Scott Perry

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Yes, Mr. Vice President, it is.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate the outstanding Airmen of the 193rd Special Operations Wing, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, for earning the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award-- for the 19th time. This highly prestigious award recognizes the Wing's exceptionally meritorious service from October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2019. During this period, this one-of-a-kind unit deployed more than 400 Service Members globally across 20 nations, filling numerous Reserve Component Posture taskings and missions. The specialized EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft flew 115 combat missions and executed 1,009 broadcast hours, meeting all Central Command requirements while achieving an overall 1,463 sorties and 3,924 flight hours. During the same period, the Wing also distinguished itself by deploying its world-class Airmen from their Engineering Installation, Red Horse, Security Forces, Air Operations Center, Communications, Air Support Operations and Medical units who expertly supported overseas contingency missions. Collectively, the Wing supported counter- terrorism/counter-narcotics operations as well as named Operations Inherent Resolve, Freedom's Sentinel, Spartan Shield, Atlantic Resolve, and Resolute Support, altogether advancing our military's effectiveness on the battlefield while protecting our Nation and our American way of life. The Airmen of the 193rd Special Operations Wing consistently demonstrate excellence in their training and operations across our Nation and around the world. On behalf of the 10th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, we're honored to be the home of such a distinguished unit, and I commend the Wing for earning the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award--again. I extend my heartfelt thanks to them for their hard work, tireless dedication and steadfast service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States of America.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to recognize Commander Michael Yunker for his impeccable and tireless service to our great Country, upon his retirement on December 1, 2020, after 20 years of service in the United States Navy. Commander Yunker is the Operations Officer for the Navy Customer Facing Division, Customer Operations Directorate, Defense Logistics Agency Aviation. Previously, he served as the Division's Director of Industrial Support and Naval Aviation Enterprise Action Officer. He has been a member of the DLA workforce since January 2018. Commander Yunker is a native of Aston, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Radford University, a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies--to include an Operational Planner Certificate from the U.S. Naval War College--and a Master of Public Administration from the Pennsylvania State University. He is also a member of the Navy Acquisition Professional Community and is a Joint Specialty Officer. Commander Yunker's operational tours include: Principal Assistant for Services and Stock Control Officer; USS Enterprise (CVN 65); Assistant Supply Officer, USS Ashland (LSD 48); and Base Command Group, Multi-National Forces-West Base Fuels and Environmental Compliance Officer, al-Asad, Iraq. As an Operations Officer, Commander Yunker's daily focus is centered around operations for the near-and long-term readiness and sustainment of 21 various naval aviation airframe models and 11 nuclear aircraft carriers. He serves as the initial point of contact for all inquiries supporting naval air stations and nuclear aircraft carriers globally. He assists the senior naval officer with service-related administrative tasks, to include: awards; fitness reports and evaluations; detailing; and any other duties as assigned/required. Commander Yunker's prior shore assignments include: Director, Strategic Planning/Internal Review, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, Washington, D.C.; Joint Petroleum Officer and Logistics Planner, U.S. Strategic Command, Omaha, Nebraska; Midshipmen Disbursing Officer/Financial Advisor, Midshipmen Services Officer and Adjunct Instructor, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis; and Director, New Construction Outfitting and In-Service Platform Manager Surface Ships, Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Commander Yunker's military awards and recognitions include, but are not limited to: the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards); Joint Service Achievement Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards); and various campaign and unit awards. Upon retirement, Commander Yunker plans to start a second career in addition to spending more time with his family. Madam Speaker, I'm humbled to recognize Commander Michael Yunker and, on behalf of the Citizens of the 10th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, thank him for his decades of dedicated and selfless service to our great Nation both in times of peace and war.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to congratulate Chief Master Sergeant John T. Bey on his years of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America. Chief Bey first enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in January 1986. He attended technical school at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and then was assigned as an electrical linesman at the 911th Air Wing (AW), Air Reserve Station Pittsburgh, where he served for nineteen years. Chief Bey also cross trained into the Fiscal Management (FM) career field in 2004, wherein he ascended the ranks at the 911th AW to Chief Master Sergeant. Chief Bey Joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in February 2016, and was selected as the Special Operations Mission Support Group Chief, 193rd Special Operations Wing (SOW), Middletown, Pennsylvania. He served for just over one year before being selected as the Superintendent of the 193rd Special Operations Comptroller Flight. Chief Bey is responsible for overseeing and managing the peacetime training and wartime deployment of a fifteen-person FM team. Additionally, his team is responsible for the FM capabilities serving over 1800 traditional Guard Members, 400 dual-status Technicians and 150 AGR personnel during the 193rd SOW's regularly scheduled drills and daily operations. The FM team also oversees all financial management deployment briefings and newcomer orientation briefings and accessions. In addition to Chief Bey's service in the Air Force, he's also served in the Pennsylvania State Police, where he first enlisted on June 5, 1989. He was appointed to the Special Emergency Response Team as a Crisis Negotiator in 1995 until 2003, when he was promoted to Lieutenant and served as Patrol Section Commander and Criminal Investigation Section Commander for Troop G, Hollidaysburg. He was promoted to Captain in 2008, and served as of Administration and Director Training in the Bureau of Education and Training until 2014. Chief Bey retired from the Pennsylvania State Police on October 13, 2014, at which time he served as Chief of Police for the Middletown Borough Police Department until 2016. With great honor, I commend Chief Master Sergeant John T. Bey for his distinguished career of service to our great Commonwealth and Nation. His selfless service, dedication to duty, and tireless efforts to serving and protecting our Citizens on myriad levels is a great credit to himself, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States of America.