending and failed policies. However, New York, as is the case with many of our higher tax States, pays far more into the Federal Government than it receives in return, and that money that New York State pays into the Federal Government is invested in States across this great Nation for things like infrastructure, law enforcement, and other essential services. I can assure my colleagues here today that millions of New Yorkers, including those living in my own district, are painfully aware and routinely against the fiscal insanity perpetuated by Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, just as millions of Californians are deeply opposed to the reckless tax-and-spend policies of Governor Gavin Newsom and Democrats in Sacramento. That is why this legislation before us today is not a bailout for harmful State policies. It is a lifeline to Americans who are feeling the pain of this out-of-control taxation firsthand. Mr. Speaker, it is common to hear from those opposed to the SALT deduction that this deduction only benefits the very rich. I encourage them to talk to police officers and firefighters living on Long Island in Nassau or Suffolk County or middle-class families living in southern California trying to pay their bills, put food on the table, and ensure their children have a good life. I think you will find that these are the Americans who are in most need of and will benefit the most from this urgent and necessary relief. Additionally, the rule before us provides for consideration of H. Res. 987, a resolution denouncing the harmful anti-American energy policies of the Biden administration. On January 6, 2024, President Joe Biden chose to serve his political interests and the interests of the radical environmentalists over the interests and the needs of the American people. His decision to halt the export of American liquefied natural gas only further undermines our economy and further jeopardizes the security of our great Nation. Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, has played a crucial role in fostering our Nation's economic growth and energy independence. By putting a sudden stop to its export, President Biden is jeopardizing the livelihoods of countless Americans who depend on the energy sector for their jobs. Let me be clear: This move by President Biden is nothing more than a stab in the back to the very people who fuel our Nation and who have been world leaders in energy technology innovation that makes our country great. President Biden's action also emboldens our adversaries like Russia and hangs our allies in Europe, who import 68 percent of U.S. LNG exports, out to dry. The bottom line is this: If we are to ensure our secure future of affordable and reliable energy where the United States and our allies are not dependent on foreign adversaries for our energy needs, then we need to ensure that this Nation remains a leading exporter of LNG. The President's asinine choice to prioritize the shortsighted goals of radical environmentalists and score political points from the woke mob is being made at the expense of long-term stability and compromising our Nation's economic strength. It is our responsibility here as Members of Congress in this House of Representatives to condemn this profoundly un-American action that is in clear contravention of American interests. Mr. Speaker, I therefore strongly urge my colleagues to support this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler), my good friend and colleague in the New York delegation.

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. D'Esposito), my good friend and colleague.

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaLota).

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Molinaro).

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris).

