Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Adam Sowders, sergeant investigator with the Burleson County Sheriff's Department.

On December 19, 2013, Sergeant Sowders was killed in the line of duty. Sergeant Investigator Sowders passed away due to wounds he received while serving a search warrant with a team of deputies in Burleson County, Texas.

Adam graduated from Somerville High School in 2001, and like his father and his brothers, he became a volunteer firefighter at the Somerville Fire Department.

He began his career with the Burleson County Sheriff's Department as a patrol deputy in 2006 after serving as an officer with the Somerville Police Department.

Sergeant Investigator Sowders was loved and respected by his community, by his friends, and by his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his friends.

Today, we honor and remember Adam for putting himself in harm's way for the good of his neighbors, his family, his friends, and his community. We thank him for his service and his sacrifice for public safety. He devoted his life to public safety and to being a first responder, and he will be forever remembered as an outstanding individual who lived to selflessly serve his community.

Adam was a model public servant, however; and, more importantly, he was a servant leader who modeled the words of Jesus in John 15:13, which states:

Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his

life for his friends.

His death marks the 17th first responder lost in the line of duty in the 17th Congressional District of Texas since the time I was sworn in in January 2011.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by reminding all Americans to continue praying for our country and for our American men and women who serve in our military and for our first responders. Their selfless service protects our lives, our freedoms, and our liberties from both internal and external dangers.

God bless our first responders and our troops, and God bless America.

Mr. Speaker, whereas May 8, 2014 marks the centennial of the signing of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, which established Cooperative Extension, the nationwide transformational education system operating through land-grant universities in partnership with federal, state and local governments.

Whereas U.S. Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia and U.S. Representative A. F. Lever of South Carolina authored the Smith-Lever Act to expand the ``vocational, agricultural and home demonstration programs in rural America'' by bringing the research-based knowledge of the land-grant universities to people where they live and work.

Whereas Cooperative Extension is a critical component of the three- part land-grant university mission and works collaboratively with research, particularly the Agricultural Experiment Station System, and academic programs in 106 colleges and universities; including historically black, Native American and Hispanic-serving institutions; in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and six U.S. territories to reach traditional and underserved audiences in all communities.

Whereas the Cooperative Extension System continues to receive federal programmatic leadership and support enabled by the Smith Lever Act and other legislation through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Whereas Cooperative Extension's research-based education for farmers and ranchers helped establish the United States as a leading agricultural-producing nation in the world.

Whereas since 1924, when the clover emblem was adopted by USDA to represent 4-H, Cooperative Extension's nationwide youth development program has reached millions of youth and helped prepare them for responsible adulthood.

Whereas Cooperative Extension prepares people for healthy, productive lives through sustained education, such as the Expanded

Food and Nutrition Education Program, breaking the cycle of poverty and reducing expenditures for federal and state assistance programs.

Whereas Cooperative Extension provides rapid response to disasters and emergencies through the Extension Disaster Education Network and other similar efforts by providing real-time alerts and resources so Extension educators can respond to urgent needs resulting from hurricanes, floods, oil spills, fire, drought, pest outbreaks and infectious diseases affecting humans, livestock and crops.

Whereas Cooperative Extension translates science-based research for practical application through local and online learning networks where educators are uniquely available to identify emerging research questions, connect with land-grant university faculty to find answers and encourage application of findings to improve economic and social conditions.

Whereas Cooperative Extension engages with rural and urban learners through practical, community-based and online approaches, resulting in the acquisition of knowledge, skills and motivation to strengthen the profitability of animal and plant production systems, protect natural resources, help people make healthful lifestyle choices, ensure a safe and abundant food supply, encourage community vitality and grow the next generation of leaders.

Whereas many states and land-grant institutions are celebrating and commemorating the centennial of the signing of the historic Act.

Therefore, be it resolved, that the United States House of Representatives:

Recognizes the significance of the Smith-Lever Act to the establishment of Cooperative Extension nationwide.

Encourages the people of the United States to observe and celebrate the centennial with a focus on launching an innovative and sustainable future for Cooperative Extension.

Honors the university faculty and local educators who dedicate careers to providing trusted education to help people, families, youth, businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a better future.

Expresses its appreciation to Cooperative Extension volunteers who provide thousands of hours to promote excellence for 4-H, Master Gardeners, family and consumer sciences and other programs in their communities.

Encourages the continued collaboration and cooperation among federal, state and local governments to ensure Cooperative Extension's sustainability as the nation's premiere nonformal educational network.

Celebrates the millions of youth, adults, families, farmers, ranchers, community leaders and others who engage in Cooperative Extension learning opportunities designed to extend knowledge and change lives.

Mr. Chairman, this bill will put the House on record in support of the shale energy boom, more American jobs, and lower energy prices, all of which are a direct result of hydraulic fracturing technology.

For the average American family last year, the shale energy boom meant $1,200 per family in lower energy bills. During our slow economic recovery, it has been the lone bright spot responsible for creating the most new jobs, both in energy and in manufacturing.

States have been effectively regulating fracturing on Federal, State, and private lands for over 50 years, and the States oppose the Federal Government trying to overrule their expertise. There is no demonstrated need for the Federal Government to waste taxpayer money by duplicating and complicating State efforts. The only reason for the Federal Government to get involved is to placate those who oppose the shale energy revolution and the jobs boom that has come from it. I hear the arguments:

First, they will say that States might have insufficient regulations. The facts are that all States that produce oil and gas have comprehensive rules and regulations to ensure that hydraulic fracturing is done safely. Moreover, there are many Federal laws that will continue to apply to energy development, and this bill will not change those.

