Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the primary sponsor of H. Res. 282, a resolution originally introduced by Representative Dent of Pennsylvania, for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings, pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to acknowledge and congratulate Wilcox Primary School in Twinsburg, Ohio for being designated as a 2018 Hall of Fame School by the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA). This award goes to exemplary educational programs that go above and beyond meeting the needs of students in elementary and middle level schools across the state. Wilcox Primary School perfectly fits that characterization. I think we can all agree, a child's education is one of the most important aspects contributing to a child's success in the future. Schools like Wilcox Primary School create a community that is both academic and fun for all students who go through there. They provide hands on education, while guaranteeing the state's and nation's highest standards.

Special congratulations to Wilcox Primary School Principal Lynn Villa and her staff for their remarkable contribution to their students' futures. The teachers, administrative leaders, and support staff all work together to make a safe and creative educational environment for their young students and their families. I am proud to have such impressive schools in Ohio's 14th District.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge an exceptional school in my district, the George G. Dodge Intermediate School in Twinsburg, which has been recognized by the Ohio Department of Education as an Ohio School to Watch and a National Forum School. An Ohio School to Watch is a school that exceeds in academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organizational structures and processes. Students who attend George G. Dodge Intermediate School get one of the best hands-on education experiences in the nation. The teachers and administrators go above and beyond their normal duties to educate and influence young minds to succeed academically, socially, and in their future professions. There is no greater cause than educating the minds of the future. As a father, I know the amount of trust parents put into the hands of our educators. Knowing our school districts are exceeding in efforts for our children to succeed creates a closer, more positive community for the students, parents, and all involved in the surrounding neighborhoods. George G. Dodge Intermediate School's mission is to create an environment of pride for one's education while engaging with parents, administration, and fellow students to grow in civic engagement and extracurricular activities. This recognition is all due to the hard work by George G. Dodge Intermediate School Principal Reggie Holland, his staff, Twinsburg City School District Superintendent Kathi Powers, and Twinsburg City School District School Board members Matt Cellura, Rob Felber, Mark Curtis, Tina Davis, and Angela DeFabio. The dedication and leadership of these men and women is remarkable and unmatched. I am truly proud to have such a great education system in Ohio's fourteenth district and congratulate George G. Dodge Intermediate School on this well-deserved distinction.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge an exceptional school in my district, the George G. Dodge Intermediate School in Twinsburg, which has been recognized by the Ohio Department of Education as an Ohio School to Watch and a National Forum School. An Ohio School to Watch is a school that exceeds in academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organizational structures and processes. Students who attend George G. Dodge Intermediate get one of the best hands-on education experiences in the nation. The teachers and administrators go above and beyond their normal duties to educate and influence young minds to succeed academically, socially, and in their future professions. There is no greater cause than educating the minds of the future. As a father, I know the amount of trust parents put into the hands of our educators. Knowing our school districts are exceeding in efforts for our children to succeed creates a closer, more positive community for the students, parents, and all involved in the surrounding neighborhoods. George G. Dodge Intermediate School's mission is to create an environment of pride for one's education while engaging with parents, administration, and fellow students to grow in civic engagement and extracurricular activities. This recognition is all due to the hard work by George G. Dodge Intermediate School Principal Reggie Holland, his staff, Twinsburg City School District Superintendent Kathi Powers, and Twinsburg City School District School Board members Matt Cellura, Rob Felber, Matt Curtis, Tina Davis, and Angela DeFabio. The dedication and leadership of these men and women is remarkable and unmatched. I am truly proud to have such a great education system in Ohio's fourteenth district and congratulate George G. Dodge Intermediate School on this well-deserved distinction.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a great leader of the U.S. fastener industry. He is one of the basic building blocks of virtually all manufacturing, Robert J. Harris, Managing Director of the Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI) since 1995, retired from the Institute on December 31, 2017. Rob brought financial stability and strategic leadership to IFI, the trade organization that has represented the U.S. fastener manufacturing industry since 1931. Under his guidance, the Institute became the recognized authority in the development of all technical standards for fasteners, a critical component of ensuring capability and safety across all products.

Rob's leadership was perhaps most visible during the 1990s, when a pending regulatory burden imposed by the well-intentioned but fatally flawed Fastener Quality Act (FQA) threatened to shut down the industry and place severe limits on production of automakers, aerospace manufacturers, and a host of other U.S. and international producers. Working with a coalition of IFI members, as well as, representatives of the auto, aerospace, heavy equipment, appliance and other manufacturers, Rob developed and implemented a strategy to revamp the decades-old FQA. Congress approved the Fastener Quality Act Amendments Act in 1998, and it has been a great success in the twenty years since. Before joining IFI in 1995, Rob had already enjoyed a varied and successful career. A native of Kentucky, he graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and subsequently earned a master's degree in International Finance from the College of William and Mary and an MBA from DePaul University. He served in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam as a gunboat Captain.

