Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 250th anniversary of the founding of my

hometown, Allentown, Pennsylvania, and to pay tribute to the many contributions its residents have made to the cultural fabric of Pennsylvania and our nation.

The area that is now Allentown was originally settled as Northamptontown in 1762 by William Allen. Allen was a wealthy shipping merchant and prominent Pennsylvanian. He was Chief Justice of Colonial Pennsylvania's Supreme Court and had previously served as mayor of Philadelphia. Given its location along the Lehigh River and proximity to Philadelphia, Allen believed land he acquired north of the City of Brotherly Love would make an ideal center of commerce. Soon, a small village of roughly a dozen wooden cabins was established and immediately began growing into a busy town.

The town's first taste of national acclaim came during the American Revolution, when numerous large bells from nearby Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, were hidden in Zion's United Church of Christ to prevent them from being melted into cannons by British soldiers. Without the brave efforts of Allentown's patriotic residents, one of our nation's most famous and inspiring icons may have been lost forever.

While the town was formally incorporated as the borough of Northamptontown in 1811, most resident's referred to the bustling village as ``Allen's town'', a term initially used by founding father John Adams in a diary entry. The following year, Lehigh County was founded and Northamptontown was chosen as the county seat. After years of popular usage, the nickname ``Allen's town'', was adapted into the town's official name, ``Allentown,'' in 1838.

For the first several decades of its existence, Allentown remained a small Pennsylvania German (Dutch) village, populated mostly by farmers and tradesmen. However, the industrial revolution of the early 19th Century dramatically transformed the economy of the entire eastern Pennsylvania region. Allentown's powerful iron industry fed the rapid growth of the nation's railroads in the mid-1800s. As more metal was required to lay tracks across the expanding nation, Allentown prospered. The growth of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Lehigh Canal allowed vast quantities of raw materials and finished goods to move through Allentown to markets far and wide. Through industrialization, the city finally achieved William Allen's dream of becoming a major commercial center.

After the financial crises of the late 1800s, the turn of the century gave rise to Allentown as a preeminent producer of silks and other beautiful textiles. The arrival of iconic Mack Trucks in 1905 also reinvigorated the city as a manufacturing center. In 1928, the completion of the PPL tower, the area's first skyscraper, displayed Allentown's industrial might to anyone traveling in the Lehigh Valley. The tower's signature gold and red lit peak still illuminates the Allentown sky at night, illustrating the city's rich industrial history and bright economic future.

Today, Allentown supports a diverse array of industries in manufacturing and services. It is home to superb institutions of higher learning, including Cedar Crest College, Muhlenberg College, and a satellite campus of Lehigh Carbon Community College, that prepare thousands of students each year for careers in the modern economy.

In addition to industry and education, Allentown provides the region with outstanding recreational opportunities. Throughout the year, local residents enjoy the city's beautiful and expansive park system. From cross-country skiing through Lehigh Parkway in the winter months to riding a bicycle on the challenging loop at Trexler Park under the summer sun, Allentown's renowned parks offer a little something for everyone. And for those more interested in watching than participating, Allentown is a great location for sports fans. The city is home to the wildly popular Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA affiliate of the nearby Philadelphia Phillies. Furthermore, upon the completion of a new arena downtown, the Philadelphia Flyers' minor league hockey team, the Phantoms, will also call Allentown home.

While Allentown is certainly the quintessential American city, it is also distinctively unique. Residents of the city's western neighborhoods understand better than anyone in the country how truly powerful a tiny Canary can be, and anyone living in the East Side knows where to find the best clams in Pennsylvania. And like the greatest cities in our nation, Allentown is comprised of residents from many unique cultures across the globe. In addition to descendants of the region's original German settlers, the city today features a diverse population of European, Hispanic, Caribbean, African, Asian and Middle Eastern origins. Embracing and celebrating their differences helps bring the people of Allentown together, but it is their shared love for this extraordinary city that truly unifies neighbors.

This year, Allentown is marking its quarter-millennial anniversary with a calendar full of activities celebrating arts, culture, history, and community. Celebration Weekend, which will be held from September 27th to the 29th, will include a community festival highlighting the diversity of the city, an ecumenical prayer service, a ``red carpet restaurant night,'' and a parade organized around the theme ``City Without Limits: Points of Pride.'' The year's activities will draw to a close with a spectacular New Year's Eve Finale.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm and pride that I honor the city in which I was privileged to be born and raised, and where I have been blessed to raise a family of my own. I would ask all my colleagues to join me in congratulating the City of Allentown on the 250th anniversary of its founding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the centennial of the incorporation of the Borough of Roseto, Pennsylvania, and to recognize the many contributions its residents have made to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States.

Roseto, nestled in the rolling hills of Northampton County, was founded by Italian immigrants, who came to America in the late 19th Century to work in Pennsylvania's busy slate quarries. In 1887, Nicola Rosato, Lorenzo Falcone, Giovanni Policelli, and Angelo Tedesco purchased tracts of land and built a thriving community, originally known simply as ``Little Italy.'' In just ten years, the little town had grown large enough to earn its own post office.

Residents named their fledging community Roseto, after the Italian village of Roseto Valfortore, which many of the borough's founders had called home before immigrating to the United States. Today, Roseto maintains a strong sister city relationship with its Italian namesake. On 2 January 1912, Roseto was formally incorporated at the Roseto Borough Hall and became America's first 100% Italian borough.

