Blake Moore

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, with no shortage of topics to discuss and cover today, the House of Representatives just recently passed the Protecting Health Care for all Patients Act, a crucially important bill. I commend the leadership of Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers from the Committee on Energy and Commerce to get it done today. I appreciate my colleagues joining me today to share their messages regarding the ongoing turmoil and unnecessary strain on our border due to President Biden's inability to get that under control, as well as other topics, from women's sports and beyond. They have come to share their messages and speak to not only America but their own district. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean), a good colleague and friend representing the Fourth District.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, I can't overemphasize the point about fentanyl enough, and I am glad the gentleman made it again. That was something that was top of mind, as I just had constituent meetings in Utah, particularly with law enforcement, in trying to squelch this overabundant invasion of fentanyl. It is catching people in situations that they would have otherwise not gotten into. It is overtaking our communities, and we need to communicate about it and have it addressed. Fentanyl becomes more and more the clear topic that we need to get out ahead of, and I think that is something that is motivating the Republican Conference more than anything to address this border issue. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose).

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose) for his willingness to always show up and share his message. His constituents and Americans alike appreciate it. Madam Speaker, I am from Utah's First, and I call it the best district. I believe California is also the First District, so we will also call it the best district. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), the first best district.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I served on the Natural Resources Committee with the gentleman from California. The point that we continually tried to make is that American innovation and American leadership need to be invested in. The policies that are playing out and the rhetoric and all of hyperbole, it moves us away from improving the situation on anything related to energy. It is fascinating. He and I had a chance to spend a lot of time on that. To further emphasize and discuss the bill we just recently passed, the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act, is an incredibly important voice within our conference, from Pennsylvania's 13th District, and a physician himself. I look forward to hearing his thoughts. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce).

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, I thank the doctor from Pennsylvania for his remarks. I appreciate his support on the bill and communicating the importance of the bill. Madam Speaker, I welcome the gentleman from the Sixth District of Virginia to share his remarks. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the nearby State of Virginia (Mr. Cline).

