Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor National Court Reporting and Captioning Week, taking place from February 16 to February 22, a week that serves to recognize the value and importance that court reporters and captioners have made in American society.

As a lawyer who has spent over 25 years as a litigator, I have a profound respect and appreciation for those who preserve the official record.

Court reporters, broadcast captioners, and Communication Access Realtime Translation, or CART, captioners serve an integral role in my home State of Florida and throughout the United States. In fact, Florida has a particularly vibrant court reporting economy. My cousin, Les Renfroe, has been one for over 35 years. They have over 400 small business owners in Florida, 1,300 court reporters and captioners, and three court reporting programs which will help fulfill the needs of an industry, an industry that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will grow by 2022.

That is why I am happy to join the National Court Reporters Association in commemorating the week from February 16 to February 22 as National Court Reporting and Captioning Week.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jack Cory for his work with the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

Boys & Girls Club organizations located across Florida serve over 161,000 youths between the ages of 6 and 18 annually.

Since 2006, Jack has represented the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs--fighting to secure funding for over 40 member organizations.

This funding is vital for the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Club's mission to help young people; especially those who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible adults.

By encouraging civic involvement at a young age, Jack has also empowered entire generations of young Floridians remain active in their respective communities for years to come.

Again, I rise to recognize Jack Cory for his achievements, and his hard work and dedication to the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

Mr. Speaker, this past week, the college football season culminated in one of the best BCS Championship games ever played when the Auburn Tigers took on the FSU Seminoles.

Even though I am a resident of Florida, I am a graduate of Auburn and was, of course, rooting for my Tigers.

I want to commend Auburn's coach, Gus Malzahn, for taking Auburn from worst to first in the SEC and leading his team to play for the national championship game. His efforts were nothing short of incredible. He made believers not only of his players, but also believers out of all of us. He showed us that persistence, discipline, self-confidence, and faith in God will lead to success, both individually and as a team.

I also want to congratulate my friend, Coach Jimbo Fisher of Florida State. Coach Fisher is not only a great coach, but he obviously married well because his wife, Candi, is also an Auburn alumnus.

While my heart is always in Auburn, my hat goes off to the Florida State Seminoles for a well-earned victory. Congratulations.

War Eagle.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in gratitude that my good friend Pastor Mike Loudon from my home church in Lakeland, Florida, could give the opening prayer in the United States House of Representatives.

Pastor Mike, as he is known back home, and his wife, Joyce, have lived a life of dedication to their faith and their family. Pastor Mike's ministry serves as an inspiration to everyone. Truly, he is a great man with a legacy of what counts in life and the life hereafter.

Pastor Mike is a pillar in the Lakeland and Polk County communities. He is active in Rotary Club and is a strong leader, a man of God, and has a fantastic sense of humor.

Pastor Mike has served churches across the country prior to coming to First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland in 1999. His messages are uplifting, encouraging, and always resonate with me. I am honored to have him as my pastor and as my friend.

I join countless others in expressing a deep thankfulness for his willing spirit to serve and the privilege of having him give the opening prayer today.

Mr. Speaker, recently, I received an email from a woman in my district named Shannon. Shannon received a letter from her health care provider stating that her current health care policy did not meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act and that she would have to choose a new plan or go to the health care marketplace and find coverage.

She went to the health care marketplace and found a comparable plan that cost $400 a month more. This is outrageous. More than 300,000 Floridians, like Shannon, received letters that their current health care plans were canceled. Premiums and deductibles are increasing for countless Americans. So many people received notices that their plans were canceled. We have only begun to experience the devastating effects of this law.

I submit that the next concern of my constituents will be not only that they can't keep their health care plan, but they won't be able to keep their doctors. We need to get rid of this law, and we need to replace it with one that is consumer-focused and market-driven so that Americans like Shannon can get affordable health care coverage and keep their doctors.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall Nos. 594 & 595 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``no.''

Amendment No. 4 Offered by Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee)

Mr. Speaker, Taiwan, our dearest friend and closest ally in East Asia, is celebrating their 102nd birthday on October 10 of this year, known as ``Double Ten'' day given it is the tenth day of the tenth month.

Taiwan and the United States' strong relationship is based on the common standard that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are critical to maintaining a flourishing society. Both nations do not just speak of these as theories, but create environments for which they can be attained.

Because of this friendship, there are a few areas that I would like to shine a light in the hopes of strengthening Taiwan's global standing.

First of all, I would like to see a Bilateral Investment Agreement, BIA, between the United States and Taiwan as soon as possible. The protections afforded in a BIA are greater than what currently exists. This BIA will give investors of both countries greater confidence investing in each other and provides a platform for sustained economic growth.