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my friend, the gentleman from Florida, in support of this important resolution. We know as a fact, confirmed by Reuters, the New York Post, and many other news outlets, that the Chinese Communist Party has recently forced 500,000 Tibetans into labor camps--500,000. Through these camps the CCP wishes to sinicize the Tibetan people and destroy their religious and cultural heritage and national identity. If you asked the General Secretary Xi Jinping why his country continues to undermine the national identity of the Tibetan people, he would tell you that his party's initiative is simply part of a poverty alleviation program wherein the CCP hopes to move surplus rural labor to other parts of the country. It is absurd, and it is outrageous. The fact that a foreign leader could believe that this kind of public policy is morally acceptable is beyond me, and it is beyond the civilized world. We have heard similar explanations before. We know what these so-called poverty alleviation programs are really about: Xi Jinping desperately wants to crush the spirits of those who are living under his dictatorial regime. He wants to indoctrinate people in those camps and ruthlessly marginalize their identities. Mr. Speaker, you don't need camps for people who are seeking to do better in their life; you just give them the opportunity, and they will do it. They don't need to go to camp to do that. He will fail in his effort. Make no mistake about it. He will fail spectacularly in his effort to quash the hopes of millions of Tibetans who dare to dream and fight for a free nation. One of the reasons he will fail is because the United States is with the people of Tibet. Our Tibetan friends have long since recognized the significance of the genuine autonomy of Tibet, and today I am proud to join them.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to congratulate Mark Jago on culminating his service as the Pennsylvania State Deputy of the Knights of Columbus on June 30, 2020, and for his years of service to the U.S. Army, the Parish of St. Patrick in Carlisle, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America. State Deputy (SD) Jago joined the Order as a member of Cardinal Gibbons Council 2838 in Fayetteville, NC, in 1983. In 1992, he moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania and transferred into St. Patrick Council 4057, where he became an active member. In 1994, SD Jago was elected Grand Knight and, under his leadership, the Council achieved Star Council. He then served as a Trustee for three years, and as Financial Secretary for ten years. An active supporter of the Pro-Life cause, he established his Council's annual bus trip to the March for Life in 1993, and continues to serve as the trip's Bus Captain. Recently, he chaired the Council's Ultrasound Initiative Campaign, which provided a system for the Carlisle Area Family Life Center. SD Jago received the Star Council Membership and Star Council Insurance Awards for the 2015-2016 Fraternal Year. SD Jago has held numerous fraternal offices within the Order, to include: District Deputy, Harrisburg; Diocesan Chapter President; Central East Regional Chairman; State Free Throw and Soccer Chairman; and State Family Director. In 2005, he was elected as a delegate to the Supreme Convention in Chicago. He served as State Secretary in the O'Connor Administration from 2006 to 2008. For the past 25 years, he's been a member of six CE State Convention Committees. In May 2018, he was Co-Chairman--and Registration Chair--of the 120th Annual State Convention, where he was elected State Deputy. In 1993, SD Jago became a member of the Fourth Degree by joining the Bishop J. W. Shanahan Assembly 917 in Harrisburg. The following year, he was elected Faithful Navigator of that Assembly and became an active member of its Color Corps. Ten years later, he helped form the St. Martin of Tours Assembly 2708 in Carlisle, and served as the inaugural Faithful Navigator for three years. Following that, he served as its Color Corps Commander for four years. In addition to these positions, he served six years as the Harrisburg Diocesan Coordinator for the Fourth Degree. Currently, he is an Assistant Marshal for the Pennsylvania East District. SD Jago enjoys ceremonial work, traveling to various parts of our jurisdiction, and meeting new members and his Brother Knights. He is certified on all four degree teams. He is Chancellor for the Admission and Formation Degrees, Conferring Officer for the Knighthood Degree, and Narrator for the Patriotic Degree. For six and a half years, SD Jago served the Brother Knights and their families on an almost daily basis, as a Field Agent for the Mitchell Agency. He earned the designation of Fraternal Insurance Counselor. In addition to SD Jago's impressive service and contributions to the Knights of Columbus, he's also served in our military. SD Jago is a retired U.S. Army Officer, Master Paratrooper, and Canadian Jumpmaster. He served in a variety of Airborne and Special Operations assignments. He was awarded the Honduran Parachutist Badge during Operation Golden Pheasant in 1988. He prepared the intelligence plan for the invasion of Panama in December 1989. A Veteran of the Persian Gulf War, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. As Pentagon Crisis Action Team Chief, he was commended for coordinating military support to civilian authorities during the Oklahoma City Bombing and numerous natural disasters. His patriotism includes membership in the Central PA Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, the Corporal Orlando Newcomer VFW Post 477, and the Fr. Kritchen Post 1342 of the Catholic War Veterans of America. SD Jago is an active member of St. Patrick's Parish. He taught Confirmation classes for the Religious Education Program, and served three years on the Parish Council. As Council president, he was involved in the planning and fund raising for the Parish Activity Center. As a member of the Foreign Mission Team, he performed volunteer work in Jamaica. SD Jago is involved with ``That Man Is You'' and ``Christ Renews His Parish.'' Frequently, he is a greeter at Mass, sells bottled water for the missions, and sells sub sandwiches for the Council. Finally, he is part of the kitchen crew for his Council's pancake breakfast and spaghetti dinner fundraisers, as well as other ministries. His wife, Janis, volunteers at the St. Patrick School where she prepares school lunches. Mark and Janis have been married for forty-seven years. They have three daughters and eight grandchildren, all of whom live in the Carlisle area. They enjoy camping and monthly dinners with their family. