Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, following the pandemic, the Nation's workforce needs have drastically changed, and we need a workforce development system that helps prepare American workers for the job opportunities of today and tomorrow, not those of the past. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is intended to help unemployed and underemployed workers get the necessary skills to succeed in America's modern economy. Unfortunately, the majority's proposed reauthorization lacks the necessary reforms to help America's workers. Our Republican proposal, on the other hand, would modernize the program to make sure it is employer-driven, which will help America's economy become stronger for decades to come. Our plan puts taxpayer dollars to work where they need it most: helping jobseekers get the skills they need to close the skills gap and get back to work. It does this by bringing more competition into the provider marketplace, which expands the pool of skills development providers that meet employers' needs and gives more choice to American workers, ensuring States and localities can use WIOA funds to survey employers to get a better understanding of the skills that are most in demand and respond accordingly. Additionally, the Republican proposal adapts WIOA to the changing economic landscape. America has just come through a pandemic. During that time, businesses, employers, and workers shifted to remote work and changing circumstances. Our skills development and education programs should adapt to changing circumstances as well. Our plan encourages workforce boards to provide services virtually, which streamlines WIOA and eliminates administrative costs and overhead. Republicans also ensure online skills development providers can be included in skills development services, expanding the number of providers who can address the needs that American workers face. The Republican alternative also levels the playing field and encourages innovation by ensuring that WIOA does not favor registered apprenticeships over more innovative apprenticeship models that can address the needs of more employers. This will keep America's labor force at the cutting edge of global competition. Competition drives better results. Through pay-for-performance funding, our substitute encourages programs with a proven track record of successfully helping American workers succeed. Our proposal measures programs based on real outcomes and gives States and localities more flexibility in how they can improve those outcomes. We also increase transparency by making the process for creating job performance metrics available to the American public. Finally, the Republican plan brings greater accountability to the Department of Labor's Job Corps program and its Reentry Employment Opportunities program. Let's start with Job Corps. Job Corps is a popular program, and for many students, Job Corps is their last hope. There are important reforms we can enact to ensure that Job Corps is working better for students who need it most. Our bill would help Job Corps-eligible students get technical and career education from community colleges, which would give this program much-needed innovation and better outcomes. The Job Corps program in Ottumwa, Iowa, in my district, is a wonderful example of how to do exactly this and is the right way to perform that program. It would also do more to keep Job Corps participants safe. Centers would be required to report whenever any concerning incidents occur, ensuring proper oversight of this program. We also bring greater accountability to the Reentry Employment Opportunities program so we can build on President Trump's historic criminal justice reform and use this program to help formerly incarcerated Americans establish firm economic foundations for their new lives. These are commonsense reforms that will help American employers and jobseekers. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, we have had an opportunity to work together on WIOA, but unfortunately, my colleagues in the majority are more concerned about maintaining the status quo and placating favored stakeholders. What American workers and employers need is a workforce system that prioritizes them over special interests, and the Republican alternative would do that. I urge my colleagues to help us pass an alternative proposal that works for America, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Charter School Week. National Charter School Week is a time to recognize that every student should have access to high-quality education. It is also a time to celebrate the educators who work tirelessly to make sure that that happens. Every family should have the ability to choose the best education that fits the needs of their child, regardless of ZIP Code. Charter schools are an important part of school choice. Last year, I joined Senator Tim Scott to introduce the CHOICE Act. This commonsense bill would provide families with greater options with regard to their children's education. When I left home to go to college at the age of 16, I did so to pursue the best educational opportunities available. I believe that students should always have the opportunity to succeed, no matter where they live, and I will always fight for them. I would also like to take a moment to wish a happy birthday to my sister. Happy birthday, Mariette.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of some outstanding students in my district. Recently, the Principles of Engineering Class at Pella High School won the high school division of the Build Iowa's Future Design Challenge. This design challenge asks students to create innovative projects to improve their community. Pella is the home of some global, worldwide excellent manufacturing facilities, such as Pella windows and Vermeer manufacturing, so the students drew inspiration from their own hometown. The class designed an advanced manufacturing lab to be created at the Career Academy of Pella to provide experiences and opportunities for students looking to pursue a career in manufacturing. Congratulations to Isaac, Crista, Jack, Stephen, Kaysar, Emmalee, Grace, Wyatt, and Jackson on the win. I am thrilled to acknowledge these high school students and to see them introduce innovative solutions to the growing field of manufacturing, and I am excited to see these students become leaders of tomorrow. Recognizing Sarah Watson

