Gregory Murphy

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, today I rise to speak on the recent ruling by the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs to allow taxpayer dollars to be spent to provide sex reassignment surgeries. I have been a board certified urologist for 30 years, so I am quite knowledgeable about patients who suffer from gender dysphoria. Those who experience this mental and physical ambiguity may seek care that involves years of psychological and psychiatric evaluation counseling, years of hormonal manipulation, and then multiple cosmetic surgeries. The cost of these interventions may easily run into the hundreds and thousands of dollars. Recent numbers cited by the National Center for Transgender Equality stated there were an estimated 134,000 transgender veterans in our Nation. However, using the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders data from 2019, that calculated number appears to be far less. Regardless, the new Secretary has mandated that sex reassignment surgery be covered by the VA. Again, I am very empathetic to the challenges that these patients face, but as a surgeon and a Member of Congress, I must question the surgical priorities here. The VA is already understaffed and overburdened, and now requiring a competing array of treatments may lead to a delay in diagnosis for serious life-threatening disorders. It is an issue of resources and priorities. There is actually a much heated debate on whether this sex reassignment surgery is truly appropriate or beneficial. In fact, in 2016 the Obama administration came to the conclusion that it was not. In 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services revisited the question of whether sex reassignment surgery would be covered by Medicare plans. Despite receiving a request that its coverage be mandated, it refused. It refused to cover it on the grounds that we lack evidence that it truly benefits patients. It is well documented that up to 40 percent of the transgender population will attempt suicide at some point. There is no clear evidence that this tragic statistic changes anything after having sex reassignment surgery. In fact, as recent as August of 2020 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, it states that comparing those with gender dysphoria who had sex change surgery with those who did not, that the results demonstrated no advantage of surgery in relation to subsequent mood or anxiety disorder-related healthcare visits or prescriptions or hospitalizations following suicide attempts in that comparison. I could go on with the medical statistics, but suffice it to say, there is no clear consensus regarding surgical intervention in this population. Madam Speaker, I represent the sixth largest number of veterans in any congressional district in the country. These surgeries that are required require complex surgical intervention by highly trained surgical specialists that the VA does not have, nor has any prospect of employing in the future. The Nation is already suffering a severe shortage of surgeons. The American College of Surgeons cites severe shortages of general surgeons, urologists, and plastic surgeons. Those that we have are needed to take care of cancer, bowel obstructions, and limb reconstructions following battlefield injuries, real life and death issues. They are not going to jump ship to be paid less in a bureaucratic Government-run healthcare system. We already know the VA is short-staffed. They need mental health treatment individuals for PTSD and traumatic brain injury from injuries sustained by veterans in battle. We already have 17 veterans dying a day from service-connected psychiatric issues. They do not need to compete for resources with those who are suffering from issues that have nothing to do with being a member of the military. We do not have enough psychiatrists or psychologists to deal with the trauma that our veterans have faced in their fight to keep this Nation free. Is it right to divert resources away from those who require years of therapy for nonservice-connected issues? The answer, I submit, is no. Further, gender dysphoria requires years of hormonal transitioning, needless to say requiring medications for anxiety and depression. This increase of pharmaceutical needs will further strain the VA pharmacy system that is already overtaxed. But now the Secretary in an effort to appease the far left wants to stress the system more. What are his priorities? Secretary Denis McDonough was supposed to fix the VA. So what is his first major action? Spending millions in diverting resources from our service-connected veterans for nonservice-connected issues. We are bankrupting this Nation chasing the far left progressive wish list. Again, I will say, as a physician, I am very sympathetic to those that deal with gender dysphoria. I truly do. They face many challenges in life, but cosmetic surgical interventions on the backs of taxpayers is not the answer. Congressional duties are about setting priorities. I ask the Biden administration to reassess their priorities.