By the early 20th Century, civic organizations, such as the Sons of Italy, the Order of Red Men, and the Roseto Macaroni Club flourished, as citizens sought to maintain their Italian identity while promoting their patriotism as Americans. Around the time of World War II, the gradual recession of the local slate industry led to fewer jobs for the quarrymen who called the borough home. However, around this time, sewing factories were simultaneously growing in large numbers in the area and began providing work for both young men and women.

In 1913, the Columbus Public School was built to provide education for the borough's children in grades 1 through 8, after which, students would continue their studies as a different kind of Slater at nearby Bangor High School. Columbus School served Roseto's children until 1978, when the school district moved classes to a newer facility. Briefly abandoned, the historic building was reopened just two years later and continues to house Faith Christian School.

Today, Roseto is a much more diverse borough than it was at the time of its founding, but the traditional Italian values of family and community remain strong in all residents. Family businesses and busy old churches still line the streets of Roseto, just as they did over one hundred years ago. The health effects of this lifestyle have not gone unnoticed and were documented in a medical study called ``The Roseto Effect,'' an experiment which sought to determine why mortality rates in the borough were so much lower than other communities. The research concluded that the simple community lifestyle embraced by Roseto's inhabitants is the key to their remarkable longevity. The sense of togetherness and family that exists throughout the town does more than just make life more enjoyable, it actually promotes better health!

This year, Roseto celebrated its centennial, or ``cent'anni'' in Italian, with a weekend full of live music, delicious food, entertainment and even a parade. The borough also welcomed a visiting delegation from Italy's Roseto Valfortore, including the sister city's mayor.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise to honor the 100th anniversary of Roseto's incorporation. I would ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing its residents a very festive cent'anni!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the bicentennial of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.

Lehigh County was established on 6 March 1812, with my hometown of Allentown as its county seat. 1812 was a turbulent time for our nation, which was on the brink of war, but the young county persevered through its initial difficulties. The industrial revolution of the early 19th Century gave rise to the growth of the American railroad industry, creating a massive demand for iron to lay tracks that would eventual span the nation. Lehigh County answered the call and quickly established itself as a national manufacturing powerhouse. In addition to manufacturing, the county also flourished as an agricultural center, with crops and livestock supported by cool waters of the Lehigh River and its many tributaries. Farming has been a staple of the region's economy since its settling, and today remains an important way of life for many Lehigh County families.

Lehigh County is home to several prominent colleges and universities that provide quality education to thousands of students each year. These include Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Muhlenberg College and Penn State Lehigh Valley. The county's unique location between the major markets of Philadelphia and New York has also made it an ideal location for commuters looking for a better quality of life.

Much to the delight of its residents--new and old--Lehigh County boasts an abundance of cultural, recreational, and entertainment attractions that keep it bustling with activity. The county is home to Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, a popular amusement park known nationally for its famous 1923 wooden roller coaster Thunderhawk. The Lehigh Valley Zoo, located within the scenic 1,100-acre Trexler Nature Preserve, is home to more than 275 animals representing 70 species, as well as one of the most impressive herds of American Bison in the eastern United States. Many residents fondly remember the thrill of fording the Jordan Creek after visiting the zoo as children.

Lehigh County is also home to beautiful Coca-Cola Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies' AAA affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Residents of the county and neighboring communities are already getting excited for the start of the 2014-15 AHL season, when the Philadelphia Flyers' affiliate, the Phantoms, will begin playing hockey in downtown Allentown. It is, indeed, an exciting time to be living in Lehigh County.

Known for its many traditional festivals that highlight the area's rich history, appreciation for the arts and love for the outdoors, including Das Awkscht Fescht, the Great Allentown Fair, Mayfair and SportsFest, countless Americans visit Lehigh County each year. Music is also an important component of Lehigh County's cultural identity, and while newcomers may wonder what sounds a boomba makes, thousands of visitors flock to Allentown's J. Birney Crum stadium each summer to hear the familiar tunes played by dozens of drum and bugle corps during their annual stop to the Lehigh Valley.

In recognition of its 200th anniversary, the Lehigh County Bicentennial Committee organized four months of activities celebrating the county's people, history, and culture. The festivities included the launch of the Lehigh County Hall of Fame to recognize residents who have achieved greatness in entertainment, sports, business, and other areas. The 24 inductees of the inaugural class included NFL Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik of Upper Saucon Township, four-time Super Bowl champion Matt Millen of Whitehall Township, actress Amanda Seyfried of Allentown, actress Christine Taylor of Lower Macungie, famed Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca of Allentown, Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays, the first female general in the U.S. military and an Allentown native, and Golf Channel analyst Rich Lerner of South Whitehall.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the county that my family and I call home on the occasion of its bicentennial. I ask all my colleagues to join me in honoring Lehigh County's 200th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of Devereux, a nonprofit behavioral health organization based in Pennsylvania, and congratulate the organization on its upcoming 100-year anniversary.

Devereux operates a comprehensive national network of clinical, therapeutic, educational and employment programs and services. Devereux also works on research based prevention initiatives that help to empower children and adolescents. Founded in 1912 Devereux has grown over the last hundred years from helping twelve students to tens of thousands, including students in the 15th District of Pennsylvania in Allentown, PA.

The Allentown School District partnered with Devereux in 2011 to implement the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies program (PATHS). The program teaches self-control, emotional understanding, self-esteem, relationships, and interpersonal problem solving. PATHS is designed to promote students' social and emotional health which is crucial for academic success. Programs like these can markedly increase academic achievement, address conduct problems, and decrease emotional distress in children. Devereux has provided reports to assist teachers and schools with implementation of the program, collected data, and worked to overcome any challenges the schools face.

