John Rutherford

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Chairman, I fully support the gentleman's amendment. In fact, in the underlying bill, we have included in section 126 a prohibition on the Department of Transportation from imposing requirements on State and local governments to prove emission reductions as a condition of receiving funds. Nonetheless, the gentleman's amendment is even more comprehensive, which I support, because it would cover programs across this entire bill and several of the Biden executive orders that would harm our economy. Mr. Chairman, I encourage all of our colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I was unavailable and I missed the following Roll Call vote. Had I been present, I would have voted AYE on Roll Call No. 542.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Aimee Befort for her tireless efforts to place children in reliable, safe, and loving homes. In 2013, Aimee started her career in child welfare as a dependency case manager for the St. Johns County Family Integrity Program, which works with State and local partners to find safe homes for abused and neglected children. After 2 years as a dependency case manager, Aimee transitioned into the role of adoption coordinator, where she works closely with case management staff to avoid prolonged foster care and expedite permanency through adoption. Thanks to her determination and ongoing efforts to place children in secure homes, she has played a role in finalizing over 250 adoptions for more than 100 families. Throughout my 40-year career in law enforcement, I have seen the difference individuals like Aimee can make in our community. Without Aimee's heart for our youth, these children would have lost the opportunity for a safe and joyful childhood. For this reason, I was proud to nominate Aimee for this year's Congressional Angels in Adoption award. On behalf of Florida's Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to Aimee Befort. Mr. Speaker, may God bless her and this calling, and may God bless the families that she serves.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed light on pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, commonly known as PDCD. This incurable and extremely rare mitochondrial metabolic condition, which manifests at birth, prohibits patients from properly transforming carbohydrates into energy, and instead turning them into lactic acid that causes painful seizures and developmental delays. I recently met with Rick and Kim Higbee, a family in Jacksonville, Florida, who have experienced the challenges of PDCD firsthand. Their daughter, Harlow, pictured beside me, began to show signs of PDCD as an infant. As any parent knows, when there is something wrong with your child, you will move Heaven and Earth to get answers and provide for their care. Sadly, since PDCD does not currently appear on infant screening lists, the Higbee family waited 9 painstakingly long months before they had a name for Harlow's condition and were able to begin treatment. Thanks to the doctors, nurses, and specialists at UF Health in Jacksonville and her own fighting spirit, 3-year-old Harlow has defied the odds. This week, World Mitochondrial Disease Week, I am proud to join the Higbee family and thousands of others in advocating for PDCD to be added to the infant screening list and for additional research funding to go toward finding a cure. Early detection and diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death for more than 15 million children. On behalf of Florida's Fifth Congressional District, I am committed to ensuring that families in our community like the Higbees are supported in their fight to eradicate this condition. God bless Harlow and all of our children living with PDCD.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas for yielding. Madam Speaker, today I stand before you proud as an American and the son of a Navy veteran. Throughout my life I had the opportunity to witness our servicemembers' unwavering commitment to this Nation. I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of our all-volunteer force in the United States military. In January 1973, the Department of Defense replaced mandatory service with an opportunity for brave men and women to voluntarily step up and serve. Over 15 million proud Americans have served over the last five decades with more than 2 million voluntarily serving today. These American heroes epitomize patriotism through their courage, honor, and selflessness and represent the cornerstone of our military's unparalleled strength. We may think of our military strength in regard to weapons systems and ships and aircraft, but, Madam Speaker, this does not highlight our biggest military advantage, which is our people. We have the most professional military in the world with a clear command and control structure. As we face recruiting challenges among the services, we must remind our younger generations of the honor to serve, protect, and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. I have to tell you, I am very hopeful for our future when I think of the brave men and women who will join our all-volunteer force over the next 50 years. I have to tell you, every Congress Member knows, as my good friend from Texas knows, one of the greatest privileges we have is to nominate young men and women to attend our military academies. I can tell you, those men and women give me great hope for the future of the United States military. I thank all of those who volunteer, like Commander Jake Ellzey right here. Thank you for your service. I thank your friend Brian Ferguson, who I don't know, but I thank him for his service, and I thank him for working on that film. It is one of my favorites. May God bless the United States and those who willingly defend it.