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Hyde amendment and stand to denounce President Biden's budget that proposes the most radical pro-abortion budget in decades. For nearly 45 years, the Hyde amendment has saved millions of lives by ensuring no taxpayer dollars are appropriated to support abortion services. This amendment has been included in every single government funding bill with widespread support since 1976. Even President Biden himself voted in favor of the amendment for decades. What has changed? Who is running the show at the White House? The Democrats love to talk about the big lie. The biggest lie in the country right now is President Biden's promise to be bipartisan. The good people of eastern North Carolina do not want their hard- earned tax dollars paying for abortions, like done with Planned Parenthood. We must put faith and family back in the center of our lives and promote policies that support our innocent unborn. I am a physician. Abortion is not healthcare. It is murder. The Constitution is clear on our right to life, and the Hyde amendment protects that. I believe the Hyde amendment should be included in every budget.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, as we all know, the CDC finally altered the mask mandates to reflect the science that we have known for months. People who are vaccinated do not need to wear masks indoors, outdoors in most settings. Follow the science. As a physician of 30 years, I believe that people should get vaccinated, but at the end of the day it is a personal choice and a decision that should be made between patient and doctor, not person and Speaker. At this point practically everyone has had the opportunity to get vaccinated if they want it. The infinite majority of the at-risk population in the United States has been vaccinated. I have been vaccinated for months now, but when I get done with this speech, I have to put my mask back on despite what the science says because the Speaker mandates it. That is not the doctor-patient relationship. Back in North Carolina, my constituents will still be required to wear a mask in grocery stores because Governor Cooper mandates it. Again, not the doctor-patient relationship. So much for following the science.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, at a time when the economy should be roaring back, we just witnessed one of the worst monthly job reports in history because of the Biden administration's socialist policies. Despite States loosening restrictions on businesses, the unemployment rate has actually gone up. Why? Because the Democrats want to pay people to sit at home rather than actually go to work. Republicans in Congress warned about this, and, lo and behold, we were right. While campaigning, candidate Biden promised to shut down the virus, not the economy. Well, the virus has been shut down because of Operation Warp Speed, yet now President Biden has shut down businesses because he pays people to stay at home. My eastern North Carolina district is set to have a huge tourist season, but they can't find anybody to come to work, the same with boatbuilders, hotels, and other businesses. They cannot open up normally. They cannot open their doors because the administration's socialist policies want to pay people to stay at home. America, despite your government, you need to get back to work.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today, we celebrate National Police Week. After the year our police officers have endured, where radical activists sought to defund them, even with asinine proposals to abolish them, it has never been more important to show our appreciation to them. For months, we have heard anti-American activists, and even some of our colleagues, tell us that the act of policing is inherently evil and unfixable. But, Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. Last year alone, 264 police officers from across this country gave their lives while protecting their communities. Throughout it all, the overwhelming majority of police officers are good men and women who have stepped up for their communities and built mutual trust that is vital to them doing their jobs. Sure, there are bad apples out there. I am a physician. We have bad apples in medicine, but we don't seek to abolish doctors or the practice of medicine. Nobody dislikes bad officers more than good officers because they give the good officers a bad reputation. Ninety-nine percent of police officers do their jobs with fairness, integrity, and honor and should not be lumped in with the few officers that disgrace their profession. On the whole, police officers have done the best they can to defend their communities over this past year. For their thanks, 23 American cities have cut their budgets. Unsurprisingly, this has contributed to the biggest crime wave of the 21st century, making their jobs even harder and destroying decades of progress. For instance, New York defunded their police by $1 billion. The result is a 97 percent increase in shootings and a 45 percent increase in homicides, especially crime in minority communities. Make no mistake, these horrifying statistics can be traced directly back to defunding the police. If it can happen to this legendary police department in the country, the NYPD, it can happen anywhere, in your neighborhood also. In reality, we should be investing more in our police. The job of a police officer is an incredibly difficult one. They are often asked to make split-second decisions, which have enormous consequences. This is why we should be providing them with more resources and training rather than demonizing them. I, along with my fellow Republican colleagues, will continue to stand by the men and women in blue who faithfully and sacrificially serve their communities and keep our families safe.