Austin Scott

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Armond Morris of Irwin County for his retirement as Chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. While farming for over 50 years, Armond has advocated for the peanuty industry and farmers nationally and internationally. He served with the Georgia Peanut Commission for more than four decades and was chairman for 20 years. During his service, he led efforts to ensure that the U.S. peanut industry remained competitive against imports, worked toward improving federal policies, and fought off regulation and disease that would've been harmful to the industry. His outstanding dedication to our nation's peanut industry prioritized U.S. peanuts and grew the industry domestically. As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am honored to represent outstanding farmers such as Armond. It is individuals like him that make Georgia, and America, great.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Scotty Raines of Turner County for being named the 2022 Georgia Farmer of the Year. Scotty is a lifelong contributor to the agriculture industry. After high school, he was an active member of the Turner County High School FFA chapter and worked as a farm technician for Agra Tech Seed Research. He began farming full-time in 1993, partnering with his father-in-law on 500 acres of rented land and establishing a personal herd of 30 beef cows. Scotty has spent 28 years expanding and diversifying his farming operation, emphasizing marketing strategies related to the cotton, corn, peanuts, and watermelons he produces on more than 2,300 acres today. His contributions to the local community and outstanding agricultural achievements have not gone unnoticed. As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am honored to represent outstanding farmers such as Scotty. It is individuals like him that make Georgia, and America, great.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I was delayed at a security screening. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 390. Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress Barragan (Beyer) Bucshon (Walorski) Bustos (Brownley) Cardenas (Soto) Casten (Foster) Crist (Wasserman Schultz) DeFazio (Carbajal) Demings (Soto) Fulcher (Johnson (OH)) Hagedorn (Moolenaar) Johnson (TX) (Jeffries) Khanna (Raskin) Lawrence (Johnson (GA)) Lawson (FL) (Evans) Lesko (Miller (WV)) Moore (UT) (Curtis) Palazzo (Fleischmann) Payne (Norcross) Porter (Wexton) Posey (Cammack) Ruiz (Aguilar) Rush (Quigley) Schneider (Wasserman Schultz) Stewart (Curtis) Swalwell (Gomez) Tiffany (Arrington) Underwood (Quigley) Vela (Gomez) Watson Coleman (Norcross) Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the Atlanta Braves for winning the 2021 World Series. It's been 26 years since ``America's Team'' clinched a World Series. I remember the stars of that 1995 World Series team--Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, and Greg Maddux, just to name a few. Just like that World Series lives in the minds of many, the 2021 World Series against the Houston Astros will hold a special place in the minds of baseball fans across our state--and all throughout Braves country--for years to come. Despite Atlanta having the All-Star Game taken away in July and not having the chance to honor the late, great Hank Aaron on a national stage, the Braves found a way to bring the Fall Classic back to Georgia and pay tribute to Hank--and fittingly clinched the series in the 44th week of the year. This team fought the entire season--despite having as low as a 0.3 percent chance to win the World Series back in mid-July and not having a winning record until August 6th. They overcame a tremendous number of obstacles to bring the trophy back to the Peach State. They have made Georgia very proud, and I look forward to them defending their title next year. Chop On and Go Braves.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 219 on the motion to table, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 220 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1664, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 221 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2365, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 222 on ordering the previous question for H. Res. 555, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 223 on agreeing to H. Res. 555, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 224 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 957, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 225 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 1910, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 226 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 4502, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 227 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 4502, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 228 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 4502, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 229 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 4502, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 230 on agreeing to the amendment to H.R. 4502, I am not recorded because I was fulfilling my Congressional duties at Fort Benning, Georgia. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 209 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 826, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 210 on ordering the previous question of H. Res. 535, I am not recorded because I was unvoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 211 on agreeing to the resolution of H. Res. 535, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 212 on the motion to suspend the rules and pass certain bills and agree to certain resolutions, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 213 on the motion to recommit for H.R. 2668, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 214 on passage of H.R. 2668, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 176.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, you have a 10-vote margin in this body. This body has 20 standing committees. You created a proxy voting system that allows your Members to stay at home while the Republican Members show up for work and you have another resolution that you haven't discussed yet to remove over 100 Republican Members of Congress, including 6 from my home State of Georgia. Do you really think that we believe that you are going to stop with the gentlewoman from the 14th Congressional District, Mrs. Marjorie Taylor Greene? We know better. We know better. The truth of the matter is you have got a math problem in passing your agenda.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, this morning, as many of you, I was watching the National Day of Prayer. While watching, I was reading an opinion piece in Baptist News and this message stuck out to me as relevant to today's debate: Whoever has the power, makes the rules; whoever makes the rules, makes them in their favor. Madam Speaker, I want you to know that I read that before I saw your prayer, which I thought was a wonderful closing prayer. I would point out, some others who don't share our faith may not. I thought it was wonderful and that is the First Amendment that we get to enjoy in this country, and I thank you for that prayer. I rise today in opposition to H. Res. 72 and efforts by the majority to remove a member of the minority party from their committee assignments. This resolution--and I think this is important--was introduced 3 days ago to the Ethics Committee, but it was brought to the floor without so much as a hearing before the Ethics Committee. Now I want to stress, the past remarks or emojis that you bring up of our colleague do not represent the values of our Conference nor of my home State of Georgia. I expressed that in her primary and I continue to express that today. But if this was about the remarks our colleague made, you would put a resolution on the floor condemning those remarks. But no matter what those remarks are or how bad they are, she and every other Member in this body should be entitled to due process just as every other American is entitled to due process. And in this case, it would be before the Ethics Committee before it came to the floor of the House. But let's be honest about what this is.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I am not recorded on the following votes because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: on Roll Call No. 228 on passage of H.R. 7995, I would have voted YEA; on Roll Call No. 229 on motion to adjourn, I would have voted YEA; on Roll Call No. 230 on ordering the previous question for H. Res. 1244, I would have voted NAY; on Roll Call No. 231 on agreeing to the resolution for H. Res. 1244, I would have voted NAY; on Roll Call No. 232 on passage of H.R. 1380, I would have voted NAY; on Roll Call No. 233 on passage of S. 2981, I would have voted NAY; on Roll Call No. 234 on motion to recommit with instructions for H.R. 3884, I would have voted YEA; and on Roll Call No. 235 on passage of H.R. 3884, I would have voted NAY.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding, and I thank all of my colleagues for their comments. Madam Speaker, I would like to focus my comments on the attacks on the Irwin County Hospital and the staff at the Irwin County Hospital. And one of the things that I would like to make very clear is: While I was not invited to the event at the Irwin County Detention Center that my colleagues had--even though it is in my district--I was on the telephone with people who were there at the time, including our local hospital administrator. I have been to that facility, and one of the things I want everybody in this Congress to understand is, surgical procedures are not done at the Irwin County Detention facility. They are not. They are done at the Irwin County Hospital. So when you talk about procedures being done at the Irwin County Detention facility, it is just false. They are done at the Irwin County Hospital. The detention facility is not set up to do surgical procedures. So the question is: How do we get here? Well, there was a whistleblower complaint filed by a group named Project South on September 14, 2020. I have a copy of the complaint. The complaint focuses on COVID and the challenges that the facility may or may not have had with COVID. And every facility in the United States, including this Congress, had challenges with personal protective equipment and COVID, and how we were handling those issues. Now, in this complaint, which focuses predominantly on COVID, they make an allegation of hysterectomies. And I read to you from one of the AP articles: ``But a lawyer who helped filed the complaint said she never spoke to any women who had hysterectomies. Priyanka Bhatt, staff attorney at the advocacy group Project South, told The Washington Post that she included the hysterectomy allegations because she wanted to trigger an investigation to