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 15th anniversary of Deutsche Bank in Jacksonville, Florida. Over the past 15 years, Deutsche Bank has played an integral role in supporting our region's thriving financial sector and community. While Deutsche Bank's roots in America go back to 1872, their Jacksonville office began as a small operation in 2008 consisting of approximately 100 employees. Since then, the Jacksonville office has grown to become Deutsche Bank's second largest location in the Americas, employing approximately 2,400 talented individuals and generating significant local economic activity. The Deutsche Bank Jacksonville office is a multi-functional site that generates new business and provides client and bank-wide support services with a significant presence and expertise in sales and trading, anti-financial crime, compliance, technology, cyber security services, client onboarding and operational support. In the last 15 years, the office has created thousands of jobs, financed local businesses, and supported many community causes such as public education, the arts, combating hunger, work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize and congratulate Deutsche Bank for 15 years of operation in Jacksonville. On behalf of Florida's 5th Congressional District, I wish Deutsche Bank Jacksonville and its staff continued success in their future endeavors.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. House Republicans, we are simply delivering on our promise to care for the men and women who serve this Nation. I commend Chairwoman Granger and Chairman Carter for having put this bill together in a fiscally responsible manner. Yes, we have made some cuts, but they were responsible cuts. They were cuts that needed to be made. We cut the waste so that we could help our men and women who serve this country in uniform. I urge support of this bill.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. I thank the gentleman, the chairman, for yielding. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this fiscal year 2024 military construction and veterans affairs appropriations bill. Despite some of the allegations from my friends on the other side of the aisle, this is a good bill. The budget process is not about how much you cut; it is about where you cut. That is what is important. This bill is a good bill because it supports our veterans and our servicemembers. In fact, this bill fully funds President Biden's request for the VA and even exceeds the administration's request for military construction. On top of that, the VA funding in this bill is $16.5 million more than the fiscal year 2023 enacted level--the enacted level. Let me repeat. This bill fully funds veterans' healthcare programs, period. This includes keeping our promise that we just made to provide care to our toxic-exposed veterans, as we did last year through the Honoring our PACT Act. I am also proud that we robustly funded military construction projects across the world, focusing on our barracks, our child development centers, to the tune of almost $800 million more than the administration's request. This bill cuts wasteful spending, wasteful spending for programs that my constituents back home do not support, like critical race theory and DEI. Now, they want to say that we have politicized the issue of abortion within this bill. The fact of the matter is, President Biden's administration, through rulemaking in DOD, put in this language--that is why we are taking it out because they put it in--that they were going to use taxpayer dollars to actually facilitate someone getting an abortion. That is not what the taxpayers want. That is not what the Hyde amendment allows, and the partisanship that they referred to earlier is their partisanship. This administration and almost every executive agency in this government now legislates by fiat. They pass rules, 100-page rules. Those aren't rules. That is legislation. That is law. We have got to stop that, and we are doing that in this bill. I am very proud that in this bill we prohibit the VA from continuing to implement their abortion policy that they put in; it is nothing more than this administration's way of circumventing the Dobbs decision. House Republicans are delivering on our promise to care for the men and women who have served this Nation.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Leslie and Carlton C. Smith for their high achievement in exportation. Leslie and Carlton's Jacksonville-based heavy equipment exporting business, Heavy Equipment Resources of Florida, or ``HERO FL,'' is a top exporter of components and spare parts to mining industries all around the globe. Earlier this month, HERO FL was awarded with its second Presidential E Star Award for Exportation. This award is the highest honor given to our Nation's exporters and highlights HERO FL's significant contribution to U.S. exports and their development of market entry strategies for challenging international markets, specifically in Africa. The E Star Award, which is now designated by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, sets HERO FL apart from their peers for their noteworthy export promotion efforts. Just since 2013, HERO FL has grown from 10 export markets to over 32. This is an incredible achievement and is a testament to Leslie and Carlton's hard work in northeast Florida and across the globe. I am honored to recognize their efforts, and I am grateful for the economic growth that they continue to bring to Florida's Fifth Congressional District. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, again, for yielding.