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last week, some of my Doctors Caucus colleagues and I took a trip to the southern border to observe the ongoing humanitarian crisis. What we saw was nothing short of tragic. The bottom line is that the situation stems from several key Biden policies that have created an incentive for migrants to cross the border illegally. President Biden abolished the Remain in Mexico policy despite the fact that it helped migrants avoid numerous dangers. The policy was accompanied by his administration's moratorium on deportations, not abiding by title 42's expressed purpose. Let there be no mistake, no one gets into this country without the expressed permission of drug cartels at our southern border. Not only are illegal immigrants coming in, but drugs, weapons, and human trafficking are coming now in record numbers. Even worse, this crisis falls on terrified unaccompanied children. I will never forget seeing a 4-year-old with nothing on her back except her clothes and a telephone number written in Sharpie upon her chest. Only securing our border will end this crisis. I ask the Biden administration to return to the previous administration's border policies.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, as we speak, at President Biden's behest, thousands of migrants are crossing our border illegally and being detained in facilities that are well over capacity. Besides the many adults, the real victims are the thousands of unaccompanied migrant children, many being sent by drug cartels to this country. These children are often used by cartels to smuggle drugs or money, and many are being sold into essential slavery with the promise of easy and safe passage to the U.S. Does the President not care about the problem of juvenile human trafficking occurring at the border? For years, Democrats and media types slammed the Trump administration for keeping kids in cages. Their righteous indignation is conspicuously absent from today's discourse, as they are now referring euphemistically in the press to the ``migrant detention centers.'' Amazingly, you have to have a negative COVID test to fly into the country, but you can be COVID-positive and enter illegally. Madam Speaker, the basic reality is this: We need to know who is in our country. We are a country of laws. ``Catch and release'' has now become a national security threat. Even CNN is calling this a crisis. I urge the Biden administration to admit this is a crisis and fix the problem it has caused.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 8 as well as H.R. 1446. There is not a single Member in this Chamber who does not mourn the innocent lives lost to gun violence, but I solemnly believe that my Democratic colleagues lack a fundamental understanding of this issue. I have worked as a surgeon who has done pelvic trauma for close to 30 years. In fact, I will submit that I am the only Member of this Chamber who has ever operated on a gunshot victim. The infinite majority of gunshot victims are shot by criminals who have obtained their guns illegally. They did not apply for permits. They are not a member of the NRA. They are criminals. These bills would do nothing to keep the guns out of their hands. In all my years as a surgeon, I have yet to see a gun jump up by itself and injure someone. It is either from a crime, a mental illness, or tragically from an accident. Where I live in eastern North Carolina, it is certainly different from New York City, the gun haven of Chicago, or Oakland, but we still have our share of drug-related and gang- related crime. On the other hand, we have a lot of wilderness that people back home, adults and children, still enjoy hunting. These law-abiding citizens should not have their rights trampled upon. We are all saddened by the loss of life from mass shootings, but, Mr. Speaker, the issue is not the gun itself, but the mental illness borne by the gun holder. A mentally stable person does not shoot innocent people.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 absurdly hamper people's ability to exercise their constitutional right to defend themselves. This sort of broad government overreach does not save lives, but treats everyday law-abiding citizens like criminals. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on these bills. We should not support bills that place the rights of violent criminals above those law-abiding American citizens.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, our southern border is in crisis. President Biden has been dodging the crisis they caused at our southern border, calling it a challenge, not a crisis. They have opened our borders but, at the same time, kept our schools closed. The Democrat's approach of ``come on in'' has reversed sensible immigration control measures put in place by the previous administration and led to disastrous results. Compared to pre-inauguration numbers, Customs and Border Protection is encountering five times the number of family units trying to cross the border. We are on pace to have over 100,000 unaccompanied minors cross the border illegally this year, up by 45 percent. Customs and Border Protection is projecting a 20,000-bed shortage for the children in their custody. Under his rule, asylum seekers are now allowed to come into America to wait. And even if they are COVID-positive, they are released into the country--many of whom will never be seen again. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge President Biden to reverse these disastrous actions and return to sensible immigration policies that were present to stem the tide of illegal immigration.