determine if they were true.'' And the investigation has been triggered. And we all want the investigation to go forward, and we want the facts to come out. And nobody wants the facts to come out more than those of us who live in that area. Nobody wants the facts to come out more than the doctor and the hospital and the staff at that hospital and the people who work at the detention facility. Madam Speaker, I share with you a couple of quotes from some other AP articles. This is from The Washington Post: ``The advocacy group that filed the complaint, Project South, did not make the hysterectomy allegations the focus of its September 14 complaint to DHS, a complaint that alleged there is poor medical care and novel coronavirus risks at the ICE facility.'' The attorney at Project South who was the lead investigator for the complaint said in an interview with The Washington Post that she did not speak to or identify any women who had undergone a hysterectomy. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the Washington Post article. [From the Washington Post, Sept. 22, 2020] Hospital Where Activists Say ICE Detainees Were Subjected to Hysterectomies Says Just Two Were Performed There (By Nick Miroff) A hospital in rural Georgia where a physician has been accused of performing a large number of hysterectomies on immigrant detainees said its records show that just two women in immigration custody have been referred to the hospital for the procedure since 2017. Heath Clark, an attorney for ERH Healthcare, which operates the Irwin County Hospital, said both of the procedures were performed by Mahendra Amin, the physician whom activists have accused of carrying out forced sterilizations on immigrant women in U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement custody. According to a complaint filed last week by immigrant advocates and attorneys, a former nurse who worked at the Irwin County Detention Center, Dawn Wooten, claimed that a doctor known as ``the uterus collector'' was subjecting female ICE detainees to unwanted hysterectomies. The doctor was later identified in news reports as Amin. Through attorneys, he has denied the accusations, and calls to his office were not answered Tuesday. Clark said hospital records show that Wooten's claims are ``demonstrably false.'' ``These allegations are disturbing and sensational, but they are not supported by reality,'' said Clark, speaking by phone from Nashville. ``Dr. Amin is a longtime member of the Irwin County Hospital medical staff and has been in good standing for the entirety of his service to the Irwin County community.'' The allegations of forced sterilizations received significant attention from lawmakers, news organizations and human rights groups last week. Attorneys who represent several women have come forward to say that their clients received gynecological treatments from Amin that they did not agree to or fully understand, including one former Irwin detainee, Pauline Binam. Binam said that one of her fallopian tubes was removed without consent. Binam's deportation to Cameroon was halted last week at the behest of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.). Amin has a private clinic near the detention facility, but the hospital is the only place where such a procedure would be performed in small Irwin County, Clark said. Amin does not have an ownership stake in the hospital, contrary to some news reports, Clark said. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), one of the lawmakers who participated in a virtual hearing Monday to discuss the ICE report, called Wooten's allegations of sterilization procedures on ICE detainees ``one of the most inhumane things I have ever heard.'' Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) wrote a letter signed by 173 lawmakers demanding a DHS inspector general investigation. ``There may be at minimum 17 to 18 women who were subjected to unnecessary medical gynecological procedures from just this one doctor, often without appropriate consent or knowledge, and with the clear intention of sterilization,'' Jayapal said. In a subsequent interview, Jayapal acknowledged that she did not know the details of each of those cases, but the number she cited referred to the clients of attorneys with whom she had spoken. The advocacy group that filed the complaint, Project South, did not make the hysterectomy allegations the focus of its Sept. 14 complaint to DHS, a complaint that alleged there is poor medical care and novel coronavirus risks at the ICE facility. But it was the allegations of forced sterilizations that triggered a firestorm. ``The rate at which the hysterectomies have occurred have been a red flag for Ms. Wooten and other nurses at ICDC,'' the Project South complaint said, without identifying other nurses. According to Project South, ``Ms. Wooten explained: `We've questioned among ourselves like goodness he's taking everybody's stuff out . . . . That's his specialty, he's the uterus collector. I know that's ugly . . . is he collecting these things or something . . . . Everybody he sees, he's taking all their uteruses out or he's taken their tubes out.' '' Priyanka Bhatt, the attorney at Project South who was the lead investigator for the complaint, said in an interview with The Washington Post that she did not speak to or identify any women who had undergone a hysterectomy. Bhatt said she included the allegations to spark an investigation into their validity. The legal director at Project South, Azadeh Shahshahani, said