Burgess Owens

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be here today with the Utah House delegation to say a few words ahead of the Thanksgiving season to those we are so fortunate to represent here in Washington. We all agree that it is a blessing, as a team, to represent the great State of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart), my friend from Utah's Second District.

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), my friend from Utah's Third District.

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore), my friend from Utah's First District.

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, before I get started, I just want to say what an honor it is to serve with my friends from Utah. They are remarkable men. As the holiday season approaches and families across our great Nation gather for these special moments, I am reminded of what brings us all together as Americans: Not our creed, race, or ZIP Code, but the gratitude for one another that lifts us higher and brings out the best in each of us. I am the father of 6 children and 15 grandchildren. My pride doesn't come from my years on the football field or decades in the corporate world. It comes from the joy of watching them grow up and start families of their own. I am so deeply thankful for them and the entire Owens family. To my fellow Utahns: I am thankful to call Utah's 4th District my home. It is the honor of a lifetime to represent our State. I am constantly inspired by the resiliency of our communities. We have faced a couple of very difficult years. The COVID-19 pandemic kept us from our friends, families, and loved ones. Disruptions from work, school, and worship made everyday life very different. There are empty seats at the table this year. We pray for comfort and healing for those families as they navigate this time of grief. With the current economic crisis at home, rising prices at the gas station, grocery store, and everywhere in between, more and more Utah families are worried about losing a job, keeping the doors of their small business open, paying their mortgage, and making ends meet. Even during the toughest of times, I know the spirit of Utahns. I have seen how families across our State have helped each other through dark times toward better and brighter days. I am wishing all Utahns good health, especially the men and women who have put on the uniform to serve in our great State, across the country, and abroad. They make the world and our country a safer place. Especially during the holidays, I think Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms are very appropriate: The Freedom of Speech, the Freedom to Worship, the Freedom From Want, and the Freedom From Fear. This is the American way. This is the American Dream. As Americans, we hold these freedoms incredibly dear and commit to protect them for future generations. It is within our DNA to confront our crises and weather rough storms to leave our country a little bit better than we found it for our children and our children's children. This season of thanksgiving, I hope that we can continue to support one another and unite in our shared gratitude. Despite our daily struggles, we have so much to be thankful for. I pray that Utahns across our beautiful State will continue to be blessed this holiday season. Madam Speaker, I yield to the senior member of our delegation, Chris Stewart.

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz). Threat of Assassination

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, Utah is, in the Fourth District, now paying more for everything thanks to the Biden administration's disastrous economic policies. It is throwing our country back to a 1970s economy, and there is no end in sight. The Democrats' solution? Pack far-left policies into their $5.5 trillion spending package and tell the American people that it cost them nothing. It is a bogus talking point that couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, this tax and spending bill would perpetuate labor shortages in Utah and across the country, which will harm economic recovery and hurt families in my district; violate Americans' financial privacy by increasing IRS access to our personal bank data; and it will also mandate financial services providers to report financial transactions of $200 per week or greater. The IRS has no business tracking the checking accounts of Americans. They will also reduce our country's energy independence, causing gas prices to skyrocket nationwide, now, by the way, hitting record numbers in Utah. It will impose devastating taxes on small businesses as they attempt to get back on their feet. President Biden and Democrats in Congress want to use this trillion- dollar spending bill to fundamentally reimagine our country's economy, and they are going to raise taxes on the middle class to make it happen. That means higher prices for families at the gas pump, in the grocery store, and everywhere in-between and the highest inflation levels we have seen in over 30 years. This fiscally irresponsible spending spree places a staggering debt on the next generation of Americans and leaves our country's economy worse off. Honoring Taylor Hoover

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, 31-year-old United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover from Utah was killed in the line of duty on August 26 by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was taken too soon, heroically assisting the evacuation efforts of U.S. citizens and Afghan allies. In his faithful service to others, Sergeant Hoover and the 12 other servicemembers who were lost on that tragic day embodied the military's core values: honor, courage, and commitment. I pray that they find solace in his memory and healing in the love of their family and friends. From Hillcrest High School and all the way to Arlington National Cemetery, I know this tragic loss will be felt by many. We will never forget the sacrifice and service of Sergeant Taylor Hoover. God bless the Hoover family and all of our Nation's Gold Star families. Honoring Todd Grossgebauer

