Nathaniel Moran

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self).

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, these are some of the things that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have said today. The border is not open. Mr. Correa, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Mr. Nadler all said that. Ms. Jayapal said: ``They don't want a solution.'' Mr. Correa also said that we need more resources. In fact, that was one of the mantras throughout the debate today from the other side of the aisle: more resources, more resources, more resources. Let me just tell you, funding is not the issue. Funding is at an all- time high for our border protection. Despite border protection funding being at an all-time high, we are seeing record-high encounters at the border. Why is that? There is one reason for that. It is the administration's current policies. I have provided this analogy several times to individuals over the months leading up to this debate: When I was being elected, I had a flood at my house. I came home one night, and there was water all over the floor in my house. My first reaction was not to stand there and say that I needed to go get a bunch of moppers to come in and mop up the water that is there. My first reaction was to find where the water leak was and turn off the valve to shut off the flood. Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we need to do. That is what this resolution re-sounds the alarm about. We have been talking about this for years on this side of the aisle. Apparently, both sides of the aisle are not getting the message. This resolution helps us to admit that there is a problem. It helps us identify the cause and solve it. Mr. Speaker, if the other side of the aisle was in charge of the flood at my house, they would say: Well, let's just let the flood continue and hire a bunch more moppers to come in to try to clean it up. That is simply not the solution. You have to turn that valve off first. You have to stop the incursion of water. In this case, you have to stop the incursion of migrants coming across our border illegally. It is a matter of the rule of law. It is a matter of the sovereignty of the United States. It is a matter of enforcing those laws that are on the books today and, frankly, a matter of the will of the administration to put back in place those policies that were working before 2021 began. Mr. Speaker, I am astounded by the fact that even today we are hearing over and over again from the other side of the aisle that the border is not open. I urge my colleagues to go visit. Having been in Eagle Pass and El Paso, I can tell you that it is casual. That is the word I would use for it. Watching people, myself, coming across the border casually and then taken right to a processing center, and before you know it, out into the interior of the United States to who knows where and who knows when to be found again and who knows what they are going to do in our midst. Mr. Speaker, we are seeing a rise of terrorism across this world. To allow our southern border to have the porous nature it does presently puts our Nation at risk. It is a national security issue that must be solved. We must have the will to do it. Frankly, the Republicans have already proposed the right solution: H.R. 2. Mr. Speaker, I was proud to be one of the original eight cosponsors of H.R. 2, and we need to pass that in its entirety. We certainly need to work with Senate Democrats and Republicans and the administration to get that done, but before that happens and for the last 3 years what should have been happening is that the administration should have enforced the policies that the prior administration had in place to solve the problem once and for all to get us to a place where we can, in fact, have our sovereignty restored, our geographic borders protected, and the interior of the United States protected. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 788, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023. This act is one step in the reform process to return spending power back to the hands of Congress and ensure the proper use of every dollar that comes into the Treasury. This bill would help to ensure the damages owed to victims of wrongdoing actually reach them rather than being used to support organizations that are friends of the executive branch, regardless of the party. For those who don't know, settlement slush funds result when defendants settle with government agencies and, based on the terms of that settlement, direct the settlement proceeds to politically favored third parties instead of victims or the U.S. Treasury for use in correcting the actual wrongdoing. In these cases, the victims often have little to no say in how the settlement will be structured and certainly have no redress when the government directs these monetary settlements elsewhere. In the past, these types of settlements have been used to support the pet projects of prior administrations or the friends of prior administrations, and this is simply unacceptable. Settlement funds should go to the victims and to remedy the actual harm created by these wrongdoers, not to help and support friends of the current administration--again, regardless of which party is in power. Reform is needed to end this practice, and Congress should enact H.R. 788, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023, immediately because not only do we see that these funds are redirected in inappropriate ways but these settlements amount to a form of executive branch spending that has not been approved or even reviewed by Congress. Accordingly, these settlement slush funds undermine congressional oversight, agency accountability, and the power of the purse. The responsibility of the power of the purse falls solely on Congress, and we should have the authority to direct the funding of these