Expressing Support for Rural Communities Across the United States As Stewards of the Environment, Major Suppliers of United States Energy Resources, Critical Providers of Food Production and Manufacturing Capacity, and Drivers of National Economic Stability, and Recognizing the Work of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress in Support of Those Vital Communities

Floor Speech

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1189, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 1182) expressing support for rural communities across the United States as stewards of the environment, major suppliers of United States energy resources, critical providers of food production and manufacturing capacity, and drivers of national economic stability, and recognizing the work of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress in support of those vital communities, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

The Clerk read the title of the resolution.

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Res. 1182.

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, before I begin my remarks, I didn't hear, until you just announced, that David Scott had passed. What a wonderful man from the great State of Georgia. The resolution is from a new friend from Georgia.

David was either married to Hank Aaron's sister or Hank Aaron was married to his sister. I can't remember which, but he and Hank Aaron were brothers-in-law. I told him one time that my son loved collecting baseballs. Of course, one of the most valuable ones you could ever have was Hank Aaron's, and he brought one to me one day.

I didn't know him that well, but he was one of those kind of guys that if you mentioned something like that to him, he would remember it and make sure he took care of you. He was a gentleman, and he will be missed.

Also, while I have the floor and before I get into my remarks, David McKinley was a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, a very valuable member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, very serious. He was a great engineer, but also a great person with a great heart. He passed away last week. I think his services are this coming Monday.

Members of Congress get to serve with some really wonderful people, and none more than David McKinley. To the level that I knew Mr. Scott, he was a wonderful man, too.

I thank the Madam Speaker for that indulgence.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to discuss a resolution demonstrating the work House Republicans continue to do to improve all the lives of the American people, especially those who live in rural parts of our great Nation.

I am here to discuss H. Res. 1182 to cut through the noise that Democrats continue to make in opposition to the President and to congressional Republicans.

It seems that no matter how reasonable or even how bipartisan a policy has been in the past, Democrats choose partisan politics over the American people. Take, for example, our work in Congress, along with the administration, to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government health programs. Energy and Commerce Republicans have prioritized restoring program integrity in our government health programs throughout this entire Congress, starting with H.R. 1, by ensuring critical safety net programs can continue to serve their intended purpose of protecting our most vulnerable Americans to now launching a nationwide investigation into Medicaid programs across the country.

It is disheartening that Democrats refuse to come to the table to safeguard pregnant women, their children, low-income seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Republicans will continue advancing policies that protect important Federal programs.

I am here today primarily to highlight the many ways in which House Republicans are unleashing growth in the economy following years of heavyhanded government intervention under the Biden-Harris administration.

House Republicans are creating the right environment for individual Americans to set their own course and to achieve their own dreams. For example, Republicans have enacted legislation to release domestic energy production, such as reversing the Department of Energy's restrictions on LNG exports and requiring Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval of grid-planning policies to preserve reliability to keep the lights on for American families and businesses.

House Republicans have worked to ensure that rural manufacturers are not unfairly penalized for emissions they did not create when we passed commonsense reforms to the Clean Air Act permitting and permitting relief for broadband deployment.

House Republicans have worked to enhance healthcare quality and access through the Working Families Tax Cuts and Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.

House Republicans have bolstered health resources for rural communities through the Rural Health Fund Transformation Program, the most significant investment of its kind in history.

House Republicans also enacted the SUPPORT Act and HALT Fentanyl Act, which provide crucial resources to rural communities devastated by the opioid crisis.

House Republicans have worked hard and continue to work hard this Congress to accelerate economic growth and opportunity for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I am trying to answer everything that was just brought up. It would be difficult to do because I am trying to figure out exactly how to attack things that just weren't really accurate.

I would say, one, it would be accurate to say we want to give people choices in choosing their appliance.

Would they rather pay hundreds of dollars more today to save over 46 years, I think is one of the estimates, to lower their bills.

Somebody could say: I want to pay a few hundred dollars more today and save pennies every month over the next 46 years. I get my payback. I think Americans should be able to make that choice.

The other is regarding Medicaid. It affects you if you are illegal, if you are ineligible, and if you are able to work. There are States that cover people who are not here in a legal presence. The other one is we want to require that you check the rolls more than once a year and verify when people come on the rolls of Medicaid. It seems like we passed the bill now that we found out about Medicaid. We are looking at a dozen States already but that is just what we found in Minneapolis alone.

Mr. Speaker, we stand behind this bill. We did these great things for rural communities.

The other is the rural transformation fund. That money goes directly to rural hospitals, so it does make a difference. I can read quotes from different people from different States, and blue States, saying how it is going to transform their rural health system.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H. Res. 1182, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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