Mr. OWENS. I would like to honor a true public servant and a Utah hero, Commander Todd Grossgebauer, who lost a hard-fought battle against cancer over this last summer. Todd was the second employee hired by the Riverton, Utah, police department. He also served the Provo Police Department for 26 years. He studied at the FBI National Academy. He was a patrol division watch commander and instructor at UVU's Law Enforcement Academy. Todd and all of our brave men and women in law enforcement put their lives on the line every single day to protect our communities. They truly are hometown heroes. As we reflect on and honor the sacrifices of our law enforcement officers, I pledge to always back the blue. I am thinking of Todd today and praying for his wife, Brenda, and their entire family. Honoring Brent Jex

Mr. OWENS. Mr. Brent Jex is a retired police detective of 20 years in the West Jordan Police Department and served as president of the Utah Fraternal Order of Police since 2012. As a member of Utah's Joint Criminal Apprehension Team, Brent has participated in the arrest of the most dangerous and notorious criminals in the Intermountain West. But even more impressive is his dedication to advocating for our men and women in uniforms' mental health. Right now, even more than ever, our officers are under scrutiny and stress that none of us can imagine. They have a voice with Brent as the president of FOP. Referring to mental health treatment, Brent has said, ``Before I thought it was a sign of weakness to have to go seek treatment. Afterward, I realized that it is a sign of weakness not to.'' Brent represents the best of us. He is an invaluable member of the law enforcement community and the State of Utah as a whole. Brent, thank you for all you have done and all you do to keep our community safe. Honoring Utah's Small Businesses