settlement agreements, not the executive branch's special interests. Moreover, money from settlements with companies and individuals should benefit the harmed and remedy the underlying actual wrongdoing. Those funds should not be redirected to nonprofits supporting the political agendas of the administration. Let's stop this practice today. We can do it if we pass this bill. Let us pass the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, more jobs, better pay, and a stronger economy--that is the result when taxes are low. I rise today in support of extending the pro-growth tax provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that are critical to families and businesses, items like immediate R&D expensing and allowing for full bonus depreciation in the year in which those expenses were incurred. Through provisions like these, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ushered in a competitive Tax Code that encouraged companies to invest in American jobs, and it served as a catalyst for innovation nationwide. These provisions lifted more than 6 million people out of poverty, grew wages by 4.9 percent, and spurred American innovation to new heights. Also, these pro-business and pro-family tax provisions will play a vital role in advancing the American economy, boosting wages, and maintaining U.S. competitiveness worldwide into the future, but only if we make them permanent. Unfortunately, allowing these pro-growth tax provisions expire or remain expired would be devastating to our economy. They would slow the economy, decrease wages, halt job growth, and stifle investment and innovation. This is not the direction that hardworking Americans want us to go. This is not the direction of America. Mr. Speaker, I stand with American businesses and hardworking Americans everywhere, including in east Texas that I represent, and I encourage my colleagues to make these expiring tax provisions permanent. We must act now to make these provisions permanent and reduce the tax burdens on our businesses, to see our economy thrive and grow and to see our families benefit as a result.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 3315.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3315) to exempt for an additional 4-year period, from the application of the means-test presumption of abuse under chapter 7, qualifying members of reserve components of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard who, after September 11, 2001, are called to active duty or to perform a homeland defense activity for not less than 90 days.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3315, the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act of 2023. The bill before us today is an important piece of legislation. It will help National Guard members and Armed Services reservists who serve our country. Some of these individuals face financial hardships during or after Active Duty. Bankruptcy may be needed to resolve these hardships. In 2008, Congress recognized that guardsmen and reservists sometimes confront unique financial challenges when returning home from Active Duty. Congress enacted the National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act in 2008 to respond to these challenges and has extended its protection several times since. Those protections are set to expire later this month. Under current law, certain guardsmen and reservists are exempt from the Bankruptcy Code's means test. This test helps decide whether a debtor is eligible for debt forgiveness under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. The test looks at recent income and expense data to gauge a consumer's ability to repay their debt, but the means test can be an obstacle to debt forgiveness for guardsmen and reservists. Their income and expenses can change dramatically when transitioning from civilian life to Active Duty and back. The means test does not account for these changes in income and expenses due to Active-Duty service. The National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act of 2023 responds to this concern. This bill would extend for an additional 4 years the existing means test exemption for certain qualifying National Guard members and Armed Services reservists. We continue to call on our guardsmen and our reservists to put their careers on hold to serve our country. We should ensure that those military personnel who fall on hard times are not denied access to bankruptcy because of their Active-Duty status. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, to close, I reemphasize what Mr. Cohen from Tennessee said. This is a bipartisan and bicameral effort to protect our guardsmen and our reservists as they are returning back after having served in Active Duty. This is an important measure to protect those individuals who have fallen on hard times financially and need the protections of bankruptcy court. This exemption to the means test is important because of the variations of the income and the expenses that we see coming in and out of civilian life for these individuals. As a result of the efforts of both the Democrats and the Republicans in the House and the Senate, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding me a few minutes to speak on this rule. The rule that I rise in support of governs H.J. Res. 88. This joint resolution, which is proposed today, disapproves of the final rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to the income-driven repayment scheme devised by the Biden administration. This scheme is bad on a number of levels. It is disastrous for not just the student borrower, but it is also disastrous for the educational institution beneficiary and the general taxpayer, all three. These types of plans drive up the cost of higher education because neither the school nor the student borrower has any incentive to make market-driven decisions about education. The