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 842, the prounion bosses act. Here we are once again. This is becoming all too familiar here in Congress, an exercise for Democrats to steamroll these massive bills through the House without proper debate or transparency. Our committee didn't even have a hearing or a markup on this. Frankly, the bill is disastrous. Bills like this only further suppress workers' rights, create a one-size-fits-all type of union contract, and create incentives for disruptive and dangerous union strikes, especially in healthcare. One particularly bothersome practice is this legislation would require employers to hand over workers' private personal information to union organizers--home addresses, cell phone numbers, email addresses-- without their employees' consent. These are privacy violations not to be tolerated in this country. I know leadership doesn't want you guys to do this, but we want to work with you. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``no'' on this legislation.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, thanks to Operation Warp Speed, we now have a pathway out of the pandemic using anti-COVID vaccines, but I want to share some more good news. A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that just one dose of the Pfizer vaccine has an efficacy of close to 93 percent. The clinical difference between 92 percent and 95 percent of the two-dose regimen is minuscule. If we gave everyone, except possibly the most vulnerable, just the first dose, we could possibly double our supply immediately and thus inoculate our citizens much faster. Using this strategy, we could possibly prevent the spread of new variants and mutants and effect a quicker end to this tragic pandemic, which has already cost hundreds of thousands of lives in this country. Yesterday, I joined some of my fellow physician colleagues, asking the Health and Human Services Department to consider adopting this strategy. Acting now could prevent the spread of new variants and the further spread of this tragedy, the kind of tragedy already felt and continuing to be felt by thousands across this country. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge the Health Secretary to follow the science.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today in ardent opposition to H.R. 1, the alleged For the People Act. Before I do that, I want to speak to the recent amendment submitted that would allow criminals, convicted felons, in this country to vote. I have traveled around the world. I don't know any country in this world that allows criminals, convicted felons, to vote. That is not keeping them from committing their crime. It is called punishment. It is punishment for their crime. It is unconscionable to me we are actually debating some of these things that we debate on the floor now. Madam Speaker, the last election showed the Democrats' true goals for reform, a way to permanently federalize the States' elections away from Republicans. If someone would read the Constitution, it is a beautiful document. It talks about States making their own election law. This bill, if anything, should be referred to as the for the politicians act. Madam Speaker, let's just look at the process before I lambast the policy. There were 183 amendments submitted, but only 56 were made in order. Of those 56, only eight were allowed by Republican Members. Thanks to the McGovern rule, Democrats are continually able to submit rule bills on the floor without a committee markup--it is called the democratic process--without a markup or a hearing. Madam Speaker, policywise, things look even worse. This massive bill provides taxpayer money to finance incumbents' campaigns. It curbs free speech, significantly increases Federal bureaucracy and red tape, and creates a one-size-fits-all Federal election system. Madam Speaker, our Founders purposefully decentralized our election process to give States the authority to conduct a smooth and open election day. Get the Federal Government out of State and local affairs. Not every precinct is equal or is of the same composition. Eastern North Carolina is not the same, thank God, as California; Portland, Oregon; or Manhattan. Madam Speaker, furthermore, many of these changes were made without the input of State and local leaders who have the best on-the-ground knowledge.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, several organizations oppose this bill. I urge my colleagues on both sides to oppose H.R. 1 and support the Republican alternative, the Save Democracy Act. This is about our elections. This is what makes the United States different from everywhere. If we allow fraud in our electoral process, this Nation is lost.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, ever since President Biden has taken office, he has been laser-focused on overturning every great initiative from the previous administration, regardless of how good it was for the American people. Today, I want to shed light on President Biden's tragic reversal of Operation Talon. Operation Talon was a program run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to capture illegal alien sex offenders in America and deport them. Sex offenders commit some of the most unspeakable and despicable crimes imaginable. We monitor where they are in the United States when those individuals are here legally. Now we have no idea where they are when they are here illegally. Biden's misguided reversal threatens the physical and mental health of American children and their families. Even setting aside the debate about illegal immigration, we should all be able to agree that sex offenders who are in this country illegally should be deported. Of all things that are common sense and bipartisan, we should agree that sex offenders are criminals and are a risk to our citizens. To not deport these individuals just because the present administration wants to erase the last administration is unconscionable. I strongly urge President Biden's reversal of Operation Talon and urge him to reinstate it immediately.