Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, what a wonderful opportunity to set the record straight.

I rise today to applaud my colleagues in the House for passing H.R. 596 on Tuesday which repeals ObamaCare in its entirety. This bill also instructs committees to pass solutions that are patient-centered, free market alternatives because ObamaCare is unaffordable.

I hear it when I am at my son's football games or when I go to the grocery stores: it is important to Americans that Members up here in Washington are listening to and fighting for them on this issue because the President refuses to.

Today, in Thomas County, in south Georgia, a $3,500 deductible will cost a 25-year-old $333 a month, and it will cost a 60-year-old $900 a month. $900 for a $3,500 deductible, that is more like a mortgage payment where I come from. This is the solution that according to the President--the Democrats--that is affordable? Well, it is not affordable, and it is hurting people.

I am proud to cochair a task force of conservative Members who are working towards a patient-centered, free market alternative that respects the freedom of the American citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on my colleagues to join me in stopping the sequester's impact on our military.

I want Members to hear what General Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, had to say. He directly advises the President and Congress, and these are his words:

The combination of the Budget Control Act and the

sequestration mechanism will make it impossible for us to

meet our global responsibilities.

Again from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs:

The readiness hole is still the readiness hole. The global

security environment is more dangerous and sequestration is

still on the books as the law. It's absolutely crazy for this

country.

Since the President promised the sequestration would not happen but then he said he would veto changes to it, some Members of this House seem to have accepted that the sequestration must go into effect.

National security is an essential part of our job, and with growing threats both domestic and abroad, Members of this House must come together to end the sequester cuts that reduce the capabilities of our armed services.

We--the Members of Congress, the President, and General Dempsey--all swore the same oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We as Members of Congress have a duty to provide a military to protect the American people.

These challenges hit close to home for me. As a Georgia Republican on the Armed Services Committee, I am going to continue to fight on behalf of the men and women at Robins and Moody Air Force Bases and the warfighters of this country who protect us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 37, the Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act. As chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, I specifically want to highlight and voice my support for the past work of the Agriculture Committee on the three titles of this bill that we worked on.

First of all, title I of this bill, the Business Risk Mitigation and Price Stabilization Act, will provide much-needed relief to American farmers, businesses, and job creators who rely on derivatives to manage the risk inherent in the daily operation of their farms and businesses. It will do so by reinforcing congressional intent that those market participants who have been exempted from clearing their trades are also exempted from corresponding margin requirements.

These exemptions make sure that end users do not have to divert working capital to margin requirements, thus keeping those dollars at work in the economy. I am pleased that this provision was included in this package, as well as in the TRIA authorization that was recently approved by both the House and the Senate.

Also under the Ag Committee's jurisdiction is title II of H.R. 37, pertaining to the treatment of interaffiliate transactions. This well- reasoned provision was passed by the Congress multiple times in the 113th Congress and also will prevent the tie-up of working capital. It will do so by ensuring that transactions between affiliates within

a single corporate group are not regulated as swaps.

If such transactions are subject to the same regulations as swaps, companies could be subject to double margin requirements. Since interaffiliate swaps pose no systemic risk to the economy or the marketplace, such redundant regulation would provide no additional risk reduction while substantially raising costs that would ultimately be passed on to the consumers. Title II of H.R. 37 will prevent that misguided regulatory scheme and allow American businesses to continue utilizing their established and efficient centralized trading models.

Finally, the corrections made by title V of H.R. 37 will ensure that regulators and market participants have access to a global set of swap market data.

Dodd-Frank currently requires indemnification agreements from foreign regulators requesting information from U.S. swap data repositories or derivatives clearing organizations. These agreements state that the foreign regulator will abide by certain confidentiality requirements and indemnify the U.S. Commission for any expenses arising from litigation relating to the request for information.

Unfortunately, the concept of indemnification does not exist in many foreign jurisdictions. As such, some foreign regulators cannot agree to these indemnification requirements. This may hinder our ability to make a workable data-sharing arrangement with those regulators and ultimately fragment the marketplace by encouraging them to establish their own data repositories. H.R. 37 narrowly addresses this potential data-sharing problem by simply removing the indemnification requirements from current law. Existing provisions requiring certain confidentiality obligations will remain in place.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Fitzpatrick for working to include these provisions in today's bill. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this legislative package aimed at reducing regulatory burdens and promoting economic growth.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5810) to amend the United States Cotton Futures Act to exclude certain cotton futures contracts from coverage under such Act.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill, H.R. 5810.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland), my colleague.