Devereux's mission is to change lives and nurture human potential. By continually investing in the community, they have helped to improve outcomes in student's lives and academics. These types of changes can already be seen in Allentown classrooms.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in congratulating Devereux on 100 years of service to countless children, adolescents, adults and their families, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to the Nation.

I want to thank the gentleman from Alabama and the gentlelady from California for their leadership of the committee.

As a member of the Committee on Ethics and as the chairman of the investigative subcommittee, or ISC, in this matter, I do rise in support of the resolution, which calls for the adoption of this committee's report and will serve as a reprimand of Representative Laura Richardson for her conduct and will impose upon her a $10,000 fine.

I do not relish speaking under these circumstances. This is, indeed, a solemn moment--when the House must consider punishing one of its own Members.

As the chairman stated, over the last 9 months, as members of the investigative subcommittee, my colleagues Mr. Yarmuth from Kentucky, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. Lujan of New Mexico, and I conducted an extensive investigation into the allegations regarding Representative Laura Richardson. The subcommittee met on over 20 occasions. In total, the ISC and staff conducted 12 interviews during this phase of the inquiry and reviewed the transcripts of the 17 interviews conducted during the committee's earlier phase of its inquiry. The subcommittee also reviewed thousands of pages of documents.

I appreciate the hard work of each of the subcommittee members, especially of the ranking member, Mr. Yarmuth of Kentucky. He is a pleasure to work with. I would also like to thank the nonpartisan professional staff of the Ethics Committee who conducted the investigation with dignity and professionalism at all times--Deborah Mayer, Cliff Stoddard, Sheria Clarke, Chris Tate, and Brittany Bohren.

At the conclusion of a thorough investigation, the subcommittee unanimously concluded that there was substantial reason to believe that Representative Richardson had violated the Code of Official Conduct and other laws, rules, or standards of conduct. The chairman outlined the seven counts in the Statement of Alleged Violation, which was unanimously adopted by the investigative subcommittee.

Here is a summary of the findings of the report and why the committee recommends that Representative Richardson be reprimanded by the House for her conduct.

As discussed fully in the investigative subcommittee report, fundamentally, Representative Richardson failed to acknowledge the boundaries between the official and political realms. On page 59 of the ISC report, it reads in part:

This case is about boundaries. The House entrusts Members

with a great deal of discretion over a large amount of

taxpayer resources . . . This constructive trust requires

Members to delineate between the official, the political, and

the personal in ways that are at times quite tidy and at

others tangled . . . Representative Richardson did not

acknowledge these boundaries. She acted to consume the

resources endowed to her as a Member for whatever purpose

suited her whims at the moment, be they official acts, her

reelection, or her personal needs . . . The ISC discovered

significant evidence suggesting that her wrongdoing continued

even after learning that the committee was investigating her.

If the committee fails to exact a steep price for such

conduct, the message is one of a set of rules with a

toothless enforcement mechanism.

Representative Richardson's misconduct included that, first, she improperly compelled or coerced members of her staff to do campaign work. Representative Richardson required the staff of her district office in Long Beach, California, to perform campaign work each weeknight from approximately 6:30 p.m. through 9 p.m. during at least the 2 months prior to the 2010

primary and general elections. This practice alone accounted for hundreds of hours of conscripted campaign work by public servants who did not wish to perform it and may not be forced to do so. She also required her district staff to perform additional campaign work on the weekends. Representative Richardson applied the same philosophy to her Capitol Hill staff. This demonstrates a blatant disregard for the boundaries between official events and campaign events.

Second, Representative Richardson used official resources of the House for campaign and nonofficial purposes. While the report has a detailed exposition of many of the resources used by Representative Richardson, some of the more significant improper uses of resources included the use of staff time during the official work day to conduct campaign activities, repeated use of the House email system to conduct campaign business, use of the MRA to lease a car, which she parked at her house and used as her only mode of transportation in the district, regardless as to whether her destination was official, campaign, or personal in nature.

Third, Representative Richardson paid her deputy district director as a full-time House employee, but for months before the 2010 elections she directed this employee to conduct campaign work for a significant portion of each day. Additionally, in 2011, nearly a year after Representative Richardson received notice of the committee's investigation into misuse of House resources, Representative Richardson hired a new district director, who, with Representative Richardson's knowledge and approval, spent much of his time performing campaign work.

Taken together, a theme emerges. Representative Richardson used her staff as she saw fit. The evidence does not demonstrate isolated incidents of compelled campaign work. If that were, in fact, the case, we would not likely be here today. It demonstrates a constant effort by Representative Richardson to direct and pressure her official employees to perform as much campaign work as possible, regardless of whether or not they wanted to volunteer.

The environment Representative Richardson cultivated in her office was so poor that one of her employees, a detailee from the Wounded Warrior's program, wrote in her letter of resignation:

As a service-connected disabled veteran, it is sad to say

that I would rather be at war in Afghanistan than work under

people that are morally corrupt.

Just as concerning as the substantive violations, if not more so, was the significant evidence that Representative Richardson obstructed and attempted to obstruct the investigation. To fulfill our constitutional duty, the House must take action against any Member who improperly attempts to frustrate a committee investigation. The investigative subcommittee concluded that Representative Richardson obstructed and attempted to obstruct the investigation into these allegations. Specifically, Representative Richardson directed her staff to testify that their campaign work had been voluntary, even in cases where staff had not volunteered. She also attempted to obstruct the committee's investigation by altering or destroying evidence.

