Greg Pence

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I am not recorded for roll call vote No. 216 on Friday, May 17, 2019 because I was meeting with 8th grade Hoosiers from the Saint Bartholomew Catholic School in Columbus, Indiana. Since my first day in office, I have been squarely focused on what I was sent here to do: Represent Hoosiers of the 6th District. As a man of faith, I am wholeheartedly opposed to H.R. 5--a bill that limits our nation's founding principles of freedom of religion, conscience, and speech. We are a nation that allows and embraces diverse thoughts and opinions, but this bill would grant special privileges to individuals at the expense of the freedoms of others. Many women in Indiana's 6th District depend on athletic scholarships to obtain higher education and career aspirations, and this legislation would unfairly force female athletes to compete against biological males. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on the Republican Motion to Recommit, RC No. 216. This Motion to Recommit would have amended H.R. 5 to ensure that nothing in the bill may be construed to diminish any protections under Title IX, therefore safeguarding the integrity of female sports.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 I was honored to attend the Memorial Service for Senator Richard Lugar at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Senator Lugar will be remembered as one of America's greatest Senators, leaving his mark on domestic and global affairs throughout his six terms. For the above reason, I was not recorded for roll call vote 205, 206, 207, 208, and 209. Had I been present, I would have voted Nay on roll call 205, 206, 207, and 208, and Yea on roll call 209.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2460, the first piece of legislation I have introduced as a Member of Congress and one that reduces the regulatory burden on the hardworking men and women of Indiana and America's transportation and agriculture community. The Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act of 2019 will ensure our truckers, farmers, and producers have the flexibility needed to keep America's agriculture industry moving. The bill ensures that transportation and agriculture stakeholders are included in the rulemaking process so that relevant stakeholders can share their experiences and knowledge. I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota. Improving our infrastructure is not a partisan issue, and it is time that we act. Sixth District Hoosiers sent me to Washington to get things done, and that is exactly what I am doing. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 2460.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a motorsports legend and perhaps the most famous son of my hometown, Columbus, Indiana. From the dirt tracks to the high banks, to the Brickyard, Tony Stewart amassed a racing career that includes nearly 50 NASCAR wins, three NASCAR Cup titles, a USAC Triple Crown, and an IndyCar Series championship. Tony won his first championship at the Columbus Fairgrounds when he was just 8 years old. He is synonymous with racing, and we are proud to call him a Hoosier. On behalf of the people of Columbus, the Sixth Congressional District, and race fans across Indiana, I want to congratulate Tony Stewart on his recent nomination to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. I also want to thank Tony for his work in our community as part of the Tony Stewart Foundation. Through December 2017, the foundation has awarded over $7 million to outstanding charities serving children with special needs, endangered animals, and injured drivers. We honor his achievements on and off the track, and we look forward to cheering him on in years to come.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend, Ruth Johnson, who recently passed away at the age of 86 in Columbus, Indiana. Born in Sullivan County, Ruth was the eighth child of Ora and Ann Wolfe. She attended Indiana State University and then went to work at Shell Oil Company. Ruth met--and later married--Dick Johnson, who had purchased a Shell distributorship in Columbus. Ruth and Dick worked together to grow the Johnson Oil Company. Ruth played an integral role in the Columbus community and throughout the State of Indiana. Ruth's extraordinary civic leadership included service through many social organizations including PEO, Harrison Lake Garden Club and the Monday literary club. Ruth actively supported Indiana University and served on the advisory boards for the School of Arts and Sciences and Jacobs School of Music. Ruth and Dick were part of a small group that cofounded Fairlawn Presbyterian Church in 1961. She and Dick donated property for the Salvation Army to build a support center, sponsored the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship at I.U., the Johnson Distinguished Guest Artist series at the Columbus Philharmonic, and publication of ``The Birds of Indiana'' by Bill Zimmerman. The Pence family knew Ruth for many years and considered her a close friend. Ruth was a generous person who will be remembered fondly and greatly missed. Ruth is survived by her children, Jenny Johnson of Nashville, Rick Johnson (Alice) of Columbus; two grandchildren, Richard ``Ricky'' Loomis Johnson III and Ann ``Annie'' Elizabeth Johnson. May god rest her soul and bring comfort to her family and friends as we mourn her loss and celebrate her life here on earth.