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I would also like to take a minute to recognize the birthday of my nephews, Joseph and Matthew Martino. Happy birthday to Joseph and Matthew.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sarah Watson. Sarah is a University of Iowa graduate, where she was editor of the student-run newspaper, The Daily Iowan. Sarah took her talents to Quad- City Times following graduation where she reports on politics and elections. During Sarah's time at Quad-City Times, she has reported on pertinent veterans' issues and the full breakdown of legislation introduced at the local, State, and Federal levels. Sarah's commitment to journalism has not gone unnoticed. Recently, Sarah was awarded the Jay P. Wagner Prize for Young Journalists by the Iowa Newspaper Association. This award is dedicated to the late Jay P. Wagner, an Iowa newspaper reporter and editor who had a passion for encouraging young reporters to report on local communities. This award is awarded to journalists 30 years old or younger who display a deep passion and love for Iowa and its people. I can think of no person more deserving of this award than Sarah. Her drive to inform the community on issues and topics in their government is unmatched, and I am proud to have journalists like her reporting on issues in my district. Happy Birthday to Joseph and Matthew Martino

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of a small business in Iowa's Second District. Jefferson County Ciderworks of Fairfield recently won four awards at the annual New York International Cider Competition. This competition featured over 300 different ciders from around the world and was judged by industry professionals. Jefferson County Ciderworks finished the competition with four medals, including being named the Iowa Cider Producer of the Year. Four additional ciders were awarded medals in the modern, fruit, and spiced cider categories. I applaud Jefferson County Ciderworks for proudly representing Iowa on the international stage and wish them the best in the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry competition later this year.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of an engineer from my district. Yarelis Hernandez of Clinton was recently recognized by the National Association of Manufacturers with the Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Awards. This award is awarded to women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in the manufacturing field. Diversity is a passion of Yarelis' as she serves on LyondellBasell's Diversity, Equity, and Leadership Council striving to implement diversity in the workforce. In the community, Yarelis also sits on the local economic board leading development between schools and corporations to create jobs for Iowa students. Yarelis volunteers in the local Introduce a Girl to Engineering program, which is a mentorship for girls interested in STEM careers. Yarelis' dedication to promoting diversity and STEM for young girls is why she is worthy of receiving such a prestigious award. I am so proud to represent distinguished women like Yarelis and cannot wait to see her continued impact in the district.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the ongoing crisis on our border with Mexico. Last week, the CDC announced they would officially rescind their title 42 order on May 23. Title 42 is an important tool for DHS to help mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Title 42 health restrictions should be in place until we have border security. Given the number of crossings we are seeing, we are far from having a secure border. CBP is encountering more than 5,500 migrants daily. Some reports indicate that there could be upward of 18,000 migrants per day encountered when title 42 is lifted next month. To put this in perspective, President Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, stated in his tenure that 1,000 apprehensions a day would be considered a bad day. Over a year ago, I introduced my first piece of legislation, the REACT Act, which would require DHS to test all migrants illegally crossing our border for COVID-19. It is time to work in a bipartisan manner to secure our border; halt illegal drugs and human trafficking; support law enforcement; and ensure the safety of all of our communities.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me time to speak on this critical issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can take up H.R. 6858, the American Energy Independence from Russia Act. This commonsense legislation introduced by Representatives McMorris Rodgers and Westerman would require President Biden to submit an energy security plan to Congress to evaluate U.S. oil and natural gas imports, identify importing countries that pose an energy security risk to America, and encourage domestic production of oil and natural gas to offset imports from Russia. In fact, in contrast to our colleague's statement, Iowa is a leader in renewable energy. Fifty percent of our energy comes from renewable sources. We even pay restaurants for their unused and old cooking oil. We are an energy exporter, and it is all done without a government mandate. All of the oil imported from Russia could be offset by ethanol made from corn in Iowa. In order for the U.S. to become energy independent and secure, we must have an all-of-the-above energy policy. We must unleash our natural resources and produce our own clean, efficient energy here at home to ensure low energy prices and promote American jobs in our communities. Rather than promoting policies that hamper U.S. energy production and ceding security to adversarial nations like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, we should promote exploration here at home and unleash our potential. We must ensure that the current ban on Russian energy is sustainable by prioritizing U.S. energy production, including biofuels. Just last week, the President released a budget proposal that included $45 billion on new taxes on domestic energy production. This comes on top of other disastrous decisions over the past year and a half such as those that halt the Keystone XL pipeline and the current delay over the 5-year program for offshore energy leasing in the Gulf of Mexico. These policies are not working for hardworking American families and businesses who are dealing with high inflation and skyrocketing gas prices. The American Independence from Russia Act would immediately approve the Keystone XL pipeline, remove restrictions on U.S. LNG exports, restart oil and gas leasing on Federal lands and waters, and protect energy and mineral development. These are key steps we can take to promote U.S. energy security, and we must take action now. For this reason, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question. Support H.R. 6858 to make America energy independent and secure by voting ``no'' on the previous question.