Finally, Representative Richardson obstructed the investigation by failing to provide materials responsive to a subpoena issued by the investigative subcommittee. The investigative subcommittee served Representative Richardson with that subpoena only after months had passed with Representative Richardson ignoring numerous requests from the ISC that she provide responsive documents. Even then, the investigative subcommittee discovered documents that Representative Richardson had in her possession, custody, or control and, nevertheless, failed to produce.

Based on these conclusions, the investigative subcommittee found that Representative Richardson committed seven different violations of the Code of Official Conduct or other laws, rules, or standards of conduct.

Throughout this process, Representative Richardson has been afforded every opportunity to defend herself. Ultimately, she initiated a negotiated resolution and admitted to the seven counts in the Statement of Alleged Violation. She received a copy of the investigative subcommittee report 5 days prior to its adoption and was given an opportunity to provide her views to be considered by the committee.

Through her misconduct, Representative Laura Richardson has violated the public trust. While no Member wants to sit in judgment of a colleague, it is our duty to protect the integrity of the House. Accordingly, on behalf of the committee, Mr. Speaker, I recommend that the House adopt the committee's unanimous report and that the report serve as a reprimand of Representative Laura Richardson for her misconduct.

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to draw attention to a landmark decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week approving the OraQuick In-Home HIV test and commend OraSure Technologies for this profound advancement in HIV/AIDS diagnostics. This test is the first rapid over-the-counter HIV test approved in the United States. The OraQuick In-Home HIV test detects the presence of HIV antibodies roughly 20 minutes after a simple oral swab. It is also the first rapid diagnostic test for any infectious disease that has been approved by the FDA for sale over-the-counter.

The FDA's decision is a significant moment in the history of our fight against HIV/AIDS. Since the beginning of the epidemic, getting individuals tested has been a critical component of HIV prevention and linkage to care. HIV testing enables individuals to know their status and protect their health as well as the health of others. Yet, over 1 million Americans are unaware of their infection. Those who do not know they have HIV are disproportionately responsible for the nearly 50,000 new infections that occur each year. The availability of an over-the- counter test will lead to greater testing, increased diagnoses, reduced transmissions, earlier treatment and saved lives.

OraSure Technologies, located in the heart of the Lehigh Valley in the 15th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, has been at the forefront of rapid diagnostics for over a decade. This most recent accomplishment comes on the heels of the company receiving approval for our nation's first rapid test for Hepatitis C. Headquartered in Bethlehem, PA, OraSure's innovation has led to an economic resurgence on a brownfield site where Bethlehem Steel once stood proud.

Again, it is an honor to commend OraSure for leading the way in transforming diagnostic testing through innovative new technologies and playing a key role in what will hopefully be a transformation in the fight against HIV/AIDS. I want to extend my congratulations to the company and all of its employees for earning approval of the first over-the-counter in-home HIV test. This achievement will have a dramatic impact on the number of individuals who will learn their HIV status and most importantly, save countless lives.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 125th Anniversary of the chartering of the borough of Souderton, Pennsylvania and to pay tribute to the many contributions its inhabitants have made to the cultural fabric of eastern Pennsylvania.

Charted in 1887, Souderton's rich history actually began when the first inhabitants, the Lenni-Lenape or the Delaware Indians settled the area. They were some of the first native peoples to come in contact with Europeans in the early 1600's. The land that today comprises Souderton was originally purchased by William Penn from the Lenape. The first wave of European settlers were Welsh immigrants who gave Souderton the name of Welshtown. They were followed by German Mennonites in the early 1700's and by 1750 they would occupy most of the land. Some claim Souderton got its name from one of its early settlers, Henry O. Souder, but in fact the North Penn railroad company gave the location its name in 1863 to differentiate between the borough and the village of Soudersburg in Lancaster County.

While established as primarily an agricultural community, the railroad's arrival in 1857 encouraged rapid growth in the community. Textile and cigar factories brought prosperity and new populations to the borough. The borough's initial bank, Univest Corp. of Pennsylvania, was established in 1876 and remains an active and vital part of the community today.

When it was charted as a borough in 1877, Souderton had a population of 600 people. In 1879, the first church in the community, the Souderton Mennonite Meetinghouse, opened on Christmas Day, and the first school in Souderton opened its doors that following year. The population had tripled by 1910. Citizens were able to access the nearby bustling city of Philadelphia via railroad on the North Penn lines, while the nearby community of Perkasie was connected by the Liberty Bell Trolley service. The first automobile arrived in town on May 1st, 1903, and residents soon began enjoying pleasant rides down Main Street, formerly known as Possum Lane. The borough's population doubled again by 1940. Following World War II, the demand for expensive labor in the textile industry declined but the community remained vibrant. Today, Souderton is mostly a quiet, family-oriented residential community.

To commemorate their 125th Anniversary, Souderton borough is hosting a year-long celebration that has included a community clean up day, a parade and fireworks show, historical trolley tours, and a memorial picnic.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in recognizing the 125th Anniversary of the Borough of Souderton, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act and particularly the provisions related to synthetic drugs.

I introduced H.R. 1254, the Synthetic Drug Control Act, after the issue of synthetic or designer drugs was first brought to my attention by a constituent whose son had been abusing legal substitutes for marijuana.

H.R. 1254 passed the House by a strong, bipartisan vote of 317 to 98 this past December.

After months of hard work, I am glad to see that similar language has been included in the House Amendment to the Senate-passed FDA reform bill. I would like to thank Chairmen Upton and Smith for their diligent efforts in advancing this legislation.

This legislation will finally add a long list of dangerous drugs to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

It covers synthetic cannabinoids, which affect the brain in a manner similar to marijuana but can actually be even more harmful, as well as many of the chemicals used in so-called ``bath salts,'' which have properties similar to cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, and other hard street drugs.