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to congratulate SD Jago for his tireless work and distinguished service to the Knights of Columbus, St. Patrick's Parish, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to congratulate Leroy Krebs on the occasion of his 100th Birthday, and for his years of service to the American Legion, the Susquehannock High School, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America. Mr. Krebs was born on June 17, 1920, in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania. He served in the United States Army Air Corps from December 1, 1942 to February 2, 1946, as a bombardier instructor for B-24 Bombers. He left active service at the rank of First Lieutenant, after earning the American Theater Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He served with the 2519th Base Unit in Ft Worth, Texas, and remained in the United States Air Force Reserve until he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel upon 38 years of uniformed service. He graduated from Temple University, and taught and coached basketball at Glen Rock (now Susquehannock) High School. He later became the school principal, and for 14 years worked at the School until retiring in 1978. In addition to Leroy's military service, teaching, coaching and serving as principal, Leroy was a Master of the Shrewsbury Masonic Lodge and an active member and former commander of Austin Grove Post 455 of the American Legion. Leroy also was a proud member of the Glen Rock Carolers for 35 years. Today, Leroy lives independently at Normandie Ridge retirement community. I'm truly honored and humbled to congratulate Mr. Leroy Krebs on turning 100 Years Young, and for his tireless, selfless, dedicated, and distinguished service to the American Legion, Susquehannock High School, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to congratulate Gerald ``Jake'' Burke upon his retirement after 50 years of service with Tri-County Community Action to our community, Commonwealth, and Country. Jake was born on September 11, 1944 in Shippensburg, delivered by his grandmother at home. Growing up, he was a member of both the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts before beginning high school. He graduated from Shippensburg High School in 1962, and from the Barber School Harrisburg the following year. He was a member of the AV Club in addition to the proud owner of a 1952 Chevy Coupe, his first car. Jake started his work for Community Action in 1968, working part-time until 1970. He returned in 1972 as a full-time Community Development Coordinator working from the Shippensburg location, and has been with the agency since, becoming Housing Counselor in 1994. With Community Action, Jake has helped thousands achieve their goals, connecting first-time homebuyers to needed resources, and promoting economic self-sufficiency. While working for Community Action, he managed to balance a litany of other roles that serve as a testament to his character. He worked at both the Carlisle and Chambersburg Hospitals in the 1980s and 90s, graduated Columbia School of Broadcasting in 1980, and honed his craft at WSHP radio, all while owning his own business--JB's Disc Jockey Service, which operated into the 2000s. Jake is a cancer survivor of 26 years, and remains active in marching bands while being a world-renowned Masters Powerlifting Champion. He is a member of the Reilly Raiders Drum & Bugle Corps and the leader of the Dungeon Powerlifting Crew at the Front Street YMCA, holding numerous world records for his age group. Jake is also a member of the Mt. Pisgah AME Zion Church and the Locus Grove Cemetery Committee Firefighter Vigilant Hose Company No. 52. He loves gardening, the LA Dodgers, trains, fireworks, motorcycles, books, firearms, mini whiskey bottles, music, and enjoys collecting African-American relics. Jake will tell you that his biggest and proudest accomplishment, by far, is his family. He is the proud father of five children (Andrew, Gerald, Mike, Kacey, and Ashley), 11 grandchildren, and 2 great- grandchildren. Jake has lived his life by his personal mantra: ``Never stop learning. Live everyday as if it were your last. Put your faith in God and never give up.'' With great honor, I commend Gerald ``Jake'' Burke's distinguished career of service to Tri-County Community Action, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 196; YEA on Roll Call No. 197; and NAY on Roll Call No. 198.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 186.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I am still sickened by the sight that I saw, that all of us saw: two officers who showed up to work, an assassination attempt, attempted execution, just for sitting in their car, for honoring their pledge to preserve and protect the safety of the citizens they serve. For the past month, law enforcement officers have endured attacks, have been shot at, bottles thrown at, fireworks, glass bottles, powerful lasers attempted to blind them. This year, as my friend from Texas said, 43 law enforcement officers have been killed, nearly twice the rate of last year. And what is coming from the other side of the Chamber here? You got it. Silence. When elected leaders refuse to stand with our law enforcement officers and continue to bend to the whims of violent mobs, we lose our civilization. We lose our civil society. Now, you think, when you watch TV maybe you see it on the news, it is happening far away, thousands of miles away across our country. But right in Pennsylvania where I live, south central Pennsylvania, just on Monday, unfortunately, violent riots came to the streets on the heels of the death of Ricardo Munoz, a mentally ill 27-year-old who was captured on a police officer's body camera charging at the officer with a knife in his hand. Now, the death of Ricardo Munoz is a tragedy, no doubt, and my prayers are with Mr. Munoz's family. However, an adult man wielding a large carving knife over his head while charging at police--by the way, having a record of doing this in the past, stabbing people--is a clear mortal threat, and the officers are well within their rights to protect themselves. Let me be very clear. Every person in the United States of America has the right to peacefully protest. Your constitutional right to protest, however, does not include violent riots, setting fires to things, looting, and harming and killing other people. Now, this is an account from that protest which wasn't a protest: The mob marched from the scene of the shooting on Laurel Street to the police station, chucking glass bottles, rocks, bricks, gallon jugs filled with liquid, and plastic road barricades at the police. A county vehicle parked in front of the station was damaged. Numerous buildings and vehicles were damaged, fires were set--all without regard for the owners and individuals who could have been physically harmed by the riotous actions. Mr. Speaker, anyone in this Chamber, any leader in our community who does not stand up for civil society, for our police officers who take an oath to protect their citizens, is supporting a dangerous and deadly violent mob, and it absolutely must end.