Second, they argue that the Federal Government should be able to apply any rules and regulations it wants on Federal land. Well, for instance, States already effectively manage the wildlife and the water on Federal lands. Yet the environmental concern surrounding fracturing is water protection, and water protection authorities have always been the purview of the States.

Third, the proponents of Federal regulation argue that the administration will not expand the Department of the Interior rule to State and to private lands. Instead of embracing the booming shale energy production, this administration has directed over 10 Federal agencies to look for ways to override State rules in this regard.

Energy is a key economic input to a more prosperous future for all Americans. H.R. 2728 stops the Federal Government from more Federal regulation encroachment on State water authorities and potential infringement on State and private lands.

I thank Chairman Hastings for his assistance in moving this legislation through his committee and the bill's co-lead, Mr. Cuellar.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2728 and support the American manufacturing renaissance, lower energy costs, and American jobs.

Mr. Chairman, I am disappointed in my good friend from Texas' comments, especially in light of the fact that there are a significant number of jobs in his district and in

Texas that are powered by natural gas that comes from the shale energy revolution.

My friend from Texas undoubtedly knows that the Federal Government takes 10 times as long to issue a permit as does the State of Texas for energy activities, and I wouldn't want to have the Federal Government add another layer of complexity to that.

We are not plowing new ground with my bill. The Federal Government already defers to the States on the management of wildlife and water on Federal lands.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer a simple amendment today that makes technical and clarifying corrections to H.R. 2728. My amendment also calls on State regulators to provide their hydraulic fracturing and chemical disclosure requirement regulations to BLM for public disclosure.

States have the expertise in carefully crafting hydraulic fracturing regulations that meet the unique geologic and hydrologic needs of their States. This bottom-up regulatory relationship between the States and the Federal Government is one of the reasons that we are able to enjoy the vast economic benefits of the shale energy boom.

These changes will ensure that the cooperative and transparent State- driven regulatory approach to energy activity will continue. The energy shale boom is driving our economic recovery, and we need to keep the Federal Government from slowing down energy production on taxpayer owned Federal lands with duplicative regulations and unnecessary red tape.

I yield to the gentleman.

I thank the chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Renacci).

I thank Mr. Renacci for his comments.

Again, this is a simple amendment in response to feedback I received during the past few weeks.

Again, the American energy shale revolution is completely dependent on hydraulic fracturing. Without this evolving technology, job creation, growth in manufacturing, lower energy prices, and lower greenhouse gas emissions would all stop. All the benefits our Nation is experiencing today would stop.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the amendment and ``yes'' on the underlying legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for accepting the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, this should be pretty easy.

In my earlier amendment that was approved by voice vote today, we addressed the concerns raised by the gentleman from California, so let's move on down the road and vote for American jobs and American energy.

A vote today for H.R. 2728 is a vote to regain our Nation's position as the world's leading energy producer, a product of the shale energy boom.

Thanks to shale energy, middle class manufacturing jobs are returning to the U.S. after generations of decline. Thanks to shale energy, our Nation's production is a huge blow to unstable and unfriendly areas like Russia and the Middle East, who previously dictated the world supply of energy.

Just last year, shale energy supported 2.1 million jobs. Turning our backs on the shale energy boom now would cause the Federal Government to lose up to $1.6 trillion in revenues over the next decade and a half.

I would repeat: the issue that was raised in the motion to recommit was already in my amendment that was passed by voice vote earlier today.

Mr. Speaker, lower energy costs for American families, a cleaner environment, an increase in American manufacturing jobs, and domestic energy security would all be lost without the underlying bill.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this motion to recommit and to support abundant, safe, and clean energy through the Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act. Vote ``yes'' for American jobs.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank Mr. Bishop for the time to discuss this rule and the important underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, everyone, Republicans and Democrats, like to talk about clean, affordable natural gas. Yet, the Bureau of Land Management has proposed duplicative Federal regulations on the very technology that has facilitated the shale energy revolution, and that is hydraulic fracturing.

States have a proven record in regulating hydraulic fracturing for over 60 years. Obama administration officials are already on the record stating that hydraulic fracturing is safe and that States have a strong role in its regulation.

The proposed BLM regulation of hydraulic fracturing on Federal lands appears to be a solution in search of a problem that does not exist.

The legislation that I have cosponsored with Mr. Cuellar, H.R. 2728, would stop this Federal overreach by recognizing States' authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing and prohibit the Interior Department from enforcing its proposed regulations in any States that already have a regulatory protocol for this technology.

There are already existing Federal regulations that apply to other energy activities on Federal lands. The tradition of States having a primary role in developing our onshore energy resources has contributed immeasurably to our shale energy revolution, however, and imposing another Federal one-size-fits-all-approach only hampers domestic energy production.

The Federal Government already takes 10 times longer to issue an energy activity permit than States do. Why would we want to give these bureaucrats any more flexibility or tools to deter activity on taxpayer-owned lands? After all, over the last 5 years, natural gas production on Federal lands is down over 20 percent, and the rest of the country has seen dramatic increases.

States are better able to decide how to craft environmentally responsible regulations that reflect both the geology and the water needs of their States. This is why American energy development continues to thrive on private lands and State lands, despite the decrease on Federal lands.

If left unchecked, the new BLM regulations are only the beginning of more Federal overreach that will eventually hamper production on private land.

We are in the midst of an energy transformation, Mr. Speaker, in the way that we produce energy in this country. This energy revolution has created hundreds of thousands of well-paying American jobs in the industry.