It will also double the amount of time that DEA may temporarily ban a new substance while working to prove that the drug in question should be banned permanently.

As we speak, the proliferators of these deadly chemicals are working on new formulas to circumvent Federal law.

This additional time will enhance DEA's ability to combat new and emerging substances.

This legislation is especially timely given the recent reports of inhuman and psychotic acts committed by individuals high on bath salts.

Last month, we all heard the horrifying story of a Miami man who stripped naked, assaulted another individual, and chewed his face off before being shot dead by the police.

Last year, a man in my district was arrested after injecting himself with bath salts and firing a gun out of his window in a university neighborhood. He later attributed his actions to a drug-induced state of paranoia.

Poison control centers nationwide have reported exponential increases in calls related to synthetic drugs, and far too many deaths have resulted both from overdoses and the Psychotic behavior that the drugs induce.

For the inclusion of this important public safety language and for the many ways this legislation will spur economic growth and medical innovation, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of the underlying bill.

I just heard the previous speaker say that the Affordable Care Act is going to provide so much opportunity for medical device manufacturers that they will simply be able to eat this device tax. Well, that's not the case in my district, and there are three principal reasons why we must repeal this device tax:

One, it increases health care costs for consumers on everything from wheelchairs, to bedpans, to prosthetics, to tongue depressors. Two, this is going to kill jobs. More than 400,000 jobs in the U.S. and 22,000 in Pennsylvania are directly employed by the medical device industry. This tax will put up to 43,000 American jobs at risk. Three, this is going to stifle innovation by reducing investment in R&D, which leads to medical breakthroughs.

By the way, this is a familiar health care law trifecta: higher costs, lost jobs, lost innovation.

This tax is going to have a profound impact in my congressional district on companies like Aesculap, Boas Surgical, BioMed, B. Braun, Olympus, OraSure, and Precision Medical Instruments.

If you don't believe me, Chris Field of Boas Surgical in Allentown, a small business that manufactures custom orthotics and prosthetics, explained that the tax may ultimately force the employer out of business:

The medical device tax would simply destroy what is left of

our company. After giving it our all, we would simply have to

turn out the lights, lock the doors and send 45 employees to

the unemployment lines; and our patients, including many of

our soldiers returning from combat, would no longer be able

to receive medical devices, such as their prostheses, from a

company which has faithfully served the Lehigh Valley for

over 90 years.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Department of Homeland Security Act of 2013, and I want to thank Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member Price for their leadership of this subcommittee.

H.R. 5855 is a fiscally responsible measure, and it totals $39 billion in discretionary funding for DHS, a decrease of about $484 million below current levels. The bill takes a scalpel to Agencies, ensuring adequate funding is available to meet program objectives while weeding out unnecessary spending.

I want to take a moment to highlight a few of the critical aspects of this bill. First, our first responders, we provide $2.8 billion for FEMA first responder grants. Additionally, the Assistance to Firefighter Grants and Emergency Management Performance Grants will receive $670 million, equal to the President's request.

Furthermore, I am pleased to note an amendment offered by Mr. Price, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Latham and me during the full committee markup to foster further flexibility for local departments in utilizing fire grant funds that were adopted in this measure.

As for border protection, the bill contains $10.2 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, supporting the largest totals of CBP border agents and officers in history. Similarly, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement received $5.5 billion in supporting initiatives like the Visa Security Program, as well as 34,000 ICE detention bed spaces, our highest capacity to date.

These are just a few provisions in the bill I wanted to touch on this afternoon. H.R. 5855 has been crafted as a smart and fiscally responsible funding bill from the Department of Homeland Security. I encourage my colleagues to support passage.

Also, I just want to commend the leadership of Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Dicks for their leadership on this measure as well.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise my colleagues of an important decision issued earlier this week by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Blood Products Advisory Committee (BPAC) that will revolutionize HIV testing and the fight against AIDS. The 17- member advisory panel unanimously recommended approval of the first over-the-counter HIV test. The OraQuick In-Home HIV test detects the presence of HIV antibodies in roughly 20 minutes after a simple oral swab.

OraSure Technologies, a company in my congressional district, has been at the forefront of HIV/AIDS diagnostics for over a decade. If the FDA follows the recommendation of the advisory panel and approves OraSure's In-Home HIV test, it will be the first oral fluid rapid test made commercially available over-the-counter.

BPAC's decision represents a significant milestone in the nation's fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Disease status awareness enables individuals to protect their health and the health of others. Over-the- counter testing will provide an option for individuals to get tested in the privacy of their own home and importantly, is expected to reach traditionally underserved communities. According to an FDA analysis, the OraQuick test is predicted to lead to 45,000 new positive HIV/AIDS diagnoses and avert more than 4,000 HIV transmissions within the first year of deployment.

Nearly 50,000 Americans become infected with HIV each year and some 240,000 are unaware of their status. The availability of an over-the- counter test will lead to greater testing, increased diagnoses, reduced transmissions, earlier treatment and saved lives.

It is my honor to commend OraSure in leading the way in transforming diagnostic testing through innovative new technologies, and I am proud of the company's dedication and accomplishments in making HIV/AIDS testing more accessible.

Madam Chair, I rise for the purpose of offering an amendment.

Madam Chair, I'm pleased to join my colleague, Pete Sessions from Texas, on the floor this morning to support a very important amendment that we've introduced that would address the crisis in access to emergency care by extending liability coverage to on-call and emergency room physicians.