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the memory and legacy of a glass-shattering athlete from Iowa's Second Congressional District. Frederick ``Duke'' Slater's passion for football began when his family moved to Clinton, Iowa, where Duke started playing football at Clinton High. Duke went on to receive his education at the University of Iowa, where he won a national championship in 1921 and was named an All- American. An incredible athlete, Duke also competed for the Hawkeyes' track and field team, placing third in the hammer throw and fourth in the discus while helping Iowa win the 1921 national title. When Duke joined the NFL's Rock Island Independents, he became the first Black lineman in NFL history. He went on to become a five-time first-team All-Pro selection, retiring after 10 great years. Following his retirement, Duke was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and was posthumously selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020. Last year, the University of Iowa announced that the field at Kinnick Stadium would now be known as Slater Field in honor of Duke. I am pleased to hear that the local community is planning to erect a statue of Duke at Clinton High School. Duke is the embodiment of hard work and overcoming obstacles, and I cannot wait to see that statue in person.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Gohmert for yielding to me. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of an incredible athlete from Iowa's Second District. Kevin McKee of Davenport recently finished competing in the Beijing 2020 Paralympics, where he won a gold medal in sled hockey. Kevin has proudly represented the United States for over a decade, winning gold medals in the last three Paralympics. Kevin has always had a passion for sports, playing tennis in high school and wheelchair basketball in college. However, Kevin soon realized his passion for sled hockey in 2020 when he started playing on the sled hockey club team with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Beginning in 1960, the Paralympic Games are held every 4 years and feature a wide range of athletes with different physical abilities, including impaired muscle power, impaired passive range of motion, limb deficiency, leg length difference, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment, and intellectual impairment. The Paralympics are held almost immediately following the respective Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Paralympians like Kevin show all of us that with hard work, dedication, and the drive to succeed, anything is possible. Congratulations, Kevin, on an outstanding performance. I look forward to cheering you on in the future.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on an issue that has directly impacted businesses and farmers across Iowa's Second Congressional District. The last few years have been challenging for all of us. Manufacturing has been hit hard, with rising costs and supply chain disruptions impacting numerous sectors of our economy. Although much of life has returned to normal since the pandemic began, the slow movement of goods through our economy is creating major headaches for American families. Empty shelves are becoming all too common at stores, goods from overseas are being delayed by weeks or even months, contributing to higher shelf prices, and we are facing an unprecedented supply chain crisis. Even though the administration and the Transportation Secretary don't seem to know what to do about supply chain problems, our companies in Iowa do. In Iowa, agricultural producers are also feeling the crunch with their capacity for goods being hampered by a combination of surging demand for containerized shipping and a massive backlog at our Nation's ports. This inefficiency has downstream effects on commodity prices, hurting farmers and ranchers across the country. As global competition has increased, control over our supply chain has fallen into the hands of fewer and fewer countries, most notably China. Such geographic concentration of supply chains has left many U.S. companies vulnerable to disruption, something we are now acutely experiencing. Vermeer Corporation in Pella has been working overtime to produce their famous yellow iron at a record pace despite supply chain issues. Vermeer has even gone above and beyond during this difficult time, working to help out their customers and partners. Last fall, a group of Vermeer team members, working at a supplier in Minnesota, worked for 6 weeks at their own cost away from their families to make the harnesses necessary to keep that beautiful yellow iron moving out the doors. Vermeer did whatever was necessary to keep their job done despite the supply chain challenges they were facing. Kent Corporation, headquartered in Muscatine, is a family-owned corporation that manufactures several food and beverage products. They have faced supply chain issues similar to all companies, but working mainly with agricultural products, impairment in their industry adds on to the difficulties our agriculture producers and farmers face every day. All the while, our farmers continue to deal with increased input costs. CNH Industrial, located in Burlington, their biggest facility by square footage in the United States, also faced supply chain issues. During our visit, we heard firsthand about their difficulty getting essential parts for their equipment, but their employees