Guy Reschenthaler

Mr. RESCHENTHALER

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Michigan an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), one of the authors of the legislation, to explain the amendment.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am glad it was brought up, the so-called Trump Muslim ban, because it gives me a chance to set the record straight. Let's be clear, the seven countries that my colleague was referring to--the seven countries specifically targeted with travel restrictions in Executive Order 13769, they were actually countries that were determined by Congress in the Obama administration to be countries of particular concern for terrorism activity pursuant to the Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015. In fact, the policies in the administration's travel restrictions apply to just 8 percent of the world's Muslim population, and according to Pew Research Center, only cover one of the top 10 countries in the world with the largest Muslim population, that country being Iran. The courts even found that Trump's travel ban was ``facially neutral toward religion.'' The court also ruled that Trump ``set forth a sufficient national security justification.'' So I thank my colleague for giving me the chance to put in the Record the truth about the so- called Trump ban. Mr. Speaker, let's talk about something that the American people are focused on right now. Thanks to the Biden energy crisis, Americans are paying 56 percent more for a gallon of gas. In Pennsylvania, families are facing a 50 percent increase in their energy bills. Biden's war on fossil fuels continues to devastate the Nation this holiday season. That is why, Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will personally offer an amendment to the rule to immediately consider H.R. 6235, the Strategic Production Response Act. This legislation would require the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan to increase oil and gas production on Federal lands if the President uses the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for non-emergency reasons. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank my good friend and chairman of the Committee on Rules, Chairman McGovern, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes. Mr. Speaker, in 2018, southwestern Pennsylvania witnessed the deadliest act of anti-Semitism in our Nation's history when 11 Jewish worshippers were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill. That was the first time I ever spoke on the House floor; it was to condemn acts of anti-Semitism and hatred in all forms. No one should ever be attacked and no one should ever be denied their human rights or dignity because of their religious faith. Republicans have opposed hate and discrimination of any kind, including Islamophobia, but the bill made in order under this rule is rushed. It is a partisan effort, and it fails to address real concerns highlighted by both committee Republicans and the Biden State Department. H.R. 5665 creates a new State Department office and a new special envoy position to combat ``Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement.'' Those terms are not defined in Federal statute. They are also not defined in the bill. Without clear definitions, even First Amendment- protected speech could qualify for an investigation. Under this measure, it would be up to unelected career bureaucrats at the State Department to determine what constitutes this phobia and to single out groups, to single out governments, to single out individuals who do not share the political views of those unelected, career bureaucrats. My Republican colleagues on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs rightly noted the lack of definitions in this bill, and that lack could be used to promote anti-Israel sentiment. Unfortunately, efforts to address those concerns were wholly dismissed by committee Democrats. Further, committee Republicans highlighted that this bill is absolutely redundant. Mr. Speaker, the State Department already operates robust human rights and religious freedom efforts, and those include, and I will list: the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; the Office of International Religious Freedom; and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. We already have offices for what this bill seeks to do. Creating a new envoy and office would simply duplicate those efforts; it would further fragment this important advocacy; it would increase the potential for conflict and delays; and it would thwart our efforts to actually help persecuted people. Their concerns fell on deaf ears. If House Democrats are serious about addressing anti-Muslim sentiment, then I encourage them to join the longstanding Republican efforts to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for their genocide against the Uyghur people. Somewhere between 1 and 3 million Uyghurs are currently held against their will in modern-day concentration camps in Communist China. These people are subjected to atrocities that include forced labor, torture, and enforced organ harvesting. Families are torn apart. The CCP even prohibits parents from teaching their Islamic faith to their children. Women are suffering forced sterilization and forced abortion to suppress Uyghur Muslim birth rates. Anyone who truly supports religious freedom and stands against anti- Muslim atrocities should want to hold the CCP accountable for their genocide against the Uyghur people. Yet, earlier this year Democratic leadership caved to the Biden administration and delayed a strong U.S. response to the Uyghur Muslim genocide, rather than sending the bipartisan, Senate-passed Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to the President's desk. It was the Biden administration who slow-walked that. Last week, we were finally given the opportunity to vote on that bill, only after the press highlighted Speaker Pelosi's inaction. Further, during the committee's consideration of H.R. 5665, Democrats voted down an amendment to focus the new office's efforts on the plight of the Uyghurs. In closing, it is obvious this bill is not combating anti-Muslim violence and persecution. If it were, House Democrats would have worked with Republicans and the Biden State Department on this effort. Instead, the Democrats are advancing this rushed, partisan legislation that fails to address the religious persecution happening right now in China and across the globe. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, with record high inflation and gas prices, supply chain shortages, and what is going to be the most expensive Thanksgiving on record, Democrats should focus on addressing real economic crises that are facing real Americans and real American workers every day. But instead, this bill before us would actually double lower- and middle-income earners chances of being audited. It would make it more expensive for them to heat their homes and fill their gas tanks, and it will actually drive businesses and jobs overseas; further damaging our economy. Democrats are extending tax breaks in this bill, extending tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires and jamming through far-left radical policies that will only drive prices higher and make our paychecks lower. If President Biden and congressional Democrats get their way, average Americans will be pinching pennies while our country's coastal elites will be legally evading taxes and getting tax subsidies and tax breaks to put another Tesla in their five-car garage. Madam Speaker, for that reason, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I think it should be noted that this bill actually impedes and bans domestic energy and mineral production, which will actually increase our dependencies on resource suppliers, from OPEC, Russia, and China. I just think that should be noted. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack), my good friend and colleague.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I would just note that this bill does not include the Hyde amendment, which will allow taxpayer dollars to be used to fund on-demand abortions. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, while I have tremendous respect for my colleague from Texas, I do want to point out that according to Moody's Analytics, consumer prices will rise 2.24 percent higher after the Biden infrastructure and the American Rescue Plan and the Build Back Better spending spree then in a Biden-free economy.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I have heard a lot tonight about pharmaceuticals. This bill implements socialist price control schemes for prescription drugs that will actually negatively impact seniors and negatively impact patients and those who have rare diseases in their families. There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding about this industry. On average, it costs $2.6 billion to take a drug to market. We, for whatever reason, focus on the cost per each dose. By the way, petrochemicals are used to make our pharmaceuticals, which this bill also taxes, as I said before. But there is a fundamental misunderstanding in how drugs are produced. If we get these socialist price controls in this bill, it will actually kill our innovation, or deincentivize any pharmaceutical company to actually reinvest and invest in new drugs and prescriptions, which will actually harm those with rare diseases and make it harder for those that are suffering from mental conditions to get the drugs they need. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. One thing we need to address here also is the tax on natural gas. This will increase nearly everything everyday Americans buy. We already know that there are projections that people will be paying more than ever this winter to heat their homes, almost a 50 percent increase in some places. If you look at the fees in this bill, the taxes, a $900 methane fee phases into $1,500 in production per metric ton. That just sounds like numbers, but think about it. If we are taxing natural gas, we are taxing Americans who use natural gas to heat their homes. We are taxing the industries that use petrochemicals to manufacture everyday products that we use and manufacture here in the United States. And consumers end up paying that tax, as well. We are also making it more expensive to manufacture here in the United States because as you tax natural gas, it costs more to manufacture goods here at home. Again, the American consumer will end up paying this tax. These taxes on natural gas will do nothing more than make it harder for Americans to heat their homes. It will make it more expensive for us to manufacture products, to pay for petrochemicals. It will make it harder for us to actually rebuild the economy. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, we are all here to represent our constituents, and I don't think it is a coincidence that House Democrats represent all but one of the 25 districts that benefit from the SALT tax provision. That includes Speaker Pelosi's own district. What this is, it is a tax break for millionaires and billionaires. Let's just look at the tax consequences of this bill. Analysis by the nonprofit Tax Foundation found, ``Over 96 percent of districts across the United States would eventually see a tax increase'' because of President Biden's and House Democrats' socialist, Big Government spending spree. Ninety-six percent of districts will have higher taxes because of that. This hurts the working and middle class. Even the left-leaning Tax Policy Center found that President Biden's and Speaker Pelosi's spending spree would raise taxes on middle-class Americans by 30 percent. That is 30 percent that you have to take into account when you have inflation at over 6 percent. In essence, it is a 36 percent-plus tax increase on middle-class families and working families. This bill, though, delivers tax cuts to some people, and that is two- thirds of the country's millionaires. Two-thirds of the millionaires in the United States under this bill actually receive a tax cut. Small businesses also get hurt. They don't get favored like millionaires and billionaires. This includes $400 billion in small business tax hikes, which some argue would take the effective tax rate of small businesses in excess of 57 percent. Additionally, this bill hires 87,000 new IRS agents that are going to be used to increase audits on everyday, working Americans. Nearly half of those audits will impact families earning $75,000 a year or less. About one-quarter affected will be Americans who earn just $25,000 per year. This will damage the working and middle class severely. This isn't just numbers. We can talk about tax rates all we want, but when Americans go to Thanksgiving Day dinner, they will pay more than ever. If you just look at how much Americans are paying, steak is up 24 percent. Bacon is up over 20 percent; fish and seafood over 11 percent; eggs, 11.6 percent. This will be the most expensive Thanksgiving Day dinner in the history of the United States, thanks to Joe Biden's economy. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), my good friend and colleague.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My friend and colleague from Massachusetts was talking about taxes. I will stand here and talk about taxes all day because, at the end of the night, the American people will see that the second-biggest provision in this bill is actually a tax break to millionaires and billionaires. Facts are facts. If you look at it, the Committee for Responsible Federal Budgets found that the SALT tax carve-out would ``be nearly 50 times as large as the benefit of the expanded child tax credits for a typical family over 5 years.'' SALT gives tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires in blue States. Who pays for that? Working families all over the United States. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan), my good friend and the former ranking member of the Judiciary Committee to explain the amendment.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I just want to cite something. While campaigning for the White House last year, President Biden repeatedly, repeatedly stressed that he would not directly raise taxes on individuals making below $400,000. Information in an analysis by the Joint Committee on Taxation released Tuesday showed that the House version of President Biden's bill will start raising taxes as early as 2023 on middle-class families. Additionally, tax increases fall heaviest on the lower and middle class, while the super-wealthy receive a generous tax cut until at least 2025. I know my good friend from Colorado was talking about wages increasing. What is not being considered is that if wages are not increasing at the amount of inflation, people are actually having less purchasing power. So unless your wages have increased by 6.2 percent, your money earned is actually not what it was just a month or two or three ago. So, yes, wages may be rising, but they are not keeping pace with inflation, so everyday Americans are paying what economists call the invisible tax of inflation, which hurts working-class and middle-class families the most, particularly when you look at the amount they have to pay for gas prices, which are at a 7-year high. By the way, the last time gas prices were this high, President Biden was again in the White House. Additionally, something to consider, the budget resolution has three committees that are well over the budget resolution amount, which I believe is going to cause a problem in the Senate. First, the Committee on Homeland Security was at $500 million in the budget resolution. It is almost three times that amount on the current CBO score. It is just under $1.5 billion. If you look at the Committee on the Judiciary, you had a budget resolution number of just about $108 billion. The CBO came back at $115 billion, just over $115 billion, with $369 billion from 2032 to 2041. Then you have the Committee on Oversight, which is almost just as egregious as Homeland Security's number. It was in the budget resolution as $7.5 billion. It is almost twice that, at $13.8 billion. I am not the Senate Parliamentarian, but from my understanding, this is going to cause significant issues at the Senate. But, Madam Speaker, I just want to talk about the previous question. If we defeat the previous question, I will offer personally an amendment to the rule to strike provisions in this bill allowing millions of illegal immigrants to live and work in the United States indefinitely and setting them on the path toward citizenship. Madam Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, in Joe Biden's America, 70 percent of Americans describe this economy as poor. It is not hard to see why that is. Inflation is at a 31-year high. This makes it harder for everyday Americans to purchase everyday items. It is also wiping out wages. Gas prices alone are at a 7-year high. American families are facing the most expensive Thanksgiving on record. The backlog of ships that are waiting to deliver goods has grown by 43 percent since President Biden promised to fix our supply chain crisis last month. Yet, here we are, about to consider the most expensive bill in American history. We are doing this instead of addressing the real problems that are facing real Americans. Democrats are now doubling down on their failed tax and spend policies that will make Joe Biden's economic crisis even worse than it is now. President Biden once said: ``Show me your budget, and I will tell you what you value.'' Well, the bill before us today makes one thing clear: Democrats value millionaires and billionaires over blue-collar workers and American families. The Democrats' Big Government socialist spending spree provides tax cuts of up to $25,900 for millionaires, home buying and childcare subsidies for couples making over $200,000, and electric vehicle subsidies for couples who bring in more than half a million dollars a year. Those are the values of my colleagues across the aisle. In total, there are $250 billion in tax breaks for the top 1 percent. Who will be paying for the wealthy to buy a new mansion or maybe put a new Tesla in their five-car garage? That is easy. It is going to be middle-class Americans, working families who have to subsidize these extravagances. The left-leaning Tax Policy Center found this bill would raise taxes on middle-class Americans by 30 percent. That doesn't even factor in the hidden tax of inflation that is over 6 percent now. This tax scheme will also destroy up to 1 million U.S. jobs. Just like millionaires and billionaires, China benefits from this bill, thanks to a ban on domestic mineral production and policies that make it better for foreign businesses to manufacture outside the United States rather than right here in America. Far-left news organizations also luck out with a new tax cut, while millions of illegal immigrants will be granted amnesty and will be eligible for $45,000 a year in government benefits. Butterflies, freshwater mussels, and desert