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, as a physician who has held 20-week-old babies in my hand, it floors me to think that some do not feel they are worthy of life. Who knows how many future movie stars, professional athletes, or even members of Congress never got their chance to shine because they were believed to only be ``a clump of cells.'' Abortion activists always deflect with the line: ``not your body, not your choice.'' Dye their hair green, pierce their lip, tattoo their tongue, the whole nine yards. That's their prerogative. A developing person is NOT a body part. A baby is its own completely separate entity. They have unique DNA. They have a unique future awaiting them. Nobody has the right to kill it. Of course, pregnancies are absolutely difficult on women. I've watched my wife go through three of them. But what is more important? Opting out of a difficult 9 months? Or, on average, the 80 years of human life that result from that pregnancy? One argument you frequently hear is that it's cruel for babies to be born into a world of poverty, so they're better off dead. This is such a sad argument. Life can be difficult, no doubt, being born into poverty, but life also offers endless opportunities for success. How can anyone deprive someone of their chance to succeed and experience life? As science continues to progress and we learn more and more about babies in the early stages of pregnancy, it's my hope that people will finally come around to see their humanity. I pledge to continue fighting until that day comes and this evil is rooted out of our nation.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, today I would like to bring attention to a troubling assessment that was issued by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center on Monday. China continues to aggressively seek to acquire Americans' genetic information. They have targeted American hotels. They have targeted government agencies, as well as our universities, through hacks and ill-intentioned partnerships. They recently even tried to buy fertility clinics in the United States to gather American DNA. And as was catalogued on ``60 Minutes'' last week, the Chinese are now targeting family research databases that Americans innocently use to research their family trees. Make no mistake, our healthcare information can be and will be used against us. The Chinese have already demonstrated the lengths to which they are willing to go to use genetics against their own people as they experiment on the Uighurs in the Xinjiang province. This threat cannot be ignored. China has already received personally identifying information on most Americans. As citizens, we must take better control of our information, and Congress must act to keep this problem from getting worse.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Gilbert Carl Mays in honor of his 100th birthday. A distinguished man, Mr. Mays selflessly served our nation as a Navy pilot and flew two missions as a torpedo bomber in World War II. Mr. Mays has valiantly carried on the storied tradition of courage, service and faithfulness that characterizes our Armed Forces. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Mr. Mays has for decades remained an avid supporter of Wolfpack sports, an active member in his church and a leader in his local Kiwanis Club, receiving perfect attendance for many consecutive years. Mr. Mays even drove himself to the polls this past election to carry out his civic duty to our nation. His extraordinary commitment and dedication to his community serves as an example for us all. Mr. Mays has lived a life full of faith, service and we owe him our utmost gratitude and admiration. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the legacy of this incredible and selfless man and wishing Mr. Mays a happy 100th birthday.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel William Ferree McCollough, United States Marine Corps, for his 30 years of service to our great nation and his family's faithful service as well. Colonel McCollough is a 1991 graduate of Norwich University where he graduated summa cum laude and was nominated for a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. The theme of his distinguished career has been one of achievement with highest honors throughout his three decades of unconditional service to the United States of America. Literally every military school he attended, he distinguished himself by graduating with honors, which is an absolutely tremendous achievement. The schools he attained these high honors at are the Basic Officers' Course, the Amphibious Warfare School and the Marine Corps War College. His deployments have been more numerous than most Marines. As a young officer, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines where he deployed twice to Okinawa. In 1995, he was assigned to the elite Fleet Anti-Terrorist Security Team Company where he was involved in human trafficking interdiction operations working with the United States Coast Guard (USCG). One operation led him and his Marines to interdict a foreign freighter in the Atlantic that was carrying Chinese slave laborers. They assisted the USCG by ensuring the laborers were freed and their kidnappers were captured and brought to justice. In 2002, Colonel McCollough was selected for the highly prestigious Marine Corps Congressional Fellowship. This selection entailed working in the hallowed halls of the U.S. Congress for a year in a congressional office. The competition for this program is very keen. Once again, he excelled, which led him to his current assignment as the Director of the Marine liaison office to the House of Representatives. In 2006, then Major