Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Subcommittee on Oversight chairman, Mr. Lewis, and the ranking member, Mr. Kelly, for getting this bill to the floor today. This legislation is the product of years of work, and I am glad to see these commonsense provisions get one step closer to the finish line.

Congress hasn't tackled real IRS reform in decades. With a bipartisan, bicameral effort, our goal is to modernize the IRS and improve the taxpayer experience. With sensible reforms, the Taxpayer First Act redesigns the IRS with that mission at the forefront--putting the taxpayer first.

I would also like to highlight that this bill includes a provision to codify the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, matching grant program and make it permanent. My colleague, Dr. Davis from Illinois, and I have introduced legislation to make VITA permanent, and I am pleased to see the provisions included in the bill before us today.

VITA centers provide free tax help by many volunteers to low-income individuals, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance with their taxes. These centers, and the many volunteers who operate them, assist thousands of our constituents every year. By making this program permanent, we will provide VITA organizations, volunteers, and the taxpayers they serve with certainty.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see this provision included and this bill on the

floor today, and I urge its swift passage.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I urge the Speaker to immediately schedule the born-alive bill.

Madam Speaker, a few minutes ago, I rose to call for a vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires any baby who survives an abortion to receive the same medical care that any baby born at the same age would receive. It requires the baby to then be transported to a hospital.

As a doctor, I strongly believe that every patient, especially these infants born alive, should be given appropriate medical care. This should not even be a question.

New York recently celebrated passing a law that removes protections from babies born alive after an abortion attempt. Other States also fail to protect abortion survivors.

Therefore, it is our duty, as Members of Congress, to defend the God- given right to life for every baby in this situation. It is our duty, as compassionate human beings, to ensure that these uniquely vulnerable babies receive the care that they deserve.

It is past time to vote on H.R. 962.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the former chairman for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan legislation that I sponsored with Dr. Ruiz, the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act. I am pleased to have Dr. Ruiz' medical expertise engaged on this issue.

Our Nation's servicemembers experience a variety of threats to their health and well-being, many of which extend well beyond combat. The theater of war can present many health challenges that do not show up until later in life. We are learning that burn pit exposure can be one such condition.

I occasionally smelled that type of smoke that can arise from burn pits when I served in Iraq. I support increased research into the range of health impacts that can arise from burn pit exposure. In order to effectively help our Nation's veterans, we need an accurate registry of servicemembers and veterans who were exposed to burn pits, as well as detailed records of health impacts from that exposure.

Currently, the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry monitors the health records of veterans exposed to burn pits. This registry helps the VA identify health conditions possibly related to burn pit exposure or other airborne hazards that can arise during military service.

It also keeps exposed veterans informed about studies and treatments, and it helps improve programs to help veterans who are concerned that they may have been exposed to toxic chemicals while they were deployed.

The Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act will allow a veteran's family member or other selected individual to update the burn pits registry with the veteran's cause of death. This will improve the reported data available for studies related to burn pits and help researchers examine the full range of diseases, health conditions, and outcomes that may result from exposure to burn pits.

Dr. Ruiz did an excellent job when he spoke to many of those types of things that we need to be concerned about.

We still have a lot to understand about the impacts of burn pit exposure, no doubt about it. This is one small, but important, step toward that full understanding.

Madam Speaker, on February 8, 2019, I was unable to be in attendance for votes on the House floor due to the funeral of my constituent, Detective Bill Brewer of the Clermont County Sheriff's Department, who selflessly gave his life in the line of duty on February 2, 2019.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 72; YEA on Roll Call No. 73; YEA on Roll Call No. 74; and YEA on Roll Call No. 75.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor some of our local heroes. This past weekend in Clermont County, Ohio, two police officers came under fire when responding to a call that was believed to be an attempted suicide. Instead, it turned out to be an ambush.

The gunman lured Detective Bill Brewer, who is remembered in this photo, along with Lieutenant Nick DeRose, into his home, where he proceeded to fire at both deputies through a wall.

Lieutenant Nick DeRose was injured, and Detective Bill Brewer gave his life, in the line of duty. Detective Brewer died trying to help a member of his community, as he always strived to do.