More importantly, however, energy from abundant, safe, affordable, and clean natural gas has put America in a position to be globally competitive in manufacturing, where we can create millions of great middle class jobs while simultaneously meaningfully decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, as we have seen over the last decade or so.

Today's rule provides for the legislation that helps us responsibly develop our taxpayer-owned energy resources, and we will later consider legislation that will bring energy to the marketplace.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the rule, and I urge support for the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following:

Manassas Tea Party,

Virginia.

On behalf of the Manassas Tea Party and the disaffected

constituents that you represent, we wish to remind you of the

angst, as well as the damage that we experienced in our quest

for non-profit status for our organization, an organization

dedicated to preserving Constitutional principles.

The process began on May 14th, 2010 and concluded on

December 4th, 2012--more than a two year wait. As our status

remained in flux and with the IRS's threatening and

unwarranted behavior, our community impact weakened. We found

it difficult to keep people engaged, members became

uncomfortable participating, our organization became

paralyzed, membership numbers declined, and our fundraising

suffered.

The IRS is truly an intimidating force. In their multiple

requests for information pertaining to group and individual

politics, postings on social networks, and contributor

affiliations, we felt threatened and bullied. Their language

and tone intimated that anything short of full cooperation

and disclosure in all aspects of the IRS demands would be

reviewed under the threat of perjury. The IRS even informed

us that our private responses would be made public.

Our experience represents a shameful example of government

harassment and abuse, and an orchestrated attempt to

disenfranchise citizens of The United States of their

Constitutional rights. Intrusions such as these are not just

`Tea Party' issues. For when government abuses its power and

authority, it should sound an alarm for all Americans.

You gentlemen, have been charged with guarding our liberty.

What will you do to right this gross injustice?

Respectfully,

The Manassas Tea Party.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the recognition. This evening, I would like to lead the discussion about the blatant abuse of power by the Internal Revenue Service, specifically regarding its targeting of Americans because of their political beliefs.

In early 2012, the Waco Tea Party contacted me to express concern about overly onerous information requests regarding their request to become a 501(c)(4) organization. I subsequently contacted the IRS to get answers, and I also contacted the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to inform them of the situation that I had been made aware of. Unfortunately, following my inquiry into the IRS, the issue did not go away and, in fact, it got worse. I began to learn that this targeting was wide and spread throughout the country.

In April of 2012, I, along with 62 of my House colleagues, sent a letter to then-IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman requesting a response as to why the IRS was targeting and intimidating conservative groups. We received a basic, nonresponsive letter from the IRS that outlined how applications are processed and that in no way answered our questions on the targeting and the onerous questioning of the grassroots groups.

On May 10, 2013, just a little over a year later, the IRS officially apologized for inappropriately targeting conservative groups like the Waco Tea Party. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee started and continued to conduct hearings into this targeting of conservative groups.

News reports would go on to reveal that senior IRS personnel knew about this practice as far back as 2011, directly contradicting earlier testimony of senior IRS personnel, who claimed that they did not know of these practices. I, along with my colleagues here on the House floor tonight, are far from satisfied with just an apology.

We have several letters from groups that we are going to share with you tonight. This needless and abusive targeting has burdened many conservative groups throughout the country. I have invited several of my colleagues to come to the House floor and to join me as we bring back to the forefront this blatant abuse of power from the IRS on conservative groups. Tonight, I would like to present the injustice that has been done by reading letters to Congress from these targeted groups that go into detail about their experiences.

The first letter is from a group in my district, Texas District 17. It is the Waco Tea Party. Here is what their letter says:

We are writing to you to explain to you and to your

colleagues what it is like to be targeted by the government

via the Internal Revenue Service. We are not writing to

explain the facts and details--that is all a matter for

public record and the courts--but rather to explain what

happens to United States citizens who simply exercise their

rights under the law.

When we began the Waco Tea Party, we were regular Americans

who spoke out about being taxed enough already. We weren't

political operatives or politicians. For the most part, we

were new to the world of politics. We were naive. We believed

our government had problems, but we didn't realize that it

would target citizens for their political beliefs, that it

would put us on a ``be on the lookout,'' or BOLO, list, for

short, for using the words ``Tea Party'' in our name; that

some Members of Congress would write to the IRS and demand

action against us because we held a different position on

policy.

We weren't targeted because we broke the law; we were

targeted because we were compliant with the law. We weren't

targeted because we spoke out; we were targeted because our

viewpoints weren't acceptable to government bureaucrats at

the IRS. The law was wrongly used against us in an attempt to

shut us out and to shut us up.

The toll this IRS targeting is taking on our lives is

immeasurable. The financial burden on our small grassroots

group has been staggering, requiring many of us to dip into

our household budgets to cover expenses, the sleepless nights

worrying about what would happen if we couldn't find someone

to help us, the emotional stress of explaining to your

spouse, your children, family, and friends why you have to

miss a special event or special day because we had to work on

inane and intrusive demands by the IRS, questions that had

nothing to do with our application but were instead used as a

weapon of intimidation.

The countless nights that we have laid in our bed not able

to sleep, the times that we quietly cried into a pillow

because we don't want our spouse to know how scared we are,

or the isolation we have felt because of how the media and

even some Members of Congress have demonized us, none of this

matters to an agent of the government. We are not seen as

people. We deeply love our country. We are patriotic, and we

are dedicated to preserving our birthrights guaranteed by the

Constitution and passing them on to the next generation.

Our grandfathers, fathers, and others fought wars against

countries that use government to squelch freedom and liberty

of their citizens, only to find that out our own government

was now engaging in these tactics. We are not ashamed of our

country, but we are disgusted with our government and those

who condone the IRS tactics.