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to congratulate Master Sergeant (MSgt) Christine Inch on her well-earned retirement after 23 years of service to our communities, Commonwealth and Country while serving in the 193rd Special Operations Wing, Pennsylvania Air National Guard. Following the heinous and cowardly attacks of 9/11, MSgt Inch served as the Wing Command Staff Orderly. She ensured that (amongst myriad other duties), before boots or bombs hit the ground in Afghanistan, Airmen--and all United States Service Members'--only flying/ psychological operations/broadcasting platform was already over target delivering messages of freedom. MSgt Inch was instrumental to the mission assurance and success for over 350 Warfighters in five distinct squadrons. She led the standup of the consolidated Group Commander Support Staff as it transitioned from the squadrons to administration at the Group level. Her direct efforts seamlessly realigned positions and duties to better accommodate critical commander support actions throughout 193rd Special Operations Mission Support Group units. MSgt Inch's adaptability and affability enabled her to provide leadership as needed, as a critical embedded member during myriad time periods within many Squadrons, and helped ensure thousands of this unique unit's Air Commandos to arrive on time, on target and back home into the loving arms of their families and friends. In addition to her varied duties and responsibilities, MSgt Inch volunteered as the sole administrative support lead during Operation IRON RESPONSE, providing critical security for the 2015 Papal Visit in Philadelphia. In this position, she facilitated essential personnel data and information-sharing among joint partners, which lead to mission success. MSgt Inch's dedication and tireless efforts, as well as her administrative subject matter expertise contributed to the 193rd Special Operations Communications Squadron earning the U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Harold W. Grant Award as the best small communications unit in the Air National Guard. MSgt Inch leaves a ``can-do'' Airman legacy. Her performance and professionalism was exceptional, as she consistently delivered accurate and timely information--eclipsed only by her positive and radiant attitude. Master Sergeant Christine Inch's distinguished career and selfless service to our Nation reflect great credit upon herself, the Air National Guard, the United States Air Force, and the United States of America.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm truly honored to congratulate Chief William Ryan upon his retirement on July 31, 2020, from a distinguished career in law enforcement. Chief Ryan has dedicated nearly 35 years to Southeast PA and the Hummelstown Borough Police Department (HBPD), and I'm proud to recognize his exceptional career here today. Bill Ryan became a Hummelstown Police Officer in 1992, after five years with the George Mason University Police Department. Early in his career, he developed the ``Witch Watch'' program that organized high school volunteers to patrol for safety issues during Halloween, and keep trick-or-treaters safe. In 1994, he formed the Hummelstown Neighborhood Crime Watch Group, encouraging community volunteers to patrol the Borough on weekends. By 1995, he was promoted to Corporal, and approached the then-chief with the idea of teaching DARE in the Lower Dauphin School District. He continued to organize events, like the National Night Out for Hummelstown, and the infamous ``Turkey Bowl''--first a football game, and later a bowling tournament between law enforcement and local schoolteachers to support the local food bank. In 1996, Bill was promoted to Sergeant, and subsequently Detective, serving as the HBPD criminal investigator. Just a year later, he began teaching DARE at the Lower Dauphin Middle School, which continued for 17 years, forming lasting connections with students and teachers alike--many of whom still refer to him as ``Sergeant Ryan'' and hold dear their memories of him from those classes. In 1997, Bill joined the Capital Region Forensic Unit, responsible for the collection of evidence in serious, high profile crimes. That same year, he completed the PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency Crime Prevention Course, and joined the County child abuse multidisciplinary team. In 1998, he appeared in a DUI training/public service announcement, which was shown Nationwide. In 1999, Bill was named PA Police Officer of the Year by the American Legion, and was named Officer of the Year for the Northeast Region--and the National runner-up, He also began teaching at the Harrisburg Area Community College Police Academy, and in 2001, joined the Dauphin County Child Abduction Response Team. By 2008, Bill was honored with a Career Service Award from the Dauphin County Chiefs of Police Association. He continued to teach the DARE program, and taught his final class in 2013. In 2014, he was awarded the PA VFW John Radko Gold Medal. Finally, in 2016, he earned his highest rank, and was named Acting Chief of Hummelstown Police Department. Bill was known for ending his e-mails with, ``Be safe, stay sharp, and make good decisions,'' and every phone call with, ``Peace''-- something we pray for everyday for those who stand on the Thin Blue Line. Madam Speaker, Chief William Ryan has served with distinction the Borough of Hummelstown, the HBPD, and our surrounding communities. He is a great credit to the Commonwealth and the Nation, and his legacy of servant- leadership and law enforcement excellence sets the standard for all to follow.