The underlying bill we're debating here today is about patient access to care. Now I recognize that ideology may divide the House on the underlying bill. But common sense should unite the House on this particular amendment. Our former colleague, Bart Gordon of Tennessee, had introduced this legislation with me last year. In this session, we have bipartisan support for this concept. Mr. Matheson, Mr. Langevin, and Mr. Ruppersberger all have cosponsored this legislation that I am offering as an amendment. They cosponsored the original bill.

There's a growing shortage of physicians and specialists willing to work in emergency rooms. We've seen it all over the country. A 2006 Institute of Medicine report, ``The Future of Emergency Care,'' noted that the availability of on-call specialists is an acute problem in emergency departments and trauma centers. Emergency and trauma care is delivered in an inherently challenging environment. Every day, physicians providing emergency care make life-and-death decisions with little information or time about the patients they're treating.

I've spoken with surgeons who've told me they dread a Code Blue out of fear of a lawsuit. They want to serve these people who are coming into these emergency centers but are fearful for their families of a lawsuit. That's what medicine has become, unfortunately, because of this out-of-control litigation system.

As a result, these physicians providing emergency and trauma care face extraordinary exposure to medical liability claims. Forty percent of hospitals say the liability situation has resulted in less physician coverage for their emergency departments. According to a report from the GAO, soaring medical liability premiums have led specialists to reduce or stop on-call services to emergency departments. This trend threatens patients' access to emergency surgical services. Neurosurgery, orthopedics, and general surgery are the most impacted. They also are the services that emergency departments most frequently require. Trauma centers across the country have closed. In my home State of Pennsylvania, this has been a very serious problem.

This is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. This amendment would protect access to emergency room care and reduce health care costs by allowing emergency and on-call physicians who deliver EMTALA- related services medical liability protections. EMTALA, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, ensures that any person who seeks emergency medical care at a covered facility is guaranteed an appropriate screening exam and stabilization treatment before transfer or discharge, regardless of their ability to pay. EMTALA is a Federal mandate that protects all our citizens, the insured and the uninsured alike. This amendment will provide a backstop for the doctors who provide these critical services.

Specifically, the amendment would ensure medical services furnished by a hospital, emergency department, or a physician or on-call provider under contract with a hospital or emergency department pursuant to the EMTALA mandate are provided the same liability coverage currently extended to community health centers and health professionals who provide Medicaid services at free clinics.

This amendment will not impact the rights of individuals who have been harmed to seek redress. What this amendment will do is ensure medical professionals are available to provide critical, timely, lifesaving emergency and trauma medical care to all Americans when and where it is needed.

Please join me and Representative Sessions in supporting this amendment. If an accident ever happened to any of us, Heaven forbid, we want to make sure that there are people in these trauma centers and those emergency rooms ready to deal with us and who have nothing on their mind but saving our lives, not worrying about lawsuits. So I urge adoption of this amendment.

At this time, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, just very briefly in answer to my colleague's comments, I want to say very briefly that this does not waive liability. It simply says that when care is federally mandated under EMTALA that there will be Federal liability protection provided to those who are providing the care. That's only fair. People still can bring action, but there will be Federal liability protection, as there should be, because this care is being required under Federal law. I think it's completely reasonable.

At this time, I reserve the balance of my time.

The only thing I would like to say in response, once again, is this immunity protection only applies to care provided under EMPALA, and that's federally mandated care. Other activities going on in that emergency room or trauma center would not be given this exemption from liability, only federally mandated care. It can't be any more clear.

I reserve the balance of my time.

In conclusion, this amendment has bipartisan support. As I said, our former colleague, Bart Gordon, who was a cosponsor, introduced this bill along with me last session. Mr. Langevin is a cosponsor of the bill, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Ruppersberger. It makes sense. This is important to make sure our citizens have access to emergency care should they ever need it.

At this time, I urge support of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, the bill we're considering today, H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare Act, or PATH, is about patient access to care, plain and simple.

In the months leading up to the passage of the health care law and since the law was enacted, Congress has spent countless hours talking about the need to increase access to health care. The health care law signed nearly 2 years ago was the wrong direction for our country and for our citizens, and it will negatively impact access to care.

The two issues that we're going to address here today in this legislation--repealing the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, and enacting meaningful medical liability reforms--are key to ensuring that all Americans have access to quality care.

Now, as to the first piece of this legislation, the IPAB, the Independent Payment Advisory Board, let's be very clear: nothing about these advisory rulings are advisory. Good luck to anybody; good luck if you try to ignore the advice of the IPAB. It's going to be more like a medical IRS than an advisory panel.

Let's be clear: the very purpose of this IPAB is to save money by restricting access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries. It will achieve these savings by ratcheting down payments to providers who are already underpaid by Medicare. This will lead to fewer doctors who are willing to see Medicare beneficiaries, and, undeniably, this will lead to delays and denials of care.

This board, as has been said many times, is made up of 15 unelected bureaucrats--and unaccountable ones at that--that will wield enormous power, and there are no checks and balances in place to ensure that authority is being used appropriately. This abdicates Congress' responsibility, and it threatens care for our Nation's seniors.

Make no mistake that IPAB must be repealed. We don't need a medical

This medical liability crisis has had serious implications in my State of Pennsylvania. It's time we act on this issue.

I live in a State where we train a lot of doctors, but we can't retain them and we can't recruit them. It's a very serious problem for us.

It's time we pass this legislation. We'll say more about medical liability tomorrow in the amendment process.

Support the legislation.