We implore you to act to preserve political speech, free

speech, to hold people accountable for what they have done to

the American citizens. We pray that you and your colleagues

will act to restrain government, punish those who were

responsible, and restore our First Amendment rights to what

the Founders intended.

Sincerely, Toby Marie Walker, Carol Waddell, Becky Kodrin,

and Bobby Keith, Waco Tea Party members, supporters and

volunteers.

Mr. Speaker, as I told you, there are several letters we have to share tonight. The next person I would like to invite to speak is Randy Weber from Texas District 14, and he will share

what some of his constituents have written to him.

I thank my friend from Texas (Mr. Weber). And I am now honored to yield to another friend from the great State of Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn, who represents the Tennessee Seventh.

I thank the Congresswoman from Tennessee.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the words that were shared with us from the gentlelady from Tennessee, from one of her constituents. And we hear firsthand the agonizing feelings of her constituents as they have experienced the abuse of an overreach of Federal power by this feared agency, the IRS.

I am now pleased to yield to another one of my good friends. Representative Lankford from Oklahoma will share what some of the folks in Oklahoma Five think about what the IRS has done.

I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lankford) for sharing with us more chilling evidence of a Federal Government that has gone wild and how the Federal Government can target you based on what is in your name.

I would now like to yield to my good friend from Texas, Mr. Louie Gohmert, from Texas' District One.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments of Mr. Gohmert. I think he raises an issue that all Americans rightly need to be concerned about, and that is the invasion of our privacy that we expect to have under our Constitution when you have an IRS that is looking into your personal records.

Mr. Speaker, I did get a letter from the IRS about 6 weeks after I wrote my letter to them demanding an answer for what they were doing to the Waco Tea Party. So I think they are targeting everybody. They don't care who they target. It seems like they are on a mission to try to squelch opposition to this administration's policies.

I would now like to yield to a brand-new freshman Member from Florida. Mr. DeSantis from Florida's Sixth District is going to share some stories about what his constituents have experienced with the IRS.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for that heartfelt testimony today. I would also like to thank him for his years of service in the United States Navy and as a current member of the United States Naval Reserve. We appreciate having people like this that serve our country.

It is a shame that Americans who serve their country, whether they are in Congress or just a member of a local Tea Party, are targeted because of the fact that they are concerned about what is happening in Washington, what is happening from an administration or from the nameless, faceless bureaucrats that you heard of a few minutes ago.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time we have left?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have, as I told you at the outset of this conversation, many letters that we received from folks all over this country. And I am not going to read all these letters, but I am going include some of them in the Record of tonight's proceedings.

One letter is from Amen, or Abortion Must End Now, that talks about how they were targeted. The Greenwich Tea Party Patriots of South Jersey wrote in about how they were targeted and the IRS treated them.

You heard Mr. DeSantis from Florida talk about the First Coast Tea Party and how they were targeted, so their letter is going to be part of the Record. The Hawaii Tea Party writes in and talks about their experiences with the IRS. The Kentucky 9/12 Project has written in to talk about what they experienced.

The Manassas Tea Party next door in Virginia has written in to talk about how long it took for them to have their application reviewed and how they were bullied and insulted.

You heard Mr. Lankford talk about the OK Tea Party and Patriots in Action Association. The Patriots Educating Concerned Americans Now, or PECAN for short, in California, we got a letter from them. The Roane County Tea Party from Tennessee, we have got a letter from them.

We also have a letter from the San Fernando Valley Patriots in California that talks about the IRS treatment and the abuse. Actually, this one is sort of interesting because it has a poem, so I am going to read this one.

Again, this is from the San Fernando Valley Patriots in California. This letter starts with a poem entitled, ``Our Grassroots Voice,'' by Karen Kenney, coordinator, San Fernando Valley Patriots:

The faces of the San Fernando Valley Patriots are different

from our voice.

We are Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, but

patriots all.

We speak as one with a love of God and country.

But our voice is a whisper against the roar that is this

government.

We began as a ``tea party'' group in May 2009 near Los

Angeles; born from the tax burdens within the American

Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

A government too big, makes each citizen small, we thought.

The First Amendment would offer a platform for us to speak

politically, but we were wrong. Our government unsheathed its

sword: the IRS.

The IRS did what tyranny does: threaten and control. The

questionnaires sent to us were consuming; their intent to

test our resolve.

But liberty prefers to stand and be heard.

We held more than 85 events in 2 years, but donations

dropped and costs rose. We could afford fewer speakers,

rallies, and handouts.

In July 2012, we withdrew our application for tax-exempt

status with the IRS after 20 months of delays and grueling

red tape.

We must now pay nonprofit taxes in California. The minimum

is $800 annually.

We have little money, but more people.

On June 4, 2013, the Ways and Means Committee heard our

voice.

Now, our voice is stronger and more hear it. God bless

America.

And here is their letter:

On June 4, 2013, we told our story to the Ways and Means

Committee. We did not plead the Fifth. We did not hide the

facts. We did not lie. Our voice rose against the tyranny

that is the IRS scandal. We told the truth of how a

government too big makes each citizen small. We told the

truth of abuse of power by the fist of a grinding

bureaucracy.

We spoke of demand-and-delay tactics that cut our funds and

public face. The IRS kept pounding, and we stopped our

application for tax relief. But we did not stop meeting,

teaching, and talking about the Constitution.

Now we have fewer speakers, fewer rallies, and fewer

resources. But our resolve is undaunted. You see, we stand

firmly with the First Amendment, not the Fifth.

God bless this Nation. God bless its people. God bless our

liberty.

