Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the United States Army Reserve which celebrated its 110th anniversary on April 23rd.

What began in 1908 as a tiny corps of medical professionals held in readiness for service is today the Army's global operational reserve force--meeting high optempo demands, generating forces to support the National Military

Strategy and Army commitments worldwide, and providing mission-critical forces and capabilities in direct support of America's active duty forces.

Through two World Wars, the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War, the Global War on Terror and countless other crises, operations and emergencies, the Army Reserve has never failed to answer the Nation's call.

Today our Nation faces new threats, from multiple sources, that challenge U.S. military dominance across every domain. And again, the Army Reserve is rising to the challenge, creating a Ready Force of units and individual Soldiers postured to move fast, engage quickly, and win decisively on the battlefields of today and tomorrow.

The world is rapidly changing but one thing is constant: The Army Reserve will remain the dedicated federal reserve of the most decisive and lethal land force in the world--ready now, shaping tomorrow; forging the most capable, combat-ready and lethal Army Reserve in U.S. history. And so, I wish the Army Reserve another Happy Birthday, and many more years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor our friend and ally, Israel, on its recent Independence Day. 70 years ago, after centuries of expulsions, pogroms, prejudice, and persecution, the Jewish people celebrated their return to Israel and the establishment of a land where they could live in peace and prosperity.

We are all too aware that Israel has repeatedly faced grave threats to this peace, and must regularly defend its very existence against those who would destroy her. Despite these threats, for the last seven decades, the Israeli people have stood strong in defense of freedom and democracy, and built a thriving nation. After this historic anniversary, let us in the United States Congress reaffirm our commitment to our ally. Since its independence, our nations have had a special relationship, deeply rooted in shared democratic principles and values.

Our nations are both free and vibrant democracies, and together, we can create a safer world. We live in dangerous times, with enemies who threaten Americans and Israelis alike. Our joint counterterrorism and military efforts are essential for the prosperity of both of our nations. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of this member of the House of Representatives, I would like to congratulate Israel on their 70th anniversary and reaffirm our commitment: Israel, we stand with you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Stephen Pegram, the Chief of Fire and Emergency Medical Services in Goshen, Ohio.

I am deeply grateful for the service of firefighters like Chief Pegram for the great work they do in Southern and Southwestern Ohio, and beyond. While others run from danger, they run toward it, charging burning buildings, responding to hidden danger, saving lives, and keeping our communities safe.

Chief Pegram has distinguished himself as firefighter worthy of our recognition and gratitude in this Congress. He led the Goshen Fire and EMS in their life-saving missions during this year's historic flooding; in addition, he also serves as the President of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI). ISFSI's mission is to improve training to increase firefighter safety and reduce fatalities and injuries. This mission is critical to protecting those who risk their lives every day to protect us.

Under Chief Pegram's leadership, ISFSI is being awarded the Paul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award. This well-

deserved honor is given annually by the Congressional Fire Services Institute and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to organizations for their outstanding contributions to the health and safety of firefighters.

This award is a true testament to the ISFSI's success in improving firefighter training.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House of Representatives, I'd like to thank the International Society of Fire Service Instructors for their outstanding training and education for firefighters everywhere.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Procter & Gamble and Matthew 25: Ministries for their efforts to help the flood victims in southern and southwest Ohio.

Much of my district in the Ohio River Valley faced widespread damage from flood waters. Following heavy winter rains, the Ohio River surged to its highest level in over two decades. The river that serves as the namesake and lifeblood of my state endangered many of the communities along the river bank.

I'm grateful to all those who answered the call to serve: our law enforcement officers, first responders, and state and local government officials, who led the efforts to contain damage and begin the relief efforts.

In southern Ohio, we have been blessed to have volunteer organizations and private citizens who have come to the aid of flood victims, and who know how to be most helpful. In this, Procter & Gamble and Matthew 25: Ministries are outstanding examples of private partners uniting their resources to provide immediate relief in their communities.

From personal care to cleaning supplies and laundry services, Procter & Gamble's donated products were an invaluable help to those displaced by, or battling, flooding. Matthew 25: Ministries has been a local leader, offering critical support to victims and disaster relief volunteers.

