[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 104 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H2750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                OUR NATION'S CURRENT ECONOMIC TRAJECTORY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great 
concern for our Nation's current economic trajectory.
  Inflation is spiraling out of control, unemployment numbers continue 
to disappoint, and millions of small businesses are unable to fill job 
openings. This pattern is increasingly alarming; and for anyone who is 
paying attention, it is not a surprise.
  The Biden administration's plan to throw money at problems is failing 
the American people. This so-called rescue plan is stunting our 
economic recovery and impeding our Nation's comeback from the COVID-19 
pandemic.
  As President Biden makes even more plans to squander our taxpayer 
dollars, prices are skyrocketing. American families are experiencing 
this firsthand. As they see every day, the staggering 5 percent 
increase in inflation is affecting nearly everything, including 
essentials. Together, food and energy prices have increased nearly 4 
percent. And with the current cost of materials, not even the kitchen 
sink is safe.
  At home in Pennsylvania, no one is shocked that gas is more than 50 
percent more expensive today than a year ago. Our Commonwealth already 
has one of the highest gas taxes in the Nation, burdening workers and 
families alike. We cannot afford to keep paying more at the pump.
  For hardworking families in Pennsylvania and around the country, the 
cost of inflation is real. It is real at the grocery store. It is real 
at the gas pump. It is real at the hardware store and at the local 
diner. It is real for every Pennsylvanian every day of the week.
  As a nation, we cannot ignore the sound and source of this alarming 
trend. This is rooted in President Biden's and the Democrats' broken 
economic agenda. From higher taxes and fewer jobs, to more regulations 
and burdens on American industries, their plan is not working.
  Day after day, we see more evidence of this. Just last week, the 
developers of the Keystone pipeline stopped this project after the 
Biden administration effectively eliminated its opportunity to succeed. 
Not only will this decision hinder America's energy independence and 
security, it is also killing family-sustaining jobs for American 
workers.
  The Biden administration already killed the pipeline. What will be 
next?
  As inflation rises, the unemployment rate remains disappointingly 
high and our work force is suffering. This should be a major warning to 
all of us that we must stop this trend now. We cannot afford to stay 
entrenched in President Biden's 1970s-era economic crisis.
  We must advance pro-work, pro-growth solutions that will jump-start 
America's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and it starts with 
getting Americans back to work, supporting our small businesses, and 
strengthening the workforce. It also requires ending the current 
administration's infatuation with Big Government intervention.
  The American people don't want more of the same. We simply cannot 
afford more of it. This is a time to invest in American workers, to 
promote the dignity of hard work, and restore our Nation to the path of 
recovery.


                          National Dairy Month

  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and 
celebrate a truly essential industry at home in Pennsylvania and around 
our country.
  Dairy farmers go to work every day of the year to produce safe and 
healthy food for all American people. Despite mounting regulations and 
obstacles, these hardworking men and women continue to persevere.
  Dairy products, including nutrient-rich whole milk, are good for our 
kids and good for our families, and they are essential for our region's 
economy.
  I have the distinct privilege of representing nearly 20 percent of 
Pennsylvania's dairy farms, which are home to more than a quarter of 
our Commonwealth's dairy cows.
  This robust industry is a key part of our local community and our 
economy. It is truly my privilege to stand up for dairy farmers and to 
serve as their voice here in Congress as we seek to eliminate barriers 
to the dairy industry's success.
  As we mark National Dairy Month, I thank dairy farmers in 
Pennsylvania and across the country for their steadfast dedication to 
our communities and to American families.

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