by email Tuesday: ``We have already heard from multiple attorneys representing numerous women who have suffered abuses reflected by Ms. Wooten's whistleblowing disclosures. Some of these women are considering speaking up because Ms. Wooten courageously stepped forward. There has been a troubling pattern of misreporting on the health and welfare of detained immigrants held inside ICE facilities, and we look forward to Congress, the Inspector General, and all other relevant offices conducting a full investigation and applying immediate, necessary, corrective actions.'' ICE said its own records show that two female detainees at Irwin have been referred for hysterectomies since 2018. Officials at ICE said the agency would have records of such procedures, which would require the approval of a supervising medical officer at the agency. ICE officials say they are cooperating with investigators.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 8265 to extend the Paycheck Protection Program to keep millions of employees on the payrolls of America's small businesses.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, here is another article from Reuters: ``Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Thursday that the government has not yet found any proof of forced sterilization of Mexican women being held at migrant detention facilities in the United States.'' Madam Speaker, I include in the Record this article. [From Reuters, Sept. 24, 2020] No Evidence of Sterilization of Migrant Mexican Women, Says Foreign Minister (By Reuters Staff) Mexico City (Reuters).--Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Thursday that the government has not yet found any proof of forced sterilization of Mexican women being held in migrant detention facilities in the United States. The comments came after U.S. immigration officials earlier this month said a federal watchdog would investigate complaints made by a whistleblower nurse in a Georgia immigration detention facility who alleged detainees had improperly received hysterectomies and other gynecological procedures. Ebrard told reporters that 20 of 24 female Mexican nationals being held at detention centers in the U.S. states of Georgia and Texas had been interviewed and none of them had been subjected to such procedures. He added, however, that an investigation was ongoing as more women still needed to be interviewed. Ebrard at the time described such potential abuse as ``unacceptable'' and said that if the procedures were confirmed, measures would have to be taken, without giving details.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, now somewhere between September 14 and September 25, H. Res. 1153 was drafted. And I think that that date is extremely important because the resolution was drafted before you even went to the ICE detention facility in Irwin County. It was drafted before you even got on the site to see what was actually happening. The hospital administrator was there at the facility on the 26th. And there are a couple of things I want to point out: One, the hospital administrator is a lady. She is a good lady and she is a good hospital administrator. And the doctor is an immigrant. Now, everyone who came to that facility had the opportunity to meet with the hospital administrator, and every single one of you refused the opportunity to get the facts from the hospital administrator. Never mind the facts. And you wonder why people hate us up here. Madam Speaker, I have a statement I would read from the Irwin County Hospital, who wants a complete and thorough investigation: ``Irwin County Hospital is aware of various allegations of misconduct against individuals being detained at the Irwin County Detention Center. ``Irwin County Hospital is committed to the safety and welfare of everyone in our care, including patients referred for care from the Irwin County Detention Center. From 2017 to the present, two individuals in detention at the Irwin County Detention Center were referred to Irwin County Hospital for hysterectomies.'' You have made accusations of mass sterilization. You should be embarrassed by your conduct. You don't want an investigation because you don't want the facts.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, ``From 2017 to the present, two individuals in detention at the Irwin County Detention Center were referred to Irwin County Hospital for hysterectomies. Mahendra Amin, MD, performed these two procedures. Dr. Amin is a long- time member of the Irwin County Hospital medical staff and has been in good standing for the entirety of his service to the Irwin County community. ``Irwin County Hospital is and will continue to cooperate with any and all regulatory investigations related to healthcare services provided at Irwin County Hospital.'' Dr. Amin has only performed two hysterectomies in 3.5 years on detainees at Irwin County Hospital. This has been acknowledged by independent reviews by ICH, ICDC, ICE, and even the Associated Press. Independent peer review has confirmed those cases were medically necessary. Irwin County Hospital is the closest hospital facility to the Irwin County Detention Center. The CEO of Irwin County Hospital was available to the Hispanic Caucus during their visit to the detention center. The warden made the Caucus aware of her presence at the facility and availability and no questions nor interaction was made by the Caucus. You absolutely refused to even speak to the lady that runs the local hospital because you don't want the facts. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record this statement released by the hospital. Irwin County Hospital is aware of various allegations of misconduct against individuals being detained at the Irwin County Detention Center. Irwin County Hospital is committed to the safety and welfare of everyone in our care, including patients referred for care from the Irwin County Detention Center. From 2017 to the present, two individuals in detention at the Irwin County Detention Center were referred to Irwin County Hospital for hysterectomies. Mahendra Amin, MD performed these two procedures. Dr. Amin is a long-time member of the Irwin County Hospital medical staff and has been in good standing for the entirety of his service to the Irwin County community. Irwin County Hospital is and will continue to cooperate with any and all regulatory investigations related to healthcare care services provided at Irwin County Hospital.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Bill Verner, Executive Vice President of the Georgia EMC. After decades of dedicated service, Bill is retiring from his position at the Georgia EMC on the 40th anniversary of beginning his career in the electric cooperative industry. Bill began his career with Carroll EMC while working his way through college. He joined the Georgia EMC in 1984, began working in government relations in 1986, and was appointed to lead Georgia EMC's efforts in the state legislature and regulatory arena in 1996. His strong beliefs in the cooperative's principles are evident in his years of dedicated service representing EMC's interests in the Georgia General Assembly, Congress, and state and federal agencies. Having worked with Bill personally, l have seen firsthand the level of expertise and commitment that has made him an invaluable asset to the cooperative. His hard work, leadership, and deep understanding of America's most successful public-private partnership, the electric cooperative business model, has benefitted EMC members throughout Georgia. Bill's career is marked by his many contributions to Georgia EMC and the 41 EMCs across the state. His tenure over the past four decades with Georgia EMC makes him one of the longest-serving employees in the association's eighty-year history. In today's age, it is a rarity to find the combination of character, ability, and commitment that Bill exemplifies. On behalf of the Eighth Congressional District of Georgia, I would like to thank Bill for his service to our state's electric cooperatives and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Walker) for yielding to me to speak about my friend and colleague, Congressman John Lewis, a man that I loved. I will miss dearly him saying, ``I love you too, brother.'' There is no telling how many times John Lewis told the people of this House, ``I love you too, brother.'' He looked at everybody, no matter who you were, as a brother. I selfishly thought about how much I was going to miss him and seeing him and Michael Collins on a Delta ready to fly up here. I always got a kick out of the fact that people from my district would sit down next to me and say: Did you see John Lewis on the plane? And, by the way, what do you do? That was just the way people loved John Lewis. There is not a person walking in this country today who didn't benefit from John Lewis and what he did for mankind, and I would venture to say that the majority of the people in the world benefited from his love and what he did. I thought about a few passages. We have talked about him preaching to the chickens, and maybe we are the chickens he was preaching to his whole life. I remembered the Beatitudes: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they should be called the children of God. If there was ever a peacemaker that I met, it was John Lewis. Following from there: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. A little further into the book of Matthew: Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in Heaven. There is no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that John Lewis was a special man. He was a special man of God. And while his bones may rest, his legacy will live on forever in this body. I, for one, look very forward to the day that a statue of John Lewis rests in the Halls of this Congress representing not only the great State of Georgia and the people of the State of Georgia, but all of the men and women of the United States.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 123 on the motion to recommit for H.R. 1425, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 124 on passage of H.R. 1425, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 125 on the motion to recommit for H.R. 5332, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 126 on passage of H.R. 5332, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 127 on motion to recommit for H.R. 7301, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call No. 128 on passage of H.R. 7301, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call No. 129 on passage of H.J. Res. 90, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay`` on rollcall No. 84.