innovated and started producing the much-needed stabilizer bar on their backhoes. It was not felt that this little part could be produced in the United States. It was being imported from Brazil. They designed, cut, and welded in 2 weeks in order to meet their customers' needs. The industry did not think it could be done here in the United States. It was inspiring to see what the people of Iowa are capable of doing during these difficult times, but these visits showed me how much of an impact the supply chain disruptions have on everyone throughout southeastern Iowa. Lomont Molding in Mt. Pleasant does custom plastic design and molding for HVAC and agriculture businesses, concrete accessories for roads and buildings, and chemicals with a market that reaches every corner of the world. Plastic shortages have led them to use cast-off plastic, and now 99 percent of their regrind is reformulated and placed in their products. They also purchased a corrugator machine to make their own cardboard boxes and dividers for shipping. By reducing imports from foreign companies, their customers have more reliability and dependability. Delays in deliveries have forced manufacturers across the country to resort to unorthodox and expedited methods of getting critical supplies. All these companies have adapted and improvised and demonstrate the critical need for reliance on home-grown products and solutions by in-house innovation or on-shoring. Pretending the supply chain crisis doesn't exist isn't going to make it magically go away. It isn't just a high-class problem. This should not be a partisan issue. Let's get to work and deliver real results that support businesses and farmers across the country. I would also like to wish a happy birthday to my good friend, Ashlee.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of several young ladies from my district. In early March, the Iowa high school women's basketball State championships were held in Des Moines. These young women took to the court, gave it their all, and made their schools proud. I was thrilled to see several young women recently earned all-State honors from the Des Moines Register. Kelsey Joens of Iowa City was named to the All-Iowa Elite team. Halle Vice of Pleasant Valley was named to the Class 5A team, and Callie Levin of Solon was named to the Class 4A team. Kaylee Corbin of Louisa- Muscatine and Kelsey Drake of Wilton were named to the Class 2A team. In addition, Jasmine Barney of Iowa City Liberty, Macy Daufeldt of West Liberty, Journey Houston of Davenport North, Allie Meadows of Central DeWitt, Meena Tate of Iowa City West, and Taylor Veach of Central DeWitt earned honorable mention recognition. Congratulations to all of these young women on achieving these honors. Thirty-two years ago today, our daughter, Taylor, burst into our lives. Thank you to Taylor, our Little Miss Sunshine, for all the immeasurable joy she has brought to her father and me.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of several young men from Iowa's Second Congressional District. Earlier this month, the Iowa high school basketball State championships were held in Des Moines. It was a weekend of competition and sportsmanship. While no school from the Second District won the championship, several young men recently earned all-State honors from the Des Moines Register. Dayton Davis of Fort Madison and Shawn Gilbert of Central DeWitt were named to the Class 3A team. Eric Mulder of Pella Christian was named to the Class 2A team, and Maddox Griffin of Wapello was named to the Class 1A team. In addition, Kaden Hall of English Valleys, Carter Harmsen of Mid- Prairie, Karl Miller of Pella, Pete Moe of Iowa City West, and Blaise Porter of New London earned honorable mention recognition. Congratulations to all of these young men, teams, families, schools, and communities on achieving these honors. They are all well deserved. Madam Speaker, I also knowledge that tomorrow, March 29, my daughter, Taylor Miller-Meeks, was born, which was one of the best days of my life.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize some incredible students from Iowa's Second Congressional District. On Saturday, March 12, the Central DeWitt Special Olympics basketball team earned a silver medal and the Sabers unified dance team earned a gold medal at the Mid-Winter Tournament in Iowa City. For the last few years, Special Olympics Iowa has put on the Mid- Winter Tournament as part of their ongoing series of events to showcase the amazing skills and talents of our athletes. The Mid-Winter Tournament sees competition in basketball, basketball skills, cheerleading, gymnastics, and powerlifting. Healthy Athletes screenings are also provided to athletes by healthcare professionals for dental, hearing, overall health and fitness, and more. Organizations like Special Olympics strive to create a better world by fostering the acceptance and inclusion of all people. Through the power of sports, these athletes discover new strengths, skills, confidence, abilities, fulfillment, and success. They also learn the values of hard work, sportsmanship, perseverance, teamwork, and, most importantly, having fun. Special Olympics has changed the lives of so many amazing athletes, and I am proud to have them in Iowa. But I am even prouder of the awesome athletes from Central DeWitt who are already making their mark on the world. Go Sabers.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Burlington High School Boys Basketball Team for their first appearance in the Iowa High School State Tournament since 1987. These extraordinary young men have worked tirelessly to hone their skills and overcome obstacles during this season. I am extremely honored to represent these young men in Congress and proud that their hard work was rewarded by an appearance in the state tournament. I look forward to seeing this program continue to grow and develop and cannot wait to see more tournament appearances soon.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of an amazing educator in my district. Earlier this year, Ottumwa High School announced that longtime principal Mark Hanson would be retiring. Mark originally served as Ottumwa's principal from 2010 to 2017 but returned to the high school as principal this past July. Throughout his time at OHS, Mark was a true leader and visionary. He worked tirelessly to improve graduation rates, improve the school's culture and curriculum, and increase opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities. Before coming to OHS, Mark remained active in the community, coaching basketball and tennis. Following Mark's retirement, Shelley Bramschreiber will become the new principal. Shelley has been with Ottumwa schools since 1994. On July 1 of this year, Shelley will become the first female principal in school history. Thank you to Mark for his decades of service to our community and best of luck to Shelley. Go Bulldogs. Happy Birthday Wishes