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Texas for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the Second Amendment, which undergirds all the other amendments, is the only amendment in the U.S. Constitution to include the following four words: ``shall not be infringed.'' As a lifetime law enforcement officer and former sheriff, I have seen firsthand how law-abiding citizens using legal firearms protect themselves, their families, their neighbors, and other innocent persons from those who would do them harm. Mr. Speaker, any crime I have ever seen, I have never seen a stabilizing brace used. While we are prioritizing safe gun ownership and work to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and those with mental illness, the Federal Government shall not infringe on the rights of legal gun owners. That means that the executive branch must not use this administrative rulemaking to rewrite the bounds of the Second Amendment--all without even a vote from Congress. That, Mr. Speaker, is exactly what the Biden administration is trying to do. They legislate by fiat, through rulemaking. Earlier this year, the ATF finalized a rule that redefines these pistols with attached stabilizing braces as a short-barreled rifle. After decades, they changed the interpretation. Mr. Speaker, this insidious rule would turn millions of law-abiding gun owners--including many disabled veterans, as we have heard--who rely on these stabilizing braces into criminals simply for possessing firearms with a legal accessory. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to cosponsor this important resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Chair, like my good colleague here from Kentucky, I rise today to remind this Chamber that our Founders put Congress in charge of writing our laws, not unelected bureaucrats at Federal agencies. Yet, since taking office, President Biden has signed more than 100 executive orders and insidious rules fast flowing from executive branch agencies creating miles of red tape and running up American taxpayers' tab by $1.5 trillion. My constituents back home are struggling to make ends meet, and it is a direct consequence of this administration's misguided policies and their insidious rulemaking. It is past time that we put a stop to the President's abuse of executive power. Last fall, House Republicans made a commitment to our constituents that this Congress would hold the government accountable. This week, with the REINS Act, we have an opportunity to show the American people that we are keeping that commitment. The very first bill I cosponsored 6 years ago when I first came to Congress was the REINS Act. The REINS Act stops Federal agencies from legislating by fiat by requiring Congress to approve all major rules before they can be enacted. This bill returns Congress' Article I legislative authority back to where it belongs, and it will protect hardworking, taxpaying Americans. The REINS Act is a strong start, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, as we move into National Police Week, I rise in support of two bills that will help make our officers safer out on the street. The first is H.R. 2494, commonly called the POLICE Act, which simply states that an illegal alien that assaults a police officer will be deported. Not might be; will be. Currently, the situation is they can be arrested for assaulting, and in 2021 we had 43,000 law enforcement officers assaulted. I am sure many of those were by illegal aliens. Those numbers are just going to go up. They can be arrested, placed in a 287(g) jail facility where they are held for ICE, convicted of the crime of assault, but they still may not be deported. They have to go through a long legal analysis after their conviction to ensure that they are deported out of this country. H.R. 2494, the POLICE Act, simply says if you assault one of our officers, we are kicking you out of this country. I can't imagine why anyone across the aisle would vote against that. The other bill is H.R. 3091, the Federal Law Enforcement Service Weapon Purchase Act. Mr. Speaker, we have several of our Federal law enforcement agencies right now who are about to go through rearming their agencies to the tune of about 20,000 weapons. They are going to destroy these weapons if officers are not allowed to purchase their service weapon as it is being retired or as the officer may retire. This bill simply says that we are going to take these officers that are retiring, and if they want to purchase their service weapon, they will be allowed to. Currently, they are precluded from doing that. All of these weapons are going to be destroyed; about $8 million worth. We are just going to destroy them, and the taxpayers are going to have to buy more. As a 40-year law enforcement officer, I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, your sidearm is not just any old sidearm. There is a special relationship that you develop, and we need to allow these officers to purchase their firearms.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for coming with us and joining on law enforcement issues. He is one of the hardest workers across the aisle I know. I can't tell him how much I appreciate his friendship. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson), who also knows about service above self. He is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant colonel, and I thank him for his service.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I appreciate this time as we have our bipartisan Special Order hour to honor law enforcement officers all across America to talk about our back the blue. This evening, as we begin, I am joined by so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who truly do support our law enforcement community. We are here to celebrate the lives and also honor the deaths of many of these officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Madam Speaker, as a career law enforcement officer, I know what our officers go through every day when they put on their uniforms, say good-bye to their families, and head out to do the important work of protecting their communities. They step into that breach between the good citizens that they have sworn to protect and that criminal element out there that would do them harm. Unfortunately, over the last few years, we have seen an uptick in