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Coach Buddy Nobles of Ocilla, GA who passed away on Thursday, January 23, 2020 after a hard-fought battle with stomach cancer. Coach Nobles served as the Head Coach of the Irwin County High School football team for the past six seasons, taking his team to the state playoffs during five of those seasons. Despite his battle with cancer, Coach Nobles led the Indians to finish their 2019 season undefeated and win the Class A State Championship, earning him the honor of being named AJC's Class A public-school coach of the year. Before coming to Irwin County in 2014, Coach Nobles was a high school football coach at various schools in Georgia and Florida for twenty-six seasons, during which, he was part of six Florida state-championship teams. His impressive career was marked by his dedication and love for all his players, and he will be missed by all. Coach Nobles' leadership and fighting spirit served as an inspiration to those who knew him, and his legacy is sure to live on at Irwin County High School. I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to the Nobles family and the entire Irwin County community. May you find strength and comfort in remembering the joy Buddy brought to the lives of everyone who knew him.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 11 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 10.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I join my colleagues in expressing the will to have an honest debate of the War Powers Act, should the majority party choose to do so. Before I move any further, I submit for the Record a report from the Director of National Intelligence on Barack Obama's use of drones, an average of 67 drone strikes a year over his first 7 years in office, killing an average of six enemy combatants a week, wherein the majority said absolutely nothing about it at the time. Summary of Information Regarding U.S. Counterterrorism Strikes Outside Areas of Active Hostilities In accordance with the President's direction and consistent with the President's commitment to providing as much information as possible to the American people about U.S. counterterrorism activities, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is releasing today a summary of information provided to the DNI about both the number of strikes taken by the U.S. Government against terrorist targets outside areas of active hostilities and the assessed number of combatant and non-combatant deaths resulting from those strikes. ``Areas of active hostilities'' currently include Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Summary of U.S. Counterterrorism Strikes Outside Areas of Active Hostilities between January 20, 2009 and December 31, 2015 Total number of strikes against terrorist targets outside areas of active hostilities: 473. Combatant deaths: 2372-2581. Non-combatant deaths: 64-116. The assessed range of non-combatant deaths provided to the DNI reflects consideration of credible reports of non- combatant deaths drawn from all-source information, including reports from the media and non- governmental organizations. The assessed range of non- combatant deaths includes deaths for which there is an insufficient basis for assessing that the deceased is a combatant. U.S. Government Post-Strike Review Processes and Procedures The information that was provided to the DNI regarding combatant and non-combatant deaths is the result of processes that include careful reviews of all strikes after they are conducted to assess the effectiveness of operations. These review processes have evolved over time to ensure that they incorporate the best available all-source intelligence, media reporting, and other information and may result in reassessments of strikes if new information becomes available that alters the original judgment. The large volume of pre- and post-strike data available to the U.S. Government can enable analysts to distinguish combatants from non- combatants, conduct detailed battle damage assessments, and separate reliable reporting from terrorist propaganda or from media reports that may be based on inaccurate information. Discrepancies Between U.S. Government and Non-Governmental Assessments In releasing these figures, the U.S. Government acknowledges that there are differences between U.S. Government assessments and reporting from non-governmental organizations. Reports from non-governmental organizations can include both aggregate data regarding non-combatant deaths as well as case studies addressing particular strikes, and generally rely on a combination of media reporting and, in some instances, field research conducted in areas of reported strikes. Although these organizations' reports of non-combatant deaths resulting from U.S. strikes against terrorist targets outside areas of active hostilities vary widely, such reporting generally estimates significantly higher figures for non-combatant deaths than is indicated by U.S. Government information. For instance, for the period between January 20, 2009 and December 31, 2015, non- governmental organizations' estimates range from more than 200 to slightly more than 900 possible non-combatant deaths outside areas of active hostilities. Consistent with the requirements applicable to future reporting under Section 3(b) of the Executive Order ``United States Policy on Pre- and Post-Strike Measures to Address Civilian Casualties in U.S. Operations Involving the Use of Force,'' the information we are releasing today addresses general reasons for discrepancies between post-strike assessments from the United States Government and credible reporting from non-governmental organizations regarding non- combatant deaths and does not address specific incidents. There are a number of possible reasons that these non- governmental organizations' reports of the number of noncombatants