I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for organizing this Special Order hour in order to discuss the life of Joseph Vincent Paterno. As has been said, there have been many eulogies said about Joe Paterno, and he was an extraordinary man by anyone's measure.

As has been mentioned, he came to us via Brooklyn and Brown University. I believe he studied English literature, and he always took great inspiration from the books he read and the classics. In fact, he turned down a life in professional football in order to stay at Penn State and stay in this university, academic environment. He actually liked meeting with the faculty and enjoyed discussing English literature and other weighty matters. This man was quite complex. He was more than just football, although certainly that was such an important part of his life, and a big part of his life.

We should also note that some of us would always watch Joe Paterno over the years. My mom is a Penn State alumna and I'm a Penn State alumnus. Our family goes back many, many decades, so we have some acquaintance with Joe Paterno. Many people fondly remember him--the guy with the thick Coke-bottle lenses and the khaki pants--flood pants-- with athletic shoes. That's how they'd see him out on the field, getting a little agitated from time to time with the officials, but he was much more complex than all that.

A few things: first, if there is a theme about Joe Paterno's life, it was that he was about setting clear standards, as one of his children had told me. He has five wonderful children and a wonderful devoted wife, Sue Paterno. He often said that Joe said things like this:

Take care of the little things, and the big things take care of themselves. You either get better or you get worse. You never stay the same. Most importantly, he said, Make an impact. That was the wisdom that his father passed on to him and that Joe passed on to his children--make an impact.

So when you think about it, Joe Paterno's life was about making an impact, and football was just a means to that greater end for him. He and his wife, Sue, would see a need, and they would meet it one small thing at a time until the big things, a legacy of philanthropy and caring, took care of themselves. They gave a lot of their own time as well as their own money.

His son said something to me, and I'm just going to read this. One of his children sent this to me. He said that, over the years, Joe attended hundreds of dinners and functions, raising billions of dollars for Penn State, for the Special Olympics--I know his wife, Sue, was particularly devoted to the Special Olympics--for the Catholic Church, and for education at all levels.

He said, I once asked him why he did it, why he smiled when he signed his 30th autograph while getting a paper, and he said with that twinkle in his eye, The moment they don't care about Penn State football, we can't do the things that matter.

He understood that, as a symbol and as a person, he had to let people own a piece of him to get them to buy in to the larger vision. They did, and the results were spectacular. From the Paterno Library to scholarships to what's called THON, the dance marathon where they raise so much money for children with cancer, he said, My dad helped them all. He made an impact.

That's really what it was about. It has often been stated, too, that Joe Paterno really wasn't supposed to go to Penn State at all. He was supposed to go from Brown University and become an attorney, as his father had expected. Basically, he told his dad at one point, No, I'm never going to be a lawyer. He was enjoying Penn State. He enjoyed the football program. He said his father took it all right, but closed with a mandate that drove him his whole life.

His dad said, It's not enough for you to be just a good football coach. You need to make an impact. So that was imparted from his father on to Joe.

There are a lot of people out there who played football for him. Some of these were young men who had a lot of talent in many cases, and some of them were maybe a little bit pampered, as some athletes are at the high school level who are quite good; and Joe could be a pretty strict disciplinarian for a lot of them. In fact, one of his former players, Kenny Jackson, who attended Penn State when I did, still calls him ``teacher'' first. Hundreds of players called him a surrogate father. The lessons they learned translated across the whole spectrum of their lives, creating a living legacy, and that will make an impact decades past his passing.

There are so many people who spoke of him. Since his death and just prior to his death, I spoke to some of his former players and friends who knew him well, and they often talk about the impact he made on their lives and how much they cared for him all these decades after playing for him. In fact, there was one story, too, that I want to share.

I remember back in the 1980s there was a player named Bob White. He became an All-American and was on the national championship team. I think he even played in the NFL for a while. I just remember how the Paternos took him under their wing. Apparently, he was a fairly marginal student. He had some trouble reading and, in fact, wasn't very good at it. So Sue Paterno would basically give him books, and he would have to read the books and then give her a book report. I mean, this is the coach's wife taking an interest in one player who was academically not very strong at the time. Today, he is quite successful and does quite well.

I just wanted to share that story. It's one of those stories you really don't hear about or about the anonymous contributions that have been made by him that have been discovered recently because people have spilled the beans, so to speak. He didn't want people to know that he was helping them. He did all of these things without any recognition.

He was an extraordinary man, and he will be deeply missed. All I can say is that he was a great Pennsylvanian even if he did spend the first few years of his life in Brooklyn. He was very proud of that by the way. I just wanted to say that I'll always have very fond memories of him. The university is a better place because of what he has done throughout his life, and I think we will always remember him.

I thank the gentleman.

And as we wind down this Special Order this hour, talking about Joe Paterno, we should also probably note one other thing, too.

Of course Joe Paterno was about success with honor, he was about making an impact, but he was also about family. And also, I just want to say, too, that many players over the years, their children would come to the school. In some cases, three generations have played with him. It's a remarkable story.

I think of a guy from my hometown, Mike Guman. Many of my colleagues from Alabama will remember Mike Guman for the famous goal-line stand, Penn State-Alabama Sugar Bowl, 1979. I wish the end result had been different. But nevertheless, Mike Guman was a running back. I had so many kind, wonderful things to say about him. And his son, too, Andy Guman, played at Penn State. That was the kind of program that I think Joe wanted. It was very family-oriented.