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, like many industries across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic took an unyielding toll on small businesses. Over the past several months, I have had the pleasure of visiting hundreds of small businesses across my district to hear firsthand how they are coping through economic recovery. One thing is for certain: Utahns are innovative. Owlet, located in Lehi, is saving countless lives across the country with its in-home monitoring system for prenatal and newborn babies. Greek House is a family-owned and -operated restaurant in Taylorsville, currently celebrating its first birthday in Utah's Fourth District. Local advanced manufacturing companies like Hexcel Company, Rock West Composites, Inc., and Advanced Composites Inc., are leading in the defense, commercial, and aerospace industries. Neuroxorx in Sandy is providing innovative long-term physical, occupational, and speech therapy for adults and children affected by paralysis. Grifols in Salt Lake City is a small plasma donation center that helps save and improve lives across the country. These companies and everything in-between perfectly showcase the innovative and service-oriented spirit of Utah's Fourth District. They think big and bold in their pursuit of excellence. To every small business in every corner of Utah's Fourth District, thank you for all you do to save our State. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend from Louisiana for his leadership. Madam Speaker, as crisis after crisis emerges from this administration, I would like to take a moment to discuss an issue that has been on my mind and in the hearts of millions of Americans: the crisis at our southern border. It is a humanitarian, national security, and public health crisis that must be addressed immediately. I have seen these horrific scenes for myself down in McAllen, Texas, and further south through the Darien Gap where families, women, and children endure a dangerous trek to America. For the past 9 months, the border has served as a hotbed for drug smugglers, human traffickers, child trafficking, and illegal immigration, and is a direct result of the disastrous and harmful open border policy of President Biden and Vice President Harris. These policies are enriching the cartels, smugglers, and human traffickers who prey on and abuse women and children crossing the border. Some report earnings as much as $14 million a day. These are horrendous crimes and they have no place in our country. Here is what we know: During the month of August, almost 19,000 of the 208,000 illegal immigrants to cross the border were unaccompanied minors. With a record number of minors crossing the border alone, we need to be actively taking steps to prevent predators from exploiting these innocent children. Another fact: The number of illegal immigrants taken into custody along the southern border topped 1.2 million since February. This does not count the hundreds of thousands of got-aways. This crisis is not seasonal, is not inherited. It appears like a purposeful chaos by our Democratic Party. We must restore security at the southern border, end illegal immigration, and take immediate steps to prioritize the health and safety of all Americans.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to continue sounding the alarm on the Biden Administration's economic and spending crisis that is hurting families in my district and killing American jobs. This Big Government, ultra-inflation, and massive spending agenda has a big problem: the economy. It is spiking the price of groceries, gas, lumber, and everything in between. Gasoline is up 42.7 percent. Chicken is up 7.2 percent. Eggs are up 9.9 percent. Public transportation is up 8.4 percent. As I have heard from my families all across my district, Americans cannot afford this. Utahns say they are paying more for just about everything. In fact, a recent statewide poll found that 85 percent of Utahns are very or somewhat concerned about inflation and rising costs. Inflation is a tax on every single American. With consumer prices reaching a 13-year high, it is clear this administration's agenda is bad for economic recovery and unsustainable for working-class Americans trying to make ends meet. The Democrats' solution? Rush through the most expensive piece of legislation in the history of our country. Another startling fact: This $3.5 trillion spending plan is more than the GDP of Canada and Mexico combined. While the White House continues to spread false realities to the American people, let's talk about the facts: The true cost of the bill is $5.5 trillion, not $3.5 trillion, and certainly not zero. It is going to increase the national debt by $2.4 trillion. It will lead to 5.3 million jobs lost nationwide. The median family income will drop by $12,000. Each American household will be burdened with $35,439 of debt. Americans across the country and Utahns in the Fourth District want to see fiscal responsibility restored at the Federal level. This out- of-control spending must stop.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to abortion on demand until birth act. I have watched over the last 40 years as abortionists have targeted my race. It was a race that, as a child in the 1960s, had more men committed to marriage, over 70 percent than any other community. Black women were more likely to get married than White women until 1970. In that community, Black men taught their sons to respect women, to honor their wives, and to be stellar examples for their children. Over the last 40 years, my race has remained silent as abortionists have murdered close to 20 million of our children. This equates to 40 percent of the Black race exterminated by a multibillion-dollar death industry. This same industry, and the Democrats who are promoting this bill, are teaching our young girls that killing their babies after being born alive has no consequences, that a living, beating heart is nothing more than a hangnail. Black women represent 12 percent of America's female population but make up almost 40 percent of the women who end up on the operating table of a wealthy abortionist. In civilized countries, the taking of 20 million lives would be called genocide. The left now calls it choice. Over the decades since my youth, we have turned more than 70 percent of our Black fathers into whiners, whinnies, and wimps as they, with no shame, desert their families. They then convince the mothers of their children to absolve them of their responsibility, to man up, to find the character and backbone to provide and protect their own namesake and legacy. The celebration of the killing our most innocent is pure evil, my friends. We cannot kill the most innocent among us and think we will be blessed. Take it from someone who has seen this movie before. Compare the Black family of my youth in the 1950s and 1960s with the shell of the Black family today. The pathway to the destruction of our precious family unit, manhood, womanhood, and our American culture begins with the wanton destruction of our babies. If we continue to allow this to happen to our great Nation, evil wins and America loses. I pray that our Nation finally turns its back on this dark and destructive industry.