Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the impact that is having in New York's 27th Congressional District.

When Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump started working on tax reform, Democrats immediately began attacking the bill before it was even written. They deliberately spread lies to the American people, which caused chaos and confusion, in an effort to derail our progress.

The working families in western New York now know the truth because they have seen an increase in their paychecks. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is making our economy stronger and benefiting American families and businesses, both big and small.

The business community is responding and taking action by giving raises, bonuses, and other employee benefits as a direct result of tax reform. In western New York, thousands of workers are reaping the benefits.

M&T Bank, in Buffalo, increased the base wages for hourly employees, gave all employees 40 hours a year in paid time off to volunteer in their community, and significantly increased contributions to the M&T Foundation.

Pioneer Credit Recovery in Arcade, New York, gave a $1,000 bonus to each of their 800 employees.

Evans Bank in Hamburg also gave $1,000 bonuses to non-senior level employees and increased charitable donations.

Everett J. Prescott, Incorporated, gave $1,000 bonuses to employees with more than a year of service and $250 bonuses to employees with less than a year of service.

Financial Institutions of Warsaw gave employees a bonus of $500.

LiDestri Food and Drink in Rochester gave all of their 1,200 employees in their five U.S. facilities an extra full paycheck.

Environmental Construction Group in Albion, New York, gave each of their 50 employees a $500 bonus.

National chains that employ many of my constituents have also given bonuses: T.J.Maxx, Walmart, AT&T, Home Depot, Chipotle, Lowe's, Starbucks, U-Haul, FedEx, Apple, and the list goes on and on.

The liberal left calls these pay increases and bonuses crumbs, but my constituents know tax reform is a significant win.

Because Republicans have reformed our complicated and outdated Tax Code, our children and grandchildren will be able to participate in a growing economy. The truth is tax reform is a positive step in making America great again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Town of Rush, New York for their Bicentennial Anniversary, which took place on March 13, 2018.

The Town of Rush is located in Monroe County near Rochester, New York, the third largest city in New York. Home to nearly 3,500 people, Rush, New York prides itself on its rich history, and suburban community feel.

As an Eagle Scout, I believe it is important to enjoy the outdoors, and preserve it for future generations to come. Rush, New York offers many opportunities to do just that, whether it be hiking on the Lehigh Valley Trail, or viewing native wildlife in Rush Oak Openings.

Rush is also home to the New York Museum of Transportation and Rochester and Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. Families and train enthusiasts from across the country can see everything from the largest collection of historic trains in New York State, to antique trolley cars.

I thank the Town of Rush for their commitment to preserving 200 years of history, and I congratulate them on their Bicentennial Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Officer Craig Lehner, a Buffalo police officer who lived a life of heroism and who tragically died during a recent training exercise on the Niagara River.

Officer Lehner was a 9-year veteran of the Buffalo Police Department, serving on the underwater recovery team, and also serving as a K-9 officer. His partner, a 4-year-old German Shepherd named Shield, served alongside him.

Officer Lehner served our country for 16 years as an Army National Guard military police officer. Having served in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, he was a well-decorated staff sergeant, awarded more than a dozen medals for his bravery and military achievements.

Officer Lehner made the ultimate sacrifice, and we will be forever grateful for his service. He will be remembered for his bravery and keeping Americans safe both abroad and in western New York.

I offer condolences to his mother, Kathleen, and all of his surviving family during this very difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I come before you in support of my bill, H.R. 931, the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act.

Sixteen years ago yesterday, on September 11, 2001, we witnessed a horrible tragedy that will leave an impression on generations of Americans forever. Through this tragedy, we witnessed the heroic actions of America's brave first responders working and volunteering in the days and weeks that followed.

We lost many first responders during those attacks of 9/11, and we continue to lose more every year from ongoing health effects.

All firefighters across our Nation sacrifice their health every day to face the dangers of smoke inhalation and toxic chemicals. These dangers cannot be entirely avoided, which is why this bill, H.R. 931, is so important. This bipartisan legislation takes an important first step towards addressing the detrimental health impacts faced by our Nation's firefighters.

The career of firefighting is a dangerous one. There are nearly 1.2 million men and women serving as firefighters in the United States. With every single fire they fight, these heroes take their lives into their own hands. Firefighters bravely risk their safety to protect our families, our homes, and our communities.

Unfortunately, the risks of firefighting surpass the scene of the fire. These men and women are exposed to dangerous smoke and chemicals that often result in a lifetime of health trouble. We see firefighters all across the United States with higher rates of cancer than the general population, and it is vital that we learn more about this correlation.

That is why I, along with my colleague, Representative Bill Pascrell, introduced the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act. This bill will require the CDC to establish a registry to track cancer incidence in the firefighting community. This comprehensive registry will work with fire departments across our Nation to include the important variables of a firefighter's career, including years of service, number of fires attended, and the types of fires attended. This information is essential to the development of future protocols, safeguards, and the development of equipment that will better protect these men and women.

Firefighters put their lives at risk every day, and Congress should do all it can to shed light and reduce the health hazards they face. I would like to commend Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Pallone of the full committee, and Chairman Burgess and Ranking Member Green of the Health Subcommittee for a bipartisan showing of support during both markups of this legislation. I cannot think of a more relevant week to bring this legislation to the House floor. I urge the rest of my colleagues to support the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act, as we honor tragic losses of September 11.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Francis Bellamy, one of the most influential individuals from Mount Morris, New York. Francis Bellamy is the author of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Tomorrow marks the 125th anniversary of the Pledge of Allegiance, which was first published in a magazine called The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892.

The pledge was initially written as part of a campaign to put American flags in every school in the country. In its original form, it read:

``I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.''

In 1923, the words, ``the flag of the United States of America'' were added. In 1954, Congress added the words, ``under God,'' creating the 31-word pledge we have today.

Bellamy's words are recited millions of times every day and are ingrained in our society as an expression of national pride and patriotism.

Mr. Speaker, I missed one vote on June 28, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 332.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Boy Scouts of America Troop 100 of the District of Columbia on its 100th anniversary, and for its long history of heritage and service. As a co- chair of the Scouting Caucus and a life-long eagle scout, I am proud to recognize the oldest Troop in Washington, D.C.

The Boy Scouts of America was founded on February 8, 1910, here in Washington, D.C., when Chicago Publisher Mr. William D. Boyce and Washington, D.C. Railroad Tycoon Mr. Colin H. Livingstone filed the papers of incorporation. Less than a month later, in March 1910, the first Troop in Washington, D.C., Troop I, was formed at the G Street branch of the Y.M.C.A. On June 15, 1916, the Federal Charter of the Boy Scouts of America was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson.

In the summer of 1917, due to size limitations, Troop I split, with the majority of its membership forming a new Troop. Subsequently, this newly formed Troop was ceremoniously given the Troop number of ``100'' by the District of Columbia Boy Scout Council, now known as the National Capital Area Council.

Over the years, Troop 100 has become the preeminent Troop in the Council by virtue of winning almost every special Scout Award available, including the Service Awards, Drill Awards, Signaling & Orienteering Awards, the Evening Star Inspection Trophy, and the coveted Washington Post Advancement Trophy. Additionally, Troop 100 has a history of demonstrating patriotism and heroism. Members have earned the War Service Awards for selling War Bonds, rescued individuals from burning buildings, and answered the call of duty by serving in one of the branches of the United States military.

Today, the Boy Scouts of America has more than 2.4 million active members, and 1 million adult volunteers. The Boy Scouts of America and Troop 100 continues to prepare young people to exercise ethical and moral judgments by teaching them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law, and remains faithful to its mission of ``patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values,'' and its goal of providing ``citizenship, service, and leadership.''

Again, I would like to congratulate Washington, D.C.'s Boy Scouts of America Troop 100 on the occasion of their 100th anniversary, and its over 100 years of service, character and leadership development, and for instilling the values of the Scout Oath and the Scout Law in America's youth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of the Property Tax Reduction Act introduced by my colleague and friend from New York, Representative John Faso.

I am committed to working to provide tax relief to my constituents, which is why Representative Faso and I worked to include a similar measure in the Affordable Health Care Act, and I urge the Senate and Leader McConnell to include that measure in their healthcare bill.

The State of New York saddles its residents with the highest overall tax burden in the Nation. A main driver of this hardship remains New York's persistently exorbitant local property taxes, which are a symptom of irresponsible governing from Albany. Governor Cuomo continues to rely on New York counties to foot the bill for New York State's outrageous Cadillac Medicaid plan, which costs each recipient 44 percent more than the national average.

The Governor essentially runs up a tab and then demands that the counties find a way to pay the bill. This is an unconscionable shift of cost. The entity of government that spends taxpayers' money should be the entity that pays the bill. Instead, Governor Cuomo wants this scheme to continue shielding his outrageous spending and keeping his actions from public scrutiny. The Governor's sleight of hand costs the eight counties I represent over $470 million a year and my home county of Erie almost $204 million a

year--nearly 83 percent of the total county property tax.

The Property Tax Reduction Act will end this outrageous cost shift, hold Governor Cuomo accountable for the State's Medicaid spending, and deliver much-needed tax relief to the hardworking taxpayers in my district.

I want to thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Faso, for introducing this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

We should put it into perspective because New York spends too much on everything. Florida now has more people than New York. Florida's entire budget is $80 billion a year for more than 20 million people. New York, with fewer people, has a budget of $160 billion--you almost can't make this up--double Florida.

Now, a point that I have tried to make when you see what the position of New York is, there was a day New York had 45 Members of Congress. Congress is apportioned by population. Today, we have fallen from 45 to 27. We have lost 40 percent of our representation in New York because of the high tax burden. And I know, as sure as I am standing here, we are going to lose another seat, possibly two, in the Census coming up in 2020.

Now, contrast to Florida that doesn't have an income tax and has much lower property taxes, half of the budget of New York. When we had 45, they had 7 Members of Congress--45 versus 7. Today, they also have 27. In the next Census, they are going to grow from 28 to 29. You almost can't make this up. Certainly the property tax burden is a big thing that drives these people out of New York State.

They want to live there. People want their kids to be there. There was a day in Erie County--and I was the county executive--we had 1.25 million people in Erie County in 1972, 1973. We are down to 900,000. Forget about relative growth. We have actually lost 25 percent of our absolute population over the last 40 years because of the high tax burden in New York, so much so, they coined the phrase of our airport. They called it the Runway of Tears because the parents were watching their children and grandchildren fly off to Florida, to North Carolina, and to other States where there were jobs and opportunities--the Runway of Tears.

So anything we can do to help reduce that tax burden in New York and to let our kids come home and be able to afford to live in New York State, maybe one day again we will be the Empire State.

So I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this. Certainly I am going to be fighting side by side with the gentleman and the other New Yorkers to get this through.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station for their accomplishment of attaining a total of 187,000 accident free flying hours. Since I have been in Congress, Congressman Brian Higgins and I have worked together to ensure this base is protected for future generations.

The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station sits near the North East international border, near one of the largest populated areas in Canada. In 1970, the base made the transition from the C-119 to C-130 aircraft; a large tactical aircraft primarily used for troop transportation and supply drops, the C-130 can withstand rough terrain and has been a major tactical component for the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.

Not only does the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station provide national security and give those in Western New York a chance to serve their county, it also provides a significant economic boost to Western New York. The base employs over 2,600 people and has an economic footprint of more than $200 million in the Western New York Community. It has been an honor, alongside Congressman Higgins, to fight to protect this base, and keep its location in Niagara Falls.

These brave men and women were called to active duty to participate in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Their professional ism, teamwork and pride for their country enabled them to achieve 187,000 accident free flying hours since 1961. These men and women are not just exemplary servicemen and women. They are your neighbors, your scoutmasters, your children's coaches, your friends. You notice when they are gone, because they bring their leadership and teamwork skills to everything they do.

The 914th Airlift Wing Vision statement is, ``Attain the highest state of readiness in support of the nation and our community through the development of our Airmen to deliver exceptional performance.'' From the flight crew, to the maintenance crew, everyone must be fully prepared for whatever comes their way. In order for this to happen, they train efficiently, and regard safety as their top priority. I, along with Congressman Higgins, applaud their accomplishment, and thank them for their relentless commitment and service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from votes May 22, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 269, and YEA on Roll Call No. 270.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Eagle Scout Pete Sessions for yielding. I am very honored to be standing with him today as the co-chair of the Scouting Caucus, along with Eagle Scout Jim Cooper from Tennessee.

There are, in fact, 33 Eagle Scouts--23 from the House of Representatives and 10 from the Senate--currently serving in the United States Congress. But just as importantly, there are 150 Members of Congress who experienced Scouting, whether as a youth, and, perhaps, in the case of 33 progressing to the rank of Eagle Scout, or, currently as myself does, serving as an adult Scout leader.

