David Rouzer

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), my good friend, who I understand has a little different viewpoint on this bill than some of us but definitely deserves the right to be heard.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4611, the Ocean Pollution Reduction Act II. This bill would modify and simplify the city of San Diego's required permitting process under the Clean Water Act to operate the city's Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant. The bill would make permanent a regulatory exemption under the Clean Water Act, and, in exchange, the city would promote water recycling and conservation efforts at its facility. This would result in increased water supply for the region and reduce treated wastewater discharges to the ocean. The bill will help ensure that San Diego has long-term certainty for its water supply, all while saving the city and regional ratepayers millions of dollars by simplifying our permitting process. I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, in closing, the simplified permitting process under H.R. 4611 will provide more certainty to communities in the San Diego area, will increase water recycling and conservation efforts there, as well as reduce treated wastewater discharges into the Pacific Ocean. I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8326 ensures that recipients of Economic Development Administration grants consider childcare availability as they develop comprehensive economic development strategies. These strategies currently incorporate various considerations, and this legislation would ensure childcare availability is also considered, which obviously helps women to contribute to the workforce. I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 8326 will ensure that childcare availability is incorporated in the economic development strategies that are required for EDA grants. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 5919 will provide much- needed rental relief for the National Children's Museum consistent with the policy for other congressionally designated museums. Mr. Speaker, I again want to thank Ranking Member Davis for his work on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge its support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis), who is my good friend.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 1869, the Secure Federal LEASEs Act, would require entities that lease commercial space to high-security Federal agencies to identify any foreign ownership interest in the property. In 2017, the General Accountability Office issued a report revealing that there was insufficient information on the ownership of certain high-security federally leased buildings. The GAO recommended additional information be collected and reported to tenant Federal agencies to determine if security precautions are necessary. The General Services Administration, GSA, has already taken steps to address the vulnerabilities raised by GAO, and this bill will help support those efforts. S. 1869 would require Federal agencies with leasing authority to collect this information to improve the security of Federal facilities. I thank the sponsors of this legislation for working with us on amendments to this bill that will help to ensure its effectiveness. Mr. Speaker, S. 1869 will help identify any foreign ownership interest in proposed leases for high-security agencies and improve the security of sensitive Federal facilities. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, due to travel with the Vice President on July 29, 2020 in North Carolina, I was not able to be in the Chamber and present to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 168; NAY on Roll Call No. 169; YEA on Roll Call No. 170; NAY on Roll Call No. 171; and NAY on Roll Call No. 172.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 167.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the memory and life of a trailblazing judge from Brunswick County, North Carolina, who was passionate and fearless in her commitment to justice and the law while also showing great compassion for those who needed help to get their lives back on track. Sadly, Judge Ola M. Lewis passed away late last year. This past Saturday, July 11th, would have been her 55th birthday. The daughter of a paratrooper of the 82nd Airborne Division and two public school principals, Judge Lewis learned early in life the value of education, hard work, and service to one's community. She grew up in Spring Lake, North Carolina, and soon moved with her family to Brunswick County. Like her father, she graduated from Fayetteville State University and then in 1990 earned a law degree from North Carolina Central Law School. After a stint in private practice she returned home to Brunswick County to serve in the District Attorney's Office. Just two years later, in 1993, Judge Lewis was appointed district court judge becoming the youngest serving district court judge in North Carolina. She spent seven years as a district court judge before being appointed to serve as a ``special Superior Court judge'', traveling around 21 North Carolina counties. Her motto: ``have gavel, will travel''. She made history as both the first woman and the first African- American judge in North Carolina's Fourteenth Judicial District. She is the longest serving female judge in the history of North Carolina. Judge Lewis has left a real impact in our community that will continue to be felt. She fostered the creation of specialized drug treatment and mental health courts, which have helped countless those that