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to discuss the devastating drought affecting Utah this year. Ninety percent of the West is experiencing extreme drought conditions. This includes every county in the great State of Utah-- already one of the driest States in the Union. Drought impacts lives and livelihoods. One of the Juab County farmers in my district runs a farm that has been in his family for three generations. This year, his farm has yielded zero output because of the drought. Unfortunately, his story is not unique. Aquifers are not recharging, springs are dry, wells are pumping harder than ever before, and farmers are facing increased power costs. This means fewer crops and fewer dollars in the pockets of our rural farmers. On top of that, Utah's drought conditions make devastating wildfires more likely and harder to fight. Each one of us has an important role to play in conserving resources and adapting for the near future and beyond. Utahn livelihoods and generational family farms are at stake, and I stand ready to assist local leaders and our State's Federal delegation to ensure the safety and prosperity of every Utahn. I call upon the Biden administration to step up their efforts on the interagency working group that is supposed to be addressing these severe conditions.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to moving the previous question so we can immediately consider my bill, H.R. 4698, the Say No to Indoctrination Act, which prohibits Federal funds from advancing the hateful critical race theory concepts. I grew up in the Deep South during the days of KKK, Jim Crow, and segregation. I have felt the pain of racism and have seen and experienced firsthand when people act unjustly toward others due to the color of their skin. And, yes, it still happens today when individuals choose hate. Once an unknown academic theory, the increasingly pervasive CRT says that racism permanently stains the fabric of American society. The critical race theorists believe that we are defined solely by our skin color. They believe that America's institutions preserve white supremacy. Some even believe that our Nation is hopelessly racist. To try to make this divisive theory understandable, teachers often separate students into separate groups based on intrinsic characteristics like race, color, and national origin. In doing so, students are taught to judge others based on their appearance. In the 1960s, this was called pure racism. In the span of a few weeks, Democrats have gone from claiming that CRT was only a myth to boldly embracing it. They have gone from dismissing parental objections to endorsing indoctrination in schools across the country. The American people are right in their distrust. Make no mistake, I want our students to learn about the hundreds of moments that shaped us into the country we are today. Students should learn about slavery and its legacy. Students should learn about the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, Juneteenth, Jim Crow, the Tulsa race massacre, and the Civil Rights Acts. They should also be taught and be proud of a Nation that, for over 200 years, has progressed, a country that has shown its commitment to its mission statement that all men and women are created equal. We have not always lived up to our ideals but have come closer with each passing generation in doing so. Racism exists. I grew up with it and have zero tolerance for bigotry and hate. More can be done to create a world that teaches greater tolerance and respects the dignity of every individual, regardless of race, color, or creed. CRT is not the solution. It is absolutely wrong and un-American to indoctrinate our children into believing that because of their skin color, they are forever part of the oppressed or oppressor class. Hate has no place in our schools, and CRT has no place in our classes. We live in a world of imperfect people and in a country that from its inception understood this. It was, therefore, placed within our mission statement a goal to grow, to change, and to form a more perfect union. I choose to believe in a country where we are judged not by the color of our skin but by the content of our character. I choose to believe in a country that empowers all individuals to dream big and to live fulfilling lives. Madam Speaker, if you share my belief in our great Nation, then you, too, will vote to defeat the previous question so we can take up and pass, on behalf of the American people, the Say No to Indoctrination Act. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again highlight our newest Federal holiday, Juneteenth, or Emancipation Day. For Americans who are not familiar with this day, it has been celebrated within the Black community for over 150 years. This was the day when the message finally reached Black Texans living in Galveston that slavery was over and that they were indeed free. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862. Union General Gordon Granger arrived with over 2,000 troops to deliver this message to the former slaves on June 19, 1865, 3 years later. The lesson that can be learned from this special day is twofold. For almost 3 years, Black Texans lived as slaves at a time when the price had already been paid for them to live free. As it was with Juneteenth 1865, it would be the Republican Party that delivered the message to my race: You are free. In America, in the land of freedom, success is a personal choice. It is not easy, nor is it guaranteed. But if you choose to dream, work, sacrifice, and remain patient, you can, regardless of your skin color, live your American Dream. The remarkable success of the late 1800s all-Black Greenwood community speaks to the tenacity, pride, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of a race that rose in less than 50 years from slavery. Its destruction in 1921, within 12 hours, also highlights the vulnerability of the American Dream in the absence of the rule of law. Deep Greenwood, referred to as ``Little Africa'' and ``Black Wall Street,'' was the most wealthy and prosperous Black community in America in the early 1900s. During the 1820s, several successful and prominent Black entrepreneurs were drawn to Oklahoma due to a nationwide economic depression and the discovery of oil. The local economy boomed, with Blacks in Tulsa representing all professional occupations, from day laborers, cooks, and shoe shiners to physicians, schoolteachers, and entrepreneurs. Racism and the influence of Jim Crow laws made it so that Blacks could work in White areas but could not spend their money there. This led to the creation of Deep Greenwood. With business dollars circulating only within their own community, many Blacks began to buy land and start their businesses. Black Wall Street became the center of the town, featuring restaurants, jewelry stores, hotels, theaters, places of worship, and three Black newspapers. By the way, in the 1960s, when I was growing up, this describes my segregated community, a community of entrepreneurs where, across our country, 50 to 60 percent of Black Americans belonged to the middle class. Over 600 business owners helped Black Wall Street become influential, including a funeral parlor, barbershops, dental and medical offices, schools, libraries, a hospital, insurance and loan companies, airline charter services, a bus service, international businesses, and nightclubs. The Black community was thriving, and their collective success rivaled that of Tulsa. But in these times of racism and deep prejudices, the success of Black Wall Street created a tinderbox of tension. On May 30, 1921, a 17-year-old White woman accused Dick Rowland, a Black shoe shiner, of criminally assaulting her when he accidentally stepped on her foot. She slapped him, and in response, he grabbed her arm to prevent her from hitting him. Realizing his self-defense move might cause problems, he fled the scene. The next day, he was jailed. The Tulsa Tribune printed a story announcing that a ``negro would be lynched tonight.'' Three hours after the Tulsa Tribune released the story, hundreds of White men gathered at the Tulsa courthouse where Rowland was being held. Many Blacks who wanted to protect Rowland from being lynched rushed to the courthouse to defend him. False rumors about the incident caused a struggle between White protestors and Blacks in front of the courthouse. Shots rang out, and 12 men were killed. As the fighting continued, Tulsa Whites began an all-out assault on Deep Greenwood, including dropping firebombs from the air. Fire engulfed the entire Black district. Deep Greenwood burned all day on May 31. At the end of the attack, Black Wall Street was no longer standing. In total, 300 people were murdered; 35 acres of commercial and residential property were destroyed; 1,400 homes and businesses were looted and burned; 10,000 people were left homeless; $1.8 million in damage, which in today's dollar amounts would be $27 million. It was estimated the total value lost would be valued at $200 million in today's dollars. Over 600 businesses were destroyed, and as is today, these businesses were the engine that powered the self-sufficient middle class. By the time the police chief asked the National Guard to help quell the ``negro uprising,'' it was too late. The city was already destroyed. A grand jury held him responsible for dereliction of duty. He was removed from office, found guilty in the trial, but never served any time in jail. I would like to introduce you to some of the Black leaders in Deep Greenwood, Oklahoma, the city of millionaires. Dr. A.C. Jackson, a physician, transcended the color lines, servicing both Black and White patients. He was considered the most skilled Black surgeon in America, with a net worth of over $100,000, which, in 2019, would have a value of over a million dollars. Dr. Jackson was murdered during the massacre at age 40. E.W. Woods was the first principal of the all-Black Booker T. Washington High School. Woods set the standard for high expectations at school. John Stradford was the owner of a 45-room luxury hotel in Greenwood, the largest Black-owned-and-operated hotel in Oklahoma, and one of the few Black-owned hotels in the United States. He was the son of an escaped slave, and he came to Oklahoma in 1899 and was the wealthiest man on Black Wall Street. Simon Berry owned a nickel-a-ride jitney service, a bus line, a boutique hotel, and a charter plane service. John and Loula Williams owned a 1911 luxury Norwalk Touring. This couple launched multiple venues, a theater, a confectionary, a rooming house, and a garage. Buck Colbert Franklin, an attorney in Deep Greenwood, was known for defending the survivors of the Greenwood massacre. He was the father of civil rights advocate and historian John Hope Franklin. These successful Black leaders all faced the darkness of the 1921 massacre. John Stradford's hotel laid in ruins after the burning of Deep Greenwood and was never rebuilt. Stradford was indicted for inciting a riot and fled Greenwood. The Mt. Zion Baptist Church was just 40 days old and was destroyed. The cost to rebuild and furnish was $135,000. During the riot, homes were looted and burned, and thousands of Black people were left homeless. There were 88 indictments served against Blacks and Whites alike, but all charges were either dismissed or ignored. The KKK used the massacre as a recruiting tool, stating that ``the riot was the best thing that ever happened to Tulsa'' and sold postcards in Tulsa's downtown streets to raise money. Republican Representative Dyer from Missouri introduced a Federal antilynching bill, the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill. Democrats