fish also receive millions of dollars in this bill. There is also $2.5 billion for so- called tree equity. How about middle-class Americans? We already know that they will be paying more in taxes and seeing fewer economic opportunities. But, surely, there is something in this bill for them. Well, for starters, Democrats are hiring 87,000 new IRS agents to spy on their bank accounts. Their proposal will double the chance of being audited, with nearly half of all audits hitting families making less than $75,000 a year. The Democrats are also implementing Big Government socialist price control schemes on prescription drugs, meaning that fewer cures and fewer treatments will be available for seniors and patients. Also, thanks to a natural gas tax and more than $550 billion spent on Green New Deal policies, Americans can expect to pay higher prices for home heating costs, electricity rates, and gas prices. Keep in mind that heating bills are already expected to be up as much as 54 percent for some American households this winter. So if President Biden's words are true and a budget is demonstrative of values, then it is very clear what my friends across the aisle value, and that is millionaires and billionaires, illegal immigrants, bugs and fish, and even this concept of tree equity. Those are the values that are prioritized in this budget over the concerns and needs of everyday Americans, working-class and middle- class families. The Democrats' Big Government socialist spending scam is full of far- left priorities and will further fuel the highest inflation and the highest spike in prices that we have seen in four decades. Sadly, it is going to be American workers, job creators, and families who will be forced to foot this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Kristy Dubinsky, who selflessly painted portraits for the families of the 13 U.S. service members killed in evacuation efforts at the Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 26, 2021. After learning of the suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, Kristy Dubinsky immediately knew she needed to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed in that senseless act. An accomplished artist herself, Ms. Dubinsky was already working on another piece for an art show in Michigan. However, she dropped what she was working on to paint a portrait of each service member who gave their life that day. Ms. Dubinsky, an art teacher at Elizabeth Forward High School specializing in military themes, said that ``a voice in my head just kept telling me to paint the 13.'' Kristy documented the entire process. She posted daily on her social media platforms for others to follow along. While recording the progress over the 13 days, a disabled former Marine, Shelly Frontera, saw what Kristy posted and traveled from Michigan to honor the 13 soldiers by accompanying each painting with a red, white bud vase, and blue rose. Ms. Dubinsky's portraits depict 12 of the 13 in formal dress: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Pichardo, Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, Navy Hospital Corpsman Maxton Soviak, and Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan Page. Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee is the only exception. Ms. Dubinsky chose to depict the iconic photo of her holding an Afghan baby as evacuation efforts continued. Kristy's portraits are now part of the world's largest annual juried international art show, with 900 artists and thousands of visitors attending. Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the achievements of Kristy Dubinsky. Her work is exceptional and solidifies her reputation as a champion of the American service members in our region.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend and fellow Rules Committee member, Dr. Burgess, for yielding me the time. Madam Speaker, let's just look at the cost of this. This bill comes in at $4.1 trillion. That is more than double what my friends across the aisle claim this comes in at. And how do we pay for this? I will tell you how, crippling taxes and budget gimmicks. This bill would levy $420 billion in tax increases on our Nation's small businesses, $800 billion in tax hikes on American companies, as well. So what does this mean for Americans? What does this mean for the American consumer? Well, it means fewer jobs. It means higher prices. It means more reliance on China for our everyday goods. If you thought that today's sky-high inflation, if you thought that our supply chain crises were bad, just wait until this bill goes into effect. H.R. 5376 includes a new tax even on retirement plans. It bans production of domestic energy, and it raises taxes on natural gas. All of these policies, all of them would be disastrous for American job creators, disastrous for American workers, and disastrous for American families. But it is not bad news for all Americans, Madam Speaker. Millionaires and billionaires have it made under this bill. This bill restores the SALT deduction, giving the wealthy up to $72,500 in tax breaks each year. These are the individuals that benefit under this, the wealthy, the elite. This legislation also includes $550 billion in green subsidies, ensuring that the top 1 percent that already benefits under this bill can put another Tesla in their garage. You can clearly see where the Democrats' priorities lie. It is not with the American worker. It is with the American top 1 percent elite. Americans deserve better.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend, Ranking Member Smith, for yielding. Madam Speaker, it was just 4 short years ago that Speaker Pelosi tweeted, ``Republicans shouldn't vote without an updated CBO score.'' Those were the Speaker's own words 4 years ago. The Speaker even doubled down later in that tweet. She accused Republicans of attempting to ``jam this bill through without an updated CBO score of its impacts.'' Again, that was the Speaker 4 years ago. Apparently, the Speaker has forgotten those words, because later today, Democrats plan to ram through this Big Government tax-and-spend proposal with no information from the nonpartisan CBO about the true cost and the true economic impact their spending spree will have on the American people. So I guess it is fair to say that the Speaker subscribes to that age- old adage, ``do as I say, not as I do.''