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

As my colleague said, Mr. Speaker, every year, cotton farmers prepare their fields. Off the field they must prepare as well, hedging risk and protecting themselves from possible disaster with cotton futures contracts on U.S. commodity exchanges.

The Cotton Number 2 contract, which is a U.S.-regulated contract, is the benchmark contract for the entire United States cotton industry. However, recently, a wide range of cotton industry participants have recommended the development of a world cotton contract with delivery points inside and outside of the United States. This is in recognition of the global nature of today's cotton industry.

The 1916 Cotton Futures Act requires that all cotton futures contracts that are listed on the U.S. exchange must be classed by the USDA, regardless of where the cotton is being stored. This structure is outdated and does not recognize the global cotton trade that exists today.

H.R. 5810 would simply allow for cotton futures contracts to be offered on a U.S. exchange that is based off of the world market price. This bill would neither change the regulation of the current futures contracts nor the current USDA classing, which requires U.S. cotton be classed again by USDA personnel.

With these technical changes in H.R. 5810, a new cotton futures contract will be available in U.S. commodity markets.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5810. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to observe National Disability Employment Month this October, I am honored to recognize Georgia Industries for the Blind (GIB). GIB works in partnership with the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency to generate employment opportunities throughout Georgia in manufacturing and services for people who are blind. It is appropriate, at this, time to reflect on and celebrate their achievements.

There remains a significant gap in employment for those with disabilities. Today, nearly seventy percent of workforce-eligible blind individuals remain unemployed.

GIB has helped bridge the employment gap for blind individuals in Georgia since it began in 1949 by providing good jobs in manufacturing and service industries. They currently have four centers in Georgia that employ nearly 200 people, most of whom are blind, and generate over $12 million in annual sales. Furthermore, GIB was presented with the Commissioner's Cup Safety Award for 2013, a distinction considered to be the top workplace safety award in the State of Georgia.

GIB demonstrates the importance of having an inclusive workforce. Their business success is not only measured in sales and awards, but also in changed lives by affording opportunities to those with disabilities. It is important for us to raise awareness regarding disability employment and the inherent value that employing those with disabilities brings to the workplace.

Mr. Speaker, please join me, on behalf of Georgia's Eighth Congressional District, in recognizing GIB for its strong work and contributions to Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of her retirement from the civil service with the United States Government, I want to recognize Mrs. Virginia (Ginger) Cannington for her 31 years of continuous service to our country. In her most recent position, Mrs. Cannington was an analyst for Medical Officer Special Programs in the Office of the Command Surgeon, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, where she served as the single point of contact for commissioning medical professionals into the Air Force Reserve.

Mrs. Cannington began her career with the United States Government in 1983 working for

the Internal Revenue Service in Shreveport, Louisiana. After 17 months, she transferred to the Army Corps of Engineers in Bossier City. She then began working for the 47th Fighter Squadron in October of 1985 on Barksdale AFB, Louisiana--which began her association with the Air Force. Mrs. Cannington would later join her husband with his Air Force assignments and work at 509th Tactical Missile Wing in RAF Greenhom Common, England; the 410th Transportation Squadron at K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan; the 480th Intelligence Group at Langley AFB, Virginia; culminating her career at the Medical Directorate for the Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, GA.

During her tenure, Mrs. Cannington was awarded the Air Combat Command Transportation Professional of the Year, Air Intelligence Agency Junior Professional of the Year, National Air Intelligence Professional of the Year, and a National Reserve Recruiting Award for Support Personnel several times. As an analyst at the Air Force Reserve Medical Directorate, she processed 2,811 commissioning packages. Her role was crucial in ensuring there were enough healthcare professionals for those wounded in battle, a mission at which she excelled.

Mrs. Cannington could not have made such a tremendous impact within the Air Force without the love and unfailing support of her family, specifically her husband of 44 years, retired Chief Master Sergeant William Cannington; her children--Jennifer and her husband Bob; Josh; and Matt and his partner Gregg; her sister Cathy and her husband Dave as well as Melody and her husband Thor. She also contributes her success to her mother, Virginia Walker and her mother-in-law Ann Cannington.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Mrs. Virginia Cannington for her outstanding service to both the United States Air Force and our great Nation. We wish her and her family the best of luck as she transitions into retirement. Mrs. Cannington is a true professional and a credit to herself, her family, and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I, along with my colleague from Georgia, Mr. Johnson, am pleased to offer H.R. 4119, the West Hunter Street Baptist Church Study Act.