need it the help necessary to put themselves back on the right track. Her drug court program became a national template that has been replicated to help others struggling with addiction and mental health challenges nationwide. She was one of the first to see and respond to the scourge of the opioid addiction that has ravaged the nation, co-founding in 2017 the Brunswick County Opioid Addiction Task Force. She encouraged Governor Roy Cooper to declare the growing opioid addiction crisis a statewide public health emergency. In recognition of her contributions and dedication to our local communities and to our state, she was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Cooper, the Old North State Award by Governor Beverly Purdue, and the Dogwood Award by Attorney General Josh Stein. Madam Speaker, Judge Ola Lewis leaves a legacy for which her wonderful family, colleagues and friends can be proud. Hers was a great life of service to the benefit of every citizen, our communities, and our state.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I am honored and privileged to recognize Robert A. Biggs in tribute to his 44 years of service to the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity as well as his lifelong dedication to the collegiate and interfraternal movement. I have been a very proud member of Phi Delta Theta since joining the North Carolina Delta Chapter in the Spring of 1992 when I attended North Carolina State University and later served as president in 1993. Phi Delta Theta is a values-based college fraternity with nearly 200 chapters, 12,000 undergraduate members, and more than 280,000 lifelong members. Robert A. Biggs, outgoing chief executive officer of both the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and its Foundation, has served the Phi Delta Theta organization since he graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1976. He began his career as a chapter consultant, and later served as director of chapter services for more than a decade until 1990 and has led the Fraternity as its executive vice president since 1991. His decades of leadership as the organization's fourth executive during its 172-year history has provided great stability and bedrock support for its future growth. Since 2011, Bob has simultaneously held dual leadership posts by leading both the Foundation and the Fraternity. Since its humble beginnings in 1958, the Phi Delta Theta Foundation has awarded more than $4.1 million in scholarships and fellowships to outstanding young Phis. The Foundation has also granted nearly $10 million toward the Fraternity's premier leadership and educational programs, including the Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute, the Presidents Leadership Conference, the Leadership Consultant Program, and the Alcohol-Free Housing initiative. The Foundation president position has only been held by two individuals during the past 20 years. It was his leadership and work with the Phi Delta Theta Foundation board of trustees that grew the assets of the Foundation from $4 million in 2011 to more than $20 million in 2018. Under Bob's watch and leadership, the combination of long-term strategic planning and a focus on the development of financial support blended both organizations into effective and streamlined systems, complementing each and working toward clearly defined, measurable goals. Phi Delta Theta was one of the first fraternities of its size to implement an Alcohol-Free Housing policy, requiring that all Phi Delta Theta chapter facilities remain alcohol-free to support the health and safety of its members and create an environment of brotherhood without the distractions of alcohol and/or substance abuse. An Alcohol-Free Housing Alliance of several fraternities was formed in the late 1990s. This initiative was one of the most controversial in the organization's history. Bob Biggs and the Fraternity's governing board, the General Council, led this charge with staunch determination and a resolute confidence that this was in the long-term best interest of its members. Bob had to lead in the face of threats, and even lawsuits, to move past a small group of detractors and keep the Fraternity on course. He did so with a positive attitude and clear vision, taking the lead among peer organizations. In 2018, three additional fraternities committed to alcohol and substance-free housing by 2020, bringing positive change to collegiate campuses and Greek communities everywhere. Along with the decision of Alcohol-Free Housing came an entire overhaul of how the organization would manage its undergraduate chapters, facilities, and volunteer leadership, including the need for fundraising to support the initiative and re-education efforts. As a result of Bob's resolve, the Fraternity was strong enough to not only withstand, but overcome the pressures from inside and outside the organization. Bob Biggs has been a leader in many fraternal associations, including the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), the Fraternity Executives Association, of which he is a past president, the Edgewater Conference, and the Cincinnati Society of Association of Executives. Bob has been a Certified Association Executive since 1986. In each organization, it has been the relationships with his peers that meant the most to Bob, and he continues to nurture and cherish them. In 2006, Bob was awarded Phi Delta Theta's Legion of Honor Award. This high honor recognizes a member who has made a major contribution of his time, effort and energy to serve the Fraternity and improve its stature, has distinguished