total cost of tuition and fees goes up as a result. The scarcity of resources in this case is seemingly ignored because there appears to be no end of resources. Nevertheless, we know that is not true. The value of the education provided goes down, and the return on the investment is completely disregarded because the student borrower has no incentive to determine whether or not the amount borrowed has any relativity or correlation to the amount that he or she is going to be able to make on the back side of their education. They borrow whatever they want to borrow, and schools continue to raise tuition and fees because they know the students will not have to pay it back. They can borrow it from the Federal Government, and the taxpayer, generally, will pay that bill on their behalf. The second thing this new proposed rule by the Biden administration does is redistribute wealth through the Education Department. That is effectively what it does when it says: You, the borrower, don't have to repay your debt; everybody else in society will repay that debt. We simply cannot let this stand. We cannot let this rule proposed by the Department of Education stand. I support H.J. Res. 88 and its underlying rule that will disregard this rule, will unravel it, and will say to the Biden administration: No more. We stand for the taxpayers.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 150th anniversary of Texarkana, Texas. On December 8, 2023, the City of Texarkana celebrates its sesquicentennial anniversary--that's 150 years of bringing together the best that Texas and Arkansas have to offer. Two states, one city. It's twice as nice. And, it is a great place to call home. This remarkable milestone is a testament to the values, resilience, culture, and rich heritage of the citizens of Texarkana for fifteen decades. Since its founding in 1873, Texarkana has grown from a small settlement along the Texas-Arkansas border to a thriving city that stands as a beacon of innovation, progress, and unity. The city's commitment to fostering a strong sense of community and preserving its unique State Line heritage is unsurpassed. From its vibrant manufacturing and industrial base, support for the Red River Army Depot, and its deep roots in agriculture to its investments in education, health care, technology, infrastructure, and planning, Texarkana stands as a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision and a commitment to excellence. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing and celebrating the 150th anniversary of Texarkana's founding. Congratulations to Texarkana on this momentous milestone. May the next 150 years be filled with continued growth and prosperity. Happy anniversary, Texarkana.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, as a Christian, freedom-loving Texan and sitting member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, the events in Israel these past weeks are of utmost concern, but beyond that, they should concern every American and, frankly, every member of humanity regardless of religion, ethnicity, race, gender, or political affiliation. What we have seen in these past weeks is pure hate and pure evil. Hamas is a well-known, Iranian-backed terrorist organization whose official charter calls for the obliteration of Israel and the Jewish people. Let's consider that for a moment. These last few weeks have been proof of their commitment to this goal. How should we respond in the United States? The U.S. should act strategically with strength and steadiness so that those enemies of the U.S. and Israel are overwhelmed and ultimately defeated in their entirety. We must stand firmly with Israel with whatever they need. Now is not the time for timidity. It is the time for strength and unity with Israel. Such action will help deter evil in the future, preserve life, and promote liberty. Now is the time for us to be all in. We need to offer strength and steadiness in this time. Let us begin by standing with Israel.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize the 175th anniversary of Carthage, Texas. Carthage, a vibrant and historic city nestled in the heart of East Texas, is celebrating its 175th anniversary on November 11, 2023. This remarkable milestone is a testament to the resilience, spirit, and rich heritage that has shaped the community of Carthage over the years. Since its founding in 1848, Carthage has grown from a humble settlement to a thriving city that stands as a beacon of progress and unity. The city's commitment to fostering a strong sense of community and preserving its unique heritage is truly commendable. Carthage stands as a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision and a commitment to excellence. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing and celebrating the 175th anniversary of Carthage's founding. Congratulations to Carthage on this momentous milestone. May the next 175 years be filled with continued growth, prosperity, and community pride. Happy anniversary, Carthage.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker Pro Tempore, I rise today to recognize White Cane Awareness Day. White Cane Awareness Day, celebrated annually on October 15th, serves as a powerful reminder of the significance and empowerment that the white cane symbolizes for individuals with visual impairments. This day raises needed awareness of the challenges faced by the blind and visually impaired community, while also highlighting their remarkable achievements and contributions to our society. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing White Cane Awareness Day and honor the achievements of individuals who inspire us with their resilience, their strength, and their spirit.