Karen Kenney, San Fernando Valley Patriots.

We have a letter from the Shelby County Liberty in Ohio. We have the Unite in Action from Nashville, Tennessee. We have the Wetumpka Tea Party from Alabama, who wrote in about their treatment at the hands of an overreaching IRS.

The Liberty Township Tea Party from Ohio has written in. The Richmond Tea Party, again, from next door in Virginia, has a letter that they want Americans to know about. The Rochester Tea Party Patriots in Minnesota, and the Greater Phoenix Tea Party Patriots in Arizona have written in.

On our Web site at flores.house.gov we have a timetable of when the IRS started this and what processes they went through and the lies that were told to the American people about what they were doing. And then we also had some testimony about when they came clean and when IRS officials started to resign. So it would be fascinating for Americans to be able to see that.

Mr. Speaker, the IRS is supposed to enforce our tax laws with integrity and fairness. Yet here we are, 6 months later, and the Obama administration has done nothing more than to try and ride out the storm without taking action.

Lois Lerner and Doug Shulman have resigned from the IRS. However, they are still entitled to live the rest of their lives living on the backs of the hardworking American taxpayers that they abused when they were with the IRS.

Mr. Speaker, folks like Lerner and Shulman should never be allowed to get away with behavior like this and to get on Federal retirement. The IRS must stop targeting certain individuals and groups for partisan reasons. It is time that the administration gives Congress the information that we have requested over and over and over again so that the American people will know the facts and so that they will know that these practices are no longer being done. Americans deserve and demand transparency from government agencies, and they deserve compliance with law and with the Constitution.

My colleagues and I remain committed to finding answers and to putting a stop to this injustice. Mr. Speaker, I would like for every Federal bureaucrat who has tried to abuse the American people to have to submit their testimony with this same language that they requested from these everyday Americans who were just trying to stand up and exercise their First Amendment rights. I would like them to say:

Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this information, including the accompanying documents, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, the information that all the relevant facts relating to the request for information and such facts are true, correct and complete.

This is what Lois Lerner should have had to provide, not plead the Fifth. As I said before, my colleagues and I remain committed to finding answers and to putting a stop to this injustice.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for allowing us to bring this issue back to the forefront as we continue to look for answers and demand action. We will reassure the American public that the IRS and other Federal agencies will not scrutinize individuals and groups for political or ideological party reasons.

I also submit for the Record the letters that we received tonight.

I would ask that all Americans tonight continue to pray for their country during these difficult times for our military men and women and for our first responders.

I will close by saying, God bless America.

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

AMEN (Abortion Must End Now)

AMEN (Abortion Must End Now) is a faith-based organization

dedicated to defending the sanctity of life from its moment

of conception. The Internal Revenue Service targeted AMEN,

accusing us of being political.

Months into our 501c3 filing, AMEN received a letter from

the IRS, not fully understanding the terminology, I phoned

them. The IRS specialist shared with me that we could be seen

as being ``too political''. The specialist continued to

explain that the references to religion within our Mission

statement could be an issue. The IRS also informed me that

our name, AMEN (Abortion Must End Now) could be seen as

``political'' because it infers, ``we aim to abolish

abortion.'' I questioned, ``We would have to change our name

and Mission?'' the IRS Specialist responded, ``Most likely.''

I shared with the specialist that if we changed our name and

Mission, we would no longer be the same organization.

It is because of the statements made by the IRS that we

ignored future letters to pursue our tax-exempt status. We

felt with abortion silencing the voices of over 3,200

American babies each day, we could not allow the IRS to

silence ours.

The abuse of the IRS has truly impacted our organization.

We operate on a very low budget, as many are unable to donate

without having the advantage of a tax credit. We feel that

our growth has been stunted due to the unethical actions of

the IRS. We also feel that we continue to be a target as

after our application for tax exemption in 2009, 2 out of 3

Directors of AMEN have been audited.

AMEN was targeted because we believe in defending the

Unalienable Right to Life. The IRS has acted unlawfully and

it is this unlawful abuse that must be aborted.

God Bless America,

Kristy Lien, President.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th anniversary of the city of College Station, Texas.

College Station has been and is the home to tens of thousands of Texas families, students, businesses, and residents throughout the years, and I am proud to offer my congratulations on this milestone.

College Station was an unincorporated community for over 60 years before officially being incorporated as a city on October 19, 1938.

In 1869, the Houston and Texas Central Railway was built through the area; and in 1871, College Station was chosen as the location for what would eventually become one of the largest public universities in the Nation, Texas A&M University.

The city got its name because the A&M campus was the focal point of community development at the time. In 1877, the area was designated College Station, Texas, by the postal service, deriving its name from the train station located to the west of the campus. Since incorporation in 1938, College Station's population has grown to over 97,000 today. Over the past 75 years, College Station has served as a vibrant, supportive, and safe community for thousands of families.

Texas A&M University is still the city's main focal point and the largest employer in the city. The university is rich in tradition and history; and due to its supportive fan base, sporting events bring in hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

College Station is also the home to the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, one of the region's most popular tourist attractions.

College Station is a fast-growing city with a thriving economy. It has recently been recognized as one of the Nation's best places for businesses, jobs, families, and retirees. College Station prides itself on having the fifth lowest property tax rate among similar-sized communities in the State of Texas, and the city was recently ranked No. 5 nationally on Forbes' list of the best small places for businesses and careers.

College Station is among the safest, the most family-friendly places in Texas, maintaining one of the best safety ratings in the State. College Station has also been a community that comes together and shows support when needed, whether it was the collapse of the Aggie bonfire in 1999 or the loss of one of our constables in August of last year. Our community comes together in the midst of terrible adversities to support one another.