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I'm honored to congratulate Colonel (COL) Robert Cameron upon his retirement following thirty-three years of outstanding service to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the United States Army. COL Cameron has sacrificed a great deal of his life to both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and our Nation, and I'm privileged not only to commemorate his career, but to have served alongside him in uniform. Robert Cameron entered the military on July 20, 1987, first as an enlisted Soldier and then as a commissioned officer in both the Armor branch and the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. During his 12 years as an Armor officer, he served as an Executive Officer and Company Commander in the 28th Infantry Division--the oldest, continuously serving Division in the Nation. In 2002, he transitioned to the JAG Corps, in which he culminated his military career. He has served in myriad and numerous roles, consistently executing each with excellence--to include Operational Law Attorney, Trial Counsel, Chief of Legal Assistance, Defense Counsel, Brigade Judge Advocate, Command Judge Advocate, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, and Division Staff Judge Advocate. COL Cameron's final duty position was serving as the State Judge Advocate for the Joint Forces Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard--the most senior legal adviser in the command. Throughout his storied and honorable career, COL Cameron's duty positions oversaw numerous missions of high priority/visibility. He served as the Staff Judge Advocate and senior legal adviser to the Commander during domestic operations designated as National Special Security Events, including: The World Meeting of Families (Pope Francis' 2015 visit to Philadelphia, PA; and Military Support to Civilian Authorities for the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. COL Cameron deployed in support of three different operational assignments: Operation Stabilization Force, Bosnia (2002-03); Operation Iraqi Freedom (2008-09); and most recently, Operation Spartan Shield, Kuwait (2018). He also served in support of numerous OCONUS warfighter exercises, to include Operations Bright Star (Egypt), and Rochambeau (France). At various points throughout his career, COL Cameron solidified and redefined the foundation for SJA operations by re-implementing staff assistance visits to units at all levels, and reporting requirements-- allowing for seamless transition of incoming and outgoing personnel. While deployed in the Middle East in 2018, he was the first National Guard Judge Advocate to present at the Global Update for the Worldwide CLE, in addition to ensuring consistent legal coverage for the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. COL Cameron's impact--and his military legacy--is evidenced by the highly professional and competent Judge Advocates and Paralegals to whom he has served as mentor; those who will continue his legacy of professionalism and highest standard of service to the Soldiers of the United States Army. Upon his retirement, COL Cameron earned an honorary promotion to Brigadier General on the Pennsylvania National Guard Retired List. Madam Speaker, please join me in commending Colonel Robert Cameron on his distinguished career, and selfless and tireless service to our Nation. I congratulate him on a job exceptionally well done and wish him Godspeed in his future adventures.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member from Texas (Ms. Granger) for yielding. This amendment would increase, by 100,000, the funding to combat the prevalence of female genital mutilation, FGM, around the world. FGM represents a grave moral evil, irreparably compromising the health and well-being of every woman and girl subjected to it. The practice of FGM occurs in 30 countries, in particular, Egypt, Indonesia, and Ethiopia, and has been performed on more than 200 million women and girls to date. Every year, 3 million more girls are placed at risk, with most of the victims below the age of 15. The long-term effects of FGM are wide ranging, including post- traumatic stress disorder, depression, flashbacks, self-harm, and severe difficulties during labor. In February, an Egyptian doctor was arrested for performing FGM on a 12-year-old girl, resulting in her death, at the instruction of the girl's parents. The doctor conducted the practice without any anesthesia and without having the appropriate surgeon qualifications. To be clear, this is not an isolated case. Egypt has banned the practice of FGM since 2008 and criminalized it in 2016. The fact that it still happens to an overwhelming number of young girls in that country, despite the strict legal measures, illustrates the massive scope of this problem and the immense work remaining for each of us The U.S. must be unequivocal in condemning this disgusting, horrific practice and lead the world in calling for it to end, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Ms. Granger from Texas. I have three amendments included in this en bloc amendment. The first one prohibits any funds in the State and Foreign Ops Division from being provided to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA. In 2018, President Trump made the correct decision to defund UNRWA. Unfortunately, this bill seeks to reverse course and provide funding to this organization. I remind everybody, this organization, rather than pursuing its mission, chooses to foster and promote and anti-Semitism and violence against Israelis. In spite of repeated demands by the U.S., UNRWA continues this kind of abhorrent behavior. The second amendment prohibits the EPA from using funds in this bill to take retaliatory actions against States that fall short of the EPA- mandated Chesapeake Bay TMDL. In 2010, the EPA seized the States' authority to determine their own method of compliance and threatened to take over the water quality plans if the States failed to comply. These coercive measures have been tried and have failed. Water quality has not improved since the federalization of the Bay clean-up efforts. Preventing EPA from taking retaliatory action is imperative to the success of these efforts. The final one prohibits the EPA from using funds pursuant to Section 115 of the Clean Air Act. Section 115 of the Clean Air Act allows the EPA to mandate State emissions levels to whatever level the agency deems appropriate: if they find emissions endanger a foreign nation; and the endangered nation has a reciprocal agreement to prevent or control these emissions in their own nation. I urge adoption of these amendments.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, an efficient and effective infrastructure system is vital to our Nation's economic well-being. It is vital to every citizen. They realize it. That is why they are willing to pay for it, as long as we do the responsible thing here. But for years, Mr. Speaker, Federal policies have diverted funding away from the core projects and created a system that incentivizes waste, and, as a result--you can figure it out--our infrastructure is crumbling. The need for reform is acknowledged across the aisle, across the spectrum. Both sides know there is an opportunity right here, especially with this President. Unfortunately, the majority has now squandered that opportunity for bipartisan reform. Instead, they propose H.R. 2, which is a leftist wish list that doubles down on the policies that brought our infrastructure to its current deteriorated state. In fact, the majority of the $1.5 trillion in spending under this bill, 1,400 pages, is unrelated to the repair and build-out of our Nation's infrastructure. Two-thirds of this spending, $1 trillion, was created out of thin air in the 2 weeks since we had the discussion in the Transportation Committee. It was just dropped on us. We didn't even discuss it. After we left and marked up the bill, they added the money and added the policy. Moreover, the majority has failed to even propose a way to pay for this liberal wish list, instead stating it will be paid for by deficit spending. We don't always get it right, but at least make an attempt. Our Nation is $26.3 trillion in debt, $3.5 trillion of that occurring just in the last couple of months. The majority's plan to bankroll their liberal wish list by imperilling future generations is reckless and threatens the very future of our Nation. I sincerely hope this political theater will conclude shortly, Mr. Speaker, and the majority will get serious about a serious infrastructure package.