Scouting was important to many of us growing up. I think when a lot of us look back on our lives and say what was one of the larger impacts we had, I can tell you, in my case, it was Scouting.

And the same is true for my 24-year-old Eagle Scout son. I can't tell you how many different camping trips my son and I enjoyed together-- what a great bonding experience for a father and a son coming right up through Cub Scouts.

So for all of those Scouts today, as Eagle Scout Pete Sessions indicated, who are currently involved in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and Explorers, Scouting is changing their lives, and it is changing their lives for the better.

We have all heard the 12 points of the Scout law. That is a compass for the youth of America today, when they are faced with tough decisions, to look at those 12 points and remind themselves that a Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Those 12 points of the Scout law are a compass for them to live their life and make the right decisions.

Many cases I referred to the first three words of the Scout Oath, and we can't talk about them enough, those first three words, ``on my honor.'' That is so important today for our youth to have a compass, to understand what honor is, and Scouting introduces them to that.

But I will also tell you what Scouting is. It is young men, young boys having fun outdoors. Some say today the problem with youth in America is they have and they suffer from nature deficit disorder: They don't get outside enough; they don't know how to play outdoors; they are stuck with their electronic devices.

Well, Scouting gets the youth of America outside. It is healthy. They get to enjoy themselves, learn all kinds of skills, but just the friendships that they get within Scouting that, over a lifetime, will help them as they become the future leaders of America.

There are a disproportionate number of leaders in America today who were Scouts and, in fact, Eagle Scouts. Today, in President Trump's Cabinet, we are honored as a country to have four Eagle Scouts: Eagle Scout Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State; Eagle Scout Rick Perry, Secretary of Energy; Eagle Scout Jeff Sessions, our current Attorney General; and Eagle Scout, Ryan Zinke, our Secretary of the Interior.

I will tell you, in most of their cases, they would identify Scouting as a major part of them growing up and, maybe they didn't know it at the time, but giving them the life skills that have served them to the point today they are serving our Nation.

We have 27 Members in the bipartisan Scouting Caucus; many, but not all, are Eagle Scouts. I think all of us are proud to talk about our past as an Eagle Scout, but we also remind people, to this day, we are Eagle Scouts.

Once a year, our Chief Scout Executive, Mike Surbaugh, comes to Washington, D.C., to present a report on the status of Scouting in the Nation today. We have a great reception for our Chief Scout Executive once a year to welcome him and Scouts from around the country as they present to us the status of Scouting in America today.

I would be remiss if I didn't recognize the last four presidents of the Boy Scouts of America. Our current president, Randall Stephenson, is the current CEO of AT&T. He followed Bob Gates, who was our Secretary of Defense; Wayne Perry, the vice chairman of AT&T; and our own Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, when he was CEO of Exxon, was the president of the Boy Scouts of America.

So I think all of us today understand the importance of Scouting in our lives and, in many cases, just reflect back on the fun that we had as young kids and young adults.

Once every 4 years, all the Scouts in America gather, with some from around the world as well, at our national Scout jamboree. We currently have a permanent Scout High Adventure site in West Virginia at the Summit.

Eagle Scout Pete Sessions and I, as well as others, 4 years ago, went to the Summit. And you know what? We just had fun. We went down the zip line. We went on some of the other obstacle courses. Even as adults, it was reliving our youth. And we intend to go back later in July for, every 4 years, as I said, they have the national Scout jamboree. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 40,000 Scouts from around the United States will gather for approximately 1 week and just have a lot of fun, get to meet others from around the country.

So that is what Scouting is. I can't think of a more healthy activity for young men to be involved in, and, I think, in many cases, certainly, the moms of this world understand the important values that their sons are getting, as well as the dads.

I can just tell you, I am happy to stay involved in Scouting. As the co-chair of the Eagle Scout Caucus, I am proud to remind people I am today an Eagle Scout. And we also have fun shaking hands with our left hand. That's how Scouts do it, the hand closest to our heart.

I was with our Secretary of State in Alaska a week ago and went to introduce myself. He put out his right hand to shake hands, as adults do, and I said: ``No, sir, Mr. Secretary. As one Eagle Scout to another, we are going to shake hands the right way, with our left hands.'' He got a big smile on his face because he knew exactly what I was talking about.