in the Senate delayed the bill and eventually killed it. Between 1882 and 1968, nearly 200 antilynching bills were introduced in Congress, and seven U.S. Presidents between 1890 and 1952 also asked Congress to pass a Federal antilynching law. All efforts failed to pass due to the stalling tactics by the Democratic Congress and Senate. The comparison of 1921 Tulsa and the 2020 summer can be summarized in these words: a lack of rule of law. In 1921, what had taken nine decades to build in Greenwood was destroyed within a matter of 12 hours. Ninety-nine years later, following the murder of George Floyd, riots stretched throughout our country in predominantly Black urban cities. Over the summer of 2020, more than 1,500 businesses, residences, and government buildings were destroyed, along with the lives of 25 Americans. Jeremiah Ellison, a councilman in Minnesota, where a police precinct house itself was set on fire, advised the mayor to leave the vandals alone. ``The focus of anger is the police and this building,'' he reasoned. ``If we let the crowd do its thing, we might spare the neighborhood.'' History will forever note how wrong he was. In Portland, Oregon, the summer riots of 2020 have resulted in $23 million lost. Yet, the Portland mayor, Ted Wheeler, tweeted that Federal officers were bringing violence and life-threatening tactics to the city. ``The best thing they can do is stay inside their building or leave Portland altogether,'' he said. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, over half the people arrested in the aftermath were from out of town. Property damage topped $50 million and put close to 40 businesses out of business. Even in my own Salt Lake City, cop cars were burned. The Salt Lake City Council chairman declared that overturning and burning a police cruiser was a ``small sacrifice over physical clashes between officers and civilians.'' Meanwhile, 21 police officers were injured. At the end of the summer riots of 2020, over 20 States witnessed violent riots, with insurance claims between $1 billion and $2 billion. Once again, most tragically, 25 American citizens lost their lives, including a respected retired Black officer who was murdered in cold blood protecting the store of a friend. In New York City, politicians passed no-bail laws, allowing criminals and rioters to return to the streets the very next night to loot and again attack New York City police. In Portland, as the city is still reeling and businesses remained hostages to criminals, thousands of rioters' charges have been dropped. We must learn several things from our history. Whether it be the destruction of 1921 Black Wall Street businesses or 2020 Black urban cities throughout our Nation, consistent is a pattern of failure of elected officials to uphold the rule of law. Instead of championing Black and minority business owners, many of these officials stood aside as these communities were destroyed. Consistent with the acts in 1921 and that of 2020 was the criminal predators' justification, always in the name of so-called racial justice. From these two dark chapters, accountability must be a lesson learned. As we demand equal opportunity for all Americans for life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and property, we the people become more unified and free. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I honor a great man, public servant, and Vista Heights Middle School's head custodian, Roger Morgan, from Saratoga Springs, Utah. When COVID-19 disrupted normalcy last year, Roger did what he always does: He anticipated the needs of others and sprang into action. He installed plexiglass and hand-sanitizing stations. He stayed late each night to disinfect the entire school. During the summer, he cleaned out the air vents to increase filtration. He was proactive and diligent in filling PPE from district, State, and school funds. As shipments arrived, he organized and distributed the supplies. When the State of Utah requested a rapid testing site at Vista Heights, Roger worked overtime to set it up and cleaned the units every day to help facilitate the accessibility of this testing option. The praise for Roger is overwhelming. He is a team player, and he represents the Fourth District's spirit of service and compassion. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Roger, District Four's first hometown hero.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446. In this last week I received over 1,000 emails from constituents in strong opposition to these antigun bills. Here is a sample: ``H.R. 8 will make it impossible to sell or loan guns to my relatives and trusted friends.'' ``These bills appear designed to impose restrictions on natural rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.'' And finally, ``Stand for our rights and oppose these measures with every tool in your grasp.'' I absolutely will fight these measures with every tool in my grasp. These rights protect my life, liberty, and property granted to me by God and cannot be taken away from me by D.C. bureaucrats. I grew up in the Deep South at a time when Black Americans were unable to defend themselves. After the Civil War, Black Codes and Jim Crow laws prohibited people of color from owning firearms. In the mid-1950s, Martin Luther King, Jr., kept firearms for self- protection, but his application for a concealed weapon permit was denied because of racist gun control laws in his State. As a child, my dad witnessed an altercation between his father and a southern White man who thought my grandfather was being disrespectful and threatened to teach him a lesson. Later that night he drove up to my grandfather's home with a bunch of his friends standing on the forerunner of a Model T Ford. My grandfather was prepared. He and his brothers had hidden around his front porch. As these bullies and cowards approached the house, they heard the click of rifles and left just as fast as they came. Without ever firing his gun on another human being, my grandfather's right to own a firearm ensured his rights to protect his life, liberty, and property. I urge my colleagues to vote against these anti-Second Amendment bills.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 682, the Reopen Schools Act, to get our kids out from behind screens and back in the classroom.