killed may differ from the U.S. Government assessments, based on the information provided to the DNI. First, although there are inherent limitations on determining the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths, particularly when operating in non-permissive environments, the U.S. Government uses post-strike methodologies that have been refined and honed over the years and that use information that is generally unavailable to non-governmental organizations. The U.S. Government draws on all available information (including sensitive intelligence) to determine whether an individual is part of a belligerent party fighting against the United States in an armed conflict, taking a direct part in hostilities against the United States, or otherwise targetable in the exercise of national self-defense. Thus, the U.S. Government may have reliable information that certain individuals are combatants, but are being counted as non-combatants by nongovernmental organizations. For example, further analysis of an individual's possible membership in an organized armed group may include, among other things: the extent to which an individual performs functions for the benefit of the group that are analogous to those traditionally performed by members of a country's armed forces; whether that person is carrying out or giving orders to others within the group; or whether that person has undertaken certain acts that reliably connote meaningful integration into the group. Second, according to information provided to the DNI, U.S. Government post-strike reviews involve the collection and analysis of multiple sources of intelligence before, during, and after a strike, including video observations, human sources and assets, signals intelligence, geospatial intelligence, accounts from local officials on the ground, and open source reporting. Information collected before a strike is intended to provide clarity regarding the number of individuals at a strike location as well as whether the individuals are engaged in terrorist activity. Post-strike collection frequently enables U.S. Government analysts to confirm, among other things, the number of individuals killed as well as their combatant status. The information is then analyzed along with other all-source intelligence reporting. This combination of sources is unique and can provide insights that are likely unavailable to non-governmental organizations. Finally, non-governmental organizations' reports of counterterrorism strikes attributed to the U.S. Government-- particularly their identification of non-combatant deaths-- may be further complicated by the deliberate spread of misinformation by some actors, including terrorist organizations, in local media reports on which some non- governmental estimates rely. Although the U.S. Government has access to a wide range of information, the figures released today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths given the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur. The U.S. Government remains committed to considering new, credible information regarding non-combatant deaths that may emerge and revising previous assessments, as appropriate.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, if we want to have an honest debate about the War Powers Act, then let's have an honest debate about the War Powers Act. Why didn't we hear anything from our colleagues on the other side of the aisle about Libya when President Barack Obama took action that led to the death of Muammar Qadhafi? Why not Syria? Why not Yemen? Why is Iran individually spelled out in this resolution? The only reason Iran is singled out in this resolution is to take a political jab at President Trump for utilizing an airstrike to take out General Soleimani, a terrorist who was responsible for killing thousands of Americans, partner troops, and, yes, Iranians. While our colleagues are upset with the use of airstrikes to kill General Soleimani, I remind them that the Obama administration, according to their own Director of National Intelligence, conducted hundreds of airstrikes, averaging more than six kills a week between January 2009 and December 2015, and that was in areas of nonhostilities. That doesn't even include Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, which are classified numbers. Let's just be honest about what this is. This is another partisan attack against the President of the United States for killing General Soleimani, who was a terrorist in an area where the President had the absolute legal authority to operate.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Irwin County High School football team from Ocilla, Georgia on their win against Marion County in the Class A Georgia State Championship on Saturday, December 14, 2019. With an impressive 56-14 win over the Marion County Eagles, the Indians football team finished their season undefeated (13-0) for the first time since 1975 and brought home the state title. This is the fifth time in six seasons that Head Coach Buddy Nobles has led the Indians to the state finals, all while battling Stage 4 stomach cancer. He called this team a ``team of destiny'' and there is no doubt his leadership and fighting spirit inspired Irwin County to bring home another state football title to Georgia's Eighth Congressional District. I want to congratulate the Indians, Coach Nobles, and the entire football and athletics staff at Irwin County High School for this accomplishment.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.