I pray that God will bring comfort to his family; his wife, Jamie; his young son, Braxton; my friend Sheriff Leahy; the Clermont County Sheriff's Department; and all those in our community grieving this loss.

I pray for a speedy recovery for Lieutenant DeRose.

While God has called Bill Brewer away from us, the positive effects of his works in this lifetime shall never perish.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Walker for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the security and the safety of all our fellow Americans. The fact of the matter is that border security isn't or shouldn't be a partisan issue. That is why many of my colleagues from across the aisle have actually supported border security and fencing in the past.

The fact is, this is an American issue that affects every part of our Nation, sometimes in very visible ways, sometimes in ways less visible.

I represent southern and southwestern Ohio, not a border State, but it is deeply and tragically impacted by the lack of border security.

In the last couple years, there was a woman from my district area who was being deported. The archbishop called the Senator on her behalf, and he has every right to do that. This is someone who was being deported under the Obama administration. They set a date. When the date came, she didn't adhere, and she was deported.

The archbishop had every right to engage in that act, if he felt like he should reach out to the Representative. But I met with the archbishop and I asked him: Where were you in the case--such as I am about to tell you about--where were you when someone was in need because of the actions of someone who was here illegally?

Last year, I met a mother of a 15-year-old girl. The mother told me about their neighbor, the neighbor that they trusted, that they had picnics with. They told him: You have nothing to worry about. You are here legally.

It turns out, he was a 41-year-old illegal immigrant who had previously been deported from this country but reentered the U.S. illegally and gained employment by using the Social Security number of a 69-year-old woman from Arkansas.

One day, he knocked on their door, and since their daughter knew him, she opened the door, and he went in and beat and raped her.

Her innocence was taken forever. Her life changed forever. He got 8 years. She got a life sentence, and it didn't need to happen.

Tragically, one of my local prosecutors tells me there have been multiple cases like this in our area over the last few years. These are the families I think about when someone calls a border wall immoral.

As President Trump said in his address, we don't build walls because we hate the people on the outside. It is because we love the people on the inside. But, really, we also love the people on the outside who want to come here legally to be part of our American family.

This isn't about keeping people out of our country. This is about controlling access, so we know who and what is coming into our country.

Sitting idly by and making no effort to resolve these problems is wrong. It is a disservice to those who have suffered violence at the hands of criminals who have entered our Nation illegally. These victims are real, and so is their pain. We owe it to them to enforce our laws.

To my colleagues, I say: Come to the table. Let's negotiate a solution, smartly enhance our security, and drive on for the betterment of all Americans, so that, rather than being a borderless and lawless country, America will be the beacon of hope for those who desire to come to this great country of ours legally.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the 200th anniversary of the founding of the University of Cincinnati, my alma mater.

University of Cincinnati began as the two original chartered colleges by the State of Ohio. In January of 1819, the two merged into the esteemed university we know today.

Cincinnati is recognized as a Carnegie Research 1 university, with over 300,000 alumni across the Nation, and is the home to top programs in both the liberal arts and the sciences.

In 1969, Cincinnati was the first college to implement a co-op program, setting the stage for universities around the country, enhancing workforce development across America.

It is incredible to see how far this fine institution has come: from two small colleges so long ago, to the home of the Nation's first teaching hospital, to the fourth oldest continuously operating law school, to its glory today.

I know the University of Cincinnati will continue to inspire those who are lucky enough to call her home.

Madam Speaker, due to a meeting at the White House, I was unable to vote during the following roll calls on December 21, 2018. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 483; YEA on Roll Call No. 484; YEA on Roll Call No. 485; YEA on Roll Call No. 486; YEA on Roll Call No. 487; YEA on Roll Call No. 488; YEA on Roll Call No. 489; YEA on Roll Call No. 490; YEA on Roll Call No. 491; YEA on Roll Call No. 492; YEA on Roll Call No. 493; YEA on Roll Call No. 494; YEA on Roll Call No. 495; YEA on Roll Call No. 496; YEA on Roll Call No. 497; and YEA on Roll Call No. 498.