McCollough deployed to Iraq as a Military Transition Team leader. He and his team worked advising an Iraqi military unit. During one engagement, his unit came under fire from 122mm mortars where he sustained wounds and was awarded a Purple Heart. Colonel McCollough has received a Legion of Merit with a ``V'' device for valor or heroism in combat. This was awarded when he was the Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines for the battle to seize the Nawa district in Afghanistan from the Taliban. Colonel McCollough also has received the Bronze Star with a ``V'' device for leading the advisor element with an Iraqi Army unit in 2006. Colonel McCollough had several combat deployments. There were two to Iraq (2006 and 2008). There were two to Afghanistan (2009 and 2013/14) and one also to Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and other undisclosed locations. He served on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. There his vast experiences in Middle East operations was used to help formulate future plans in the region. Additionally, Colonel McCollough was deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2015 and 2016. This military operation is ongoing, with the goal to eradicate terrorists in the countries of Iraq, Syria and Libya. Colonel McCollough has received combat action ribbons in two theaters of war--Iraq and Afghanistan where he was engaged in multiple combat actions. Colonel McCollough's final tour in the Marine Corps is with us once again in the hallowed halls of Congress. During his tenure as the Director of the House Marine Liaison Office, Colonel McCollough has led the Marine Corps' efforts to modernize the Marine Corps and prepare our Corps for future wars. His duties have taken him to six continents and multiple countries supporting both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Marine Corps. Colonel McCollough has served 30 outstanding years to our beloved nation and will retire on 1 June 2021. His wife, Caroline, and sons Jack and Hunter deserve recognition too because their support for Colonel McCollough has been unwavering. They have lived through 10 moves and the extended absences of Colonel McCollough's many deployments. Their courage and determination are noteworthy. I am delighted to have this opportunity to recognize not only Colonel McCollough, but his entire family for their undeniably incredible service to the U.S. Marine Corps and our great nation. Their sacrifice and dedication to our nation is truly remarkable. I wish his beloved wife, Caroline, and their two sons Jack and Hunter, well, as all of them embark on a new chapter in their lives. God bless the McColloughs, God bless the United States of America, and Semper Fidelis.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address the crippling cost of student debt. Although my Democratic colleagues and I agree substantially on the issue, we disagree substantially on the solution. We need to cure the disease, not just put a Band-Aid on it. Absolving student debt or making college free altogether does not address the problem. It just passes the debt on to people who have responsibly paid off their student loans, while encouraging the reckless spending on administrative bloat in higher education. From 1988 to 2018, the average tuition and fees at public 4-year institutions tripled and more than doubled at private 4-year institutions. We have seen an explosion of vice presidents, counselors, diversity coaches, and all types of administrative staff who have nothing to do with giving their students a means of finding employment. Why? Because they can. The money flows freely from the Federal Government, and they know that--all at the expense of the student. So rather than climbing walls, lazy rivers, and so-called safe spaces and then asking for bailouts, universities should be cutting costs and focusing on educating their students. This frivolous spending has ruined many young people's futures, and that is how we address the calamity of student debt.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition of H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act. As a practicing physician for over 30 years, this bill deeply troubles me, especially with its researched implications for our youth population. Marijuana is one of the most abused substances on this planet. And I will say, I am sympathetic to those who use marijuana for pain relief; I really am. It has been clinically proven to have activity in this area. That said: A July 2020 study from the National Library of Medicine concluded that the THC component of cannabis can be the main culprit in psychosis and schizophrenia. A 2018 study from Duke University, in fact, showed a five-time increase in psychosis among chronic cannabis users. The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, agreed that there are serious health risks associated with the use of marijuana in adolescence and in pregnancy. The bill fails to set any standards to prevent marijuana, THC concentrates, vaping products, or edibles from getting into the hands of teenagers and young adults whose brains are still developing. The MORE Act doesn't help prevent the distribution of marijuana to minors. It disrespects States' rights, fails to prevent violence and the use of firearms in growing and distributing marijuana and, lastly, it allows for the potential of marijuana revenue to fund criminal organizations, gangs, or cartels. I have been to the border and have personally seen what smuggling operations this legislation might allow. Yes, legalizing weed would create revenue from taxes, but at what cost? Do we then start legalizing cocaine? Marijuana is a gateway drug; make no mistake about that. It undoubtedly leads to further and much more dangerous drug use. And while I do believe that medical marijuana can have some activity in chronic pain or those with cancer, this bill simply goes way too far. I will vote against it on the House floor, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. General Leave