Along with all of the residents of the 14th Congressional District of Ohio, I congratulate Rob on a well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Bill Gaskin of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, who for the past forty years has committed his life to growing manufacturing in Northeast Ohio and around the country. Having worked at the Precision Metalforming Association, based in Independence, Ohio, since 1977, Bill has spent the past seventeen years as its President, and helped guide the metalworking industry through some perilous times and lately, through significant growth. Manufacturing is the backbone of our economy, not just in Ohio but throughout the country. Businesses like those in my district are providing family-sustaining careers to more than 12 million Americans now working in manufacturing. Upon his retirement this year, Bill will leave the metalworking industry in much stronger shape than when he first became involved forty years ago. The industry is more vibrant than ever, in part due to the efforts of Bill and others who have committed themselves to strengthening manufacturing in America. I hope that Bill's dedication will serve as an example to future generations of manufacturing leaders.

``. . . nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.''

Section 2:

``Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed.''

Amendment XXIV:

Section 1:

``The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax.''

Section 2:

``The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my full support for H.R. 5764, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2014. The reason is simple, Mr. Speaker: the Great Lakes are a national and economic treasure in the U.S., which contains one-fifth of the world's freshwater supply.

The GLRI is the most important, significant, and productive effort to date to protect these five lakes that provide drinking water and jobs for millions of people. It is crucial that the GLRI be formally authorized at $300 million for the next 5 years to ensure that the great work already done is not lost.

This does not add any new spending and will continue to make sure necessary resources are available.

GLRI is an action-oriented, results-driven initiative targeting the most significant problems within the basin, including invasive species like Asian carp, toxins and contaminated sediment, nonpoint source pollution, and habitat and wildlife protection and restoration.

The programs are working, and the GLRI will ensure we have healthy Great Lakes, while boosting the economies in this vast region.

The Great Lakes are one of the jewels of the United States. When I talk about the Great Lakes to people who are not from the region, I make sure to point out their benefits are twofold: economic and environmental.

Let me give you a couple of statistics that will illustrate how important it is that we make this critical investment.

Six quadrillion. We are not talking about a little freshwater here. There are six quadrillion gallons of water in the Great Lakes basin. Let's let that number soak in.

$62 billion. The Great Lakes basin supports a diverse range of industries and small businesses, and that is how much is generated by wages in the industry in the Great Lakes region.

Thirty million. That is the number of people who live within the Great Lakes basin and rely on them for safe drinking water, transportation, and recreation.

$14 million. That is how much money in GLRI funds that was spent to clean up the Ashtabula River, in the heart of my district. Because these programs are working, I was able to see the Ashtabula River taken off the EPA's designated list of places that are ``areas of concern'' a couple of months ago. That is a really big deal for northeast Ohio.

1.5 million. That is how many jobs are directly related to the Great Lakes.

3,500. That is how many diverse species of plant and wildlife call the Great Lakes home.

Finally, the last and most telling statistic for you today is the number three. Three is the number of days that residents of Toledo in my home State of Ohio were unable to drink the water in their homes because of the harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. The water

in Lake Erie was literally green. That is unacceptable.

This is a clear reason why we need to pass this bill and authorize GLRI--with bipartisan support--because no American should ever be afraid to drink the tap water in their own home.

Supporting this bill will lock in the programs that work to ensure our Nation's largest bodies of freshwater are protected and will continue to be protected in the future.

Before I close, I want to thank Chairman Shuster, as well as my colleague and dear friend from Ohio, Representative Gibbs, and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their help on this bill. We have spent a lot of time working on this issue, and I am very grateful for their assistance.

I would also like to thank Majority Leader McCarthy for scheduling this important bill for floor consideration.

I am very excited the GLRI enjoys so much bipartisan support from Great Lakes Members here in Congress. When we make these investments in our Great Lakes, results are produced for our constituents, the environment, and businesses throughout the vast region.

It is critical we formally authorize GLRI so that people who live in Toledo or Mentor or Conneaut in my district don't have to worry about days ahead without fresh drinking water.

Mr. Speaker, Spirit of America is a not for profit public service organization established in 1995, in Mentor, Ohio. Spirit of America exists primarily to serve our nation's youth with America's Premier Youth Boating Safety Education Program.

Spirit of America combines the resources of traditional and non- traditional education activities to provide a place and a way for students to learn, react, and develop lifelong learning skills and ambitions. They empower our youth to develop responsibility, confidence, self esteem, teamwork, and safe boating practices.

Furthermore this organization proves that advancing community boating where Spirit of America programs are located spurs other economic and social benefits, while continuing to provide a resource for the marine industry.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Stow Police Chief Louis Dirker on his

retirement following 40 years of service in Ohio law enforcement.

