Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentleman from Alabama.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko), who is a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Crenshaw), who is a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Duncan), chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks).

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the RELIEVE Act. I introduced this bill after a veteran from Spokane reached out for my help. She had recently retired from service and was days away from her first VA appointment when she had a heart attack. She was rushed to the ER, where she made a full recovery, but the VA refused to pay for her care. Why? Because she hadn't seen a VA doctor in the last 24 months. It didn't matter that she had just enrolled or that many VA facilities have 30- to 60-day delays. They denied her the coverage she needed, and her bills were piling up. The RELIEVE Act would make this right. It waives the 24-month rule for 60 days, giving veterans time to establish care and ensure that they qualify for outside emergency coverage. I am grateful to the leadership of the committee, as well as my colleagues, Jack Bergman and Chris Pappas, for helping lead this bill to help eliminate the emergency coverage gap. I urge my colleagues to join in giving veterans the treatment that they have earned.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1108, legislation I introduced with Ranking Member Frank Pallone to extend the Federal Communications Commission's general auction authority. For the last year, I have worked with Energy and Commerce Committee leaders and the Senate to develop sound spectrum policy that promotes economic growth and promotes our national security. In order for the U.S. to maintain its global competitive edge, we must get spectrum policy right and not cede our leadership to adversaries like China. Without congressional action, the FCC's authority to issue spectrum licenses expires on March 9. This bill will also ensure the FCC has the authority it needs to continue issuing licenses for a spectrum band that will be used to provide better coverage and wireless speeds across the United States. This short-term extension will also give us enough time to work out a broader deal on spectrum policy to ensure the United States continues to lead the world in 5G and technological innovation and beats China. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate on a long-term spectrum auction extension, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's leadership on the Subcommittee on Health, as well as bringing forward this legislation today. I think it is very important legislation, H.R. 382, the Pandemic is Over Act. Just to recap, 3 years ago today, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency for the emerging threat that was the novel coronavirus. The U.S. had just identified its first official case over a week prior. Within 1 year of the anniversary of the public health emergency, thanks to the early leadership of President Trump and Operation Warp Speed, an authorized vaccine helped prevent thousands of hospitalizations and deaths. Mr. Speaker, 3 years later, it is estimated that 95 percent of those over 16 have been vaccinated or have had COVID-19. Earlier in January, President Biden extended the public health emergency for the twelfth time, continuing to use the pandemic and the national and public health emergency authorities to achieve progressive policy goals. This includes pushing for an indefinite extension on the moratorium on evictions, the suspension of student loan interest payments, and attempts to require masking in public transit. Last week, House Republicans announced that we would bring this bill, along with Representative Paul Gosar's bill, to end the COVID-19 national emergency to the floor today. Just yesterday, the Biden administration decided to announce their plans to end the public health emergency on May 11, 2023, which CNN has reported only came after the House Democrats were worried about voting against this bill without the White House having a plan in place. Whatever the reason or the rationale for their announcement, I am pleased that the administration is following the House Republicans and finally abiding by President Biden's own acknowledgment 4 months ago that the pandemic is over, but it shouldn't take another 3 months to unwind this authoritarian control. It is long past time for the Biden administration to stop relying on an emergency that no longer exists so that they can make unilateral decisions. Mr. Speaker, I urge my fellow Democratic colleagues to join the Democratic administration and House Republicans in voting ``yes'' on H.R. 382. Declare the COVID-19 pandemic over. Give Americans their lives back. Work to develop policies so that we are better prepared moving forward. The Senate voted in a bipartisan way to end the national emergency, and I hope that this bill also will gain bipartisan support.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the leadership of Dr. Bucshon and thank him for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. Representative Duncan's bill, H.R. 497, the Freedom for Health Care Workers Act, and I join in offering my heartfelt condolences to the gentleman from California, Representative Garcia, who lost his mom early on in this pandemic, early on in 2020. I also want to note that in November of 2021, long after the date it became available, the vaccines did not prevent the transmission of COVID-19. We have known since November 2021 that the vaccines do not prevent transmission of COVID-19, yet the Biden administration released their interim final regulation requiring this vaccination for all Medicare and Medicaid providers. This bill is long overdue to repeal what is an egregious mandate and to return the decisionmaking to our healthcare workers, as well as providing relief to our healthcare facilities that are struggling to hire frontline healthcare workers today. Because of this mandate, facilities all across this country are being forced to require all of their employees, including support staff such as cooks and cleaners, to get the COVID-19 vaccination regardless of whether they even had the infection prior, or they face civil monetary penalties, a denial of payment for new patients, or termination of their entire Medicare or Medicaid provider agreement. Healthcare workers have been forced to choose between violating their own personally held beliefs and their healthcare decisions informed by their doctors' medical advice or potentially lose their job and livelihood, be forced to move from their communities, and struggle to pay their