During the civil rights movement, the church served as a headquarters for many workers and a meeting ground for leaders.

The West Hunter Street Baptist Church served as a spiritual refuge for countless men and women, like our colleague, John Lewis, who devoted their lives to the civil rights movement.

I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 935, which prevents wasteful and duplicative regulations that could ultimately expand the EPA's reach further into every part of our country.

Federal law already requires the EPA to ensure that pesticides cause ``no unreasonable adverse effect'' to humans or the environment. Labels attached to pesticides that are related to its use are crafted to minimize such impacts. The label, in effect, is the law today. When a person does not follow the label, regardless of additional permits, they are violating the law.

Yet activists believe requiring water permits, even when a user abides by the pesticide label, will somehow strengthen our water quality. States continue to spend more and more money and man hours implementing and enforcing a water permit process that most regulators do not believe does anything to further protect the water quality. That is why H.R. 935 is so important.

This bill removes a pointless paperwork exercise and burden through NPDES permits that do nothing but create additional hurdles between consumers and the benefits of products like pesticides provide.

Registration and labeling of a pesticide already does as much as any additional NPDES permit would require. In fact, EPA's own analysis suggests that the NPDES permits program for pesticides is the single greatest expansion in the program's history, covering over 5.5 million pesticide applications per year by 365,000 applicators.

If H.R. 935 is not implemented, the effects of the EPA's overregulation would be felt across the State of Georgia. For example, county officials will

have one more hurdle to overcome when trying to control the mosquito population and the outbreak of West Nile virus. These counties are forced to address an additional bureaucratic hurdle before they are able to address a serious health threat to our citizens, a hurdle that provides no additional benefits.

With this unprecedented expansion, all stakeholders are affected, including State agencies, cities, counties, municipalities, research scientists, forest managers--and every American will pay for this. Last Congress, we passed this same legislation, 292-130, and I ask Congress to, again, do the same thing.

Madam Speaker, as an American small businesses owner, I deliver to my accountants each and every year tremendous sums of information that is then

used to compile a tax return that I, along with my wife, like other hardworking Americans, must sign under penalty of perjury.

I have no doubt that five CPAs, given the same information from any taxpayer, would calculate five different tax liabilities. Yet when the IRS comes calling, every American is guilty until they prove their innocence.

Make a mistake or lose a receipt? For the taxpayer, guilty. Pay the penalty and interest, or the IRS will use the law to take your home, your car, your life savings, and they will put you in jail and leave your family in the ditch. But when the IRS gets caught cheating, they lie to Congress, take the Fifth, and destroy the evidence.

If they get away with this, what and who is next?

I can't help but think, Madam Speaker, that we must be getting close to George Orwell and what he described in his novel. While some people are created equal, under this administration others are more equal.

Had the IRS abused liberal groups, the press and the administration would demand the prosecution of the individuals responsible, and that is exactly what should be happening right now.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly don't intend to take that much time, but in a few short minutes, we are going to break for the July Fourth recess, and I just wanted to come forward on behalf of the veterans of the United States and make the commitment to them that the House and the Senate are going to continue to work to resolve the issues that we have heard so much about.

I would like to share, if I could, before we go, two stories from veterans of their wait times and neglect that my office has worked to try to help resolve.

I am hopeful, when we come back, we are able to get to a resolution for these

men and women who fought for and died for this country, so that we can have that July Fourth Independence Day.

The following stories come from my district. They are stories that we have worked on in our office. They haven't made national headlines, but they are very similar to others that have made national headlines.

The first is of the gentleman, Mr. Michael Whitley, from Ocilla. He was a 100 percent service-connected disabled veteran with cancer. He was unable to receive that cancer treatment at the VA medical center where he received his primary care, so he had to travel about three- and-a-half hours to a different facility, even though there was an outstanding cancer treatment facility just 30 minutes away from his home.

As his condition worsened and as it became more difficult for him to travel, Mr. Whitley's primary care facility promised to approve fee- based treatment, which would be closer to home. Unfortunately, Mr. Whitley died before this care that was closer to home was approved.

The second story comes from a 12-page letter--a very heart-wrenching letter--of a 3-year-long case that our office has been working on to resolve. It is of Mr. Willis McCarty, from Moultrie, Georgia.

He visited his VA primary care provider in February of 2009 for an aortic abdominal aneurysm. His doctor found that the aneurysm measured 7.8 centimeters, requiring immediate surgery. To quote Mr. McCarty, ``He told me I was a walking time bomb and that I needed immediate surgery.''