Matthew 25: Ministries and Procter & Gamble were among the only entities to respond to the disaster in their communities. Dan, a flood victim just across the river in Kentucky, said that when he received a Procter & Gamble bag with a handwritten note inside, he ``realized that someone cared about me when I had nothing.''

Procter & Gamble and Matthew 25: Ministries didn't have to be there, but they were. They are an example of the strong and generous spirit of the people of Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, these two organizations have demonstrated that they are truly good neighbors and good citizens. On behalf of the House of Representatives, I'd like to thank P&G and Matthew 25: Ministries for coming to the aid of flood victims in southern and southwest Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Proctor & Gamble and Matthew 25: Ministries for their efforts to help the flood victims in southern and southwest Ohio.

Much of my district in the Ohio River Valley faced widespread damage from flood waters. Following heavy winter rains, the Ohio River surged to its highest level in over two decades. The river that serves as the namesake and lifeblood my state endangered many of the communities along the river bank.

I'm grateful to all those who answered the call to serve: our law enforcement officers, first responders, and state and local government officials, who led the efforts to contain damage and begin the relief efforts.

In southern Ohio, we have been blessed to have volunteer organizations and private citizens who have come to the aid of flood victims, and who know how to be most helpful. In this, Proctor & Gamble and Matthew 25: Ministries are outstanding examples of private partners uniting their resources to provide immediate relief in their communities.

From personal care to cleaning supplies and laundry services, Proctor & Gamble's donated products were an invaluable help to those displaced by, or battling, flooding. Matthew 25: Ministries has been a local leader, offering critical support to victims and disaster relief volunteers.

Matthew 25: Ministries and Proctor & Gamble were among the only entities to respond to the disaster in their communities. Dan, a flood victim just across the river in Kentucky, said that when he received a Proctor & Gamble bag with a handwritten note inside, he ``realized that someone cared about me when I had nothing.''

Proctor & Gamble and Matthew 25: Ministries didn't have to be there, but they were. They are an example of the strong and generous spirit of the people of Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, these two organizations have demonstrated that they are truly good neighbors and good citizens. On behalf of the House of Representatives, I'd like to thank P&G and Matthew 25: Ministries for coming to the aid of flood victims in southern and southwest Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, let's set the record straight. Yesterday, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said that part of the reason for the shutdown is that this is the fourth CR this term.

Why do we have CRs--continuing resolutions?

Well, when Congress doesn't pass appropriations, a CR is the only choice other than a shutdown.

The House of Representatives passed all of our appropriations bills for this year. Senate Democrats have deliberately impeded the legislative process in the Senate, and no appropriations bills have been passed in their Chamber this term. When Senate Democrats leave no choice but a CR, don't complain about a CR.

Mr. Speaker, this is no way to run a government. Recognizing the damage that occurs with a shutdown, the House again rose to the occasion and passed a continuing resolution with content that both sides agree with. The House of Representatives has done their job. We want to keep our government open. If only Senate Democrats would end this Schumer-led shutdown.

Mr. Speaker, I oppose the amendment and support the underlying bill.

I served a year in Iraq, and every day we got foreign intelligence information to us. Why? Because it helped us prepare. It helped us plan. It helped us deter. It helped us save American lives--not only the lives of our troops in theater, but the lives of people at home.

I am all in favor of protecting American citizens and their privacy; do not get me wrong. I hope that, in the information we collected in theater, there were no Americans involved.

But guess what this amendment will do. It will virtually guarantee that terrorists are going to make sure that they have an American, complicit or otherwise, involved with every one of their communications, email, or through a phone call. Why? Because that protects them. That will protect terrorists.

That is what this amendment would do. That is why I oppose the amendment and stand in favor of the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the l00th birthday of Carl Burger of Williamsburg, Ohio.

In 1917, the first World War still burned in Europe. But in small town America, William and Emily Burger were welcoming Carl Burger to the world, and to Ohio. With the exception of several exceptional years in service to his country, Carl has lived in Williamsburg, Ohio for his entire life.

On the occasion of Carl's birthday, I'd like to tell you a bit about where one hundred years of a remarkable life has taken him.

In Williamsburg, Carl was many things. A formidable basketball player, a talented drummer, an employee in the family meat market. He left Williamsburg for the first time when he volunteered for the army in 1941, before the United States entered the Second World War. He was months away from completing his service, and returning to Ohio, when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Carl knew in that moment that he'd be in the war for its duration.