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I will tell you this bill, among other things--we can talk about all the wish list of things that are in it, and I am sure many have and many will. I want to talk about the trillion dollars of additional spending to the States and talk about my State of Pennsylvania, where we spent and sent billions of dollars where, right now, the Governor is holding hostage that money that is supposed to go directly to the counties. He won't give it to the counties that are going bankrupt right now. What he is doing, Mr. Speaker, is making sure that our nursing home patients get exposed to COVID-19. It is a directive in Pennsylvania, if they have COVID-19 and the hospital releases them, they have to go back to the nursing home. So our nursing homes are 74 percent of the deaths across the State. Seventy-four percent of the deaths in Pennsylvania are because of the Governor's policy. Meanwhile, he says he doesn't have enough money. We are going to spend more money in Pennsylvania when the money hasn't already been spent Oh, by the way, the unemployment compensation money that we sent to Pennsylvania, it takes 41 days right now to have your claim answered. People cannot exist on policies and promises. They need money. Mr. Speaker, spending more money, sending more money to buttress failed policies doesn't fix the policies. They don't fix anything. They don't help anyone. Let's fix the policies. Let's make sure the people get the money that we have sent to them instead of just sending more to the Governor, who is going to extort the counties and kill our elderly.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, this isn't about changing the rules to get things done. This is about changing the rules to hide what is done and who has done it. This rule would change what is going to happen shortly here, which is a bill that provides another $1 trillion to State and local governments in addition to the funds provided under the CARES Act. Now, much of the $1 trillion already sent to the States has yet to be spent. Take my home State of Pennsylvania, Mr. Speaker, where the Governor there has withheld CARES Act funding and extorted the counties to go along with his indefinite shutdown, the untimely deaths of hundreds and thousands in nursing homes, and the bankruptcy of many of our citizens. This unnecessary and unconstitutional mandate has resulted in 1.8 million Pennsylvanians losing their jobs. We are fifth in population, number one in unemployment, and one or two in untimely deaths in nursing homes. Despite all the CARES Act funds that we have already given, 41 days is what it takes, on the average, for somebody to receive unemployment benefits run by the State. More money isn't going to help anything here, Mr. Speaker, not one more cent.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, at the outset, I thank my colleagues, Chairman Ami Bera and Ranking Member Ted Yoho, for their critical work on this pressing issue. American leadership is fundamental to the peace and security of the international order. It's the conduit through which the world can partake in the fruits of international cooperation and is particularly critical to the cause of global health--a cause in which America has always led from the front. From 2018 through 2019, the United States provided the World Health Organization (WHO) with over $890 million, with $656 million coming in the form of voluntary contributions. Since launching PEPFAR in 2003, the United States has devoted more than $90 billion towards mitigating the effects of the HIV epidemic. In Fiscal Year 2019, the U.S. dedicated approximately $11 billion towards global health initiatives. We're the best financer and promoter of international health efforts in the world--from government agencies to non-governmental organizations, our People give hope to billions. Progress in international health, however, will remain somewhat stunted unless we accept a brutal truth: despite America's best efforts, the constant and malicious false narratives peddled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are the world's greatest impediment to international cooperation and better health results. The COVID-19 pandemic has once again demonstrated that the CCP is not worthy or capable of our trust--a fact we've known for decades. Since 1949, China has lied to the world and regularly placed the supremacy of the state above any other consideration. Following the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, the CCP portrayed the pro-Democracy protests as a Western plot to discredit China; by crushing these peaceful protests, the government claims it was able to pave the way for a prosperous 21st Century. Official death estimates from the protests vary widely; China has never offered reliable data on this subject--but it remains likely that several thousands of young students and their allies were killed following a brutal military crackdown. In 2000, the CCP immediately labeled Falun Gong--a Chinese spiritual movement--as a ``heretical cult,'' and had many ofthe group's followers imprisoned. A 2019 report conducted by the China Tribunal--a panel created by the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ET AC)--indicates that ``prisoners of conscience,'' especially Falun Gong practitioners, were usually targeted for organ harvesting. In 2006, a tour guide told visiting European Parliament Vice President, Edward McMillan-Scott, that he'd seen the cadaver of his friend--a Falun Gong practitioner--with numerous stiches across his body. That tour guide received five years in prison for speaking with Mr. McMillan-Scott. To this day, the Chinese government denies harvesting the organs of Falun Gong practitioners, yet reports indicate that the number of Falun Gong practitioners who are victims of organ harvesting is in, at least, the thousands, if not the hundreds of thousands. The way the Chinese treated, and continue to treat the Falun Gong runs contrary to standards laid out by the WHO; incredibly, the WHO refuses to acknowledge the reality of China's organ harvesting campaign. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, between 800,000 and 2,000,000 Uighurs and ethnic Kazaks have been imprisoned in Chinese ``re-education camps'' since April 2017. In these camps, the CCP has condoned the practice of forced abortions and sterilization procedures on imprisoned women. Many cases of sexual abuse emanate from these institutions as well. Prisoners are placed under constant surveillance and have been forced to renounce their religious and political convictions. In 2003, the People's Republic of China waited three months before notifying its own people, as well as the World Health Organization, about the SARS outbreak. This pattern of late notice was repeated again last year, when the CCP hid knowledge of a new coronavirus. By December 31, both the WHO and Chinese authorities were alerted by Taiwanese officials that this virus could be spread by human-to-human transmission; but Beijing didn't tell its own citizens anything until January 20. In the interim, China began a wholesale purge of any whistleblowers; arresting Dr. Li Wenliang and eight other doctors. Earlier this month, Dr. Ai Fei, the Director of Emergency Services at Wuhan Central Hospital and a former colleague to Dr. Li, disappeared. Untold numbers of doctors, reporters, lawyers, and other civil activists have been reported missing for defying the government's draconian restrictions on information sharing. Silencing whistleblowers and ignoring Taiwan weren't the only sins the Communist Party of China committed during the pandemic. On December 31, the CCP began censoring social media, and launched a campaign to find those who'd criticized the government's response to the virus. Shortly afterwards, both the Hubei Provincial Health Commission and the National Health Commission ordered gene sequencing companies and institutions to destroy testing samples; all in the hopes of preventing the spread of new information regarding the virus. On January 5, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commissions stopped issuing daily updates about the virus for almost two weeks; on January 6, the CCP declined a U.S. CDC offer of assistance. From January 8-9, CCP health officials stated that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus; and it also finally announced the COVID-19 outbreak in public. On January 12, the CCP provided the WHO with the virus' genomic information. On January 14, the WHO stated that there was no evidence to suggest that the virus could be spread by human-to-human transmission. This raises many flags--given the fact that the WHO had access to the virus' genomic information, and it's troubling that an international institution would so quickly provide this kind of sweeping statement without a thorough analysis of the data. Given the fact that the threat of COVID-19 was significantly downplayed by CCP's health authorities, nearly 5 million people were able to leave Wuhan, China before the government imposed a quarantine on January 21. On January 22, the WHO stated that, while there was evidence of human-to-human transmission, more work was needed to determine the extent of the transmission. The very next day, WHO Director, General Tedros, voted against declaring the outbreak of the SARs-CoV-2 virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, justifying his vote by saying there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission outside of China. On January 27, the Mayor of Wuhan admitted that strict regulations imposed by the Beijing government prevented him from saying much about the new virus. On January 29, the WHO praised China's reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, while also declaring a Public Health Emergency of International Concern the very next day. President Trump wisely closed off U.S. travel to Chinese visitors on January 31. Well over a month passed before China allowed a restricted visit to the WHO; yet that institution continued to parrot the CCP line. Numerous other infractions colored China's response fo the coronavirus--from threatening criminal charges against those using social media to spread information regarding COVID-19, to blaming the United States Army for the outbreak. This Congress should demand that China be held accountable for its gross negligence and cover-up during the current crisis. My hope is that everything we've discussed today demonstrates that this is more than just a one-off botching; lies and obfuscation form an essential part of the Chinese government methodology. China has given us every reason to believe that it'll never be a good faith partner, and so our future efforts must include taking targeted actions to mitigate its influence. Many actions need to be taken; the first of which has already been done. I applaud President Trump and his Administration for committing to withhold all future funding to the WHO until extensive organizational change is made. The mind-boggling irresponsibility of the WHO during this pandemic just proves that it's powerfully influenced and irreparably compromised by the machinations of the CCP. The second step is for the U.S. to strongly advocate for the inclusion of Taiwan in the WHO. Our Nation has withstood some of the greatest challenges in human history, and we'll rise to this one. Time is of the essence, though. The CCP is presently the greatest enemy to both global health and the United States, and our policies must reflect that. Despite this sobering reality, we dare to hope for a better future for ourselves and for the Chinese people--the first victims of their government's oppressive regime. With full acknowledgement of the imposing task in front of us, we'll once again demonstrate to the world why the cause of freedom and peace is in good hands.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, the coronavirus emanating from China is here. We can't stop that. We can't go back, but I am distressed by the Hobson's choice that we have. It is ravaging our communities. It is ravaging our healthcare system. It is ravaging our economy. And we should be solely focused on healing our communities and saving the small businesses, the big businesses, and the economy that make America great. So as we discuss this and also discuss a fourth--yet another-- package, no more Hobson's choice, no more billion-dollar bailouts for things that are unrelated, no more policies that are long-standing for a short-standing issue that needs our critical attention. Mr. Speaker, whatever we do, let's do no harm.