John Rutherford

I would like to ask a question, and whoever could answer.

I was not a big fan of prior to COVID, but I think they have kind of won me over.

One of the main focuses that I had was actually helping our veterans with their mental health issues and get the PAWS Act passed.

Actually, since I have been in Congress, I have been focused on getting service dogs to veterans suffering with PTSD.

Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary, because I have a lot of people, you know, in Jacksonville particularly because we have Canines for Warriors, which is in my district.

I have always considered it a great pleasure to serve with Mr. Trone because he is so focused on mental health.

We really need to continue to push on this issue, and thank you, Madam Chair, for doing that.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I yield back.

75 percent of Americans said they did not approve of the way Congress is handling its job; 75 percent.

I have never proxy voted. I also refuse to participate and assist other Members who wanted to proxy vote.

I am not going to hand over my vote to someone else.

There was immense pressure on a lot of Members to say, well, you know, we are doing this tug of war about how we are going to run the place.

Those who proxy vote and those who help them are doing a disservice to those here in D.C. trying to get things done.

We have got to get to a point where we look at this virus and learn how to deal with it as a risk-management issue because it is never going to be a zero-tolerance issue.

I would provide 200 years of precedent before this pandemic began and before this majority decided to implement proxy voting for the first time ever in American history.

It is no longer about the pandemic, and this committee must end this practice.

What we have learned about proxy voting, Mr. Neguse, is that it has destroyed the fabric of the institution.

I think that was wrong.

In honor of Black History Month, I would like to recognize a special place in my district, Fort Mose. Near St. Augustine, Florida, it was the first legally sanctioned, free Black settlement in what is now the United States. As early as the…

I thank the gentlewoman from Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the men and women in law enforcement who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. In return, Congress owes it to them to do everything in our power to keep…

If we would have taken the same disjointed approach back in the 1930s to electricity, I think some of our communities--probably the community I live in--would still be in the dark.

I would just ask--and I know Chairman Scott would appreciate this as well--any help that you and USDA could do to influence the Democratic leadership in the House to bring this very strong bipartisan bill to the table would be greatly…

I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here on the Committee and the full House to pass another WRDA in this two-year cycle and for it to be bipartisan.

I thank my good friend from Oklahoma for this opportunity. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 1995, a bill to keep alien gang members from entering the United States. The…

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for bringing this bill forward. It is very much needed. I rise, Mr. Speaker, to support the COPS Counseling Act, which is now one step away from reaching the…