I cannot speak directly for Carl's wartime experience. But his story is one of humanity, humility, and humor. He served as 3rd Infantry medic in North Africa, and throughout the Italian campaign. While serving on the front lines, he had more than a few close calls with torpedoes, artillery, and enemy patrols. Carl is keenly aware of a sense of luck, or a touch of providence, that guided him through these incidents largely unharmed.

While Carl surely saw enough of the war to last him a lifetime, he also witnessed great bravery, and he rose to great bravery in return. He was awarded the Bronze Star for directing the evacuation of 58 wounded GI's from the front lines of Italy. His experiences taught him that courage can be found in funny places--a shared bottle of contraband whiskey, or an unexpected foxhole visit from a general.

Ultimately, like every veteran, Carl's service is only a part of his story. He was still a young man when he returned to Williamsburg. He returned to his father's meat market, and the town band. He married and had children. He has a long history of participation in fraternal organizations like the Masons, and youth service organizations like the International Order of Rainbows for Girls.

His talent as a grill-master is legendary, as is his generosity and spirit.

Mr. Speaker, Carl Burger is a good man, and he's lived one hundred years worth celebrating. I hope you'll all join me in wishing him the happiest of birthdays.

Mr. Speaker, more jobs, bigger paychecks, and fairer taxes. Those are the three big promises of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and I am proud to lend my support.

This tax relief legislation serves as an opportunity for all American families to achieve the American dream--because it is crafted with working families and providing relief for the middle class in mind.

This bill does much to reform and revitalize the tax code. I look forward to doing even more to assist American families and communities, ensure U.S. companies can fairly compete with foreign counterparts, and close existing loopholes in our laws. For years, our nation's high corporate tax rate has created an unlevel playing field for U.S. businesses to compete in global markets. By reducing rates and moving to a territorial system much in line those of our international competitors, we will incentivize companies to build investment here, thereby creating new jobs and increasing take-home pay for hardworking Americans.

Further compounding this problem is the ability, in some industries, for foreign-based competitors to exploit loopholes in the tax code to avoid taxes altogether. For instance, under current law foreign-based reinsurers to transfer a portion of their profits to offshore tax havens, and thus shielded from our corporate tax rate, has essentially gutted the domestic reinsurance industry over; the last two decades. Rather than allowing our domestic insurers to effectively compete, this uneven and unfair playing field instead promotes the use of foreign inversions and affiliate transactions to achieve a lower tax rate. This environment erodes the U.S. tax base to the tune of billions, and forces U.S. insurers to decide whether solely-domestic operations, which many have maintained for decades, is worth paying a higher effective tax rate. Mr. Speaker, these are not decisions that our tax code should force on job creators.

As our country competes with the rest of world in a 21st century global economy, it is essential that our tax policies offer opportunities for job creators in the United States of all sizes to grow, thrive, create jobs, and increase the take-home pay for all hard- working Americans so that they may thrive and seek their dreams.

As the U.S. economic engine drives forward, aided significantly by the passage of this historic legislation, we must also ensure that neglected and distressed communities are kept in mind. My district in southern Ohio has leveraged the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) and Historic Tax Credit (HTC) to bring hundreds of millions of dollars of investment to such areas, and the net result is thousands of permanent new jobs and housing units in my district alone.

Given the positive impacts these pro-growth credits have had in my district and across the country, I was hopeful for the preservation of NMTC and HTC as my colleagues on the Ways & Means Committee crafted this legislation. While H.R. 1 would repeal both credits, the Senate's proposal would retain the NMTC and a modified version of the HTC. I hope the House and Senate come to a productive solution in conference.

More broadly, I encourage my colleagues in the upcoming House and Senate conference process to produce a final version that will ensure our tax relief creates a level playing field for all competitors in an interconnected world, and realizes the vast potential of our nation's overlooked communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4374. This provision would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize additional emergency uses for medical products to reduce deaths and severity of injuries caused by agents of war.

Having served as a combat surgeon in Iraq, I understand the importance of being able to administer lifesaving treatments at a moment's notice. Our servicemembers going into harm's way must be confident that their corpsmen, medics, docs, and health professionals are equipped with the latest technology to save lives every time.