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, today, I speak in support of the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act. This bill would amend the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act so that it explicitly states that school programs that train students ``in archery, hunting, or other shooting sports'' are eligible for Federal funding. Currently, the Department of Education, under the Biden administration, has misinterpreted the phrase ``training in the use of a dangerous weapon'' so that classes for archery or hunting safety are being deemed as a violation of Federal law. This simply makes no sense. If we use the Department of Education's wrongheaded and broad way of interpreting the definition of a ``weapon,'' then culinary classes might be next on the exclusion list since knives are used in those classes. This bill would correct the Department of Education's misguided interpretation under the current statute by clarifying that archery and hunting courses are not teaching the training and the use of dangerous weapons and schools that choose to teach such courses cannot be stripped of their Federal funding. I have been involved in classes that teach hunting and archery through organizations like the Boy Scouts, and I know firsthand that they teach and reinforce skills like responsibility, self-reliance, preparation, and attention to detail. They build self-esteem in young men and women and also reinforce the ideas of conservation and stewardship of our natural resources and instill a love and appreciation for the world that God created. These classes also teach safety and responsibility relating to rifles and bows and arrows. All of these are skills and characteristics that we want in our children. Why misinterpret statutes to prevent classes that reinforce these skills and characteristics in our youth? I proudly support the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act and urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of its passage to return local control to our school districts and to make right what is now currently wrong.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, Washington has a spending problem. I know it, you know it, and more importantly, the American people know it. Our addiction to unaccountable spending has resulted in our Nation accumulating more than $32 trillion in debt, leading to crippling inflation and a financial burden that future generations will struggle to overcome. That is why I have introduced the principles-based balanced budget amendment, which would require annual spending and revenue to balance and affirm the principle of fiscal responsibility through constitutional mandate. If ratified, this constitutional amendment would require Congress to balance the budget within 10 years while still allowing Congress to determine the mechanisms of how to achieve that balance through statute. Under the Constitution, Congress holds both the power of the purse and the responsibility of the purse. Let us fulfill that responsibility with a strict measure of accountability. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this effort to affirm the principles of fiscal responsibility through constitutional mandate. Our financial future in America depends on it. We must act now.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Good of Virginia for introducing H.J. Res. 45, and I thank Chairwoman Foxx for her leadership in getting this important resolution to the floor. Mr. Speaker, just a few statistics from my particular district in northeast Texas: Almost 70 percent of my district does not hold a college degree, and under this program, effectively what the President is asking for is, that those 70 percent should subsidize the college education of the rest of those individuals in my district. The cost for my district is $1.55 billion. The estimated number of constituents ineligible for student debt relief in my district is 640,000 individuals out of 767,000 individuals in east Texas. Nearly 30 years ago when I began my post-education studies, I had to support myself through college. My parents wanted to do that, but they couldn't do it because of their financial status at the time, so paying for college was a matter of personal responsibility for me. Better stated, it was a matter of personal investment for my future. It was an investment that I chose to make. It was an investment that I knew I needed to make to fulfill God's call on my life. To pay for my education, I took on a variety of jobs, including being a server at a restaurant, running a vending route, serving as a painter's helper, even roofing a roof in the middle of the hot Texas sun. There was still a gap between what college was going to cost me and what I could earn on my own during those summer and weekend jobs that I had. Despite my hard work, a shortfall was still there, so I picked up college loans. When I did so, I evaluated what I was going to have to repay in the future. I looked at the degree programs I was studying, I looked at the future repayment plans before me, and I knew that it was a matter of my personal responsibility to pay back that loan that was going to benefit me and benefit my family. It was not a matter of me taking out those loans believing that others would, in fact, be on the hook to pay for them. As a father of four school-aged children, we are now going through that same process with my older two children to determine what we are going to do about their future. It is a decision we know we need to make and an obligation we know we need to keep on the back side of taking out any loans. Unfortunately, that is a conversation a lot of families don't have in this world before they send their kids off to school, and we need to make sure that there is more information out there before they incur the debt that ultimately they are going to have to repay. But to saddle that repayment on the backs of others who have not benefited from it is simply wrongheaded. Frankly, it is unconstitutional for the executive branch to take that action without going through the legislative branch, but that is precisely what the President is attempting to do. Mr. Speaker, I stand in opposition to the student loan debt forgiveness program and in support of Mr. Good's joint resolution. I look forward to this being on the floor. I look forward to Americans in this country understanding that when they take an obligation for a loan repayment, that they are going to repay it, not others, because once we assume the obligations of every other person in this country, the free market, capitalist society that drives our economy is gone. We do not need to see that.