violence specifically directed at law enforcement officers, especially in the form of ambush-style attacks. These violent attacks have been fueled by antipolice rhetoric, which has left our officers demoralized and delegitimized. In fact, according to the National Fraternal Order of Police, just this year, just in 2023 so far, 135 officers have been shot, 15 of those killed by gunfire. The number of officers shot in the line of duty is up 52 percent from this time 3 years ago. Madam Speaker, there have been 38 ambush-style attacks on police officers, 38. In these attacks, 43 police officers have been shot. This country cannot tolerate this violence. We must respond with action to prevent further attacks against our police officers. I am grateful for my bipartisan colleagues who join me on this floor this evening to send a message that we have the backs of those officers who serve our communities. This Congress, I am proud to have reintroduced three bipartisan bills to further support our law enforcement officers: The Invest to Protect Act, which will make critical investments in small police departments with fewer than 200 officers to help them with recruitment, retention, mental health support for their officers, and officer training. The Protect and Serve Act, which creates enhanced Federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target law enforcement officers in the line of duty. So if you target the police, Congress is going to target you. Then finally, the HELPER Act, which will help our law enforcement officers and other first responders buy homes within the community that they serve. I am going to continue to advocate for legislation that supports and equips our men and women in blue. While we continue to work to support officers still on the job, we must also remember those who have laid down their lives in service to their communities. Last week, I had the honor of commemorating Florida's fallen officers, including two in my own district. Paul Matthew Patrick was an Atlantic Beach police officer whose watch ended on September 12. He is a legacy. He died in 1932. Coby Brandon Seckinger is a St. Johns County deputy whose watch ended on December 14 of 2020. Madam Speaker, it is vital that we never forget those who choose to walk out that door each day and face an unknown danger so that we don't have to. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: ``The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.'' This week we remember their sacrifice and use it as an inspiration to better support law enforcement officers across this Nation. I pray each and every person across America would live the rest of our lives worthy of their sacrifice. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), my good friend across the aisle, who is also co-chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus. I thank him for being here, and he knows about service. He has served in the Army, and he is now serving on the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, although the gentleman and I may not agree on everything, we do agree on the Law Enforcement Equity Act. As a cosponsor, I hope we can get that over the line. I think that would do a great service to our law enforcement communities out there. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon). He is a retired U.S. Air Force general who knows all about service above self. He is also, I should say, one of the original cosponsors of the LEOSA Reform Act, which is certainly going to help law enforcement officers all across America.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), my good friend.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, those are true words from the heart. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) again for an introduction.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres).

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for the comments tonight. I know, as a law enforcement officer, that our 911 dispatchers are so overlooked, I think, by our communities, what they do for those men and women out there on the streets. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her service, as well.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce another law enforcement officer. He spent 23 years of his life serving Minnesota's Duluth Police Department. He is also an original cosponsor of the Protect and Serve Act. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Stauber for his service. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman), my good friend and someone who has had a life of service himself in the State legislature at all levels.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his kind remarks. Now, Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) for any closing remarks he would like to make tonight.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I really do appreciate the work that we have been able to do on the law enforcement caucus serving together as co-chairs, and I look forward to the many more opportunities to come together and work. I thank everyone for making this Special Order hour bipartisan and recognizing our law enforcement officers are so very special. Madam Speaker, I will close with this: As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality, and justice. That is the opening of the Law Enforcement Officer's Code of Ethics. If you go to the Law Enforcement Memorial, every officer whose name is etched on those walls lived by and died for that code. We remember them today. This whole week is about promises made and promises kept. We promised them and their families that they would never be forgotten. This week we will keep that promise. I pray that we keep that promise every day, the rest of our lives. As I said earlier, I only pray that every person can live the rest of our lives worthy of their sacrifice. General Leave

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.