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for sharing his perspective from his district just west of here. I think that is the point. A lot of folks come up and use this time to share a message in speaking to their constituents, but across the country this impacts everywhere. We use the terminology that every State is a border State, but it does impact everywhere. Madam Speaker, again, we passed a very important healthcare bill today. Healthcare policy is oftentimes misunderstood and difficult to really communicate. That has continued on for decades. I want to highlight some of the aspects of this bill that we just recently passed out of the House of Representatives. Before doing so, I wanted to use this moment to also highlight something that I have done from this podium before on why this moment, when we talk about all the crises that are going on--we have major turmoil going on in the Middle East, we have a border crisis, and we have inflation running rampant-- in all of these different areas, I want the American people to know my perspective. I want my constituents to know that right now the political reality is that we have what is called split government. We have a White House with a Democratic President and a Democratic Party. We have a Senate controlled by the Democratic Party, and we have a House of Representatives controlled by the Republican Party. What the Republicans in the House of Representatives have been trying to do for just over the year that we have had as the majority--for a time we were in the minority--is to just highlight several different things. Let me speak very plainly. The American Rescue Plan was passed several weeks after President Biden was inaugurated. What took place then was everything switched in Washington. When we have a split government like we do now, we usually, hopefully, get outcomes like we did with the tax package last week where Republicans and Democrats on committee sat down, looked through the entire Tax Code and realized that certain provisions had expired. They tried to uncover what the important aspects were of what we needed to accomplish. We came to an amazing tax package that I have celebrated. I have celebrated along with my committee members; I have celebrated along with the entire House of Representatives and back home. I am so proud of the work that we did there. Oftentimes that is what creates a lot of really good results. Returning to the American Rescue Plan, it was a $1.9 trillion bill that within months created some of the worst inflation our Nation has seen in four decades. It is simple. When we add that much monetary supply and we have too much money chasing too few goods, then there is only one equation, and it is inflation. When the Republicans took over the House of Representatives this last cycle, it is being reported all the time now that inflation is sort of squashed. These are simple equations. Republicans are putting the clamps on what President Biden tried to massively spend during his time when he had the White House, the House, and the Senate, because in that scenario, Madam Speaker, you don't have to even dialogue with the other party. I am proud of the work that Republicans have done in that scenario. So I use that as an example. That is a simple equation. It is basic economic fundamentals. If we don't load up the monetary supply so much then you won't create this type of inflation, and we have been doing that. Prices are still high because a lot of these prices are here to stay, unfortunately. After a massive inflationary period, those prices stay high, but inflation is down. I am thrilled to have been a part of it and to be able to put the clamps on the Biden administration's spending appetite and get this back to a reasonable level. The point that I am trying to draw a correlation on is we have been hitting this border issue for 3 years now, and we are going to continue to do this. It is now clear from all of the data and all of the polling--colleagues of mine from the Democratic side recognize that this isn't just a post-pandemic issue where we are overloaded on the border--we have a fundamental issue. The thing that I am appreciative of on my side is just highlighting very specific and simple things that could be done to fix this. I wish we could do it legislatively, but they don't even need to be done legislatively. They are simple things like re-implement the Migrant Protection Protocols or the remain in Mexico policy. This is the strongest signal to the cartels that says: You can't overrun our borders because through this asylum process, you will get put in the system, you will get a spot and you will get your case heard, but you are not allowed to be released. It is the most simple and basic policy. If President Biden wanted to truly effect positive change at the border, then he would just re- implement things like the catch and release program. There are simple fixes to that, and I have highlighted it over and over again. I will continue to do that and to call this out. Hopefully, we can. Even going forward, it is a tumultuous time in the House of Representatives and in the Senate right now about figuring out where to land on some of these negotiations. We cannot give up just because things seem difficult or overwhelming. We have got to be willing to find a way to massively improve our situation at the southern border. Again, back to the legislation that we covered today and that we recently passed. This is another step to improve our healthcare system and ensure all patients get access to the best treatments and care that they need. Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers' Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act will help ensure the value of lifesaving cures and treatments for people with disabilities is not discounted. The bill will provide all Federal healthcare programs, including the VA and Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, as well as federally funded State healthcare programs like Medicaid, from using prices that are based on quality-adjusted life years or similar measures. Quality- adjusted life years are intended to measure the value of medical interventions relative to someone's condition and how it will impact the patient's longevity. Nonetheless, this can devalue certain patients' lives and lead to picking winners and losers, ultimately taking the decision out of the hands of patients and their healthcare provider. A ban on quality- adjusted life years currently only applies in Medicare, so by extending this prohibition to all Federal payers, we show people with disabilities and chronic illnesses that we value and cherish their lives and their ability to get the care they need. This is particularly important in Medicaid and the VA. Medicaid serves a large population of people with disabilities, and the VA, as we know, cares for injured veterans and those with service-related disabilities like the brave men and women who serve at Hill Air Force Base in Utah's First Congressional District. This policy also protects the ability of payers to use utilization management tools and other measures to determine cost effectiveness to keep our healthcare costs down, so long as those measures are not discriminatory. The Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act is widely supported by leading advocacy organizations that support vulnerable patients with chronic diseases or people with disabilities ranging from The ALS Association, to Autism Speaks, to the National Down Syndrome Society among many, many others. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Rodgers for her passion for these issues. I urge the Senate to take this up and to seriously consider it, not to look on party lines, and pass this legislation. There is merit to this, and it will go and serve vulnerable populations. Again, Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for being willing to come and share their message. I appreciate their willingness to always come and do this and be a part of our Special Order. I will end with just saying there are simple fixes to a lot of this, and we cannot continue to make it so difficult. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. Not a lot of legislation actually affects every single American. Today, we get a chance to actually pass a piece that does. Folks back home hear a lot of the drama that we do, and they hear what gets put in the headlines, but never have I seen neighbors of mine, literally coaches that I coach with say: Look, this is a killer for my small business. Losing the R&D tax credit has destroyed my ability to grow my small business. This affects every single American and will be one of the most productive, positive, progrowth tax policies that this Congress and Congresses to come will do.

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, due to plane mechanical issues delaying my flight, I was unable to vote today. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yea'' on rollcall No. 20 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 21. personal explanation

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the message of the gentleman from California, particularly during this week again. Finally, I yield to the gentleman from the Fourth District of Florida (Mr. Bean) for a special message.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, this week, House Republicans are doing important work to support pregnant women and mothers. As thousands of people across the Nation join together this week to promote their pro-life cause, we are grateful for the chance to do our part on the legislative level and bring two critical bills to the floor, the Pregnant Students' Rights Act and the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act. We are also continuing to hold the Biden administration accountable for their policy failures at the southern border. Time and time again we are up here talking about this. We are visiting the border. We are, as the House GOP, intently focused on making some what should be very simple fixes to be able to reduce the ability for the cartels to run the border and to set so many people up for failure with this entire topic. We are going to continue to sound this alarm. Since President Biden has taken office, there have been 8 million illegal crossings nationwide and over 6.7 million encounters at the southern border. It is unacceptable, and we just passed a resolution denouncing the administration's open border policies that are threatening the safety of our communities. These are important items and important legislative topics. We have several colleagues of mine here to share their thoughts on this approach. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith) for the first remarks of the evening.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I joined the gentleman last week at our legislative markup on this exact topic. The point we were trying to make is in this situation, particularly with TANF dollars, we need to be able to provide more care and stretch those dollars to support as many situations as possible. This is an unneeded rule. It is targeted at groups that are trying to do right by their communities and support women going through very difficult situations as best as they can. So continuing, as we have been doing these Special Orders, Mr. Speaker, we have had an overwhelming number of individuals, particularly from Texas, as the border issue continues to just rage on affecting those communities acutely, and other States are becoming a border State because of it. Our Representatives from Texas are so passionate about this issue. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the 14th District of Texas (Mr. Weber) to give a message on both the border and a pro-life message.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his comments. I echo his sentiment of how simple and best it can be for the American people. It is just baffling that we can't have the administration understand this. I appreciate so many credible Members coming down and sharing their message from their own districts. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas' 36th District, Representative Brian Babin.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his very clear message on navigating solving this issue. Again, I reiterate: There are simple policy fixes that would take off an enormous amount of strain at our southern border. We have got the data to show that these policies are effective. I don't want to oversimplify it because I know this is Congress, but the immediate fixes can be so simple, and we have to quit empowering the cartels to put people in these situations. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the Sixth District of Tennessee, Representative John Rose.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Rose for his heartfelt message on a very important week for this particular topic. I yield to the gentleman from the Second District of South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), my former colleague on defense matters extraordinaire. I appreciate all his work in that regard.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate Mr. Wilson's message during this very important week. I yield to the gentleman from the First District of California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Every one of our constituents, the people who we serve deserve that type of attention. I appreciate you for highlighting the wonderful life that she lived. Mr. Speaker, I will wrap up briefly just by saying House Republicans have an incredible focus this week, keeping the focus on finding the solutions needed at the border and pressuring and pleading with President Biden to just take a look at what has been done in the past. We have got policies that existed in the previous administration that worked, and they limited border activity and cartel activity. These things are simple, and we need them reinstated. Embracing these things is what the American people need. Lastly, we have got very important bills on the floor this week related to supporting women, parents, and babies, as women make incredibly tough choices, finding the support they need in various ways, whether they are in school, whether they are in their community, whether they are working, whatever the circumstance may be. These children need a chance to have every opportunity they deserve. We are focused on building out sound legislation that addresses that this week. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for sharing their messages, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening, along with my colleagues, in support of critical progrowth tax policies House Republicans are supporting to bolster good-paying jobs and strong wage growth for earners. These are solutions that will ultimately help Utah families flourish and help the entire Nation. We have seen that tax policy can make a difference for the American people. In 2018 and 2019, following the passage of TCJA, real median household income rose by $5,000 and real wage growth increased 4.9 percent, the fastest 2-year growth in real wages in over 20 years. Since then, we have seen the expiration of three important tax provisions that support these job creators and workers. It is not an exaggeration to say that my team and I have had thousands of conversations over the last few years about how these provisions contribute to the ability of businesses to expand, innovate, and invest in workers, communities, and the economy. These include the ability to immediately deduct R&D expenses, the more generous limitation on business interest expenses, and the 100 percent bonus depreciation for equipment and vehicles. These provisions of the tax code were crucial for job creators, workers, and their families in Utah. Lastly, according to SBA, over 600,000 Utahns are employed by small businesses. My Small Business Growth Act, which would lift the deduction cap for qualifying equipment for small businesses, would help these small businesses grow their workforce in northern Utah. Mr. Speaker, I will close by noting that these policies are fundamentally about the American workers in every congressional district across the country and the investments that we can make in them as well as their families and their communities. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to work together to get these policies over the finish line.

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. MOORE of Utah

Mr. MOORE of Utah. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.