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for the opportunity. Mr. Chairman, if the majority believed its own rhetoric surrounding this legislation, it would have been a day one priority. Instead, they brought this legislation up in the shadow of impeachment to conceal the harm it would impose on working-class Americans. This legislation explicitly eliminates the employer as a party in the election process determining whether the workplace is unionized, limiting the ability of workers to understand the full implications of any decision at hand. Worse, it requires the employer to hand over the workers' private, personal information to organizers, including their home addresses, listed phone numbers, personal email addresses, et cetera, without the consent of the employee or the ability for employees to opt-out. This information sharing subjects every single employee to the well- documented tactics of harassment, intimidation, and deception by union organizers. Just consider the presentment in the recent Pennsylvanian case that included The Helpful Union Guys. That is an acronym. Figure it out. There were charges of racketeering, assault, and arson. Making matters worse, the bill vastly restricts the right to secret ballot elections in favor of the organization by card-check process, providing the union leaders with access to a list of all employees who did not support organization efforts and all of their contact information. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle held up the USMCA deal to ensure the right to secret ballot union elections for Mexican workers but, just weeks later, are voting to strip those same rights away from American workers. What is good for Mexican workers is not good for American workers, apparently. This bill rewrites the definition of ``employee'' and ``employer'' so that they completely eliminate the gig economy, independent contractors, and the franchise model, and it will disproportionately impact small businesses. The estimated combined cost of the provisions in this bill is $47 billion annually on employers, necessarily resulting in loss of jobs, reduction of wages, and higher consumer costs. Yet again, the majority is placing special interests of union bosses above the American people. Mr. Chairman, as a person who went to vocational and technical school and worked manual labor jobs, I urge a ``no'' vote for this bill.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Shubhankar Baliyan as the winner of the 2019 Congressional App Challenge for the 10th District of Pennsylvania. Shubhankar is a student at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and submitted the winning app called ExciteMath. It is an application designed to help elementary-aged students practice basic, mental math skills in a fun and engaging way. In each level of the app, students are given a target range or sum, that their final number must fall within and a specific number of hits they must use during that round. The student must then maneuver around falling numbers and select which to add or subtract from their sum for that round. A panel of experts selected ExciteMath as the winner for its creativity, coding proficiency, and functionality. Through this app, Shubhankar also demonstrated a desire to give back to our community by helping children struggling with mathematics. I congratulate Shubhankar on a job well done and look forward to seeing his app displayed right here in the Capitol.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas. Madam Speaker, it wasn't part of my remarks, but from my standpoint, when I was in Iraq, we found weapons of mass destruction, so let's just make that part of the Record. None of us want to be in a war with Iran, with Iraq, with anybody, for that matter--and that includes the President. None of us want that. And many of us on this side agree with our colleagues that this needs to be updated to reflect current circumstances, current enemy capabilities, and different tactics, techniques, and procedures used by our enemy. But I wonder where my colleagues in this Congress have been. They would have you believe that they were impotent, that they were helpless, unable to do anything about this. I listened to the Speaker's remarks, and she said the President didn't inform her of the strike against Soleimani. For 8 years, Madam Speaker, nearly 4,000 people were taken off the planet by the previous administration. Do the math; that is over one a day. I wonder if the Speaker got a call every single day that said: ``We are going to take this terrorist off the battlefield.'' I highly doubt that. The question is about how we are going to change the policy, because like I said, many of us agree the policy needs to be updated. I would hope that this Congress, that any Congress, has the courage to understand that when we sent our finest into battle in Iraq, that they are fighting two enemies, but we are only allowed to engage one. Right now, as we speak, we have servicemembers in Iraq that are depending on us to have their backs. But what are we going to do? We are going to rip the rug right out from underneath their feet because suddenly, under this administration, Congress suddenly has the courage. I offered an AUMF 7 years ago and talked to my friends on the other side of the aisle. They didn't want to talk about it at all, nothing. Our servicemembers expect us to have their backs. We welcome the debate, but there is no debate. This should be in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, where we can discuss these very weighty issues. We are looking forward to that; we want that. But, no, this is a coin bill taken from the Senate and sent back over here with this put into it so we would have no debate. They don't want debate. Our enemies are watching, and they are waiting. They are waiting for Iraq to become a free-fire zone, which is what it is going to become. The last time, after the 4,500 untimely deaths of your American citizens, the executive decision was just to walk away--no ramp down, no policy, no strategy. Just walk away and leave the family members of those who had lost their loved ones wondering: What was that for? You know what we have learned from that, Madam Speaker? Apparently nothing. We want to do this, and we want to do this correctly, but this isn't the correct way to do it, and we should not abandon our servicemembers in combat.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the Camp Hill Lions Girls Soccer Team for their victory at the PIAA Class A State Soccer Championship, and for their excellence throughout their undefeated 2019 season. Led by Coach Jared Latchford--who, to no one's surprise, was just named the Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association Girls Class A Coach of the Year--the Lions dominated the season, achieving a stunning overall record of 25 wins, zero ties, and zero losses. This is the Lions' second appearance at the state championship in the last 3 years. They took an early lead in their contest against Shady Side Academy and held it throughout the game. Aggressive and selfless offense, vigilant defense, and stellar goalkeeping earned the Lions a 2-0 victory and their first State championship trophy in school history. These amazing athletes are the epitome of remarkable dedication and discipline, outstanding skill, exceptional sportsmanship, and an unyielding team spirit. Their dedication to excellence, to say the least, earned them this championship. On behalf of Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, I congratulate the Camp Hill Lions for their incredible performance. We are proud of you.