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I also want to take this opportunity to wish my scheduler, Tara Pinette, a happy birthday. I also wish a very happy birthday to my chief of staff, Tracie Gibler. Later this month, my good friend Matt Leopold will celebrate his birthday, and my youngest brother, Fred, has a birthday later this month as well. Happy birthday to Matt and Freddy.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington for yielding to me to speak on this important topic. Most Americans can agree that the Federal Government is very good at creating regulations and making what should often be a simple process extremely complicated. In recent years, Federal permitting regulations have been some of the most overbearing and burdensome of regulations. Landmark environmental protection laws, like the National Environmental Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act have become outdated and grown far too expansive. It is now nearly impossible to secure permits in a timely, efficient, and reasonable manner. From energy and mining projects to infrastructure development and forest management, burdensome and duplicative permitting processes have slowed or halted development throughout rural America. Iowans are all too familiar with the overregulated government permitting process. One such example is the cumbersome and unworkable 2015 waters of the United States rule, also known as WOTUS. Under the 2015 definition, the Federal government was given the authority to regulate almost any waters, including streams, ditches, ponds, and creeks. In fact, the Federal Government would have the authority to regulate water on 97 percent of the land in Iowa. Let me repeat that: 97 percent of the land in Iowa. This left farmers, ranchers, landowners, and businesses to face confusion and burdensome restrictions on how to use their own property. WOTUS drastically expanded the jurisdiction over bodies of water like streams and ponds that the Clean Water Act never intended to regulate. Instead of burdening private citizens with confusing and ambiguous standards that could end up costing them thousands of dollars, we should work to ensure that the Federal Government's clean water efforts are focused on clearly defined bodies of water. WOTUS hurt American farmers, ranchers, landowners, and businesses, it caused confusion, and it hindered economic development. To help rural America, the Trump administration issued the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule, also known as NWPR. The NWPR is much more workable and keeps our water and land clean without destroying businesses in the process. Unfortunately, the Biden administration is taking steps to revoke the 2020 NWPR and return to the 2015 WOTUS rule. Reverting back to terrible policies such as the WOTUS rule would have an extreme Federal overreach and would significantly harm small businesses and cripple our country's economic recovery. The Trump administration also took steps to streamline processes under the National Environmental Protection Act to improve the ability for individuals and businesses to build, improve, and maintain infrastructure by facilitating more efficient, effective, and timely NEPA reviews by Federal agencies. With our economy on the mend, the Biden administration should not be considering unnecessary and overly burdensome government regulations. Reverting back to these policies represents a blatant, unconstitutional power grab aimed at taking Federal control over States in a way that threatens the rights of farmers, ranchers, and all other landowners in Iowa and across our great Nation. We need to let people do their jobs and cut back on the incredible number of Federal regulations in the permitting process. We can protect our Nation's waterways and make improvements to infrastructure without burdensome regulations. In Iowa and in rural communities throughout the country, we recognize that farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists, and that bureaucratic red tape does not help us grow, prosper, protect our water and our land.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share the story of a family in my district that is working to make sure their friends and neighbors know where and how their beef is raised. Last Saturday the Naeve family of Camanche, a sixth-generation farming family, officially opened the new Naeve Family Beef processing plant. For generations the Naeve family has raised cattle and grown crops in eastern Iowa, with three generations currently working the farm in Camanche. For years, smaller meat packing operations like the Naeve's have faced an uphill battle against the bigger meat packers in the industry. Last year, I introduced the Meat Packing Special Investigators Act to tackle anticompetitive practices in the meat and poultry industries that threaten the American food supply and U.S. national security. Right now, the four big meat packers purchase and process 85 percent of the total U.S. beef production. My legislation would give the Department of Agriculture the tools it needs to crack down on bad actors and push for fair competition within the marketplace. Overconcentration in the meat packing industry is costing Iowa farmers money left and right while the average American pays more at the store. I will continue to fight for family operations like the Naeves and wish them the best of luck as they begin this new journey and improvise to create a better marketplace.

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS

Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.