bills during record-high inflation. This mandate did not build trust in the vaccine. It has only further eroded Americans' trust in our public health officials and institutions. The CDC and other institutions have acknowledged that the vaccines do not prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus, which reinforces that this is just an authoritarian mandate and that it does not protect vulnerable patients. This is not about science. In Washington State, the Washington State Hospital Association estimates that 2 percent of the workforce has been lost because of this healthcare vaccine mandate. That may not sound like a lot, but at a time when we have unprecedented shortages, we need every nurse and every doctor available to be able to be hired and help meet the needs of patients. This is a burden on an already struggling system. There is no reason that this administration should continue this policy, but since they haven't taken action, Congress must step in again as we did when we removed the mandate for our troops last year. I am hopeful that some of our Democrat colleagues will recognize the toll of this mandate on this already stressed workforce and join us in supporting this legislation. Let's return critical healthcare decisions to doctors and their patients. It is time to close this chapter on the pandemic and the mandates and start looking ahead. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 21, to include corrections in spelling, punctuation, section numbering, and cross-referencing, and the insertion of appropriate headings.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), the vice chair of the Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 21.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act. Two weeks ago, this body sent a strong message that we must ensure our Nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve will not advance the energy interests of China over the energy security interests of Americans. This bill today will help ensure this vital American energy asset and American security interests will not be drained away for nonemergency, political purposes. This bill is about restoring America's energy security. It provides a path towards making energy more affordable for Americans who are looking to us to help ease the pain at the pump. H.R. 21 does this by preserving the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for its vital and central purpose: to provide the oil supplies Americans need during true emergencies--emergencies like supply disruptions that threaten the Nation's economy, or the loss of oil production due to hurricanes and other disasters. Put simply, under this bill, if an administration chooses to use the reserve for nonemergency political purposes, it will first have to develop a plan that an equal amount would be reinstated from American energy resources. The SPR should be used as a tool of last resort. This is sensible energy policy. It is also urgent policy. At present, the SPR's ability to protect Americans has been put at risk. More than 250 million barrels of oil, approximately 40 percent of the reserve, has been drawn down in less than 2 years. This is more than all of the former Presidents in history combined. It is all to cover up historically high gas prices in an election year. This is irresponsible. The Biden administration has undermined our Nation's ability to respond to true energy emergencies by mismanaging our Nation's strategic energy stockpile. At the same time, the administration has taken every action to suppress America's mighty energy production abilities. Unbelievably, the Biden administration has turned to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia to pump more oil instead of working to lift their regulatory restraints on American energy producers. America's oil production and refining capacity remains 1 million barrels below peak levels during the prior administration. We have the world's most abundant resources and the capacity to produce millions more barrels per day. America should never be at the mercy of OPEC or Russia. Energy security is economic security and it is national security. It is all connected. It is foundational to everything. We should be unleashing American energy on all fronts. Don't forget, Mr. Chair, the United States has some of the highest environmental and labor standards in the world. We have been the leader in bringing down carbon emissions. We did this by embracing innovation and our abundant natural resources, not by shutting down entire industries. Right now, America is suffering through the worst energy crisis in decades, and gas prices are still surging upwards. Now, President Biden's and the Democrats' radical rush-to-green agenda has made life unaffordable for people across the country. It has driven up inflation, it has strained household budgets, and it has weakened our electric grid. Gas prices have risen to the highest levels in history. Some have been forced to pay more than $6 a gallon. Gas prices are still 40 percent higher today, and diesel prices are up almost $2 a gallon more than when President Biden took office. It is time to flip the switch. It is time to end the politically motivated abuse of the SPR and focus on American energy and American security. Let's send a strong signal this Congress that we stand for energy security, preserving the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, restoring America's energy dominance, and providing for the prosperity of all Americans. Mr. Chair, I urge support of H.R. 21, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson), who is a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko).

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, if you bought gas recently, you would be aware gas prices are up 40 cents just in the last couple of weeks. Our reserve is drained. We need to pass this bill. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1\1/ 2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce), a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. When President Biden was inaugurated in January of 2021, gas prices were $2.33 a gallon. I doubt you can find that anywhere in America today. $2.33 a gallon. They have only gone up since then. The war on Ukraine did not cause the energy crisis, it just exposed what was going on. Refining and production is down a million barrels from when President Biden was elected. There has been the shutting down of American energy. It is time to unleash American energy. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte), a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn), a leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee.