Scott Perry

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, this amendment eliminates funding for the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program and transfers that savings to spending reduction. This is another wasteful, so-called green energy handout program that should be and must be eliminated. The ATVM Loan Program has been plagued by a failure to produce viable products, political favoritism, inefficient use of taxpayer funds, a failure to create promised jobs, and a significant potential for fraud and misrepresentation. Unfortunately, this is to be expected from this kind of program. The very nature of the program ensures that it will be the government selecting winners and losers based on political considerations, as opposed to actual marketable technologies. Instead, we can and must empower the market to provide consumers with products they actually want rather than forcing them to adapt to whatever technology the bureaucrats and good idea fairies in Washington, D.C., think they want or demand that they want. Despite the massive amount of subsidies provided through this program and others to electric vehicles, it is clear that the majority of the American people do not want them. The government-funded EV bubble appears to be deflating. The truth is, 98 percent of all cars on the road today are gas-powered, and 97 percent of all annual car purchases are gas-powered. I am not against EVs. If you want to buy one, God bless you, go buy one. It is just that the Federal Government should not be involved in it. What is the proper role of the Federal Government in buying your car? I submit it is not the proper role. Despite literally paying folks to produce and buy these cars, overall market penetration has been minimal, sales are slowing, and consumer sentiment is moving away from EVs. According to McKinsey & Company, the place where the last Secretary of Transportation worked, 46 percent of current battery electric vehicle owners are likely going back to internal combustion engine vehicles for their next purchase. Consumer Reports found EVs to be associated with 79 percent more problems than conventional vehicles. It is absolutely clear that this program has failed, and we need to stop the forcing of Americans to transition to EVs, even though we think that they should and they don't want to. It is long past time to finally bring an end to the green new scam and defund this misguided program, as well as all the other DOE loan programs that pick winners and losers based on politics rather than markets. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, the gentlewoman from Ohio and I certainly agree that we shouldn't be forced to buy things for vehicles that we don't want. They are heavier. They are more technologically sensitive. I mean, you are essentially driving a computer around. Like the gentlewoman said, when it breaks, you are paying through the teeth for the whole thing. We certainly agree on that. Yet, Madam Chair, that is all being forced on us by Washington, D.C. It comes out of this town. That requirement and those mandates come from this town. To the 40,000 jobs that this supports, Americans are great at building cars. I don't care whether you drive a hybrid, an electric vehicle, or a traditionally powered vehicle, including diesel. That should be your business. Yet, this picks the winner and says: You are going to drive an electric vehicle, subsidizes it, subsidizes the manufacture of it, and then subsidizes the purchase of it. Madam Chair, no one is subsidizing the purchase of my vehicle. It has 340,000 miles on it. Even Elon--I talked to him, once a darling of the left, now much supported by the right--agrees that there should be no subsidies for these vehicles. He doesn't want subsidies on anything, and I agree with him on that. As far as being in competition with China, unfortunately, China provides the vast majority of what makes these vehicles work. We are buying this stuff from our enemies. Let's buy it from Americans and let Americans determine what they want. What they have said is that they don't want EVs forced down their throats. If they want to buy one, they can buy one. If they don't, then they can buy whatever they want. I am just saying that the government shouldn't be involved in paying for it. It is not fair to people who don't buy them and have to pay for them anyhow. Madam Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, Federal loan guarantee programs transfer the risk of the loans to the taxpayer, pure and simple. As with any government subsidy, they reduce market discipline of loan recipients. You are not worried if you are getting a loan because the taxpayers are going to pay it. You don't care whether you produce anything or not. The checkered past of the DOE's loan guarantee program demonstrates that it is not immune from these concerns. Among the most egregious examples of title 17 loan failures are Solyndra, Fisker Automotive, and A123 Systems. All three entities received hundreds of millions of dollars in loan guarantees, paid for by the taxpayer, before filing for bankruptcy and leaving the taxpayer holding the bag and getting nothing for it. To add insult to injury, A123 Systems and Fisker Automotive were purchased by Chinese companies for pennies on the dollar. The taxpayers paid, and China was enriched, meaning the CCP was the ultimate beneficiary. Madam Chair, this is crazy that we are even talking about this. What government supports another government that says that they are your enemy or that you are their enemy? China has said that we are their enemy. Yet, we are selling them, at pennies on the dollar, these taxpayer subsidized failures. It is outrageous. Madam Chair, the so-called Inflation Reduction Act provides for approximately $11.7 billion for the Loan Program Office to issue new loans. This additional funding raises significant concerns that the program will, once again, be used as a piggy bank for energy sources and vehicles that the American people don't want and that drive up costs to consumers. People will ask why everything costs so much. It is because we are subsidizing it. When you are guaranteeing the loan and the loan fails and you are on the hook for it, the American taxpayer doesn't know that they cosigned these loans, but they did. Like I said, to add insult to injury, then China gets the place. It is unbelievable that we should even have this conversation, but we do. Madam Chair, I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, I certainly respect the chairman of the committee and his views, and I say this: Next year, when I offer this amendment, I will leave some room in there for administrative purposes to oversee the loans that are already out there. That is a fair argument. Yet, I would say this, too: I am the proud Representative of Three Mile Island, which is going to be reopened without any government assistance. It is privately owned. They made a deal with Microsoft, which just proves the point. The American taxpayer already pays the rates for electricity. They are already paying the investors for the investment in nuclear, and I am a great supporter of nuclear. I just don't think it should be the position of the Federal Government to take money out of people's pockets to pay for these things. Madam Chair, maybe you live in an area where you are not serviced by nuclear power. Maybe you live in south central Pennsylvania where Three Mile Island is going to reopen, but all the money and all the power is going to go to Microsoft. Why should the consumer pay for that? I am sorry. We have figured out how to do nuclear power and do it well in the United States of America. Quite honestly, probably one of the only times it is screwed up is when the Federal Government gets involved with it. I understand the chairman's position and I appreciate it. Madam Chair, I still urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, I rise to offer this amendment to reduce funding for the Northern Border Regional Commission, or the NBRC, to fiscal year 2019 levels. We are changing up here a little bit. We are looking for ways to reduce spending so the American people can keep their money, so we don't have to go further into debt. This is just another unnecessary, redundant program. Like the other regional commissions, the NBRC provides economic development assistance to projects in various States, in this case, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. These commissions simply serve as a slush fund for parochial and regional projects with little to no national nexus. There is no Federal connection to these things. Let's take a look at some of the funded programs taken from the 2022 annual report, which is the latest one available: $304,000 to purchase a sound system for an auditorium in New Hampshire, over $350,000 to expand rail yard capacity in upstate New York, another $350,000 for a sailing center on Lake Champlain. Madam Chair, these projects are probably awesome. They are probably all great. Some of them ought to be funded by private investments and others should be funded by States or localities. Instead of pandering to special interest groups, we must pare back these wasteful programs that only serve as a boondoggle for a limited slice of Americans. The sailing center on Lake Champlain sounds awesome, but most south central Pennsylvanians aren't going there, but they are paying for it. They get to pay. Let's be clear: This amendment does not zero out the commission's funding. It simply reduces the funding to pre-pandemic, pre-Biden spending levels. I think most people agree we are spending too much money. Let's start there and see how we can do better. Madam Chair, I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. I will get to that one later.

Mr. PERRY. Madam Chair, I certainly appreciate the gentlewoman's arguments. I just say that there is a guy named ``Friedman'' who was traveling overseas. He came upon a public works project. Everybody was down in the ditch with shovels digging--many men digging with shovels, and he said to the person running the thing: What is with all of the shovels? Why don't you buy them some equipment so they can get this work done faster? The guy said: This produces a lot of jobs. Mr. Friedman said: Why don't you give them all teaspoons instead and you can have even more jobs, or at least the job can last longer. Of course, throwing money around produces jobs. As far as it being infrastructure, a sound system for an auditorium, while it is infrastructure, I don't think--many people think of infrastructure as roads, bridges, airports, ports, things like that, not a sound system or a sailing center. Those are nice things to have, but those are parochial. Those are local interests that should be provided at least by the State, not the people in the Federal Government. We have lost sight of the role of the Federal Government, which is why this amendment is in order. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer this amendment to halve the funding for the Southwest Border Regional Commission, again trying to save some money by not spending money on redundant things. Yet again, this commission serves as a duplicative slush fund for parochial interests, this time for projects in the southern border regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. This commission only had its first chairman confirmed in 2022 and was only funded starting in fiscal year 2021, so it is relatively recent. Look, I know folks on this side of the aisle care about the border. I imagine and hope that folks on the other side of the aisle care about the border. However, the answer to solving the border problems is to actually enforce our Nation's immigration laws, not to give $4 million to a commission that does not even appear to have an operational website. By the way, this current administration, the Trump administration, is handling the border, so we don't need to waste another $4 million on this commission. The commission received $250,000 in FY21 but is now being funded at $4 million in this bill for zero results. Can anybody show or tell me what the results of this commission are? Again, this amendment simply strikes this figure in half, so even though it is wasteful and useless generally speaking, I am only taking away half, which is still $2 million. I don't care whether you are from Ohio or south central Pennsylvania, $2 million is a lot of money. Mr. Chair, I urge support of the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, of course, all these States--Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas--are on the border. If we are funding this organization to deal with the border, I don't know what to say other than it is duplicative. If you disagree with that, I am not sure what to say to anybody about that. I have been to each one of these States, and of course, people who own a bakery want a parking lot. I had a business, too, and I wanted trucks and employees, and I needed tools. Do you know what I didn't do? I didn't go to the Federal Government for that. I sucked it up and paid into my business from the money that I made conducting my business, and I grew my business. That is America, not calling on the Federal Government to send a couple of million dollars because I want to make things nice for myself. We get it. We hope all Americans can do great things and make it nice for themselves. Our government is out of money. It is broke, $37 trillion and climbing. We don't have any money. All this is borrowed money, Mr. Chairman. Every cent of it is borrowed. Who borrows money to do things they don't need to do that somebody else in the government is already doing? Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I offer this amendment to reduce funding for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, the SCRC, to fiscal year 2019, so not zeroing it out, just taking it back to prepandemic levels, so we can try to afford some of the stuff that we are borrowing money, again, to pay for. Again, this commission serves as a duplicative slush fund for parochial interests. People say: Where does all of my tax money go? Here is another example. This time, it is for projects in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Again, many of these projects are worthy. The question is, should the Federal Government be paying for them, especially when the Federal Government doesn't have any money? The commission operates duplicative programs that are better addressed at the State and local levels. From 2010 to 2020, the SCRC received $250,000 annually, all without having an appointed Federal co-chair. Just think about that. I know $250,000 is nothing around this place, but there was nobody at the wheel that whole time. That number has now ballooned to a whopping $16.25 million in this bill. There is absolutely no reason for that dramatic increase in funding, especially when funding projects with no national nexus, like electric vehicle charging stations, stormwater management, and green infrastructure, according to their own 2023-2027 strategic plan. There is a charging station down the street from me. The owner of the place put it in. He probably got money from the Federal Government. That is probably why he did it. He probably wouldn't have done it on his own. I have to pay for it. How is it fair to me? I don't own an electric vehicle. A lot of people don't own one, yet we are paying for this one. Our constituents simply do not have the money for these projects that have no impact on their lives because they don't live there. In many cases, it drives up inflationary spending, which is the $37 trillion I keep referencing. Every time we borrow money here, it makes everybody else's prices go up. We have to quit borrowing it, especially to pay for things that we can't afford, don't need, and somebody else is already doing. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chair, I certainly thank the gentlewoman for her viewpoints and comments. I have lived in Florida and Georgia--they are wonderful States--and traveled through all the rest. I have an awesome mother who helped me in that business and was a part of it. I don't know my father. That is American ingenuity. That is striving even against all odds, like the government, your taxes, your insurance, your payroll, your receivables. We have done it, and we did it without the help of the Federal Government. Many people want to do it. Some people get help from the Federal Government. It is unfair to those who do not. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call 199.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Dr. Hagir Elsheikh, a distinguished resident of the 10th Congressional District, for her exemplary public service, charitable leadership, and extraordinary contributions to healthcare and autism advocacy within the Commonwealth and the Nation. Dr. Elsheikh is the Chairwoman and CEO of Hagir Network and the founder of multiple mission-driven organizations, including Kareem's Mission Autism Support Center, Tomorrow's Smile Inc., HSE Staffing Agency LLC, Autism Care Solutions LLC, and KMission TV LLC. A serial entrepreneur, nurse, educator, and a former Sudanese refugee who survived political torture and violence, Dr. Elsheikh came to Pennsylvania in 2001, where she rebuilt her life and impacted thousands through programs that serve children with autism, train and employ caregivers, and create educational media. She also mentors women and youth throughout Pennsylvania in leadership, business, and civic engagement. Dr. Elsheikh has earned awards such as the 2025 Globe St. Humanitarian Woman of Influence Honoree, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Central Penn College, 2024 YWCA Carolyne L. Smith Legacy Award Recipient, 2024 Harambee Award, Life Esteem Inc., Pennsylvania Senate Citation Honoree, and her work was featured on France 24, BBC, WITF, ABC, AlhurraTV, and VOA. Her memoir, Through Tragedy and Triumph: A Life Well Traveled, supports survivor scholarships and peacebuilding initiatives. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 10th Congressional District, I am honored to recognize Dr. Hagir Elsheikh as a courageous leader, international diplomat, and philanthropist for her exceptional service to the Citizens of Pennsylvania, and for her tireless efforts to build love and compassion into every sector she touches, from healthcare to charity. Her life stands as a model of resilience, passion, and public service.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to recognize Corporal (Cpl) George Ivanoff, United States Marine Corps (USMC), on the auspicious occasion of his 100th Birthday on July 24, 2025. Cpl Ivanoff, born in Harrisburg in 1925, left Harrisburg Catholic High School early to answer the call of duty to our Country by joining the USMC in 1943. He served with valor in the Pacific Theatre on the islands of Peleliu and Okinawa, where he was twice awarded the Purple Heart medal for wounds suffered in combat. On the occasion when his Corpsman was wounded, Cpl Ivanoff attempted nobly to evacuate him, but both were struck by enemy mortar fire that ultimately killed his Corpsman and forced his own medical evacuation. Once healed from his wounds, Cpl Ivanoff rejoined his unit in the pivotal battle of Okinawa, where he fought valiantly for 45 days. While advancing on the enemy position, incoming fire forced him to take cover in an artillery shell hole. Looking out to spot the enemy, he was shot through the face. Unconscious for a time, he woke to feel a gaping hole in his face. Confronted with the thought of imminent death, he prayed to the Lord for forgiveness, and lost consciousness--seemingly for the last time. To his surprise, he regained consciousness again. Spotting a couple fellow Marines taking cover behind rocks from the same sniper who had shot him, Cpl Ivanoff asked for a rifle, offering to risk his life to take the sniper out; but they forced him away. He was carried on a stretcher to the hospital tent where he fully expected to die. He was given Last Rites by the Company Chaplain and left by himself. Presumed dead by the doctors and nurses, he was not tended to. Eventually, one doctor said ``Hey, this guy is still alive!'' Miraculously, after his wounds were addressed and he was stabilized, he not only survived, but fully recovered. Cpl Ivanoff returned home a hero. He finished his education at Harrisburg Catholic High School and began his civilian career at the Post Office. He became an accomplished amateur golfer, earning the 1968 Harrisburg Championship, and still golfs at 100 years young. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Citizens of the 10th Congressional District and a grateful Nation, I'm honored, humbled, and privileged to recognize United States Marine Corps Corporal George Ivanoff on his 100th Birthday. I wish him continued great health, love, and happiness in his future adventures, and continued Godspeed. For his selfless, honorable, and tireless service to our great United States of America, ``Thank You'' will never be enough. He is the standard by which we all should be judged.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, evidently, this is what gutting Medicaid looks like. You see it goes up 25 percent over 10 years. This only happens in Washington, D.C. Mr. Speaker, the difference between the last administration and the current one is the last administration restricted the States from cleaning up the Medicaid rolls and verifying eligibility. I don't know what coalition in the House of Representatives is for that. Apparently, it is the same one that is for over $100 billion lost annually to improper payments. There is a coalition here, Mr. Speaker, that wants to take tax dollars and pay $100 billion, losing it annually to improper payments. What we are asking the States to do is verify eligibility and issue payments to protect people in poverty, pregnant women, the disabled, and children. Mr. Speaker, what the Republican plan is doing is saving Medicare for the people it was intended to be there for.