Madam Speaker, I will admit I am a little bit confused here today because the part of the rule package that we are debating was already passed by the Democratic majority last week. So why are we here again?

I hear some people say: ``I stand in strong support of this.'' Well, good. You did last week, too.

I suspect some see it as trying to falsely claim that Republicans are opposed to protecting Americans with preexisting conditions. I guarantee you, as a doctor, there is no part of me that doesn't want people in America to have insurance and coverage for their conditions. There is no part of me. In fact, it is just the opposite.

Just last week, in one of our first votes this year, every Republican in this Chamber voted for the House to take action this month that-- word for word, our Republican amendment said--``guarantees no American citizen can be denied health insurance coverage as the result of a previous illness or health status'' and ``guarantees no American citizen can be charged higher premiums or cost sharing as the result of a previous illness or health status.''

Curiously, not one of my Democratic colleagues voted for this.

This is only the most recent action of many we have taken to support and protect Americans with preexisting health conditions in the last few years.

Rather, this rule package allows Speaker Pelosi to use the U.S. House as a shield to try and defend the individual mandate, the same mandate that this very Chamber has already zeroed out.

The individual mandate, in its original form, forced Americans to buy something simply because they are alive, or they will be penalized. This said that Congress has the authority to penalize Americans for not buying something, penalize you just because you are alive. How is that for freedom?

By the way, there is a difference between dismantling a flawed bill, the flawed Affordable Care Act, and mending its every flaw, which we have tried to do and, in some cases, we have done.

But going back to the rule, this takes away each Member's right to vote on how we want the House to engage in litigation. Rather, it gives more power to one person and takes power away from this body as a whole to have a say in the matter.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this title of the rules package. It is bad policy, bad posturing.

And since this vote is a repeat, I repeat: Republicans are and have been and have supported and have voted for coverage for Americans with preexisting conditions, period.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation at hand, which includes the Retirement, Savings, and Other Tax Relief Act of 2018, and the Taxpayer First Act of 2018.

Since the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 2.1 million jobs have been created. More Americans are working. They are taking home more money as a result of pro-growth policies like tax reform and cleaning up an overly burdensome regulatory regime.

We can keep this momentum going by enacting reforms like the one before us today. This package includes legislation to make it easier for families to save for retirement, and make it easier for employers to offer retirement plans to their employees.

I am a former employer. I know that employers want this for their employees.

It also makes important structural changes to the IRS to ensure it is oriented for taxpayer service, prevents abuses, and creates a more fair appeals process.

This package would delay or repeal harmful health-related taxes, including delays for the Cadillac tax and the medical device tax which, I can tell you as a surgeon, is harmful for the advancement of medicine on behalf of patients.

Also, this bill offers a full repeal of the excise tax on indoor tanning services, which affects small businesses all over the country.

It gives Americans impacted by recent disasters much needed flexibility to access their retirement savings, increases charitable contributions, and helps businesses keep their employees on payroll as they surmount these disasters.

Finally, it makes technical corrections to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, thus ensuring that individuals and businesses can benefit from the important reforms of the law, as intended.

Mr. Speaker, this package of bills continues our efforts to help Americans save, help the economy grow, improve IRS operations, and keep a nimble and smart Tax Code. So I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation on behalf of all Americans of all generations.

Mr. Speaker, our Federal Government was founded for one purpose: to fulfill the charges set forth in the Constitution, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty.

Lawmakers take an oath to uphold the Constitution. We fail in our sworn duty if we refuse to ensure the sovereignty, security, and wellbeing of this Nation through secure borders. The situation at the border is a serious problem that demands our immediate attention. It has been constantly brushed aside because somewhere along the way, our conversation about border security got muddled.

The wall, border patrol, surveillance of human trafficking routes, all of these have been recast exclusively into the context of immigration policy.

Border security is, indeed, a part of immigration policy, but it is much more than that. It is part of keeping drugs off our streets and keeping Americans safe. Our porous borders can allow drugs, cartels, and even terrorists into our Nation. An unsecure border makes it impossible for us to enact meaningful immigration reform as we cannot expect any legal system to work if we do not have control of who is entering.