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Today, we have heard plenty of arguments and weak accusations pushing back on a necessary piece of legislation that provides relief for hardworking, middle-class Americans crushed by an economy racked with inflation and gouged by the failed tax-and-spend policies of State governments like my own State of New York. These aren't the richest of Americans we are talking about here, these are everyday families who just want to achieve the American Dream in an economy ravaged by skyrocketing costs and State and local governments that play to the whims of the radical left. Congress has an opportunity today to make a straightforward, reasonable fix that will make an enormous difference in the finances and futures of these hardworking Americans in States across this great country. Mr. Speaker, we also have the opportunity to send a powerful message from this Chamber today to the Biden administration and to the world that Congress does not endorse and, in fact, condemns the President's decision to bring our Nation's LNG exports to a screeching halt. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge the passage of this rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule and the underlying legislation, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act. The decision by the Biden administration to halt the export of American LNG will only further cripple our economy by killing good- paying jobs, driving energy costs even higher for hardworking families, and inflicting more pain on American businesses. We cannot cut off LNG exports, regulate natural gas out of existence, and lock away America's natural resources without inflicting enormous long-term pain on American families and communities. The Department of Energy announced that this ``pause'' on LNG exports allows for the Department to assess the impacts of these exports on climate and consumer costs. Yet, with this pause in exports, Americans are expected to see gas prices soar, making it more expensive than ever for hardworking families and businesses, big and small, to survive in the Biden economy. A pause in shipping LNG to our closest friends and allies in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere further emboldens our greatest adversaries on the world stage. At a time when the President is pushing for more funding for Ukraine, it is disingenuous that he is turning around and forcing our allies to rely on Russia for natural gas. This pause is incredibly shortsighted, and it undermines everything this country stands for. It is absolutely disgusting that President Biden has chosen to appease the woke mob that runs his party instead of doing what is right for our Nation. The American people are sick and tired of Biden's America last policies. We must end the Biden administration's all-out war on American energy. The future of our economy depends on it. For that reason, I strongly support this legislation and the rule before us today, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, President Biden is the first President in history to flat-out refuse to take a cognitive health test. Given all of his memory issues frequently and clearly displayed in his public remarks, the least that he could do is prove to the American people that he is fit to serve as the leader of the free world and take a cognitive health and acuity test as part of his annual physical. Let me give you a few examples of the President's recent memory issues. On February 8, President Biden publicly confused the President of Egypt with the President of Mexico when he was discussing Israel aid in a press conference in a very embarrassing moment. At a recent public event, he recalled talking to the President of France, Francois Mitterrand, at a G7 meeting in 2021. The only problem, Mitterrand died in 1996. A week ago, as President Biden was urging Congress to pass foreign aid, he appeared to forget the name of the terror group Hamas. They were responsible for the egregious murders and terrorist rampage of the October 7 attack on one of our greatest allies in the world, Israel. Similarly, in June 2023, President Biden said that President Putin was ``clearly losing the war in Iraq'' instead of Ukraine. Clearly, the President was stuck in his time in the Senate. These are scary mixed signals that you send around the world when those clips go viral. In one of the most painful examples, while giving remarks at the White House, he publicly asked if the late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski was in attendance only a month after she was tragically killed in a car wreck. The DOJ has issued a damning report based on their interview with President Biden, saying that he presented a ``sympathetic, well- meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,'' who did not remember when he was Vice President or when his son Beau died. I could sit here all night and list example after example of the President's mental decline that has been on display for the American people, but I am not going to do that to my colleagues. It is simple. The President of the United States must be able to portray strength on the world stage. He must be able to lead our Nation through whatever challenges the future holds. I am discouraged by what I have seen from the President recently and, honestly, sad that his handlers have convinced him that he should run for another 4-year term. We know that President Biden is not the one steering the ship in the White House right now. This is not about personal attacks or political agendas. It is about the integrity of our democracy and the stability and strength of our Nation. We owe it to the American people to ensure that their leader is capable of fulfilling the duties of the office with competence and the utmost clarity.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, due to a family emergency, I was unable to be present for votes on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 34, and YEA on Roll Call No. 35.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, due to a family emergency, I was unable to be present for votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 39 and ``aye'' on rollcall No. 40.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding the time. This month the United States national debt hit a record $34 trillion. In fiscal year 2023 alone, the United States owed $659 billion in interest on this debt, and you can expect that number to be much higher this year. These numbers should alarm every American and make it clear that Bidenomics is not working, but the American people already know this. The White House repeatedly has lied, publicly praising themselves for a healthy economy and taking credit for meager postpandemic numbers. The American people aren't buying this false narrative. Hardworking Americans are still struggling to pay their bills and balance their family budgets while the President and the Democrats in Washington continue the reckless spending. According to a recent Axios poll, 72 percent of Americans say their grocery purchases are the top way they feel inflation in their lives, closely followed by gas prices at 56 percent. They also found that two-thirds of Americans are worried that food prices will continue to climb. I will remind President Biden and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that when you pass bloated spending packages that include Green New Deal funding or money to build a new park named for Nancy Pelosi or funding for gender programs in Pakistan, this isn't monopoly money that you are playing with. You are spending the hard-earned tax dollars of people who wake up every day, who go to work so that they can provide for their families. Our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren will still be paying for this debt long after all of us are gone from this legislative body. This kind of spending must end. We must reverse course now to secure our Nation's financial future and that is why House Republicans have been focused on cutting Federal spending. That is why we work to avoid a trillion-dollar Christmas omnibus and that is why we are going to keep fighting to put this country back on the right track.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for yielding time to me now, but I am very disappointed to see my colleagues on the other side of the aisle stand up and defend President Biden's plan to restrict resources through TANF that, for many years, have provided help for expecting mothers and families who are facing uncertainty and hardship. The legislation under the rule today, the Support Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, introduced by my good friend and colleague, Representative Fischbach, will protect access to these critical resources through pregnancy centers across the country that give vulnerable mothers a hand up when they need it the very most. Yet the Biden administration is working to exclude these pregnancy centers from the TANF program and thereby restrict access for expecting mothers who need things like vitamins, diapers, classes, and transportation. Pregnancy centers do so much to invest in our community. They are often the first stop for a mother who is dealing with an unplanned pregnancy and will help her assess her options, provide healthcare services, and support her after her child is born. For those who choose life, pregnancy centers are a lifeline. The bottom line is this: Expectant mothers who qualify and need this hand up under TANF deserve any and all options and resources available to them, including the option to choose life and to pursue motherhood. My colleagues keep saying that they want to support all women and their choices, but their support clearly wavers when it comes to mothers who have chosen life for their unborn child. I question the morality of an administration that seeks to restrict these resources in favor of pushing options that are more about promoting abortion services and less about simply helping families who are expecting. Mr. Speaker, I thank, again, my colleague Representative Michelle Fischbach for her leadership on this important legislation, which I am a proud cosponsor.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, due to a sick family member, I was unable to be present for votes today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 9 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 10.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to pay tribute to a remarkable individual whose impact on western New York, the southern tier, and our educational system is immeasurable. Paula J. Troutman, the beloved principal of Fredonia Middle School, left us unexpectedly on New Year's Day at the age of 60. I have had the honor to know Paula Troutman and her beautiful family since the late 1990s when I was a student at Pine Valley High School. Her passing has left a void that is deeply felt by her family, her friends, her colleagues, and the thousands of students whose lives she touched. Paula Troutman was a lifelong educator, a coach, a school administrator, and a proud alumnus of Pine Valley Central School who went on to teach young people in her hometown. She ultimately went on to be the principal of Fredonia Middle School. In our small towns in the southern tier, our schools are the epicenter of our communities, and Paula Troutman was a community leader who touched many, many lives. Her ultimate legacy is her beautiful family. Married for 40 years to her husband, Dan, they operated a family farm. They have four amazing children, Danielle, Kourtney, Justina, and Cody, all of which have followed in their mother's footsteps in education or coaching. Paula was a loving grandmother to six beautiful grandchildren. A shocked community is mourning her sudden passing, expressing their love and support for her family, and also reflecting on the leadership role she played for many in the community. Fredonia Central School District Superintendent Brad Zilliox aptly captured Paula's essence, stating: ``It is Paula's impact on fostering relationships, a work family, that our staff is leaning on as strength to be there for our students and each other.'' Colleagues and friends have shared heartwarming stories of Paula's unwavering support and genuine care. From reassuring a worried mother about a school transition to coaching with passion and dedication, Paula left an enduring mark on the lives of those around her. As we mourn the loss of Paula Troutman, we remember her not only for her professional accomplishments but for the kindness and understanding that made her a cherished figure in the lives of many. In one of her very last social media posts, Paula Troutman said her new year's resolution for 2024 was to ``Love More.'' I think that is a resolution that we could all strive for. In her passing, it is clear that she gave her community and those around her a lot of love, and those people that she touched truly loved her back. Mr. Speaker, my thoughts and prayers go out to Paula's family during this very difficult time. May her legacy inspire us to embrace the values that she held dear, values of compassion, dedication, and the unwavering belief in the transformative power of education.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, due to a sick family member, I was unable to be present for votes in the 2nd vote series today. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 6, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 7, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 8. personal explanation