I also wanted to mention, too, that one of the eulogies about Joe that is probably worth sharing--I believe it was given by his son Jay. He often talked about his sense of humor and that of his wife. Joe and Sue were utterly devoted to each other, very independent-minded people, but very much dependent upon one another. I am going to read an excerpt from that eulogy:

Humor was a large part of my parents' marriage. My mom and

dad, speaking together, was always entertaining. My mom would

jump up with a smart comment when he was talking, and you'd

get a glimpse of how the two of them interacted. Neither one

of them took themselves too seriously.

And he says:

One of my favorite lines that they had was about how they

stayed married so long. They had a deal--whoever leaves the

marriage first had to take the children. So neither one of

them ever left.

And that was sort of the sense of humor they had, but they were so utterly devoted to each other, to their five children, and to their many grandchildren. That's something we don't speak much about Joe Paterno.

He didn't have a whole lot of hobbies either. He was devoted to family and his football program and his university. That's what he was about. So it really speaks volumes about him. He will be deeply missed.

At this time, I yield to the gentleman from Altoona, Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster).

I have to apologize for making that error. I knew you were from Everett, not from Altoona. But Blair County, the whole of Bedford, it's a wonderful area. We love it.

I wanted to say one other thing my friend, Mr. Shuster, just reminded me of: how Coach Paterno, Joe Paterno, recognized that most of his players were not going to become pros, and he celebrated the accomplishments of his players off the field. In fact, I remember one fellow who went to school with me, a guy named Stu McMunn, Stewart McMunn, I think he was captain of special teams. They won the national title the year after I graduated. He talked with pride about that young man. He's not going to be a pro, but he's all of this spirit, all this fight in him, he's a smart kid, and all that. And he became a dentist. He was very proud of the fact that was one of his players. That was kind of the way he was. He wanted to see his players succeed. He wasn't so concerned about the next 5 years after graduation, but the next 15, you know, 20, 30, 50 years, to see what they're doing with their lives. So I think that's something they shouldn't lose sight of.

I did read from a eulogy given at the celebration of Joe's life by one of his children, and I submit it for the Record.

Again, I just want to conclude by saying that Joe Vincent Paterno, a great Pennsylvanian, a great American, a strong leader, a mentor to so many, a mentor even to many people who never met him, but he had an impact on their lives. So, Joe Paterno, you did in fact make an impact.

Mom and Dad. I don't know much about Greek Mythology, so

forgive me if I botch this reference. But in the past few

months I've been reminded of some kind of Greek myth.

Apparently, we were once one body with a male head and a

female head and we were all happy. Some angry god, as

punishment for some slight--sliced all of the happy two

headed beings apart--forever dooming us to run around the

world looking for our other half. Anyone who knows my parents

also knows that they were among the lucky people who were

able to find their other half: their soul mate, their best

friend.

We've stated over these past days just how blessed and

lucky my Dad was--and he knew it. One of the stories you

won't hear from a former Letterman is the time that Coach

Paterno became smitten with his girlfriend and didn't ask her

out. No, sneaky Joe waited until Sue realized that this

player was not for her and went in for the kill. After a

courtship that involved reading Albert Camus, walking on the

beach, and pretending that he had money, they married and

soon started their family.

Over the years when my Dad would talk about retirement or

getting older, he would remind me, ``You know, your mother is

a young woman.'' It almost became a joke. Whenever she was

late coming back from a meeting or something, I'd say ``Well

you know, your mother is a young woman.'' He'd always

chuckle. But he did worry about her and always wanted to make

sure that she would be OK once he was gone.

They were absolutely devoted to their family: my Dad was

comfortable letting my Mother handle the more traditional

roles of diaper changing, but he loved to bounce us around on

his knee, try to teach us table manners, have discussion-

filled family dinners, and take us for walks; walks that

would continue into our adulthood and would be one of his

primary ways of sharing his wisdom and insights with us. I

shared some of dose walks in late November and I am forever

grateful for having that opportunity.

Their relationship was unique in some ways. Two fiercely

independent and strong people, yet two people utterly devoted

and dependent on each other. Best friends who challenged each

other to be better, who supported each other yet reminded the

other when they might be mistaken, who knew each other so

well that they knew what the other was thinking before they

even said it. This was a relationship that started with

respect and friendship and remained strong with faith, love,

and commitment to each other. They made each other better.

Humor was a large part of my parents marriage. My Mom and

Dad speaking together was always entertaining--my Mom would

jump in with a smart comment when he was talking, and you'd

get a glimpse of how the two of them interacted. Neither one

of them took themselves too seriously. One of my favorite

lines they had was about how they stayed married so long.

They had a deal--whoever leaves the marriage first had to

take the children, so neither one of them ever left.

But that was really not the reason. They were devoted to

each other without fail. The compassion and love they showed

for each other during these past few months was

indescribable. Weaker marriages may have splintered at the

incredible amount of pain they endured. Yet theirs only grew

stronger.

My Mom's only concern these past few months was for my Dad,

and my Dad's was only for my Mom. just a week ago, I was

talking to him and I didn't want him to get discouraged. I

said to him--Hey, you've got to keep fighting. For Mom. He

barely had his voice then but he nodded and whispered back

``fight, for Mom.'' And he was. And he did until the end when

we assured him that we would take care of Mom.

Like my mother, we are all heartbroken at the days and

years ahead when we continue our lives without being able to

pop in on him for a quick visit, ask him for advice about our

children. Or, in my case just to see him and be reminded of

what a great father I've had. We have faith in God and his

plan for all of us, and I can only be grateful that I was a

witness to a beautiful marriage and that I had the best

father and role model I could possibly ask for. I love you

and will miss you Dad. And don't worry--we will take care of

Mom. I do know that my mother is a young woman.