Funding for border security is not a political point. This is about keeping America safe, keeping illicit drugs out of our country, and protecting American families and our own precious lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Captain Stephen Grace, a young, beloved father, husband, son, brother, and U.S. airman who died unexpectedly before his time.

Stephen grew up in my hometown of Cincinnati. From an early age, he dreamed of being an Air Force pilot. He had a competitive spirit, a calling to service, and a love for life. It all came too easily for Stephen.

He excelled in the swimming pool, a gifted swimmer who emphasized self-improvement and self-accountability. He helped lead my alma mater, St. Xavier High School, to the high school State swimming titles.

St. Xavier has a motto: ``Be Men for Others.'' Stephen lived that motto in his time with us, and it was no surprise to those who knew him when he was accepted and attended the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.

He went on to pilot the F-16 and recently became an F-35 instructor, a remarkable feat that stands as a testament to his leadership and his ability.

Stephen Grace represented everything you want an American to be: hardworking and selfless. Stephen was well-loved and looked up to. He lived his dream. He served his country. He embodied a higher ideal, one of service above self.

While he is gone far too soon, few can claim the extraordinary legacy he leaves behind for all of us. We pray for the family of Captain Stephen Grace; for his daughter, Georgia; his wife, Kelsey; for his parents, Robert and Christina; and for his sisters, Shannon and Kathleen.

Stephen, a grateful Nation salutes you.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz and all the members of the committee and staff who work so hard on behalf of our veterans. I would like to congratulate Mr. Takano as chairman-elect.

This legislation we are talking about today includes reforms to ensure America's heroes receive the benefits and recognition that they so richly deserve. It includes several provisions that I was honored to support during my time on the Veterans' Affairs Committee, including updates to our educational assistance programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs and additional emphasis on transition services provided to our servicemembers. That one is very near and dear to me.

Importantly, it includes provisions to help the most vulnerable in the veteran community. It includes the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program's Reauthorization Act, which is a bipartisan bill I introduced with Congresswoman Brownley. This legislation ensures those eligible for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program and other housing assistance programs are also eligible for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

By prioritizing the reintegration of homeless and recently homeless veterans, we will empower our veterans to reenter the workforce and help them regain self-sufficiency.

This legislation also includes the Gold Star Spouses Leasing Relief Act, which I introduced along with Congresswoman Bustos. It recognizes that after the loss of a military spouse, Gold Star families may need flexibility to relocate to fit their family's needs.

It would help spouses like Cindy Southern, a native of Portsmouth, Ohio, in my district. Cindy lost her husband while he was serving in the Navy overseas during Operation Desert Storm. As she grieved, all she wanted to do was move home, but she had signed a one-year lease on a home in North Carolina. Her landlords refused to waive her lease without massive termination fees. This bill would ensure Gold Star families are not trapped into a jointly-held residential lease after the death of a servicemember.

Mr. Speaker, our veterans have given so much to our Nation. This legislation before us today makes sure we provide the benefits they deserve, properly support their families, and prepare them for success in civilian life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud on their 25th Anniversary.

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud represents a wide array of consumer groups, insurance companies, and government agencies in combating all forms of insurance fraud. Among these groups, the Coalition's membership includes several companies from Ohio. Cincinnati Insurance and Great American Insurance are both based in my hometown of Cincinnati. It also includes Nationwide Insurance Company, based in Columbus. These organizations work together through the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud to empower public and private groups against our nation's proliferating fraud problem.

Contrary to popular myth, insurance fraud is not a victimless crime. In fact, common fraud schemes often prey specifically upon the innocent and vulnerable. Fraud causes everyone's insurance premiums to rise, and those who commit fraud are estimated to steal at least $80 billion a year.

I understand the Coalition has helped enact more than 100 state anti- fraud laws and educate millions of Americans on how to protect themselves against damaging schemes. I also understand the Coalition conducts research studies for decision-makers like myself to more effectively target and prevent fraud as we consider relevant policy. I am grateful for the Coalition's efforts to protect Americans from fraud.

Mr. Speaker, I hope you'll join me in congratulating the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud on 25 years of advice, education, and assistance to the American public and lawmakers alike. Truth and honesty matter.