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama for yielding. Every year, Mr. Speaker, thousands of Americans lose their lives as a result of fentanyl-related overdoses. I rise today to bring added attention to the fentanyl crisis, a crisis that has affected every corner of America, including the 17 counties in east Texas that I represent. Since the introduction of this drug in our Nation almost a decade ago, thousands of kids and teenagers have overdosed on this dangerous substance. Since 2020, over 3,300 Texans have lost their lives in fentanyl- related overdoses. That is 3,300 too many lives snuffed out before they can fulfill their calling in this life. Mr. Speaker, before coming to Congress to combat the opioid crisis in Texas, I worked with a small group of other interested parties to help negotiate what became known as the Texas Term Sheet, something that established a settlement structure for opioid-related claims in the State. It worked to ensure that State and local governments, along with regional health districts, could work together to reach global settlements with bad actors and then use that money specifically for activities to combat the expanding causes and effects of opioid addictions. Now, as a Congressman, I continue this fight. Earlier this year, I introduced legislation that would require the President to impose sanctions on Mexican individuals, such as cartel members and corrupt Mexican officials who are involved with the manufacture, distribution, and transport of illicit fentanyl. It is past time that we hold these individuals personally accountable for their roles in the deaths of thousands of Americans. Today, I am proud to stand here and express my full support for the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would classify fentanyl-related substances as schedule I narcotics, the most serious and dangerous classification of a drug, and establish a refined process for research on these drugs, ensuring that companies and researchers entrusted with access to these drugs do not abuse this access. This is a steady and strong step in the right direction, but it is just a small step. There is much more for this Congress to do. While these measures do not bring back those we have lost, they are a step, as I said, in the right direction to ensure that we do not lose any more lives, any more young lives, any more lives of any age to these lethal drugs. Let us stand together in this fight. Let us work against this demon of fentanyl.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of National Nurses Week, I'm proud to rise today and honor the East Texas nurses--both those who have retired and those who are still practicing, who have dutifully served our community. For centuries, nurses have played a vital role in health care by dedicating countless hours of service to their patients and their patients' families--from providing quality care to their unparalleled sense of compassion for those in need. During the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, these heroes selflessly put themselves at the frontline of patient care, risking their own health while battling burnout and exhaustion. Nurses across East Texas have banded together to organize National Retired Nurses Day, in commemoration of their service and sacrifice. I am proud to support these nurses in their efforts. On behalf of Texas's First Congressional District, I would like to thank our nurses for their relentless commitment to serving their community and dedication to helping those in need.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Jim Jordan of Ohio, and my colleagues, Mr. Diaz-Balart of Florida, Mr. McClintock of California, and Mr. Green of Tennessee, for working so diligently on this comprehensive border security package. This package will work to physically secure our borders; protect the sovereignty of our Nation; protect the lives, livelihoods, the property of current American citizens, those that are here legally, and give hope to those from outside our country who seek to find a better life here by restoring surety and sanity to the immigration process. The ability of our Nation to continue to be the world's haven and leader in both liberty and generosity is directly related to our ability to first preserve the rule of law here, protect the sanctity of America's geographic boundaries, and preserve the greatness of our Nation from within. Earlier this year, in a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, the El Paso county judge said explicitly and without reservation that there was ``no crisis at the southern border,'' but the facts, the pictures, the videos, and the personal testimonies of those on the border tell a different story. Ironically, just last week, the mayor of the city of El Paso declared a state of emergency for the city because of this very border crisis. For 2 years now, Secretary Mayorkas has told the American people that the Department of Homeland Security has ``operational control'' of the southern border. We know better. Despite the administration sending 1,500 U.S. troops to the border just in the past couple weeks, these actions are too little, too late. More correctly, they are illusory in nature. Though we do need additional personnel