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the rule that includes consideration of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, an important step to ensuring America's children have access to healthy, nutritious options in their school cafeterias. I represent the southern tier of New York, known for its proud tradition of dairy farming. Today, the southern tier is one of the top dairy-producing areas of the country. The entire Nation, including our Nation's children, depend on the ability of farmers to make ends meet and to get their products onto shelves, whether it is in our grocery stores or our school cafeterias. Time and again, we have listened to the challenges dairy farmers are facing, from regulatory overreach, including from the Biden administration, to the volatility in the marketplace that is putting their long-term survival at risk. The Biden administration's latest changes to the USDA Dietary Guidelines, restricting access to whole milk for children in school cafeterias, are certainly not helpful either. Contrary to what this administration claims, the science is indisputable here. Milk provides essential minerals and nutrients for growing children. Sadly, thanks to the overreaching policies of bureaucrats here in Washington, the vast majority of America's children are unable to meet the recommended levels of dairy consumption necessary for their health and growth. Mr. Speaker, we need to ensure that all milk options, including whole milk produced by dairy farmers like those in New York's southern tier, are available to America's kids in school. That starts by passing H.R. 1147 and reversing the Biden administration's scientifically unsubstantiated Dietary Guidelines. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I look forward to supporting this legislation and ensuring that we don't take healthy, nutritious whole milk from America's kids.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true patriot and advocate for our State's veterans, Daniel Kell, the New York State VFW commander. Daniel's unwavering dedication to the welfare of our veterans has left an enduring mark on our community and the lives of those that have served. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of touring Bath VA Medical Center with him, witnessing firsthand his tireless commitment to ensuring that our veterans receive the care and the support that they deserve. Daniel was raised in my birthplace of Jamestown, New York. Just days after graduating from Jamestown High School in 1979, he answered the call of duty, enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. His 23 years of service, culminating as master sergeant, reflects a commitment to excellence that has earned him numerous accolades, including the Meritorious Service Medal and Navy commendation medals for his distinguished service during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Since joining VFW Post 53 in Jamestown in 2001, he has become a life member, serving in various leadership roles, including national surgeon general. As he concludes his term as the New York State VFW commander, I thank Daniel Kell for his selfless dedication to our veterans and his exemplary service to our great Nation.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule which includes consideration of an important step to protect Americans' access to affordable and reliable internal-combustion engine vehicles, gas- powered cars. Since his very first day in office, President Biden declared war on domestic energy producers and made it his administration's goal to weaponize the EPA and other agencies to impose the radical Green New Deal agenda on the backs of the American people. Earlier this year, unelected bureaucrats at the EPA issued a proposed rule that would tighten emissions standards to make electric vehicles virtually the only option available to drivers in the United States. What does this mean for the average family? They will be forced to pay thousands of dollars more for their next car, thousands more for their at-home charging infrastructure and replacement batteries, and hundreds more per year in car insurance. Since Biden took office, my constituents have seen their energy bills go through the roof. Forcing them to charge multiple cars at home is not an option. It is not just the cost. There is ample evidence that New York's energy grid is entirely unprepared to handle this. Reports have already shown that the Federal Government's attempts to subsidize the purchase of electric vehicles haven't worked. Despite $7,500 in available tax credits, hardworking Americans still consider purchasing these vehicles too costly for their family budgets. Mr. Speaker, we need market-driven approaches that puts consumer choice, affordability, and reliability first, and that means putting a stop to this administration's efforts time and again to ban, prohibit, and regulate out-of-existence perfectly safe and affordable products and appliances. Since 2021, we have seen the Biden administration impose new regulations through the EPA and the Department of Energy that will ultimately impact what appliances Americans can buy, whether Americans can affordably heat their homes, and now what cars they believe Americans should be driving. I strongly support this legislation, H.R. 4468, to preserve America's freedom of choice and to put a stop to this administration's efforts to push this country into an energy future that is less affordable, less reliable, and more dependent than ever on our foreign adversaries like China.

