By Bill Johnson America's energy industries and workers have much to worry about under President Biden. And any American who believes our values are preferable to those of the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) should be deeply concerned. Let me explain. Among President Biden's barrage of executive orders already damaging the U.S. energy industry is his egregious decision to recommit America to the Paris Climate Accord -- the international agreement President Trump withdrew America from famously saying that, "I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris." Coincidentally, part of the district I represent is a short drive from Pittsburgh, an old river town known for its rich history of steel-making and heavy industry … like Youngstown, Ohio, or Wheeling, West Virginia. It's what elites think of as the "Rust Belt," to the extent they think about this part of America at all. Most pundits on the right, correctly I think, interpreted Trump's statement as standing up for American workers in places left behind by de-industrialization and globalization. Those on the left dismissed it as crass "climate-denier" politics in an important swing state, and said President Trump's actions didn't matter. It does matter! This is about American workers and American moral leadership on the world stage. Here are excerpts from a Feb. 10 Politico Europe article by four authors: "Nearly every solar power panel sold in the European Union has its origins in China's oppressed Xinjiang region. "For the past decade Beijing has been carrying out a campaign to detain and "reeducate' the Muslim-majority population of the region. "Human rights groups have alerted that state-run reeducation centers double as forced labor camps. "That's of particular concern to the global solar industry given Xinjiang's outsized role in the production of polysilicon, a material used to make photovoltaic (PV) cells. "Nearly every silicon-based solar module -- at least 95 percent of the market -- is likely to have some Xinjiang silicon in it." That's right, 95% of solar panels in the EU have components made by modern day slaves in concentration camps in China. In their quest to meet Paris Agreement goals, European regulators, governments, and businesses have chosen to turn a blind eye to one of the most evil and pervasive ongoing human rights abuses in modern human history ... these enslaved religious minorities are sacrifices made at the altar of global radical environmentalism. I believe America is better than that. And, we must show the world this. But it's possible that some of these components could already be in solar panels being installed in the U.S. right now. And, if President Biden has his way, the American countryside will be covered in them. Sadly, this isn't the only tragic example of how many of our European allies have lost their way. Last fall, France threatened to cut off imports of American liquified natural gas (LNG). This was part of their attempt to force their climate agenda across the Atlantic onto American natural gas producers over methane rules … warning that fracked U.S. gas was "dirty" and not up to their standards. But Europeans must get their gas from somewhere … so, they turn to Russia, and THAT begs the question: "What do they think Vladimir Putin's environmental and human rights standards are? The Europeans -- our supposed NATO allies and partners -- have already answered that question by restarting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline (that President Trump shut down) that will transport Russian gas to Germany. Putin will make billions. During a recent town hall on CNN, the host asked President Biden about Chinese human rights abuses. In a rambling answer, he responded, "Culturally there are different norms in each country." When pressed on the human rights abuses, Biden said he'd condemn them, but that it's "complicated." It's actually not complicated. America either believes in Pittsburgh values and Pittsburgh workers, or we believe in Paris values and slave labor. I know where I stand. Rep. Bill Johnson is a Republican congressman representing the 6th Congressional District in eastern Ohio.

By Rep. Bill Johnson One in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the U.S after skin cancer. As a member of the Prevent Cancer Foundation's Congressional Families Cancer Prevention Program®, I want to share the following information as we observe Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. An estimated 191,930 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020, with 7,030 cases expected in Ohio alone. Yet, all men do not face the same risk. Black American men are 60% more likely to be diagnosed and more than twice as likely to die of the disease than white men. They are also more likely to get prostate cancer at a younger age and have more advanced and severe disease when it is diagnosed. More research is needed to determine how much of a role genetics plays in this disparity, or if socioeconomic factors that affect access to health care are the primary cause.Older age (most prostate cancer cases are in men ages 65 and older) and a family history of prostate cancer are also risk factors. Men who have a father, brother or son who have had prostate cancer are two to three times more likely to develop the disease. The good news is fewer men are being diagnosed with and dying from prostate cancer. The death rate among Black men has declined faster than among white men, although rates have begun to stabilize for both. The decline, both in Ohio and across the country, may be attributed to changes in screening guidelines. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing was once widely recommended for those at average risk, but now experts recommend a shared-decision making process with your doctor to decide if testing is right for you. Many prostate cancers grow slowly, and some diagnoses may lead men to be treated for cancers that would never cause them harm, while dealing with side effects of treatment. High levels of PSA could also indicate other conditions that are not cancer, such as prostate inflammation or enlargement. If you are at average risk for prostate cancer, the Prevent Cancer Foundation encourages you to begin talking to your health care provider about the pros and cons of screening at age 50. If you are at increased risk, start this conversation earlier. If you have delayed a routine check-up or PSA test due to COVID-19, talk to your health care provider about the precautions they are taking to ensure safe conditions, and get those appointments back on the books. You may also be able to talk with your health care provider through telemedicine about PSA testing. Although this topic might not be one you are comfortable discussing with your health care provider or family, it is vital to your health. You may lower your risk of prostate cancer by maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular physical activity and eating a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables. To learn more, visit www.preventcancer.org/prostatecancer.

Congress convened a joint session on January 6-7, 2021, to count electoral votes by state and confirm the results of the 2020 presidential election. Johnson voted against certifying the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania. The House rejected both objections by a vote of 121-303 for Arizona and 138-282 for Pennsylvania.