Mr. McCarty was referred for a surgery consultation at another VA facility, and he went to the appointment under the impression that he would be admitted for that surgery.

The vascular surgeon, instead, sent him home and rescheduled the surgery for a later date. Mr. McCarty writes that the doctor said, ``We do not see any immediate danger. We think your doctor overreacted, and we are going to send you home for 10 days.''

Upon returning home, the aneurysm ruptured. Mr. McCarty was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, where he remained hospitalized for 2 months due to complications.

To quote Mr. McCarty, ``Before they took me into surgery, they had to use the paddles on me two times. My heart stopped for over 2 minutes. While in surgery, a ventilator was placed down into my lungs to breathe for me. I was in surgery for 6 hours. After the surgery was completed and I was rolled into the ICU, the surgeon told the nurses, `This is a miracle boy, and I want to keep it that way.' I was in ICU for about 3 weeks with the ventilator in my lungs the entire time. While in ICU, one of my lungs collapsed, and I developed pneumonia. I was going through hell and didn't even know I was in this world. I was in the hospital about 6 weeks.''

After his stay, Mr. McCarty received a phone call from the chief of staff at the hospital and from a VA representative, apologizing and admitting guilt on behalf of the VA, assuring him his expenses would be paid and that ``the doctor should have never sent me back home.''

They advised him to file a tort claim, and they even mailed him the forms to use in filing the claim.

Mr. McCarty writes, ``Just the hospital bill was about $125,000. That is not including the bill from the two surgeons, pathology, x-ray, et cetera.''

Mr. McCarty has been paying these bills out of pocket, monthly, since 2009, for 5 years. The VA continues to deny his claims, and to this date, the VA has paid nothing. They also continue to deny Mr. McCarty's disability claims, and Mr. McCarty's appeal process will likely take another 3 years. Mr. McCarty is 77.

In his letter, Mr. McCarty writes, ``I feel like the VA is giving me the runaround,'' and ``I served my country. I've done my duty and was proud and honored to do it.''

In return for Mr. McCarty's 8 years of service, he has spent 5 years dealing with this medical trauma and now expects to spend another 3 years in appeals. Every month, he pays the surgeons and the hospital for a surgery and complications that the VA is responsible for.

Mr. Speaker, most of the time, when we are working with these veterans, they ask us to fix this for one simple reason: fix it so the next soldier doesn't have to go through this--not for me--but so that the next soldier doesn't have to go through this.

We need to resolve these issues for our veterans, and we need to resolve them now. They deserve better.

I want to thank our House VA Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Jeff Miller, as well as the Democrats and the Republicans on that committee, for the work they have done and are doing to make that system better.

Before we break for the July Fourth Independence Day holiday, I want to make the commitment on behalf of my colleagues in the House of Representatives that, while we will be gone from Washington for a week, we will continue to work on these issues in order to help resolve them for our veterans.

I wish each and every one of you a happy Independence Day. Whether you fly the flag in your yard or wear the patch on your shoulder or just keep it in your heart, thank you, and God bless America.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 1 o'clock and 54 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Monday, June 30, 2014, at 11:30 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Hawkinsville, Georgia's own Colonel A. Derrick Dykes, United States Air Force for his extraordinary dedication to duty and selfless service to the United States of America. Colonel Dykes will soon retire from his present assignment as the Assistant Deputy Director of Requirements, Air Combat Command, United States Air Force, Langley Air Force Base, Langley, Virginia and return to the great state of Georgia.

Colonel Dykes was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the United States Air Force upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1989. He is a command instructor and evaluator pilot with over 5,200 hours flying United States Air Force aircraft, of which nearly 1,200 are combat or combat support hours.

Colonel Dykes has served in a variety of command and leadership positions, all with distinction. He was Commander, 330th Combat Training Squadron; Deputy Commander, 116th Operations Group; and Acting Vice Wing Commander, 116th Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, GA. Colonel Dykes served as the Chief, Command and Control Weapons System Teams Requirement Division; and Chief, Command & Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Requirements Division, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA. He served as the Director of Staff and Host Nation Liaison Officer, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia as well as Chief, 116th Operations Group Standards and Evaluations and Chief Wing Readiness and Inspections, 116th Air Control Wing; Assistant Director of Operations, 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, GA; Chief C2ISR Assignments and Deputy Chief Mobility/C2ISR/SOF/HELO/CEA Assignments Branch, Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, TX. Colonel Dykes was the Chief of Squadron Safety for the 12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, GA, and the 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK, as well as a Replacement Training Unit instructor/evaluator pilot for the 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK. Colonel Dykes is currently the Assistant Deputy Director of Requirements, Air Combat Command, United States Air Force.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to recognize Colonel Dykes' long and decorated career. On behalf of a grateful nation, I commend Colonel Dykes for his dedicated service to the United States of America. I also wish to recognize the sacrifices and contributions made by Colonel Dykes' wife Lisa and his sons, Caleb, Tanner, and Justin, as well as his parents Vickie and Alton, all who have sacrificed and supported this American hero. We are a nation truly indebted to Colonel Dykes and his family, as well as to all who have served and continue to serve and give so much to defend our American values and liberties. I extend my best wishes to Colonel Dykes and his family on the occasion of his retirement.