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call attention to the only bill subject to a rule this week in the House of Representatives, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act. Mr. Speaker, millions of Americans are unemployed right now due to this unprecedented pandemic, wondering how they are going to make ends meet, and thousands are dying each day from the COVID virus. But instead of working to find a bipartisan solution to provide relief to Americans, our Democratic majority wants us to convene this august body to vote on pot legislation. This is simply unbelievable. The Republican Senate has voted multiple times on targeted relief that Republicans and Democrats agree upon, but Senate Democrats have blocked each effort. We all agree that more PPP funds need to be made available. We all agree that unemployment benefits should be extended. We all agree that our healthcare workers need additional funding. Mr. Speaker, we need to prioritize the needs of the American people, not Cheech and Chong. This is wrong and needs to be called out.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, this past Wednesday, we recognized Veterans Day. It is most appropriate that we set aside a day each year to thank the brave men and women in our Armed Forces who have selflessly sacrificed so much for our great Nation. For more than two centuries, Americans have fought under the American flag for the principles of freedom, justice, and equality under the law. Our Americans stand tall and are respected worldwide for their dedication to country and the sacrifices that they have made for our freedom. Many have gone to hell and back to preserve the natural rights outlined in the Constitution, specifically freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms. In eastern North Carolina, I am honored to represent 95,000 veterans, the third most of any congressional district in the United States. Despite the partisanship oftentimes seen in this body, it is critical, like was done on this House floor last night, that we show broad, bipartisan support for our American veterans. Their defense of our Nation has not been just for Democrat, not just for Republican or independent. It has been for all Americans. So, again, we say thank you for your service, and God bless you all.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I would like to reach out today to the thousands of Americans who have opened their homes to the gift of adoption. Giving a child a home and a better life is one of the greatest gifts we can give. I especially want to applaud Judge Amy Coney Barrett's effort to help bring two children from Haiti out of the depths of despair to a better life here in America. I was doing medical relief work in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, which made 80,000 children orphans instantly. Children who would literally be 10 feet apart from their parents would be separated in the chaos, never to see them again. The Barrett family did a beautiful thing by adopting an orphaned child in the aftermath of this horrible disaster. Her family gave a toddler a new life after one of the worst earthquakes in recorded history. Unfortunately, some misguided souls in this country have turned that beautiful act of kindness into one of creating racial division rather than unity. They purport evil motives in a selfless act of sacrifice just to create further division in our Nation. Judge Coney Barrett is now a Supreme Court nominee. Let her example of knocking down racial barriers and creating unity rather than division be an example for all of us to follow. I look forward to her successful placement on the Nation's highest court.

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina

Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6092, the Veteran's Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis amongst U.S. veterans. I speak in two roles: one as a practicing urologist who has, for over 30 years, taken care of prostate cancer patients, and then also as a Congressman, too, to the Third District of North Carolina, which is home to roughly 95,000 veterans, the third most in the country. So this bill is especially important to me. This legislation requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a national clinical pathway and a national registry related to the diagnosis, research, and treatment of prostate cancer. This information will be critical to help ensure our VA's prostate cancer patients have the best opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment. Prostate cancer often sneaks up silently, without symptoms, and, thus, early detection is the key. Early diagnosis leads to a much greater chance for cure. Also, very important is this bill's requirements for the VA to develop a real-time, actional national prostate cancer registry online. The more we can keep the VA up to date with the medical advances of the 21st century, the more veterans' lives we will save. I want to thank my colleague and fellow urologist, Congressman Neal Dunn, for leading this initiative in the House. Bills like this one are the reason more and more veterans are surviving this horrible disease. I am proud to be a cosponsor and look forward to its passage. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation.