Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the important health care issues surrounding the National Cancer Prevention Day.

This day is an opportunity for health care providers, policymakers, and other community leaders to educate people on the healthy activities and behaviors that can prevent this disease. While we learn more and more every year about how to best treat cancer, more must be done to focus on preventing cases from ever occurring. Today is a reminder to patients to make it their business to learn of activities and behaviors to decrease the incidence of this disease.

As a doctor who treated patients in northern Michigan for over 30 years, I am far too familiar with the devastating impact that cancer has on countless lives every day. I hope that all of my colleagues in the House and the Senate will join me in the 114th Congress to remember the victims of cancer, to honor its survivors, and to do everything in our power to prevent future cases of this disease.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and the underlying bill.

I have been a doctor in northern Michigan for 30 years, and I have always put the needs of my patients first. I believe it is time for Congress to do the same thing today.

We need to get to work on finding bipartisan and commonsense solutions that will put the patient and their doctor back in control of health care decisions and help lower the cost of health care while maintaining the quality.

We need to focus on things like allowing people to purchase health insurance across State lines, just like we can already do with car insurance, making health insurance portable so you can take it with you from job to job, another simple change that would improve access to health care. A few of these simple changes would dramatically improve the quality of care available while lowering the overall cost.

Many of the patients that I have been talking to tell me their health insurance has gone up, their deductible has gone up. This is not bringing more health care to the American people. This is bringing less health care to the American people. They have less access to care now than they have had in the past.

I hope all my colleagues today will join me in voting ``yes'' on H.R. 596 so that we can finally pass patient-centered improvements to our Nation's health care system.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Angela Danison, a third grade teacher at Chassell Elementary School, as the Michigan Teacher of the Year. On behalf of all residents of northern Michigan, I wish to congratulate Mrs. Danison on earning this honorable distinction.

Loved by her students, fellow teachers, and school administrators, Mrs. Danison's dedication to teaching children is a credit to her hard work and attention to her students. Mrs. Danison decided that she wanted to help the next generation while she was still a high school student herself. She turned this dream into a successful, lifelong teaching career.

On receiving the award, Mrs. Danison modestly stated the following:

Educators work so hard, and there is a lot of time where

you just don't feel worthy because there are a lot of other

dedicated people working around you.

Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that Mrs. Danison is certainly a worthy recipient, and I applaud her hard work and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of National School Choice Week. I have traveled all across northern Michigan, and I have been blessed to visit all kinds of schools in my district. I have met with hardworking kids, parents, and teachers who are trying to achieve a better future.

Our education system should not be a one-size-fits-all model. School choice programs provide a way for parents to help their children succeed. Choice promotes competition in our educational system, which will improve the educational outcome for all students.

While many students are able to prosper by attending their local public school, many others are bogged down by outdated rules that prevent parents from choosing the best educational fit for their children. In order to succeed, parents need options and flexibility, not more regulations.

Michigan has enacted the popular Schools of Choice program, which allows parents to send their children to any school in a participating district. These are the types of programs that empower parents and students instead of teachers' unions and bureaucrats.

School choice will help to ensure that every child has a chance to flourish, and that is why I am a proud supporter of National School Choice Week.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the rights of the unborn and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this rule.

I, along with many in northern Michigan, believe that life inside the womb is just as precious as life outside the womb and must be protected. Both unborn and born children have a right to life.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act will ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to subsidize a practice that so many of my constituents cannot condone. Your hard-earned tax dollars should not be used to pay for abortions.

I served as a doctor for 30 years in northern Michigan, and I have had the awesome gift of witnessing the miracle of new life in the delivery room. I have also been blessed with the experience as a father and a grandfather, and I know how life-changing this event can be.

I want to commend the pro-life grassroots efforts led by passionate advocates in our local communities. Thank you for the hard work that you do to educate our communities on the value of life.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

``Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 30, the Save American Workers Act, and to urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on this important initiative.

I have heard from many people across northern Michigan--from working moms and dads and small business owners to county government--that the President's health care law is stifling economic growth, job creation, and hours of work.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most burdensome and baffling regulations imposed by the President's health care law was the reclassification of what constitutes a full-time employee.

The Save American Workers Act will get rid of this rule, helping employees in Michigan and around the country create more opportunities in our area. This simple and commonsense fix will be a good first step towards restoring the true definition of full-time employment and increasing jobs in northern Michigan.

I have joined with 147 of my colleagues--more than one-third of the entire House--in being an original cosponsor of this legislation. I am happy that this is one of the first bills that the House of Representatives will pass.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, the ranking member, and Mr. Walz, thank you so much for introducing this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to support the Clay Hunt SAV Act. I am honored to be an original cosponsor of this important legislation.

As the father of a veteran, and a doctor who worked at the VA hospital in northern Michigan, I know that the challenges of military life do not end once our servicemembers return from active duty.

The mental wounds of war may be invisible, but no less real to the young men and women suffering from them. Facing high unemployment rates, the stigma of post-traumatic stress disorder, and the loss of military fellowship, returning veterans often face a crisis of confidence at the very moment they should feel nothing but relief and rest.

That is why our bill will help the VA to put the very best mental health professionals to work for our veterans and will create peer support networks to help catch those transitioning servicemembers who might otherwise fall through the cracks.

The time to act to address the epidemic of veterans suicide is now. With this bill, and with continued focus on the health of our veterans, and their mental health as well, we can make a real impact.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and pass the Clay Hunt SAV Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report to the Veterans Access to Care Act.

As a doctor who served at the VA hospital in Iron Mountain, Michigan, for 20 years, I have seen firsthand how Washington bureaucracy can keep doctors and nurses from taking care of veterans. On its most basic level, this is the sacred mission of the VA, and the VA has failed.

Today we take an important step toward reversing that failure. Most urgently, our bill will allow veterans suffering long waits for care the option to be seen by a local doctor at a private hospital. I believe every veteran should have a choice as to where they receive care, and this bill moves us closer to that goal.

But this triage measure is not the long-term solution. That is why our bill directs the VA to tap the best health care minds that we have in this country to go step by step through the system and write us a blueprint for a lean, smart, 21st century VA.

Our bill is not perfect, and the problems at the VA will not be solved overnight. However, this landmark effort is the best chance we have had in years to make fundamental changes to the way the VA operates.

Make no mistake, our true test comes next. We must continue to keep the pressure on the VA long after the headlines have faded and the worst employees have been fired, because our veterans will still be there and they will still deserve to be at the top of our priority list.

As the father of a veteran myself, I am committed to refusing to let this issue go. We will demand results, and we will demand swift and full implementation of this legislation. Anything short of that is not worthy of our veterans and is unacceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the conference report.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 4315, the Endangered Species Transparency Act.

Mr. Chairman, as a doctor and lifelong resident of northern Michigan, I have been supportive of conservation my entire life. Like many on the floor today, I understand there is more work to be done in the arena of conservation and recovery of species. However, the Endangered Species Act, as written, isn't working.

When the Endangered Species Act, or the ESA, was signed into law 40 years ago, it was meant to save species, not lawyers. Today, more money is being spent on frivolous lawsuits than recovering or conserving species that actually need saving. These lawsuits result in listings or proposed listings for very questionable species. As a result, the taxpayers, the environment, and the economy all lose.

In my district, the northern long-eared bat is currently a candidate for listing. As this decision is being considered, local and State officials, as well as businesses in northern Michigan, must be able to know how the decision will be made and what information is being used to make it.

I believe that local residents and officials know what is better for northern Michigan than bureaucrats or high-paid attorneys in Washington. That is why I am here today to support commonsense reforms to the Endangered Species Act. The bill goes a long way towards improving the Endangered Species Act by requiring good government through transparency and capping attorneys' fees.

If you truly support the environment, then you realize funds should be spent on conservation and recovery, not $500-an-hour attorneys.

Mr. Chairman, I believe this legislation is a win-win for the taxpayer and for conservation of truly endangered species, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Keith Haske, a storied basketball coach and school administrator from Northern Michigan who has recently been diagnosed with throat cancer.

Mr. Haske served as a head varsity boys' basketball coach in Northern Michigan since moving to the area in 1998. He initially coached at Charlevoix High School, where he compiled a tremendous record of 239 wins and just 78 losses. In these thirteen years he also amassed 10 district titles, 6 regional titles, 4 semi-final appearances, and 2 state runner-up titles. On top of that, he served as coach for the varsity girls program from 2004 to 2006, guiding them to a state title berth of their own.

Following his time at Charlevoix, Keith became the varsity boys coach at Traverse City St. Francis where he continues to find success. He recently led the team to a state runner up title in 2012.

It must be noted that as a coach Keith's impact transcends the wins and awards his teams have amassed over the years. The young women and men he has mentored over the years have looked to him for leadership and guidance, and his impact is seen all over the Northern Michigan community.

As Mr. Haske moves forward on a path to recovery, I would also like to send a heartfelt ``thank you'' and best wishes on behalf of the citizens of Northern Michigan to the Haske family-- Barb, Ty, and Chelsey.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to salute the city of Gaylord, Michigan, on the occasion of the 50th Alpenfest this year. Since 1964, the Alpenfest has celebrated the city of Gaylord, its connection with the particle board industry, and the heritage of many of the region's residents.

The first Alpenfest (then called the Alpine Festival) was formulated in 1964, with the imminent location of a U.S. Plywood particle board plant in 1965. To celebrate this occasion, as well as complete a goal of establishing an alpine look for Gaylord, the inaugural festival was set for July 5 through July 10 of 1965. The festival was a great success despite no dedicated source of funding and the need to dress the town and the residents with alpine garb to complete the aesthetic for the festival.

The Chamber of Commerce, along with many local businesses, civic associations, and citizens help to make this event possible every year. In addition to the transformation of Main Street in Gaylord, numerous activities are enjoyed by all during the week, including the Alpenstrausse arts and crafts market, a carnival, the crowning of the Alpenfest queen, activities for children, and the ``World's Largest Coffee Break.'' This festival is one of the highlights of summer in Otsego County and Northern Michigan as a whole.

As a final note, I wish to invite all Members of this body and all Americans to come to Northern Michigan and experience the natural beauty, great events such as Alpenfest, and friendly hospitality that make my home state one of the best places in the country to visit.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues from Maryland and Arizona for bringing this bill to the floor.

I rise today in support of H.R. 2223, a bill to name the post office building in Munising, Michigan, after the late Mrs. Elizabeth Kinnunen.

Born in 1893, the former Elizabeth Lempi Paasto immigrated to our country from Finland in 1903. She came, like many in northern Michigan and throughout our great land, for freedom and opportunity and for a chance at the American Dream. She married Oscar Kinnunen in 1909. Together, they had 11 children.

To provide for their family, Mr. and Mrs. Kinnunen operated a boarding house in Marquette, Michigan. They provided lodging to timber and mining workers in Marquette County. Eventually, they moved to Munising, Michigan, where Oscar worked for the paper company and Elizabeth worked as a local cook. Mrs. Kinnunen continued to work to support her family after Oscar died in 1952 and was a faithful member of the Messiah Lutheran Church in Munising.

Mrs. Kinnunen's life was, unfortunately, marked by tragedy in two great wars that defined this country. Two of her sons, Eiso and Raymond, were killed overseas defending the American people and our freedom. Eiso was killed in action during the Battle of the Bulge in 1945, and Raymond lost his life in Korea in 1952. We will never know the devastating grief their family must have suffered after such an enormous loss. We will also never be able to fathom the somber dignity Mrs. Kinnunen must have felt, in the words of President Lincoln, ``to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.''

Mrs. Kinnunen died on April 5, 1974, at the age of 81. While Mrs. Kinnunen is not a household name, her hard work to provide for her family and the terrible sacrifices she and her family endured, much like many throughout our country, form an important part of our history. Naming this post office in her honor is a thoughtful and lasting way for the community of Munising to celebrate her life and accomplishments.

The City of Munising, the Alger County Board of Commissioners, and the American Legion Post 131 in Munising have worked for years to honor Mrs. Kinnunen by renaming this post office in her name. It is my honor to represent the citizens of northern Michigan today who have worked so hard to recognize the sacrifices Mrs. Kinnunen made for love of family and country.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Hahn- Huizenga amendment which would increase funding for the United States Army Corps of Engineers operations and maintenance account by $57 million, a funding level that was established in the House-passed WRRDA bill. This funding is fully offset and is bipartisan in nature.

I am here today to support additional funding because my district-- Michigan's First--urgently needs to address the backlog of projects on the book, from dredging to basic port maintenance to the Soo Locks, which are in desperate need of replacement. The backlog impacts jobs and our local economy in Northern Michigan.

I understand tough decisions must be made during these economic times, but Michiganders and all Americans depend on the Great Lakes for transportation of goods and services. I appreciate consideration of this amendment. I ask for a ``yes'' vote from my colleagues.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Huizenga-Hahn Amendment, which would increase funding for the United States Army Corps of Engineers Operations and Maintenance account by $57.6 million, a funding level that was established in the House-passed WRRDA bill. This funding is fully offset, and is bipartisan in nature.

I am here today to support additional funding for the Army Corps O&M budget because my district--Michigan's First--is in urgent need of funding to address the backlog of projects on the books. From dredging to basic port maintenance, to the Soo Locks the needs in Northern Michigan are only getting worse. This backlog impacts jobs and our local economy. While $57 million will certainly not suffice to meet the backlog on the Great Lakes, nor even begin to address a number of the other already authorized projects around the country, this represents a small step forward.

What types of projects are we talking about? In my district, we have the Soo Locks. The Soo Locks represent the primary point of passage for goods in the Great Lakes. Products travel on ships from all around the world through the Soo Locks, which are in desperate need of replacement. This is truly a national security issue, and the estimated cost for replacement is approximately $580 million.

The inability to replace the Soo Locks leads has lead to light- loading and collisions at the entry point, which also increases annual maintenance costs. This is costly to taxpayers and the shipping industry, ultimately leading to higher costs for Northern Michiganders and all Americans who utilize goods that are transported through the Great Lakes.

The work done by the Army Corps impacts the economy and jobs not only in Northern Michigan, but around the world. Commodities transported on the Great Lakes Navigation System represent 10 percent of all U.S. waterborne domestic traffic. The 60 large and smaller federal commercial ports on the Great Lakes are linked in trade with each other, with Canadian ports, and with ports throughout the rest of the world.

Mr. Chairman, I understand that tough decisions must be made during these economic times. However, Michiganders and all Americans depend on the Great Lakes for the transportation of goods and services.

I thank you for your consideration, as this amendment would work to support projects not only in my district, but across the country.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment I co- introduced with my friend, Mr. Barrow, to prevent the closure of Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs across this country.

ROTC programs not only benefit the Army, they strengthen communities and provide opportunities to promising young students. However, in October of this past year, the Army released a list of 13 ROTC programs slated for closure following the 2014-2015 school year.

Following advocacy from Members, including Chairman Rogers, we were able instead to get the Army to institute a new evaluation system for ROTC programs. This amendment simply holds the Army to their promise of giving these programs enough time to institute changes.

One of these valuable programs is located at Northern Michigan University. Over the 45-year history of the program, Northern Michigan has seen 400 students graduate and go on to military service.

A closure of the NMU ROTC program next school year would prove especially unfair to the cadets currently in the program. These young men and women have worked hard in order to be accepted and maintain their spot. Let's give them a chance to succeed and serve the country they love. Support this amendment. Please vote for it.