Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, the motto of the United States Coast Guard is Semper Paratus--``Always Ready''--and throughout its history, the members of our Coast Guard have stood ready to protect our homeland from all threats. I rise today to recognize the important work of our Coast Guard as well as its members throughout history, including those like Edward Plath.

Edward, like so many Americans of his day, answered the call to service at the onset of World War II. Despite being turned down by the Army over medical concerns, he soon joined the Coast Guard and served honorably in New Jersey, protecting the region's coastline and its vital ports from the ever-present danger of Nazi attack.

But for Edward, the Coast Guard during the war meant more than just duty

to country. It was on a blind date with a fellow sailor that he met the woman he said he would marry. A year later, they married, and for over six decades Edward and his wife lived as a loving couple and raised three daughters, including my constituent, Elizabeth Donaldson.

Mr. Plath passed away in 2010, just a couple months after his wife. But on May 17 of this year, he was buried at sea with full military honors off the coast where he served in New Jersey.

I am grateful for Mr. Plath's service to our Nation, and I am proud our team in Bucks County could assist his daughter in honoring his final wish.

Mr. Speaker, we owe a debt of gratitude to Edward Plath and to all those who serve and continue to serve, and we must always be ready to support them in any way we can, consistent with the motto of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, the ranking member, and Senator Rubio for their leadership.

Mr. Speaker, scandal after scandal has caused heightened distrust between veterans and the VA. For far too long, veterans nationwide have been disrespected by those who are supposed to be advocates for them, sometimes with deadly consequences.

Be it in regional offices--like the one in Philadelphia, which my office has worked closely with--or medical centers, from Phoenix to Florida, we have seen the devastating impact of the current culture of mismanagement and distrust, and its impact on backlogged claims and lack of care for those who devoted their lives to serve our country.

The legislation before the House today institutes the needed reforms throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs by granting the authority, and the expectation, that the Secretary remove, demote, or suspend any VA employee for poor performance or misconduct.

Rebuilding this trust between Veterans Affairs and those who had served us must be a priority. The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act is crucial to reforming this trust, and I am proud to support it. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same. We must serve our veterans as well as they have served us.

Mr. Speaker, over the last 60 years, the Franciscan Friars shaped the lives of many students and families that have passed through the halls of Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in lower Bucks County. It is with a heavy heart that I rise today to announce the departure of the Franciscan community from Conwell-Egan.

If you went to Egan like me, then you knew Father Fidelis and Brother Larry. Their service and the service of more than 150 other Friars who have ministered there have brought profound grace and enrichment to the lives of so many young men and women throughout lower Bucks County.

The Franciscan Order at Conwell-Egan reinforced the school mission of building character through service, achieving academic excellence, and demonstrating a commitment to a life full of learning.

Myself, my family, and the entire lower Bucks County community are forever grateful for their continuous guidance and their continuous support. As we say good-bye to these exemplary individuals, true representatives of St. Francis, we wish them the best as they move on to their next mission.

Mr. Speaker, while our Nation faces many challenges, perhaps none is more pressing than that of growing our economy. The positive impact of strong, sustained economic growth has the potential not only to help families make ends meet, but it will also address the many other pressures we face. The time is now for Congress and this administration to act on meaningful tax reform.

The model is simple and straightforward. We need to simplify the ridiculously complex Internal Revenue Code, eliminate the loopholes that allow corporations and individuals to avoid paying their fair share, lower the rates for middle class families and small businesses, and broaden the tax base.

As a certified public accountant, an independent voice for the people of Bucks and Montgomery Counties, I intend to push vehemently to make tax reform a reality in this Congress. Moreover, this can and must be a bipartisan priority.

A 1.5 percent growth in GDP is simply unsustainable. If that trend continues, we will not be able to fund priorities such as bolstering our national security, taking care of our veterans, combating the addiction crisis, funding public education, preserving our environment, and a whole host of other priorities.

Economic growth has three essential aspects: tax reform, regulatory reform, and a balanced budget. The REINS Act and the upcoming vote on the CHOICE Act will start this process on the regulatory side, which will revive the ability of community banks to support local economies and advance infrastructure investment that puts Americans back to work by rebuilding roads, schools, bridges, as well as our IT infrastructure and the electrical grid.

The other critical component is tax reform, and we owe it to the American people to get this done. I call on my good colleagues from both sides to put politics aside and do what we were sent here to do, and that is to stand up for hardworking families and unleash the power of the American economy.

Type 1 Diabetes

Mr. Speaker, over a million Americans, including 200,000 young Americans, are living with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin. This disease is fatal without strict adherence to a regimented schedule of multiple daily insulin injections or continuous pump infusions, along with close monitoring of blood glucose levels.

My constituent Aislinn Keenan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was just 2 years old. She does not remember a day when she did not need to lance her finger multiple times a day to check her blood sugar or receive insulin injections. Despite these challenges, Aislinn and her family serve as an inspiration to all those facing this disease. Through courage and perseverance, they refuse to let type 1 diabetes stand in their way. Aislinn just finished her sophomore year at Villanova University.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation projects that 5 million Americans will have type 1 diabetes by 2050, including 600,000 young people, yet only one-third of the people with type 1 diabetes are achieving safe blood glucose levels. Accordingly, I am urging my colleagues to fully fund the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Presently, there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes and no cure for it once diagnosed. Only through robust funding and exhaustive research at the NIH can we continue to drive scientific progress to make the lives of those living with type 1 diabetes safer and healthier.

Mr. Speaker, June is National Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, and as a member of the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, I am working to address this debilitating disease, its impact on everyday Americans, and its effect on our healthcare system for years to come.

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, and it remains the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, afflicting 5 million Americans, a number which could rise to 16 million by the year 2050.

While there are drugs to mitigate the effects of Alzheimer's, these medications only help those in the early-to-moderate stages of the illness, which worsens over time. Right now there is no cure.

I am committed to funding groundbreaking Alzheimer's research and serving all Americans afflicted and their families suffering from the devastating effects of this disease. The time to act is now.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that we say good-bye to Dr. Amy Reed, a recognized physician, exemplary mother and wife, and dedicated patient advocate.

Dr. Reed didn't ask for the situation she found herself in following a procedure in 2013, but it was immediately evident to anyone that met her--and her family--that she was going to be a fighter, not only for herself but for others.

Through her loving husband's, Hooman's, campaign to bring awareness to the dangers of power morcellators, there is no doubt that women's lives around this country have been saved and device manufacturers and regulators have been forced to review their safety protocols and standards.

This is Amy's gift, and we are eternally grateful. My thoughts and prayers are with her dedicated husband and partner, their six children, and her entire family. Let our community embrace them in their time of sorrow and vow to carry Amy's legacy and mission forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the statistics of human trafficking, and they are shocking: an estimated 21 million victims globally, a quarter of them children, and the majority of them women, resulting in a $150 billion criminal industry predicated on the destruction of lives.

This criminal conduct may seem a world away, but it is not. It exists right here in our own backyards. Just last year, the human trafficking hotline reported 151 cases of human trafficking in our State of Pennsylvania. This week the House can--and must--act in a bipartisan fashion to support and bolster antihuman trafficking programs, upgrading our Nation's response to this crime.

By empowering nonprofits like NOVA and the Bucks Coalition Against Trafficking, and ensuring our local law enforcement's ability to identify and prosecute those cases, these bills will provide services to victims of human trafficking and aid in apprehending the world's worst offenders.

Honoring the Life of Sheriff's Deputy Keith Clymer

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Bucks County Sheriff's Deputy Keith Clymer of Kintnersville, who our community lost last week when his motorcycle was struck by another vehicle.

Deputy Clymer joined the Bucks County Sheriff's Office in 2013, and he was assigned to the domestic relations warrant unit. He also served as a self-defense tactics instructor. As the sheriff's office noted in the announcement of his tragedy, Keith was liked by all who met and worked with him and will be sorely missed by all.

Mr. Speaker, the loss of any member of our law enforcement community is heartbreaking, but the loss of Deputy Clymer, as we recognize National Police Week, both here in our Nation's Capital and around my district, draws special focus to those who serve and protect our communities.

My thoughts and prayers are with his sons, his family, and all those who Keith impacted, both personally and professionally. He lived his life serving and protecting us. For that, Mr. Speaker, we are eternally grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of our Nation's teachers. Teachers change lives every day across our Nation and around the world, shaping our students and our communities.

Each of us can remember a teacher who made an impression on our life as an educator, a coach, or a mentor, often beyond the walls of the classroom.

Last week, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week 2017, I had the opportunity to travel the Eighth District to see firsthand the amazing work that teachers do across Bucks and Montgomery Counties.