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to recognize Mr. Brian Wisler on his well-earned retirement after 35 years. Mr. Wisler was hired by the Central York School District in 1990 as an elementary physical education teacher--where he shortly after, in May of 1991 was the creator of the Central York School District Elementary Track meet--which was later renamed in honor of long-time principal Jefferey Fox (who supported the initiative), to the Jefferey Fox Track Meet. Starting with just five events the track meet has grown to now include myriad events including dozens of runs, javelin throws, high jump, long jump, tug of war, softball and foxtail throws and others--that sometimes feature entire classrooms on the field. The incredible day of sportsmanship directed by Mr. Wisler has positively impacted thousands of students over the years--proving his dedication to the students of North Hills and Sinking Springs elementary schools. After 35 years of teaching and engaging students, and 33 track meets, Mr. Wisler's service sets the standard by which we should all be judged. Mr. Speaker, I'm privileged and honored to recognize Mr. Brian Wisler on his retirement. I wish him and all his students Godspeed on their future adventures.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 117.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for allowing this bill to come to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to urge support of and for H.R. 1540, the Falun Gong Protection Act, a bill I have introduced to confront one of the most egregious, barbaric, and medieval human rights atrocities of our current time. As we stand on the precipice of this vote, I ask you to join me in taking a stand against the Chinese Communist Party's systematic persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Since the early 1990s, the Falun Gong, a spiritual practice rooted in the principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance, has been targeted by the Chinese Communist Party. By 1999, Mr. Speaker, an estimated 70 million to 100 million people, roughly 5 to 7 percent of China's population, were practicing Falun Gong. This popularity triggered a brutal response from the CCP, unleashing a campaign of illegal detentions, forced labor, torture, and most horrifically, forced organ harvesting, a practice that amounts to mass murder. On July 20, 1999, the CCP detained hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners and banned their practice outright. Since then, the persecution has only intensified. Multiple studies, including the 2020 report from the Independent Tribunal Into Forced Organ Harvesting, have exposed an incomprehensible gap between the number of organ transplants performed in China and the number of registered donors. Mr. Speaker, the math simply doesn't add up, and we all know why. Just think about it: An independent tribunal into forced organ harvesting literally had to be set up to look into this because China is a closed society. Regardless of what people might think because we are allowed to travel to China, they are not showing you this part. The CCP's secrecy ensures that China remains closed to scrutiny, but the evidence is clear: Falun Gong practitioners are the primary victims of this barbaric organ harvesting system. The tribunal's findings are staggering. They concluded that forced organ harvesting has been committed for years on a massive scale with Falun Gong practitioners as the main source. The report states that the CCP and its leaders have actively incited the persecution, imprisonment, murder, torture, and humiliation of these individuals solely to eradicate their beliefs. This is not just a violation of human rights; it is a crime against humanity. Now, far away in the United States, many in the organ transplant community are unaware of China's illicit practices, shielded by the CCP's repressive control of information and global propaganda, but the truth is undeniable: The Chinese Communist Party has built an infrastructure to persecute millions of not only Falun Gong practitioners but also Uyghurs, Tibetans, Christians, and others it deems a threat. The CCP's utter disregard for human life shocks the conscience. This barbaric practice must end, and it must end now. H.R. 1540 is a historic step forward, the first binding commitment by Congress to take decisive legal action against the persecution and forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners. This bill imposes sanctions on those who would participate in or facilitate forced organ harvesting in China. It directs the Secretary of State to investigate whether the CCP's actions constitute crimes against humanity or genocide and to report on China's organ transplant policies. It also establishes U.S. policy to reject any cooperation with the PRC's illicit organ transplant industry while the CCP remains in power. Mr. Speaker, this bill paves the way for accountability, sanctions, punishment, and acknowledgement of those complicit in these atrocities. The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Patronis). The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. PERRY. The United States cannot continue to stand idly by. We must use our authority. We must use our position as leaders in the world to curb these practices and send a clear message to everybody that not only will we not tolerate this assault on human dignity, on humanity itself, but that no country, no people should. Mr. Speaker, I urge a vote in favor of H.R. 1540. Let us stand together not just for Falun Gong practitioners but for the millions suffering under the CCP's oppression and tyranny. Let us affirm that the United States will always champion truth, compassion, and tolerance. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair, again, for bringing the bill to the floor.

Mr. PERRY

Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 9) authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition.