Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the bold trailblazers like Susan B. Anthony, a pro-life woman and Republican, and others like Emma Smith DeVoe and May Arkwright Hutton, who both led the suffrage movement in Washington State.

It was exactly 100 years ago today that this body passed a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote. Its leaders like Susan B. Anthony and others have inspired generations of women to live their dreams, to be courageous, and to be risk-takers. They fought in search of a more perfect union to make sure the promise of America was available to women of all walks of life so that we, the people, are able to make our voices heard.

Madam Speaker, I am grateful for them. I am honored to stand here today, 100 years later. Their legacy reminds us all why we are empowered to do our part and write the next chapter of America's history.

Mr. Chairman, I thank our Republican lead on the Energy and Commerce Committee for yielding. I appreciate the gentleman's leadership on this important issue.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to voice my support for true bipartisan efforts to reduce prescription drug costs. Seniors, patients, and families in my district and all across America are counting on us so that they can afford their medication and have the certainty that they need.

On the Energy and Commerce Committee, we have led. Republicans and Democrats on our committee have been working together on provisions to bring generic drugs to the market faster by incentivizing more competition among generic manufacturers.

We recently passed three drug-pricing bills with overwhelming, bipartisan support. These are three solutions that President Trump stands ready to sign, and we should send them to his desk.

This is an opportunity to build on the bipartisan work from the last Congress to lower drug costs and keep our promises to the American people. Remember, just last fall, President Trump signed our bipartisan bill to ban the gag clauses so patients can save on prescriptions and trust they are getting the best price.

Again, we should build on that work. That is what the people elected us to do; that is what they expect; and that is what they deserve.

So, what has changed, and where are we today?

The new majority--at the expense of patients, seniors, and families-- is playing politics with lowering the costs of prescription drugs.

H.R. 987 includes our bipartisan bills, but my colleagues across the aisle have packaged them with very partisan bills to bail out ObamaCare.

These partisan proposals would restrict access to healthcare coverage and stop the administration's work to reduce wasteful spending on programs that aren't working.

The Washington Post called these poison bills a political pothole. We don't need any more political potholes. We need real reforms that the President will sign. This is a ploy, and it is just the latest.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has historically been the most bipartisan committee in the House, putting more bipartisan legislation on the President's desk than any other.

I am disappointed that we have found ourselves here.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer III. On May 2, 2019, he will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for inventing the world's first practical microprocessor digital relay for the power grid.

Before his breakthrough invention, utilities relied on bulky relays made of springs, magnets, and coils. Dr. Schweitzer turned these cumbersome and old systems into precise and reliable ones with a digital relay that is one-eighth the size, one-tenth the weight, and best yet, one-third the price! His multifunctional digital relay not only protects power systems, it also records data and identifies faults. As a result, he's inspired even more inventions that have become the standard features for protective data relays around the globe.

In short, Dr. Schweitzer revolutionized our power grid with computer- based protection and control equipment. Of course, what I'm most proud of is that Pullman, Washington, is home to his great success story. It's where he earned his doctorate at Washington State University in 1977.

It's also in Pullman where Dr. Schweitzer built his company, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), which has created thousands and thousands of jobs in rural Eastern Washington since 1982 and is now a 100 percent employee-owned ESOP.

Madam Speaker, Dr. Schweitzer's professional work is electrical engineering, but his greatest invention is truly in human resources. He's led to create a culture of innovation, opportunity, and respect that has empowered people in my district to have an opportunity for a better life. Right now, SEL employs 5,200 people who develop and manufacture a suite of products that make electric power safer, more reliable, and more affordable for utility companies, mines, factories, hospitals, universities and data centers in 164 countries around the world.

I'm proud to call Dr. Schweitzer a friend and a mentor. It's not an exaggeration to say that his work is the fulfillment of the American Dream. He's a living example of the wonderful accomplishments that are made possible when the seeds of invention are able to grow freely without federal regulations holding them back.

This week, Dr. Schweitzer will have the amazing honor of joining Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Nikola Tesla, and Hedy Lamarr in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. On behalf of the 116th United States Congress and Washington's Fifth Congressional District, I'm proud to congratulate him and thank him for his ingenuity that will inspire many Americans for decades to come.

Madam Chair, I appreciate the gentleman yielding.

Madam Chair, I join my colleagues in rising in opposition to H.R. 1644. What is most disappointing to me is that it seems like this is another example of the Democratic majority, during this Congress, being more interested in scoring political points than actually solving a problem.

In order for this legislation to become law, it is going to require bipartisan support, yet the Democrats have chosen today to move forward in a partisan way.

The rhetoric around net neutrality has been driven to a fever pitch. Dire predictions on the end of the internet led to death threats against the chairman of the FCC and his family, as well as against some of our own colleagues.

Democrats say they want to save the internet; however, in the time since the title II regulations were repealed under the Trump administration, network speeds are up drastically. Investment and coverage in rural areas has increased.

This debate isn't about the merits of an open internet. I support an open, free internet, and I always have. This is truly about how we shape the future of our economy:

Do we want to regulate the internet as a 1930s-style utility where regulations stifle innovation and leave behind rural and poor Americans?

Do we want an internet economy that lifts people out of poverty and provides them with more economic opportunities?

As we work to close the digital divide, we need to decrease the barriers to deployment, not increase them. Imposing unnecessary regulations on small companies providing rural broadband will only further this divide. We must protect people in a way that does not leave underserved areas of our country behind.

Republicans, for years, have offered to work across the aisle. I have introduced legislation modeled after a bill that passed in Washington State, enjoying bipartisan support overwhelmingly. In fact, it was lauded by Senator Cantwell.

She said: ``In our State, Republicans and Democrats came together. . . . Why can't we see this same bipartisanship in the U.S. House?''

I ask my Democratic colleagues today that same question.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Elaine Eigeman.

In Congress, every day we have people who come to the Nation's Capitol to advocate for important issues facing people in every community across our country. However, few do this as tirelessly and with as much passion and grace as Elaine.

As the board chair of the Lymphedema Advocacy Group, Elaine has given a strong voice to lymphedema patients all across the country.

She was the driving force behind the Lymphedema Treatment Act, which we will introduce in the House this week, to require Medicare to cover an essential part of lymphedema treatment.

Elaine developed lymphedema in 1999. Throughout her journey, she has made it her mission to support others and to be a voice for all suffering from this disease.

Thank you, Elaine, for your leadership and for creating a vibrant community for patients in the Northwest and beyond. I am proud to be your friend.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to reflect on the promise of America.

What is the promise of America? What has it meant for us? And what does it mean for us today?

America has been around for a few hundred years. That is really not that long. In that short time, our dreams have informed the imaginations of people around the globe.

It all started when our Founding Fathers drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence. It set us on a path for our Nation to be the greatest experiment in self-governance that the world has ever known. Our Founders were our first innovators who risked it all for America to be free.

I am sure there are times when we have fallen short, but our experiment has been overwhelmingly for the good. It is here in America that we have led and cultivated history's greatest breakthroughs. We fought a war to end slavery. We liberated Europe from the Nazis. We invented flight; put men on the Moon; split the atom; and invented the microchip, the internet, and more.

At great expense, all this was accomplished by maintaining fleets and armies for America to be a beacon of hope for freedom-loving people around the world. We have done more to lift people out of poverty and raise the standard of living than any nation in the history of the world.

Madam Speaker, I am sure our Founders never dreamed that any of this would be possible, but it was because they made their vision for America a reality rooted in the promise that our rights are self- evident, sacred, and undeniable.

America was born with purpose. It says it right here in the Declaration of Independence. We all know the words, or at least we should know the words: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.''

These are more than just words. It is a faith statement, a distinctive national credo. The moment we fail to believe it, the experiment is over and this Nation will fade away like all nation- states that have lost belief in themselves and forgotten their identity.

If we forget our purpose and let the promise of America be broken, then we are lost. The future is lost.

It is our job and our highest responsibility to transmit the promise of America to our children and to all who are a part of this great experiment. It is not enough that we merely assert these as ideas. We must live them as truths and show the world that they work.

America is where freedom has made its greatest mark. It is where creativity is unmatched by any time in history. It is where justice flowers more generously than anyplace on Earth.

The torch must be passed to the next generation. That is what President John F. Kennedy said, and, Madam Speaker, we must do just that.

I will keep coming back to this floor, to the people's House, to make this case that the promise of America is for every person in our country.

There is a battle going on right now for the heart and soul of America, so it is worth repeating that we must never forget our purpose. That is what unites us as Americans, and it is where I find hope that we can come together around shared values that built our great Nation.

I am committed more than ever to restore trust and confidence in the promise of America. It is a promise that will keep us free, empower our children in the next generation to shine, and strengthen the moral fabric where our identity rests.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of John Davis. John served as the Military and Veterans Liaison for Washington's Fifth Congressional District for the last 4 years, though his service to our country spans over 40 years.

When you hear about John's family's past perhaps it is no surprise that he too followed in their great footsteps of service to this nation.

Did you know he can trace his family's history back almost 200 years? And throughout that history, members of John's family line have fought in almost every major battle including most of the major battles here in the United States, from the Revolutionary War all the way up to the Gulf War.

John continued his family's legacy by serving as a crew chief on a C- 130 for the United States Air Force during the war in Vietnam. He served tours in Korea, Japan and Israel and all around the United States. John was the original ``rocket man,'' working in ICBM missile units as a combat crew member, planner and maintenance officer.

During his service, John was awarded the Lance P. Sijan Award, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership in their jobs and lives. John continues to be a leader in his service for his brothers and sisters in the armed forces. From helping the widow of a veteran facing eviction due to a filing error stay in her home to staying late in the night to hear from 29 veterans who walked into our office in Colville to ensure their voices were heard, John led with a spirit of service.

John spent more than 14 years assisting our Veterans who were homeless through the VA Homeless Programs as well as working as a mental health professional, serving as a senior clinician on the Involuntary Treatment Team. His passion to help our veterans continues to this day. Each year hundreds of veterans reach out to my office as their last hope, and when they called John was there, ready to fight for them, and get them the care and help they earned.

Forty years of faithful, diligent service to this nation deserves to be recognized, and I am so honored to be able to do so in this way. To my friend John Davis, I can never say thank you enough for all you have done for Eastern Washington veterans, for my office, and for America. His retirement is well deserved.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mike Poulson's career and service to Washington's Fifth Congressional District as Senior Policy Advisor focusing on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Mike's experience with farming extends back to his family settling in the Columbia Basin of Washington State after his father went through the very detailed process of eligibility to purchase land in the Connell area. After graduating from Connell High School, Mike enlisted in the Army National Guard because, in his words, ``he just assumed that everybody pulled a stint in the military.'' In 1965, Mike bought some farmland of his own in a unit close to his family unit and started to build his own home. In the mid 1980s, Mike was elected Vice President of the Washington State Farm Bureau, a position he took on even while farming full time.

Mike ventured outside of farming in the 1990s when he began consulting on public policy and environmental issues. Mike had a way of being able to communicate complex, and often controversial, environmental issues to the public. I had the fortune of meeting him during my time in the Washington State House and came to have a deep respect for his understanding of these issues which affected many in my district. A few short months after I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike leased out his farmland and joined my staff-- becoming the longest serving member on my team until his retirement on February 28, 2019.

Mike has many significant accomplishments in his career including: developing solutions for Columbia Basin water shortages; speaking out against the harmful impacts of the Waters of the United States regulation; combatting the recent falling numbers of our wheat and coordinating an effort to find long-term solutions with the Washington Grain Commission and Washington State University; and bringing the A to Z project to fruition on the Colville National Forest--which is a national model for restoring the health of our forests. In the words of Derek Sandison, Director for the Washington State Department of Agriculture ``Mike has the ability to sort through rhetoric around complex issues to get to the core facts and quickly get to the right side of the issues.''

I am grateful for his friendship, advice, and most importantly, service to Eastern Washington over the past 15 years. I wish Mike well in his retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of Laura Skaer, Executive Director of the American Exploration & Mining Association. Laura is retiring this month, after serving as Executive Director of the AEMA for the last 22 years.

Laura's work on behalf of the AEMA has led this organization to become the largest membership-based mining industry trade association in the United States. Laura's career began as a lawyer in Missouri, but eventually took her through various positions in the natural resources industry. Laura has played a vital role in advocating for our natural resources industry, and is well known for her effective work in coordinating the efforts of the public and private sectors.

Laura has also been widely acknowledged for her efforts on behalf of the AEMA. Among her many awards and accolades, Laura has been named President of the Independent Petroleum Association Mountain States, Regional Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, and a member of Colorado's Minerals, Energy and Geology Policy Advisory Board. Additionally, in 2004, Laura received the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Sustainable Development Award and has also received special recognition from the U.S. Forest Service, Division of Minerals & Geology Management.

I appreciate Laura's work on behalf of the AEMA and the positive example she provides to the people of Eastern Washington. I wish her the best in this next chapter of her life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jan Gee, the President and CEO of the Washington Food Industry Association.

Jan was recently presented the Woman of the Year award from the Women Grocers of America.

She has dedicated more than 30 years to being a voice for small businesses in

eastern Washington and continues to work tirelessly on behalf of family-owned markets and grocery stores throughout our State.

The winner of this award must exemplify the true characteristics of a leader. With a passion for the independent grocery industry, Jan Gee fits that description to a ``T.'' She has mentored and empowered women colleagues, inspiring and encouraging many to take on leadership positions.

I have known Jan since my days in the Washington State legislature. She is so deserving of this award because of her hard work, not only for small businesses but for helping to support the next generation of female leaders, entrepreneurs, and small business owners in Washington State.

I appreciate all that Jan has done and congratulate her on being recognized with the Woman of the Year award.

God bless you, Jan.

Madam Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 117.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the President's national emergency declaration.

First and foremost, I support President Trump, and I support the wall. Walls work to protect our security, combat human trafficking, stop the flow of drugs, and encourage legal immigration.

Democrats have pushed for zero wall money, open borders, and abolishing ICE. These policies make our Nation vulnerable and threaten our security, and it is a tragedy.

So I don't blame the President for proposing extreme measures to respond to their extreme policies and tactics. However, yesterday, I made the difficult decision to disapprove of this type of unilateral executive action, just as I could not approve any such unilateral action by any President.

I am 100 percent with President Trump for building the wall, but the emergency declaration only maintains the status quo. Securing our border is fundamental to who we are as a sovereign nation, and that is why I voted over a dozen times for stronger border security, including $25 billion for the wall last year.

Unfortunately, as the President recognized, himself, this national emergency could be tied up in the courts for years with no guarantee that judges will rule in favor of the wall to be built. It is Congress' job to provide the resources our Nation needs to keep us safe, and I am concerned that if this is tied up in the courts, we will be stuck with the status quo of no wall and a border that isn't secure.

My vote to disapprove of this unilateral executive action had nothing to do with the merits or need to build President Trump's wall; it was about our Constitution and this body's exclusive Article I powers to make laws and use the power of the purse.

I spoke out strongly when President Obama said that if Congress didn't act, he would use the pen and the phone, and then he proceeded to act alone on DACA and act alone in reappropriating money within ObamaCare and regulating every mud puddle in America.

Remember, President Obama initially said he couldn't act alone on DACA because he wasn't a king or an emperor. After a robust debate in Congress, he flip-flopped and took executive action. His executive action took away Congress' authority to act, and DACA still isn't solved.

These unilateral actions by President Obama put more power in the hands of unelected people sitting in cubicles in Washington, D.C., and they turned elected Representatives into elected bystanders. When Representatives become irrelevant, citizens become irrelevant, and we the people are powerless against faceless, unelected bureaucrats.

Unilateral executive actions set bad precedent. If it is okay for the executive branch to act alone after the legislative branch doesn't reach an agreement, where does that take us?

Governor Jay Inslee already has said that he would be willing to declare a national emergency on climate change allowing for drastic Federal action that would never have to be approved by Congress.

What if, without any congressional approval, a future President used a national emergency to take money from our VA clinics, Fairchild Air Force Base, or force management at the Colville National Forest to force a Green New Deal on the American people?

Whether it is at the border or upholding the separation of powers in our Constitution, we, conservative Republicans, must be consistent about being the party for the rule of law. It is those principles that define us.

Mr. Speaker, I say to Speaker Pelosi: I am 100 percent with Trump on the wall. I am also 100 percent with the Constitution. As Representatives of the people, it is our call to put aside any personal ambition or partisan divides so that the people are protected.

This isn't about political parties, personalities, or power. It never has been. It is about making sure that the promise of America is never breached and knowing that the only ones who can preserve it are we the people. I take this seriously and will always lead by upholding my Article I constitutional authority to be a strong voice for those I have the privilege of serving in the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues this afternoon in celebrating the dignity and the value of every human life.

I am a mom of three young kids, Cole, Grace, and Brynn, and I can testify that becoming a mom, bringing a life into the world, is the most amazing thing ever.

With technology today, we can look into the womb; we can see day by day how a baby is developing. It is a miracle to witness and it is proof that we as human beings are not defined by our limits. We are empowered by the potential that we have and who we can become.

So, Mr. Speaker, I am frightened and I am heartbroken that anyone would oppose the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act led by Congresswoman Ann Wagner.

Just as the science is undeniable, it should be unthinkable to deny lifesaving care to a newborn baby.

We have amazing technology. We can do more than ever. It is limitless.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues across the aisle to take a step back, to look at the science, and let this bill come to the floor. It is the right thing to do.

You know, since our founding, we have been a country that cherishes every person's inalienable human right, and it is the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is in all of us to uphold those values and ensure that we are protecting the dignity of every person as God intended.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Jackie Walorski for her leadership. I thank her for bringing us all together so that we could be warriors of human dignity and human value.