Mr. RESCHENTHALER

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend and colleague, Congressman Bentz, for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to speak in support of the COPS Counseling Act. It is a piece of bipartisan legislation that I introduced with my good friend, David Trone from Maryland. Congressman Trone has been an incredible partner. I am really grateful for all of his hard work, and as everybody in this body knows, no one works harder than David Trone when he is pushing a bill. It is quite amazing to see and watch. Mr. Speaker, every day, our Nation's law enforcement officers put their own lives at risk to keep us safe. That service does not come without sacrifice. Last year, 178 current or Active-Duty law enforcement officers died by suicide. Just this year, 121 officers have already taken their own lives. S. 1502 seeks to alleviate the stressors law enforcement experiences by establishing clear confidentiality standards for peer-to-peer counseling. A Fraternal Order of Police survey showed that 73 percent of surveyed officers found peer-to-peer support counseling to be the most helpful mental health resource offered by police departments. Unfortunately, an officer's peer support communications can be discoverable on public record; it can be used in court proceedings; and worse, it can even impact and affect their employment. By creating clear standards for confidentiality, the COPS Counseling Act would provide officers with peace of mind that their privacy is protected when they seek peer support services. This legislation also encourages State and local first responder agencies to adopt peer counseling programs so more officers can take advantage of this important mental health resource. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our Nation's law enforcement officers by voting for this legislation.

Mr. RESCHENTHALER

Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of Andrew G. Uram, who passed away on October 3, 2021 at the age of 100. Growing up during the Great Depression, Andrew displayed an incredible work ethic and selflessness at a young age. His widowed mother, despite the privation of the times, instilled in him the belief that it was better to give than to receive--a belief that would come to define Andrew's life. He graduated from Butler High School in 1937 and went to work for Armco Steel, clocking in as much as possible. Following America's entrance into World War II, Andrew put his career on hold and joined the U.S. Navy, serving as an Aviation Cadet. After returning from service in 1945, Andrew went to work for Metropolitan Life as an agent. In just a few years, he was promoted to the company's field training division in New York City. In 1955, the company sent Andrew to Washington County, Pennsylvania to serve as a district manager in charge of 35 agents and 10 clerks. At the time, he was the company's youngest manager. In 1969, Andrew was hired as vice president at Mellon Bank's Washington branch. At 65, he retired from banking and transitioned to commercial real estate. While he had a distinguished and successful professional life, Andrew would be the first to tell you his true passion was giving. Andrew became deeply involved with the Washington County Community Chest in 1956. By the mid-1960s, following their transition to the United Way, he was already bringing in $1 million for the organization. Andrew was also Chairman of the Catawba District of the Boy Scouts of America, President and Paul Harris Fellow of the Washington Rotary Club, Director of the Greater Washington Area Chamber of Commerce, and District Governor of Rotary, Andrew truly left his mark on southwestern Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in securing the donation of Heritage Reservation, where local Boy Scouts have camped for generations. Andrew also helped build the current home of the Citizen's Library in Washington. The community consistently honored Andrew for his generosity and leadership. The Jaycees gave him and his late wife, Julie, the Distinguished Service Award. The Boy Scouts named Andrew a Silver Beaver, their highest local honor. The Rotary Club of Washington not only gave him an international service award, but it also named the award in his honor. Notably, Andrew was named Philanthropist of the Year in 2016. Madam Speaker, Andrew Uram was an incredibly accomplished community leader, philanthropist, and one of the kindest people in Washington County. It was a privilege to have known him. Andrew is survived by his sons James, Paul, Thomas, and Matthew, as well as his grandchildren, Brooke and Andrew. Please join me and the Uram family in celebrating his life.