on the border, what we really need is an administration with the resolve to simply enforce the rule of law and put American families ahead of politics. For too long, this administration has turned a blind eye to the crisis at the southern border. They have not enforced the policies and laws currently in place, and as a result, we have seen an influx of migrants crossing our border and illegally entering the United States over the last 2 years. These eleventh-hour measures taken by the Secretary of Homeland Security will sadly have little to no effect on stopping this historic surge because there is no will, no resolve, and no determination by the administration to stop this invasion. That is why House Republicans today are going to take decisive and historic action to do just as the American people need, and that is to secure our border. In East Texas, we see the direct and dire consequences of nonexistent immigration policies. Many more outside Texas in the past couple of years are beginning to see this, as well. Now is the time to take action. Now is the time to act with courage and boldness. Now is the time to pass H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend, and renowned East Texas radio personality, John Sims. who tragically passed away the morning of Friday, March 31. John was a proud Philadelphia native who fully embraced his adopted home of East Texas, where he served our community on air for over forty-three years, most recently with KTBB. Through his reporting and commentary, John played a direct role in our daily lives, filling an otherwise silent morning commute with community updates, state and national news, guidance, and laughter. When John wasn't filling the radio waves, he was out in our community. John was active in many civic organizations, working with those in need and those with disabilities. In particular, John was devoted to his work with the Tyler Together Race Relations Forum, in addition to the League of Women Voters, the March of Dimes, the Tyler Church and Community Network, and East Texas Wheelers and Walkers. Even further, John was also the former president of Leadership Tyler and the Smith County Community Partnership Council, raising up new leaders in our community advocating for its success. A devout believer, John always prioritized his time serving with the church and other community groups. John's un-timely passing will undoubtedly take a toll on East Texas. I am proud to join his family, his friends, his colleagues, and the entire First District of Texas in remembering John and honoring his lifetime of service. He will be sorely missed.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California (Mr. Kiley) for gathering us here today for something very important: to speak out against President Biden's nomination of Julie Su to be the next United States Secretary of Labor. As a former Republican member of the California Legislature, Mr. Kiley knows all too well why this should not happen, and the rest of the country should take notice. As a former small business owner, I also understand why this should not happen because I understand both the needs of the employer and the employee. I have seen firsthand how empowering your employees, Mr. Speaker, is a leading factor in the overall success of a business and how managing with wise and prudent decisionmaking is the right way to go. That is something that Julie Su has not done and has proven that during her time in California and here in Washington, D.C. During her time as the secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, she repeatedly put big businesses and their wants ahead of the needs and concerns of the workers. In fact, she put unions ahead of the rights and needs of workers. During this time, she championed California Assembly Bill 5, which reclassified independent contractors, harming them by considering them employees and, in fact, taking that ability to be independent contractors away from many categories of workers who were intending to build their businesses and build their lives. In doing so, it forced them into these formal employment relationships intended for no other purpose--and I want to pause here--for no other purpose than to drive up union enrollment. She is simply doing the bidding of big unions. On top of this, during the pandemic, Ms. Su's office facilitated the distribution of more than $30 billion in fraudulent claims, the largest exhibition of fraud in California State history. When we look at what we want out of a Labor Secretary, we certainly want wisdom, and we want the ability to manage the Department. Neither of those is present as characteristics in Ms. Su. I am deeply concerned about the fate of hardworking Americans under the direction of Julie Su as Secretary of Labor. She does not understand the needs of workers and the responsibilities of employers, and she has repeatedly demonstrated, as I mentioned, poor judgment in her official capacity. To try to dissolve the ability for workers to have that independent contractor relationship is simply misguided. Unfortunately, Julie Su is just another example of the Biden administration nominating someone who is neither qualified nor possessive of the right judgment to lead the Department. Rather than work toward enacting meaningful policy that will benefit all Americans, the Biden administration continues to nominate individuals like Ms. Su who are sure to enact the President's liberal agenda and proposed policies, allowing him and his administration to bypass Congress and the American people. The misguided policies executed in California under Ms. Su when she was secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency there do not reflect the needs and wishes of the east Texans that I represent nor Americans as a whole. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to reject the nomination of Julie Su for Labor Secretary.