Mr. Chairman, I also rise today in support of H.R. 4413, the Customer Protection and End User Relief Act.

This legislation clarifies congressional intent concerning end users under the Dodd-Frank law by providing a clear exemption for nonfinancial end users who qualify for the clearing exception under title 7 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Across the country, consumers and businesses alike are confronted with financial risks associated with their day-to-day operations. To manage these risks, they use over-the-counter derivatives to provide price certainty. Consumers, in turn, benefit from these risk management practices through greater stability in the day-to-day prices of the goods that we purchase.

By passing this legislation, Congress provides an exemption from clearing and margin requirements and, therefore, reduces the costs for businesses and individuals who are not financial institutions.

With this exemption, less than 10 percent of the capital involved in the derivatives market is relieved of burdensome regulations. This balance protects the consumer while providing a pro-growth environment for businesses, and we passed very similar legislation in the 112th Congress 370-24.

For this reason, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 4413, so that we can provide businesses and individuals the tools necessary to manage day-to-day operational risk, while providing much-needed certainty to the American people.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment to preserve the A-10 Warthog, as well. This is the most effective, cost-efficient aircraft that we have for the missions that we are engaged in right now.

Our men and women who are out there in harm's way deserve to have this aircraft flying above them and protecting them. Our enemies run in fear from it, and, quite honestly, I think it is the best money we can spend in protecting our troops while they are on the ground.

The A-10 Warthog is the most effective aircraft for close air support. We need it for the missions we are in now, and we are going to need it for the missions tomorrow.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I, along with my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Salmon), am offering an amendment to cut all funding from the Legal Services Corporation and to allocate that money to the Spending Reduction Account.

Legal Services Corporation was established 40 years ago, and I have no doubt that it was for the right reasons, but it hasn't been reauthorized since 1980. At no point in the last 34 years has either party in Congress felt that this agency was so important that it needed to be reauthorized.

In fact, in 2012, it was estimated that over 94 percent of the services that Legal Services was set up to provide were provided by State and local governments, bar associations, and pro bono work by attorneys.

This means that taxpayers are footing the bill of a million dollars a day for this service, yet this organization handles less than 6 percent of all indigent cases.

The purpose of this bill, Madam Chair, is to provide law enforcement to the American people. With $350 million, we could employ thousands of FBI agents, U.S. Marshals, and others to protect Americans from domestic threats every day. Instead, this bill proposes to provide significant funding to an entity that is plagued by abuse.

Allow me to provide a few examples, Madam Chair, from the recent LSC inspector general's report published April 30. The report found continued systemic deficiencies in the Legal Service Corporation grant program.

The Inspector General's Office opened 12 new investigations, including criminal cases that involved fraudulent activity and financial irregularities by grantee employees. The investigation also discovered unauthorized outside practice of law, as well as time and attendance abuse.

We are spending millions simply on the inspector general's investigations of Legal Services Corporation.

Additionally, cases arising from the Office of Inspector General resulted in the restitution of client trust fund moneys that had been converted to personal use.

As one example, these investigations resulted in the recovery of more than $21,000 in Legal Services funds for time spent by a grantee's attorney in unauthorized outside practices.

At a time of record deficits and climbing debt, we should eliminate the funding of this program, which has not been reauthorized by Congress, including this one, in 34 years.

Let's take the Legal Services Corporation off the taxpayers' payroll.

With that, Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, if only Legal Services were limited to the things that the gentlelady and the gentleman have discussed, like helping our veterans with foreclosures and other things, but in my part of the country, in the rural areas that I come from, Legal Services Corporation has hired plaintiffs that are pursuing our farmers and, quite honestly, attempting to put farmers out of business in Georgia. That is unacceptable and taxpayer funds should not be used for that.

With that, Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland).

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.