The residents and leadership of College Station work hard to make their city one of the best places in Texas to work, live, and maintain an enjoyable and fulfilling life. It is my honor to represent the residents of this great city.

Madam Speaker, please join me in commemorating the city of College Station and its proud residents on their 75th anniversary.

Before I close, I ask that all Americans continue to pray for our country during these difficult times and for the military men and women and first responders who protect her. God bless the American people, and God bless College Station, Texas.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor the heroism of Specialist Fifth Class Clarence E. Sasser of the United States Army.

Specialist Fifth Class Clarence E. Sasser was a private in the 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division and when he earned the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his selfless and courageous acts on January 10, 1968, in Vietnam.

As a combat medic in Vietnam, Specialist Sasser served our country above and beyond the call of duty.

On January 10th, 1968, his company was making an air assault when it took fire from enemy positions on three sides of the landing zone.

While under enemy fire, Specialist Sasser helped drag a wounded soldier to cover, all while refusing medical treatment for a wound in his left shoulder. He then returned to help more of his fellow soldiers. He quickly treated soldiers in need and then continued to search for other wounded.

Near the end of the action, even with two additional wounds immobilizing his legs, he crawled through mud toward another soldier 100 meters away, and while faint from blood loss and in agonizing pain, he continued treating soldiers for hours until they were all evacuated.

Specialist Sasser received the Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon in 1969 and on November 7, 2013, he will become the eighth Texas Aggie to be added to Texas A&M University's Medal of Honor Hall of Honor.

Specialist Sasser was born in Chenango, Texas, and following his military service he attended Texas A&M University on a scholarship offered by then President James Earl Rudder in August 1969.

After attending Texas A&M, he began working at an oil refinery for more than five years before going on to work at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, it is such a great privilege that Specialist Sasser's Medal of Honor and associated citation will be housed and showcased on the campus of Texas A&M University, which I am honored to represent.

Specialist Sasser's sacrifice and heroic efforts will never be forgotten. It is for his fearless courage, heroism and true dedication to our country that Texas A&M is proud to remember and honor the actions of Specialist Fifth Class Clarence E. Sasser.

I would like to close by asking all Americans to please pray for our country and for our brave American men and women who serve in the military to protect her.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2481, as amended, and I thank Chairman Miller for allowing me to express my support for this bill today.

This bill contains the original text of the Veterans GI Bill Enrollment Clarification Act of 2013, which I introduced in June, as well as the collective work of the subcommittee that I am honored to chair, the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

I want to thank the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Mr. Takano, as well as Chairman Miller and ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Michaud, for bringing this bill to the floor. Finally, I also thank the other members of the committee who authored the provisions that are included in this bill for their thoughtful legislation.

Mr. Speaker, sections 4 and 5, originally authored by Chairman Miller, would authorize using existing VA resources for the creation of a fourth administration at VA, which will improve oversight over VA's education, vocational rehabilitation, and home loan programs, and the Center for Veterans Enterprise. Too often, these programs are overshadowed by VA's efforts to reduce the disability claims backlog, and I am hopeful that this new fourth administration will streamline oversight over these important VA programs that will help veterans reach economic success.

Section 6 includes Mr. Cook's bill that would extend the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, which provides grant funding for job training services for homeless veterans.

Section 7 includes a bill authored by our late colleague, Mr. Young of Florida. This section would modify the Fry Scholarship program to include the children of certain veterans who die within 31 days of discharge from a service-connected cause. This is an issue that I know Mr. Young was personally passionate about, and I am thankful that we are able to include it in this bill that is being considered today.

Section 8 includes the original text of my bill, H.R. 2481, that would clarify the process to assist veterans in choosing the best GI Bill benefit to meet their unique education needs. I believe that, by making this one small change, we can reduce veterans' wait times and streamline their use of the benefits that they have earned.

Section 9 reflects a bill introduced by Mr. Calvert and cosponsored by Mr. Takano to streamline the reporting of student data by college consortiums.

Section 10 would extend several existing VA loan guarantee funding fees to provide CutGo funding offsets for the costs of the bill.

Sections 11 and 12 contain the provisions of Mr. Cummings' bill to expand several mortgage foreclosure and refinancing-related protections and rights in the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to surviving spouses and Active Duty members. The section would also clarify refinancing options available for servicemembers, as well as penalties for violations of the SCRA law.

I want to thank Mr. Cummings and his staff for working with us on this section over the past year. I believe these provisions would go a long way in protecting servicemembers and their families.

The final section would amend SCRA to protect child custody agreements of servicemembers while they are deployed. This provision, sponsored by Mr. Turner, has passed the House multiple times in the last few Congresses, and it is designed to ensure that military service doesn't impact existing child custody agreements unless it is in the best interests of the child.

Once again, I thank all of the Members for their thoughtful contributions to this bill, and I encourage its passage.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment that addresses a burdensome executive order that will have vast impacts on both our ocean and inland economies.

Executive Order 13547 was signed in 2010, and it requires that various bureaucracies essentially zone the ocean and the sources thereof. This means that a drop of rain that falls on your house could be subject to this overreaching policy because that precipitation will ultimately wind up in the ocean. The new policy guidelines under this executive order that were finalized in April of this year have the potential to change permitting criteria and regulatory requirements for a large number of economic sectors, including maritime shipping and inland river transportation.

The Army Corps of Engineers is participating in at least one Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning regional team, requiring resources and staff time outside of their current statutory obligations and outside their current budgetary authority. Since the Corps has not specifically asked for funds for the purpose of implementing Executive Order 13547, then they are raiding existing accounts to fund these activities, thus adding to the current projects backlogs and misusing scarce taxpayer resources.

Furthermore, the Senate WRDA bill includes a funding stream for regional planning bodies pursuant to the administration's National Ocean Policy, thereby creating a permanent slush fund to bankroll the implementation of their ocean-zoning initiative that has not even received congressional authorization.

My amendment would prohibit the programs or actions authorized under WRRDA from being used to further implement ocean zoning under the executive order, and it further requires that the Secretary of the Army conduct and submit a study to Congress that details all of the activities engaged in and resources expended relating to the executive order and to the National Ocean Policy, as well as relevant FY 2014 budget requests.

I want to thank the T&I Committee for its hard work on the WRRDA bill. I look forward to voting for the WRRDA bill, and I urge the approval of my amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, how much time does each side have remaining?

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Chairman, in closing, you have heard a lot of hyperbole about my amendment. My amendment is a simple amendment, and that is to stop an unconstitutional executive order that has been considered four times by Congress, including the 110th Congress and 111th Congress which were controlled by the other side. During none of those Congresses was the law that is now part of this executive order ever approved by those Congresses. This is the bureaucracy in this chart that has been created unconstitutionally by this executive order. Congress clearly doesn't intend to do that because it has studied this for four Congresses and elected not to.

You also heard that there are shareholders that don't support what I propose to do in this amendment. Unfortunately, that is not true either. We have got everybody from farmers to energy to commercial fisheries to recreational fishing interests that support this amendment and are fully on the side of it.

They have said that stakeholders came to Congress and said there were problems and that they wanted this executive order. That is not true, because we had a hearing in the 112th Congress and the stakeholders, I specifically asked them: Did any of you want the provisions that are included by this executive order? To an entity, they said, no, they didn't care for it.

Also, I would like to say that this amendment has also passed four other times. In the 112th Congress, I added this amendment to the CJS appropriations bill for fiscal year 2013. It passed on a bipartisan basis, 246-174. I offered a similar amendment to the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act that passed by a bipartisan vote of 233-190. I also offered a related amendment to the FY 2014 Energy and Water appropriations bill that passed by a voice vote.

This is a commonsense amendment. We are just saying, A, if Congress hasn't authorized this activity, and, B, if Congress hasn't appropriated any money for this activity, then this activity shouldn't take place. That is what the Constitution calls for. That is what this amendment does.

With that, I would urge approval of the amendment and approval of the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Baylor University Professor David Guinn. Professor Guinn was recently named the 2013 Baylor Lawyer of the Year. Mr. Guinn serves as the Lyndon L. Olson and William A. Olson Professor of Local Government and Constitutional Law and Master Teacher at Baylor, where he has taught for nearly half-a- century. The Waco Campus refers to Professor Guinn as ``the Godfather,'' a tribute not only to his long tenure at the University, but also the wide influence he has had on state policy and generations of Baylor Lawyers.

Professor Guinn attended Baylor University and majored in Political Science. He received his J.D. from Baylor School of Law in 1963. Following Law School, he worked for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for two years. He then attended the University of Michigan Law School where he received his LL.M. in International Law in 1966 and returned to his alma mater soon after. During his long tenure at Baylor Law, Professor Guinn has assisted in the drafting of the Texas Administrative Procedures Act and has served on numerous advisory bodies in the State Bar and on numerous committees at Baylor University. In addition to constitutional law, he teaches courses in the area of civil rights and local government.

Professor Guinn has also been involved in the redistricting process at the state and local level. After the 2000 Census was released, he helped redistrict cities, counties, and school districts throughout Texas. Professor Guinn served as Faculty Representative to the Southwest and the Big XII athletic conferences from 1986-2001. He also served on the first Division I Management Council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1997 and has continued to work with the athletic program since that time.

Aside from his teaching and redistricting work, Professor Guinn spends time traveling, reading, and exercising. He estimates he has run 28,000 total miles, and currently averages 15 miles a week. Each year he travels to South Texas and Mexico with friends, colleagues, and former students to hunt pheasant and white-wing.

Professor Guinn has two sons, David, Jr., and John, who graduated from Baylor Law School and a daughter, Catherine, who is a graduate of Baylor University.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1412.

This bill extends many expiring authorities for needed veteran programs, and I am glad to see it on the floor today.

I would like to specifically highlight two provisions that passed out of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, which I have the distinct honor of chairing.

The first provision was originally proposed in Mr. Coffman's bill, H.R. 1402, which would extend the authority for VA to operate an adaptive sport program under an agreement with the U.S. Paralympic Committee.

Mr. Speaker, under this agreement the U.S. Paralympic Committee provides grants to community based programs helping disabled veterans further their rehabilitation through adaptive sports.

This is an important program for our wounded warriors. It not only helps with their rehabilitation, but more importantly, many would say it helps with their self-confidence and spirit.

I am pleased to see that we are re-authorizing the program, and remain hopeful we can work with our Senate colleagues to pass a longer extension of this program in the near future.

The second provision is a one year extension of the Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program. This is a successful program that provides grant funding for job training to local veteran homeless providers. I was proud to be an original co-sponsor of Mr. Cook's original bill to reauthorize the program and I am pleased to see it is included in the bill before us today.

I thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Michaud for their efforts to move this bill forward and I encourage all members to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 1412.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the delicate yet much-needed balance between our national security and the constitutionally protected liberties of our citizens. In order to maintain those liberties, I call for the immediate terminations of Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Attorney General Eric Holder. To that extent, I am sending a letter to President Obama asking that he immediately call for their terminations and/or resignations.