So Eagle Scout Pete Sessions, I want to thank you for giving me the

opportunity to talk a little bit about Scouting today in our Congress. Thank you for your leadership in our Special Order tonight, and I look forward to hearing from our other Members of Congress, fellow Eagle Scouts. I know it impacted their life.

Thank you again for your leadership tonight.

Mr. Speaker, for the past 7 years, the American people have pleaded with their Representatives in Washington to repeal ObamaCare. Today, every Member of this body has the opportunity to do just that. We have the chance to eliminate excruciating mandates and taxes that are suffocating our economy and marketplaces.

Under ObamaCare, premiums have increased by over 37 percent since 2014, one-third of counties in this country have only one insurance provider, and 4.7 million Americans were kicked off the insurance coverage they wanted to maintain despite President Obama's promise that, if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.

But today we have the chance to lower premiums, increase competition among insurance providers, and improve access to health insurance for all Americans. We finally have the chance to formally reject an unprecedented government overreach into health care and take the first step towards giving patients control over their own health.

In western New York, this bill will have even more profound benefits. The amendment that I authored with Representative John Faso will relieve county governments in New York of a $2.3 billion unfunded mandate forced onto county taxpayers by the Governor of New York and will substantially reduce the tax burdens of property owners across New York State. This one provision of the American Health Care Act will save taxpayers in the eight counties that I represent over $470 million a year.

This is a game-changer for local New York governments and restores a fundamental tenet of representative democracies that the level of government that makes the decision about spending should be responsible for raising those funds. I am proud to stand up for western New Yorkers whose voices have been silenced for too long, and I am proud to vote for the freedom, fiscal responsibility, and local decisionmaking this bill guarantees.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the people who worked to make this legislation a reality. As we become increasingly concerned with cyber threats, online privacy is a critical concern for every American.

Unfortunately, in October of last year, the FCC issued regulations titled, ``Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services,'' also known as broadband privacy rules. These titles do not actually accurately reflect the impact these regulations are having on constituents' electronic privacy.

These broadband privacy rules took internet service providers, ISPs, which you subscribe to for TV and internet access, and edge providers that deliver online applications, services, and website content, and separated them into two different groups. This has caused confusion among businesses trying to adhere to this change.

While writing this regulation, the FCC had the opportunity to employ FTC precedent in drafting the broadband privacy rules, but instead chose to ignore existing precedent and create additional and onerous regulations. The FCC believed that these new rules would give consumers more choice and heightened transparency; however, this has not been the case.

This legislation does not remove privacy protections for consumers, and it does not expose consumer information. Both the FCC and the FTC will retain authority over consumer privacy on a case-by-case basis. ISPs will continue to be subject to the Communications Act of 1934, which protects all consumer proprietary network information. This is in addition to the many other existing Federal and State privacy rules that ISPs must continue to follow.

This proposed system, separating edge providers from ISPs, creates confusion for both consumers and business operations. This legislation works to reduce the confusion that has been created from this unnecessary regulation that has stifled competition and impeded innovation. I am happy to support this legislation which will provide much-needed clarity to the ongoing debate.

Mr. Speaker, today is a historic day, make no mistake about it. The American Health Care Act changes the trajectory of health policy in this country. Here are just a few of the highlights:

This bill eliminates the individual mandate penalty; eliminates the employer mandate penalty; eliminates the ObamaCare subsidies in 2020; eliminates ObamaCare tax increases; eliminates insurance mandates so we can lower premiums; provides refundable tax credits for individuals and families who do not get their health insurance through their employer or the government, and allows them to choose the health care that works for them; almost doubles the contribution limits

for health savings accounts; provides $115 billion for the Patient and State Stability Fund to lower patient cost and stabilize the insurance market; and enacts the most significant reforms to Medicaid in history, ensuring that Medicaid is sustainable and available for the most vulnerable among us for generations to come.

The American Health Care Act is a monumental step toward freedom, choice, and individual responsibility in health care.

Mr. Speaker, I will proudly vote for this bill today, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I was absent from votes March 15 and March 16, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 159, YEA on Roll Call No. 160, YEA on Roll Call No. 161, YEA on Roll Call No. 162, YEA on Roll Call No. 163, YEA on Roll Call No. 164, NAY on Roll Call No. 165, NAY on Roll Call No. 166, NAY on Roll Call No. 167, YEA on Roll Call No. 168, YEA on Roll Call No. 169.