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with a strong background in the industry, I understand the vital role freight rail plays in getting Hoosier-made and Hoosier-grown products to the market. Short line freight rail makes up nearly 30 percent of all freight rail, allowing rural communities like those across Indiana's Sixth District to play an integral role in our economy. One such line is the Madison Railroad, which provides exclusive access to the national rail network for many Hoosiers in southeastern Indiana. The city of Madison is working to obtain Federal grant funding to replace the 100-year-plus Graham Creek Bridge, critical infrastructure that keeps the Madison Railroad safely operating and serving our community. Built in the 19th century, the current structure poses an immediate safety risk and cannot accommodate heavy commercial freight loads. Replacement of this bridge will benefit southeast Indiana by removing a potential safety risk and creating jobs and economic opportunity for Hoosiers. Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the historic architecture throughout Indiana, and the Graham Creek Bridge has been an iconic landmark that extends over the beautiful Muscatatuck River. I hope my colleagues in this Chamber can join me in supporting this infrastructure project.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, as we work to strengthen America's roads, bridges, and highways, it is important that our workforce keeps pace with our infrastructure improvements. Seventy percent of the Nation's freight is carried by commercial trucks, yet, as our economy strengthens, motor carriers are having difficulty finding the drivers they need to handle the growing capacity. While most States, including Indiana, allow drivers to obtain a commercial driver's license at 18, they are prohibited from driving in interstate commerce until they are 21 by Federal law. To address this issue, I cosponsored legislation to alleviate the shortage of commercial drivers back home, helping our farmers, manufacturers, retailers, and small businesses to keep Hoosiers working, eating, building, selling, and growing. The DRIVE-Safe Act will help Indiana's freight continue to move, while preserving the safety of our highway system. Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to help fill these desperately needed jobs and provide young Hoosiers with the opportunity to enter the industry.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Madam Speaker, I rise to acknowledge Pastor Franklin Wood, Sr., of Whittier Lane Baptist Church who has played an integral role in his community and congregation for nearly half a century. The United States of America was founded by patriots like Pastor Wood who believed that faith and freedom of religion was of paramount importance to building a strong society. That truth is evident in our National Motto: in God We Trust. Faith remains the bedrock of American life, and one of the reasons for that is the Church. Local churches, such as Whittier Lane Baptist Church in New Castle, IN, have always been at the forefront of service to communities large and small. As worshipers put their trust in God, they looked to Pastor Wood for guidance and counsel. I have no doubt that Pastor Wood's leadership played a vital role in the spiritual health and wellbeing of so many individuals in his congregation. As he begins a well-deserved retirement, I want to acknowledge Pastor Wood and sincerely thank him for dedicating his life to serve God and the Church. It is a true honor to serve a Hoosier who has demonstrated such deep commitment to his community. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reaffirm my unwavering commitment to life, the protection of the unborn, and the protection of those who survive the violence of the unborn. The greatness of our free society can best be measured by how it cares for the most vulnerable. I am deeply troubled by the efforts by some to expand late-term abortion and remove any conceivable limits on this horrific practice. In the face of such an onslaught, let the miracles of conception, pregnancy, and childbirth serve as a solemn reminder of the constant fight for life. On this, there should be no question that Members of Congress from both parties should agree to the fact that every child born into this world has the right to live. We must stand together for life and the unborn and protect those who cannot protect themselves when handed abortion's death sentence. I pray that one day each and every life, born and unborn, is respected, valued, and given the chance to pursue his or her dreams. That is why I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 962. We must never, ever give up in the fight for life.

Mr. PENCE

Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge this body to act on the national crisis that currently exists along our southern border. This crisis plays itself out not only in the border towns of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, but in communities across the Nation, including my very own, Indiana's Sixth District. The statistics speak for themselves: In my home of Bartholomew County, the sheriff's office booked 34 individuals with an immigration detainer 2 years ago. Last year, that number jumped to 132. Hoosiers also feel the effects of the border crisis in the form of an opioid crisis that now kills more Americans than car accidents, gun violence, or breast cancer. This crisis is tearing families apart. The Department of Corrections says one in three Hoosiers residing in State prisons are battling addiction to opioids. In the last year, Customs and Border officials have reported dramatic increases in meth, heroin, and fentanyl along our southern border. These are some of the very drugs that claimed the lives of more than 1,800 Hoosiers in 2017. President Trump is right. We must create an immigration system that is safe, lawful, modern, and secure. It is not just the border States feeling the effects of illegal immigration; it is communities like ours in the Sixth District of Indiana that are being ravaged by the massive scourge of drugs coming across the southern border. We must end this crisis. Mr. Speaker, it is time to secure the southern border and build the wall.