Mr. Speaker, I do believe that our Nation's surveillance programs have helped thwart terrorist attacks because of the NSA and FBI personnel that work on these security activities every day and who are working hard to comply with the law to protect our constitutional liberties and to keep America safe.

In contrast to the efforts of those hardworking, law-abiding personnel, Americans have serious reservations about Attorney General Holder and DNI Clapper, who are ultimately responsible for the management of these programs. We remain gravely concerned about their lack of commitment to follow the law, to be forthright with the American people and with Congress, and their commitment to protect our constitutionally guaranteed liberties.

Continued congressional oversight coupled with the terminations of Clapper and Holder will help restore trust in these important programs to fight terrorism without compromising our liberties or creating gaps in our intelligence structure. In addition, their removal may start the healing process to restore American trust in our Federal Government.

Mr. Speaker, on July 30, our Nation lost Ronnie Jackson, a community treasure of Bryan, Texas. Mr. Jackson was a long-time public servant in the role of Neighborhood and Youth Services Director for our city. Mr. Jackson passed away at the age of 63 after fighting lung cancer for 17 months.

Mr. Jackson spent his life as an educator and worked tirelessly for many organizations, including the MHMR Authority of Brazos Valley, the Boys and Girls Club of Brazos Valley, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Brazos Valley. He also spent time volunteering at programs for youth, seniors, and in neighborhoods throughout the community. Mr. Jackson was recognized for his service when he was a 2010 national finalist for the Jefferson Award, which is the Nobel Prize for community and public service.

He was well known in Bryan and impacted the lives of many throughout the community. Ever selfless, even while battling cancer, Mr. Jackson still made time to work and serve in his community. He was described by many as hardworking, devoted, and a kind man. In fact, Bryan City Secretary Mary Lynne Stratta said in a newspaper interview earlier this summer that Mr. Jackson was the heartbeat of the programs that he led.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mr. Ronnie Jackson. He will forever be remembered as an outstanding husband and a community servant. Bryan, Texas, and all of the Brazos Valley are a better community because of him. God bless his family and our community as we mourn his passing.

Mr. Speaker, before I close, I ask that all Americans continue to pray for our country during these difficult times and for our military and first responders who protect us abroad and at home.

Mr. Speaker, on July 26, our Nation lost a great American, Mr. George P. Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell was a revolutionary energy pioneer, philanthropist, and Texas A&M graduate, class of 1940. He was 94 years old and passed away on July 26, 2013.

Mr. Mitchell was a native of Texas, born in Galveston, and later attended

Texas A&M University, where he worked his way through school, studied petroleum engineering and geology, and graduated top of his class. Throughout his life, Mr. Mitchell upheld the Aggie core values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service.

After attending Texas A&M University, Mr. Mitchell served as a captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He later built his own company, Mitchell Energy & Development, which was responsible for over 550 significant oil and gas discoveries.

Mr. Mitchell led the way in the energy business with his groundbreaking innovations which contributed to the expanded application of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. In addition, he is the catalyst behind many significant improvements to these technologies for over three decades. He is the man behind this energy revolution we have today that is putting us on the path to energy security in America.

In addition to his pioneering influence in the energy sector, Mr. Mitchell provided leadership in community development and service. He developed the Woodlands, a 27,000-acre community north of Houston. He used $50 million of his personal money to renovate landmarks in Galveston and founded the Houston Advanced Research Center, which is a nonprofit scientific and research facility. He has also benefited higher education through his family's gifts of tens of millions of dollars to our alma mater, Texas A&M University.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Mr. George Mitchell. He will forever be remembered as an outstanding husband, outstanding father, an outstanding Texas Aggie, a Texas businessman, an American energy leader, and a community servant.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment which addresses another misguided and restrictive Federal regulation.

Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act prohibits Federal agencies from entering into contracts for the procurement of fuels unless their lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions are less than or equal to emissions from an equivalent conventional fuel produced from conventional petroleum sources.

My amendment is simple. It would stop the government from enforcing this ban on agencies funded by the Department of Defense appropriations bill.

As my good friend, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry), said a few minutes ago, the initial purpose of section 526 was to stifle the Defense Department's plans to buy and develop coal-based or coal-to- liquids jet fuel.

We must ensure that our military has adequate fuel resources and that it can rely on domestic and more stable sources of fuel. One of the unintended consequences of section 526 is that it essentially forces the American military to acquire fuel refined from unstable, Middle East crude resources.

I offered this amendment to the Fiscal Year 2014 Homeland Security Appropriations Act and the Fiscal Year 2014 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, and they both passed on the floor of the House with strong bipartisan support.

My friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway), also added similar language to the latest defense authorization bill to exempt the Defense Department from this burdensome regulation.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway).

Mr. Chairman, as we said earlier, this amendment is a simple fix, and that fix is to not restrict our fuel choices based on bad policies or misguided regulations like those in section 526. Stopping the impact of section 526 will help us to promote American energy, grow the American economy, create American jobs, and become more energy secure.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have enjoyed the debate tonight and I appreciate the comments of the gentleman.

I would say this. This amendment does not do any of those things that he

said it would. It does not prevent and does not restrict the ability of the Federal Government or the Department of Defense to purchase any alternative fuels--it does not restrict those--including biodiesel, ethanol, or other fuels from renewable resources. So it does not do any of those things that would prevent the flexibility of the Department of Defense in acquiring fuels. As a matter of fact, it helps the Department of Defense have more flexibility.

With that, I urge my colleagues to support this a amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.