Mr. LANGWORTHY

Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding the time. Mr. Reschenthaler talked about sanctuary policies. That is really at the root of what we are talking about here today, these so-called sanctuary policies of President Biden and Governor Kathy Hochul in New York and Mayor Eric Adams, who refuse to pull those sanctuary cities back. These policies have failed, and the American people are paying the consequences. Millions of illegal immigrants have flooded across our border since President Biden took office. His administration has refused to even acknowledge the crisis that has unfolded. Two years ago, it was only the communities along our southern border that seemed to almost exclusively carry this burden for this self- inflicted humanitarian crisis. Now, that burden is shared by cities, towns, and villages as far north as my own State of New York, where communities in my own district, very far from the southern border, in upstate New York, have declared a state of emergency as their limited resources are stretched to the breaking point to handle the influx of illegal immigrants. Now, here we are, with thousands of migrant families, including children, shivering in tent cities at Floyd Bennett Field in Staten Island in New York City. Mr. Speaker, moving forward, I hope my Democratic colleagues will think twice before accusing House Republicans of cruelty, callousness, or inhumanity when it comes to securing our border and fixing our broken immigration system. Opening our borders to human traffickers and drug cartels, cramming migrant families into broken-down motels and freezing tent cities, and failing to account for 85,000 unaccompanied minors is the textbook definition of cruel, callous, and inhumane. No longer will we allow this administration to divert and squander Federal resources, including our public lands, to shore up a crisis of their own making. The solution to this crisis before us is extremely simple: Secure our border and uphold our immigration laws. Stop the invasion that has inundated the southern border and created a crisis in cities and towns across this country. I strongly support this underlying legislation to end the Biden administration's encampments on America's public lands and hold this administration and those in our States and cities who have promoted so- called sanctuary policies accountable.