himself in representing the Fraternity's principles of friendship, sound learning and rectitude, is widely recognized as a leader of fraternity men and identified with the promotion of fraternities, and has widely advanced and enlarged the opportunities for growth and leadership among college men through fraternities. Phi Delta Theta asserts that fraternities, and the education of their members therein, are a microcosm of university life. Bob Biggs has been instrumental in collaborating with various college and university presidents during his tenure. In Bob's own reflections recently when questioned about his impact on the Fraternity, he was emphatic that if not for his role at Phi Delta Theta, he would not have had the opportunity to meet and work with so many top level university and college officials, business executives, entrepreneurs, Nobel laureates, astronauts, and other citizens of great influence. In addition to his Fraternity related service, he has always been dedicated to his community of Oxford, Ohio where he and his wife Coni raised their three children, Lori, Kyle and Amy. He has been president or chairman of several local organizations, including the Oxford Rotary Club, Oxford Jaycees, Oxford Community Foundation, has volunteered as a troop leader with Boy Scouts of America, and served St. Mary Catholic Church on the Finance Committee. Throughout his career, Mr. Biggs has been an ambassador and advocate for all Greek organizations. Based on his many achievements and long, distinguished tenure within the Greek movement and Phi Delta Theta, I am honored and proud, as one of his Fraternity brothers and a colleague in the collegiate Greek movement, to acknowledge with gratitude the distinguished career of Robert A. Biggs, on the occasion of the culmination of his career of selfless service to the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity and the Phi Delta Theta Foundation.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I was unable to vote on March 2 because I was in North Carolina with the President of the United States. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 79, and YEA on Roll Call No. 80.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and sacrifice of the late Specialist Antonio Isaac Devante Moore, of Wilmington, N.C. Just 22 years old, Specialist Moore tragically passed in the service of his country on January 24, 2020 in Green Village, Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He was a member of the 346th Engineer Company, part of the 411th Engineer Brigade stationed in Knightdale, N.C. Though only his first deployment, he had already won the respect of his superiors and his fellow soldiers. His awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. A 2016 graduate of John T. Hoggard High School, Specialist Moore played football there all four years. He worked part time at Katy's Grill and Bar in Wilmington where he was fondly remembered. ``If everyone else was having a bad day, all you had to do was look at Tony,'' said a former co-worker. Specialist Moore is survived by his parents in Wilmington, as well as four siblings. On behalf of North Carolina's 7th District and the entire U.S. Congress, I extend our deepest sympathy to his loved ones and friends. They are in our prayers. We will always be grateful for his service, sacrifice and commitment to his country. He was a patriot and a devoted American soldier whose memory will always be cherished.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, The Washington Post headlined the story immediately following President Trump taking the oath of office stating: ``The campaign to impeach President Trump has begun.'' How accurate they were. Here we are, almost 3 years later, and what we are witnessing today is unprecedented in American history, a very partisan-based impeachment with no facts that warrant it. This is an impeachment based on hearsay and speculation rooted in a deep-seated hatred for a man whom many of my colleagues on the other side detest--not all, but many. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that personal disdain is grounds for impeachment. At every turn, the claims made by my Democratic colleagues have turned out to be false. Early on, it was claimed there was evidence of Russian collusion. There was none. We were told the FBI didn't abuse the FISA process in its investigation of the Trump campaign. That, too, has now been proven completely false. Then, when the Russian collusion hoax collapsed, we were told that we would hear from a whistleblower that had details of a nefarious call between the President and the President of Ukraine. Then, we found out they weren't even on the call, and we still don't even know who the whistleblower is. We were told there was clear evidence of a quid pro quo for personal gain. After reading the transcript, it is obvious that you have to make assumptions that wouldn't even stand up in traffic court to come to that conclusion. Instead, the indisputable facts of record destroy their case: The call transcript shows no conditionality between aid and an investigation. President Zelensky said there was no pressure. The Ukrainian government had no knowledge that any aid was being held up at the time of the call. Ukraine never opened an investigation, but still received aid and a meeting with President Trump. Though they allege treason and bribery by the President, the articles we consider today only make vague accusations of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress because they found no evidence of treason or bribery, or anything else, for that matter.