Mr. OWENS

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

Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 1280. I spent the last week talking to law enforcement officers in Utah. These men and women are heroes. They are good, honest officers who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. I asked them about H.R. 1280, and this is what they said: ``This will destroy public safety.'' ``We haven't done anything to earn this type of distrust.'' ``This will push good law enforcement out of the business.'' ``Utah is an amazing place. We have the right people protecting us. Let's keep them here.'' Mr. Speaker, police reform is necessary. We need to give officers the tools they need to fairly enforce the law. But this legislation paints a target on the back of every police officer in America. In Salt Lake City, we saw a 38 percent increase in homicides. At the same time, Salt Lake cut $5.3 million from the police department's budget. It should be no surprise that voluntary resignations doubled. This bill will make good officers flee the profession when we need them most. Mr. Speaker, Democrats won't say this, but this bill simply defunds the police. Not in Utah's Fourth District; not now; not ever.

Mr. OWENS

Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Equality Act. The issues discussed as part of the Equality Act are important. Amending the Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation would be a historic step. Unfortunately, without explicit religious exemptions, there are many questions that will arise. Title II of the Civil Rights Act currently prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin. The Equality Act would dramatically expand the definition of public accommodation to include any place of public gathering or any establishment that provides a service, such as food banks or homeless shelters. Every religion and faith in America has had its own set of beliefs. Some of these, including Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religions, are thousands of years old and answer to a much higher power. My personal faith, as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaches me that every individual is a child of God and deserves to be treated with love and respect. My religion also teaches that marriage is sacred and eternal in nature. The marriage ceremonies conducted in the sacred places of my faith are conducted in temples that must not be deemed places of public accommodation. If houses of worship are defined as places of public accommodation, a number of problems arise, many having nothing to do with LGBT rights. For example, could an orthodox Jewish synagogue decline to permit an interfaith couple from having their wedding ceremony in the synagogue? Could a traditional mosque conduct gender-segregated classes for youth programs? Could a Catholic church's homeless shelter have separate housing for men and women? Could BYU or other church-owned universities continue hiring those individuals who follow its standards? Democrats claim the purpose of introducing the Equality Act is not to impede religious freedom. In fact, Democrats claim that the existing laws are enough to protect religious freedom. But why, then, leave these crucial matters unclear and threaten people of faith? Why not accept an amendment to the Equality Act that clearly exempts religious organizations? Why remove the protections of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act? The First Amendment right to practice our faith is at the core of our Nation's culture. Our moral compass of service, tolerance, kindness, and charity stems from our Judeo-Christian foundation. No law should take us down the slippery slope of forgetting this legacy, regardless of its title. When Congress wants to protect religious expressions, it knows how to do so. The last major civil rights law enacted by Congress was the Americans with Disabilities Act. It contains a clear and explicit religious exemption. Why not make the law clear to promote civil rights and religious liberty? That would be the historic and unifying thing to do.