Throughout the week, I had the opportunity to read to preschool students at the Elbow Lane School in Warrington to discuss our national debt with eighth graders in Newtown Middle School, marked the Sanctuary Model accreditation of the Valley Day School in Morrisville, and held a student townhall with the AP government class students at Bensalem High School.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Teacher Appreciation Week, and I call on every American to carry out that appreciation for our teachers all year long.

My Constituents Deserve Answers

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because this week marks the 1-year anniversary since the EPA established the health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion to limit the lifetime exposure to perfluorinated compounds like PFOA and PFOS.

To some, these acronyms and this anniversary may mean nothing, but to me and my constituents--more than 70,000 Pennsylvanians in Bucks and Montgomery Counties--it has been a year of confusion, concern, and anger sparked by the rightful fear that their health has been endangered by these PFCs.

The use of firefighting foam at military bases in and around our district has contaminated dozens of public wells and over 140 private wells with these compounds, leaving many residents scared and municipalities and local governments looking for answers.

Mr. Speaker, every American deserves access to clean, safe drinking water. Yet, for too many of my constituents, these elevated levels of PFCs have put them and their families at risk.

While work has been done, there is still far more work to do; and I am pleased that the recent government funding measure included directions for the Secretary of Defense to continue addressing these pressing issues, specifically by requiring all military services to establish procedures for prompt and cost-effective remediation of PFC contamination, and also by delivering a report to Congress by the end of the summer assessing the number of military installations across the country impacted and the effect on drinking water in the surrounding communities, as well as departmentwide plans for community notification of contamination and procedures for timely remediation.

However, our work cannot stop here. Not only should a health study be executed to know if PFOS and PFOA have compromised my constituents' long-term health, other issues must be addressed, including interacting with the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding service-connected condition care for military veterans potentially impacted and finding ways to offset trickle-down costs for those forced to connect to public water in impacted areas.

After a year, my constituents deserve more answers, and we will give them to them. They demand action. I will fight for both.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Buck, for his leadership on this important issue, and I rise in strong support.

Mr. Speaker, my great-uncle, Phil Fitzpatrick, was a proud patrolman with the NYPD. He was also a poet, often referring to police officers as soldiers of peace. This week, as we recognize Police Week 2017, I find myself thinking of him and a line from one of his poems, where he wrote: ``When he kisses his wife and children goodbye, there's the chance he will see them no more.''

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, these words were true for my family. This month marks 70 years since my great-uncle was shot while attempting to disarm a robber in a Manhattan bar, a fatal injury he succumbed to days later.

Mr. Speaker, for too long, law enforcement across this country has been forgotten or, worse yet, ostracized. At the same time, their vital mission continues, and it continues to grow more dangerous. Just last year, ambush-style killings of law enforcement officers increased by 167 percent, according to the National Association of Police Organizations. Despite all this, each day, tens of thousands of brave women and men continue to put their lives on the line to serve and protect our communities.

This week, we recognize Police Week 2017, but the dedication and sacrifice of our blue line deserves to be respected every day. As a former law enforcement officer, I am proud to stand here today in support of those brave women and men.

Today, the House has a chance to take decisive action to protect our law enforcement officers by passing the legislation before us. The Thin Blue Line Act sends a clear message to those who intentionally target our police officers. Vicious attacks on law enforcement officers will be met with justice.

I urge my colleagues to stand up for law enforcement today, support this rule, and pass H.R. 115, the Thin Blue Line Act. The bipartisan support it deserves must be delivered today.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the law enforcement community, I rise today to recognize the service and the profound commitment of our police officers around our great Nation.

The dedication and sacrifice of our blue line deserves to be respected every day. National Police Week gives us all the opportunity to stand together in support for those in blue and to recommit ourselves to the ideals and laws of our Nation that they are tasked to uphold.

National Police Week is a special time to unite nationwide to honor those who sacrifice so much to protect our neighborhoods and our loved ones. To those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, we as a nation stand eternally grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize National Police Week 2017 and to join with the millions of proud Americans throughout our country to thank our law enforcement members for their continued service and sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Francis R. Ludovici, a beloved member of the Upper Southampton, Pennsylvania community who passed away on Saturday April 29, 2017.

Mr. Ludovici--Frankie to his friends--was a Combat Engineer in the U.S. Army Reserve, a builder, a business owner, and a family man. When he wasn't renovating and flipping houses, his passion, he was selling pinball machines and poker tables, a business he took over from his father before him. Frankie loved his community in Upper Southampton and they loved him back. His presence will be greatly missed but his contributions will be felt for generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible actions of a group of individuals in my community.

On April 3, 2017, an amazing physician and amazing mother, Amy Reed, experienced what should have been a catastrophic cardiac arrest at Penn Medicine's community radiology center in Yardley, Pennsylvania. Yet, because of the amazing efforts of a series of professionals, Amy survived this event.

I would like to recognize the following individuals:

The advanced life support paramedics from the Yardley-Newtown area, Mr. Mark Horner and Mr. Chris Adams;

St. Mary Medical Center's cardiac surgeon, Dr. Veluz, and the entire cardiac surgery, anesthesia, and perfusion team at the St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pennsylvania;

The PennSTAR trauma critical care air rescue helicopter crew, Ms. Shiloh Kramer, Mr. John Goddard, and Mr. George Huey;

Cardiac critical care nurses, Ms. Coleen Nicolosi, Ms. Darian Parkinson, and Ms. Laura Glorioso-Moyer, who took intensive care of Dr. Reed in her initial resuscitation.

Thereafter, a corps of highly specialized surgical critical care nurses played an intensive role in her ongoing recovery. Mr. David Alfano, Ms. Carrie Brewster, Ms. Rachael Coyle, Ms. Catherine DeLaurentis, Mr. Michael Duca, Ms. Christina Felix, Ms. Cortney Johnson, Ms. Anita McAlee, Ms. Erin McCormick, Mr. Sebastian Romagnano, Ms. Lina Sivadasan, Ms. Christine Steffon, Ms. Joann Vernon, Ms. Gina Vizzarri, Ms. Meghan Welsh, and Ms. Danielle Wright all are to be commended for their professionalism and extreme skill in recovering Dr. Reed and giving her a second chance at life.

After 5 days in a coma, Amy has emerged and is neurologically intact. The actions of these professionals led to Amy's life being saved. Their conduct can only be characterized as heroic.

Amy is loved by family and many friends in Bucks County, and by many thousands more across the United States for her role as a champion and a spokeswoman for women's health and patient safety. And because of the efforts of the medical professionals who saved her life, I have the opportunity to continue working with Amy to advance her crucial mission.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that small businesses drive the American economy. Across the United States, small businesses create about two out of every three new jobs.

Since 1963, every President has designated this week National Small Business Week to celebrate these economic engines and encourage policies that allow them to thrive. When our local small businesses succeed, they create opportunity, invigorate communities, and preserve the district character of our local economy. That is why I have committed to visit 100 small businesses across my district this year and every year, to better appreciate the needs of local small businesses and help them create good-paying jobs in our community.

During my visits, I have heard common themes: a Tax Code that is too complex, burdensome one-size-fits-all regulations from Washington, and lawmakers too focused on partisan bickering rather than on working together to grow our economy.

As we turn our attention to small businesses this week, let's put these concerns at the forefront and get to work on solutions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of my constituent Evan Rothholz, an energetic, tech-savvy kindergarten student who happens to have Down syndrome.

Down syndrome is a condition that results from having an additional full or partial copy of chromosome 21. Since his diagnosis, 6-year-old Evan, along with his parents, Mitchel and Julie, advocate for others with Down syndrome and help educate families facing this unexpected diagnosis.

I am appreciative of the work of the Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition, a group of concerned parents, self-advocates, supporters, committed to achieving quality access and inclusion for all individuals with Down syndrome in the State of Pennsylvania.

As a member of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome, I am very proud to support H.R. 1896, the ABLE to Work Act, which provides more flexibility for thousands of individuals with disabilities, allowing them to save and plan for the future.

It is Evan's hope that individuals with Down syndrome, and all of those in the special needs community, will have the same educational and financial opportunities that are afforded to others.

Mr. Speaker, as communities across my district and across the Nation continue to deal with the crisis of opioid abuse and addiction, it is hard to imagine that a synthetic drug exists that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

Fentanyl is a manufactured opioid, which, especially in its illicit versions, has contributed to tens of thousands of deaths. Especially concerning is the fact that this synthetic poison can be ordered online and delivered via medical or express consignment couriers from places like China, and because of its high potency in small amounts, Fentanyl is extremely difficult for law enforcement officials and authorities to detect.

That is why I have joined Congresswoman Niki Tsongas in introducing the INTERDICT Act which will provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents access to the latest chemical screening devices and scientific support to both detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they can cause our communities more harm and more devastation.

So I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. As both parties, we must come together, and this is one piece of a larger response to the opioid epidemic. Both parties can and must come together to solve this crisis to take on this challenge head on.