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, today is a very sad day for our Republic. The country is now more divided than it ever has been in my lifetime. The truth has been trampled by this House of Representatives. Because of the abuses of the FBI and the Department of Justice, more Americans have an even dimmer view of very important American institutions. Thankfully, the lens of history will ensure that the truth is told and will endure.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, after months of delay, the House is on the cusp of approving the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a landmark trade deal that fulfills President Trump's promise to renegotiate and improve NAFTA. This agreement reduces tariffs, cracks down on unfair trading practices, and removes other barriers to American-grown and -made products. This is particularly true for many North Carolina products. Mexico and Canada are North Carolina's most important trade partners. North Carolina exported nearly $10.5 billion in total goods to Canada and Mexico in 2018, and our agriculture industry is particularly dependent upon trade with these two countries as well. My home State exported more than $3.5 billion in agriculture products in 2017. Under this agreement, North Carolina farm families can expect to export even more. Ratification of this trade deal means stability and more prosperity for our farm families as well as for North Carolina's economy as a whole. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ambassador Lighthizer and his entire team at USTR, as well as the fine professionals at USDA, for their tireless work to make this achievement possible. This is a great win for America.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on rollcall No. 660.

Mr. ROUZER

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the motion.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner), and I ask unanimous consent that she may control that time.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in opposition to H.R. 3702, the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act. It gives me no pleasure to be in opposition to it, but, Mr. Speaker, we all come to our conclusions based on the best information we have available to us and our personal experience. My home State of North Carolina has been victimized by four hurricanes in 4 years, and our State and local officials have seen up close how the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program administered by HUD works. The answer is, not well at all. Instead of fundamentally reforming the way we fund disaster recovery, this bill essentially takes a broken process and makes it permanent. Simply put, this bill would enshrine into law a regulatory quagmire. Since 2017, Congress has appropriated roughly $37 billion to CDBG-DR. Unfortunately, HUD's grant compliance and certification process for this program are so needlessly complicated that States are forced to divert money intended for victims of natural disasters just to navigate the program and interact with HUD. This is really key: A huge gap between disaster response and long- term disaster recovery is the result. Long waits between disaster relief and long-term recovery efforts increase the chance that people will not return to their homes or communities or reopen their businesses, the lifeblood of small towns and rural communities. Under the current framework, the one this bill would codify, disaster victims must make a tough choice. Do they wait forever for HUD to begin disbursing these funds? Do they abandon their homes and businesses? Do they take out a loan they will have to pay back? Or do they begin the rebuilding process on their own, forsaking help from the Federal Government that their neighbors who wait to begin the rebuilding process will eventually get? Mr. Speaker, victims should not have to make this choice. There should be continuity between the immediate recovery resources that come from FEMA and long-term recovery funds that help rebuild communities. Delays caused by the current framework--the months-long Federal Register notice process, the onerous grant program requirements, the additional authorities this bill gives the Secretary of HUD to reject grantees' action plans--ensure that there will be a long wait between immediate disaster relief and long-term recovery. Should we accept this fundamentally broken process as the best? The answer, of course, is we shouldn't. Instead, let's work together to fundamentally fix how we get funds to our communities and families in need. Let's work to ensure taxpayer dollars are going where they are needed most and in a timely manner. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in opposing this legislation and working to overhaul our disaster relief efforts in a commonsense way. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROUZER. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?