Chief Dirker is an outstanding leader, father, and public servant who dedicated himself to serving the people of Northeast Ohio as well as our nation. Prior to his career in law enforcement, he served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

In 1974, Chief Dirker started with the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, retiring as chief in 2001. He then served for two years as deputy director of safety and security for Cleveland Municipal Schools before he was hired in February 2003 as chief of police for the City of Stow.

In addition to earning his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Akron, Chief Dirker graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2000. He was named a certified law enforcement executive by the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police in 2006 and has served as board president for Metro SWAT since 2005.

As an instructor at the University of Akron and Kent State University, Chief Dirker has shown a dedication to training the next generation of law enforcement leaders.

Chief and Mrs. Dirker have six children, several of whom have also pursued their own careers in law enforcement. Chief Dirker remains an active member of Rotary, Fraternal Order of Police, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the 14th District of Ohio, I congratulate Chief Dirker on his well-deserved retirement and thank him for his lifelong service to Northeast Ohio and our nation.

Mr. Speaker, Independence, created by a glacier on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River first sheltered Indians, then became a settlement, grew with the Ohio and Erie Canal, expanded into a stone quarrying center, then slumbered along as a farming community until urbanization of Cuyahoga County which resulted in its growth as a suburban city. Independence was organized as a Township in 1814. With the opening of the Ohio and Erie Canal in 1827, Independence Township became accessible to trade and settlers.

Centrally located at the crossroads of Interstate 480 and Interstate 77, Independence is widely known as the ``Heart of Cuyahoga County'' and the region. With approximately 7,133 residents in 9.73 square miles, the City of Independence exhibits all the character and charm of a small town community that embraces family values and its rich history, while maintaining a robust commercial setting as well. The community boasts of a great school system, excellent city services and a diverse residential and business population. It is my honor to recognize their Bicentennial celebration and wish them all the best for their next 200 years.

I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding and thank Mr. Barletta for organizing this Special Order on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, we are here today because it is critical that we protect our local volunteer firefighters from the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate. As we all know, the IRS has a history of treating volunteers as employees for tax purposes; and if the employer mandate is incorrectly implemented, volunteer fire departments may be forced to comply with these requirements, and that could force them to close or to curtail their emergency response services.

In the seven counties I represent in northeastern Ohio, there are over 220 fire departments, many of them with an all-volunteer force. Chief Scott Hildebrand related to me that some of these departments will be forced to double in size due to the mandate, and each one of these extra volunteers will need additional turnout gear at a cost of $2,500 to $3,000 per individual.

Before coming to Congress, I was the Geauga County prosecutor for 25 years. During that time, I founded an organization called the Geauga Bluecoats. The Bluecoats is a charitable organization that provides relief and services to the family members of police, fire and emergency responders who have become disabled or who have lost their lives in the line of duty. These men and women are our friends--they are our neighbors--and they have gone above and beyond the call of duty. We owe it to our local communities to continue to allow these brave men and women to carry out their duties.

This legislation will ensure that those brave men and women are protected from the employer mandate and can continue to serve.

I thank Mr. Barletta for his leadership on this, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, despite promises that, if you liked your current health plan, you could keep it, millions of Americans have already received cancelation notices regarding current coverage. No matter how you feel about the Affordable Care Act, Ohioans that like their health care coverage should be able to keep it.

I have received countless emails and letters from Ohioans losing their coverage or being forced to pay more. One Ohioan who reached out to me because he was concerned about how higher costs could affect his family was Karl from Newbury, Ohio. Karl and his wife have six kids, recently bought a house, and stay busy because, not only is Karl a full-time employee, he is a full-time student.

Karl and his wife recently received a notice that their family would have to pay 30 to 40 percent more for their health care coverage next year. Now Karl and his wife are worried because they won't be able to afford the mortgage on their new home because of the increased health care costs.

Madam Speaker, Ohioans shouldn't be forced to pay more for health care because of a law coming out of Washington. That is why, this week, the House will vote for the Keep Your Health Plan Act, which will allow plans available on the individual market today to continue to be offered next year. It is a commonsense bill that will protect Americans from losing or paying more for their coverage, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As a former prosecutor, I believe we should do everything in our power to raise the awareness of domestic violence and to protect and empower the victims of these crimes.

In the seven counties I represent in northeast Ohio, over 1,500 people sought shelter last year to escape domestic violence. Sadly, some of them were children.

For these women and children, it is crucial that we in Congress pass laws to protect them. That is why I was one of the first supporters of the Violence Against Women Act earlier this year. It is a bill that provides critical services for victims of violence and provides law enforcement officials the resources to better protect and assist them.

Together we must stand up against domestic violence and enforce a zero tolerance policy both here in Washington and at home in our communities.

I thank my colleagues for joining me in this bipartisan effort to raise the awareness of this important issue.