Freeze-dried plasma is used during the initial resuscitation of combat casualties. Since 2011, 24 severely injured U.S. troops have been treated with freeze-dried plasma provided by the French, who have used this successfully since 1994. Of those patients, 17 lives were saved due to rapid treatment with freeze-dried plasma.

H.R. 4374 is important because it puts a process in place to broaden the definition of military emergencies and provides the Department of Defense with access to expedited FDA processes for the investigational products like freeze-dried plasma.

I support Chairman Thornberry's unwavering leadership on this issue. With rapidly developing medical technology, the FDA must be part of the modernization and readiness of our Armed Forces. We are committed to ensuring that the FDA does the best it can for our deployed forces, and I hope that we can find a way to enable the FDA to consider approved research and clinical studies from our allies in an effort to aid their approval process.

The future will likely bring more medical devices and drugs that can save lives. Having a process to approve and implement emerging medical technologies is a matter of life and death, especially for our brave troops.

Mr. Speaker, providing for the common defense, that is a constitutional duty that this governing body was tasked with. By passing the NDAA, we are working to ensure that our country keeps faith with those who bravely serve and their families.

While the world has grown more dangerous, our military has grown smaller. Our men and women in uniform and their equipment have been stretched thin after years of war, billions in budget cuts, downsizing, and continued funding uncertainty. The 2018 NDAA reverses these trend lines.

Passing this bill fully funds the 2.4 percent pay raise our troops have earned so we can support our troops and they can support their families.

This legislation brings attention to maximizing our military health systems and includes a study on safe opioid prescribing practices for our troops so our warfighters receive the best possible treatment.

Rebuilding our readiness along with acquisition reform, equipment modernization, and increased end strength will better prepare our men and women as they put on the uniform and fight for us. Our troops serve so that we can sleep well at night, and they ask for nothing in return.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the full House to vote in favor of the NDAA.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support Mr. Barr's legislation, the Otto Warmbier North Korea Nuclear Sanctions Act.

North Korea has continued to prove a dangerous and destabilizing force to the northeast Asian region, as well as to the United States and its allies. Its repeated missile tests, nuclear weapons tests, and heinous human rights violations demand that the United States continue its diplomatic and economic isolation campaign.

Today's bill is named for my constituent, Otto Warmbier, from Wyoming, Ohio, in the greater Cincinnati area.

Otto passed away on June 19 after spending 18 months in detention by the North Korean regime, the brutality of which was far beyond human decency or civility. The pain and heartache endured by Otto, his family, and his friends can never be undone or erased, but Congress can continue to take action by passing H.R. 3898 today and imposing the most far-reaching sanctions yet to be directed at North Korea.

There is no simple solution to countering such complex national security threats, but it is critical that we utilize both economic and diplomatic tools to hold hostile regimes like North Korea accountable when they act repeatedly and aggressively against our interests, our allies, our citizens, and our security.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly and sincerely urge support of this bill by every Member of this Chamber.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Charles L. Gribi, who recently left this earth on September 15, 2017.

A Cincinnati native, Charles grew up in Riverside, and throughout his childhood held numerous jobs in an effort to support his family through the Great Depression.

His compassion for the safety and service of others does not stop there. After winning a scholarship to Xavier University in Cincinnati, Charles enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the start of World War

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish a Happy 100th Birthday to Margaret Barger of New Richmond, OH.

Throughout her 100 years of life, Margaret has been an incredible member of our community here in Ohio's Second District. It's people like her who set the example of how life should be lived to its fullest.

A retired school teacher, Margaret has spent her life dedicated to the life and improvement of her community and those around her.

Her public service and spirit is an example to others is admired.

Margaret has made New Richmond a better place throughout her lifetime, through her kindness and dedication to all.

Happy Birthday Margaret.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish a happy 100th birthday to Vickie Hale of New Richmond, OH.

Through her life, Vickie has been an incredible member of our community here in Ohio's Second District. It's people like her who make the world a lot nicer.

A retired school teacher and member of the New Richmond Historical Society, Vickie has spent her life dedicated to the life and improvement of her community and those around her.

Her public service and example to other is admired.

VIckie, as well as her husband John, a World War II veteran, have made New Richmond a better place throughout their lifetime, through their kindness and dedication to all.

Happy Birthday Vickie.