I would also like my colleagues to join me in supporting Taiwan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, TPP. As a Member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, Taiwan is rightfully allowed to be a part of TPP. The absence of their membership could create an unfair disadvantage for Taiwan and will be a hardship for our good friends in this global economy.

Taiwan is a beacon of democracy in East Asia. The United States should do all that it possibly can to ensure that Taiwan is in position to prosper and is on a firm foundation for sustained economic growth.

Mr. Speaker, you know, I never supported ObamaCare because it's not sound policy. But if my fellow Americans have to endure this law, then why should not the Congress, the President, and the Vice President endure it as well?

You see, today's vote is about fairness. It's why I introduced my amendment to the continuing resolution, to make sure that we would eliminate the ObamaCare fix that was given to us by the Office of Personnel Management.

The American public understands what's going on. They understand that Congress always carves out their own little special interest, their little special treatment. The amendment today, this CR, would eliminate that. It would do one thing that this Congress so desperately needs, and that's to gain the sense of credibility that the American people are looking for.

It's not about gamesmanship. They're tired of that. This is about leading by example.

And while I laud my colleagues for allowing us to have this vote here today, I stood on this floor on Saturday explaining why this was so important to the American people, why it is so important to Congress. And therefore, I will say to you, even though it's politically difficult and sometimes politically hard to do the right thing, doing the right thing is always the right thing to do.

I would urge support of this CR.

Mr. Speaker, you know the only thing worse right now than having the implementation of this health care law known as ObamaCare on October 1 would be the implementation of this law with special consideration to Members of Congress. And some may say that's not going to happen because Members of Congress are subjected to and not exempted from ObamaCare; and the short answer to that is yes, but the real answer is no. And the real answer is no because there is a state of confusion over whether we, as Members of Congress and certain staff members, can continue to receive a 72 percent contribution to our health care benefits.

Now to understand this, let's go back to how this even became an issue. Senator Grassley, at the time that the ObamaCare bill was being debated, wanted to make sure that Members of Congress and their staff were subjected to the pains and the ills and everything else of ObamaCare. He offered an amendment that said:

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Members of

Congress and congressional employees would be required to use

their employer contribution to purchase coverage through a

State-based exchange rather than using the traditional

Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.

That was offered. What became law is different. The language that became law specifically says that Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are either created under this act or the exchanges. Then it went on to further say that staff is just considered those who are employed by the Members of Congress. It doesn't include staff of committee and staff of leadership.

Now why all the confusion? I don't know, but I know for a fact that when the Office of Personnel Management came out with their letter on August 7 and said, without any basis--any basis in law or fact--and said, you know what, we're going to let Congress continue to have their 72 percent contribution even though the law was clear when it was passed that we are not going to receive anything other than the subsidies allowed under the law, and those subsidies only are available to those who make 400 percent of poverty level or less.

And so we're here on the eve of watching a health care plan go into place when the American public has given us--and probably deservedly so--an approval rating in single digits, and say, There they go again. Congress has found a special provision for themselves so they will not feel the pain and the economic harm caused by this health care bill.

Mr. Speaker, we can correct this. We can stand up as a collegial body, Republican and Democrat, and say we believe we need to be subjected to the law 100 percent and we think OPM is wrong. And if we want the American public to have what they desperately need to have in this Congress, which is the credibility of this Congress, we need to pass my amendment to the continuing resolution being offered today that says that this OPM letter was wrong and that all Members of Congress, all staff, the President, the Vice President, and all political employees will be subjected to the laws of ObamaCare and not receive this contribution. My friends back home will not receive this contribution. We shouldn't carve out a specialty to ourselves.

Further, what is worse is that if we don't make some change to this law, people will say there will be a brain drain. I see more of a litigation train starting--a litigation train because we've already put in the law a special class of employees. My employees are now subject to the laws of ObamaCare, but the leadership and their employees aren't. I see litigation ensuing on employment discrimination cases that are absolutely unnecessary and could be avoided if we have the foresight, if we have the ability to say, America, we're going to correct this; we're going to make sure that we are subject to all the laws, 100 percent, the same way we ask you to be.

Therefore, Members, I ask, I implore you to please consider this amendment, consider doing what is right, not only under the law but in the eyes of our constituency.

Mr. Speaker, I hereby submit clarification for the Official Record regarding my recorded vote for Amendment No. 6, offered by my colleague Mr. Murphy of Pennsylvania, to H.R. 1582 on Thursday August 1, 2013. My recorded vote was ``no'', which was done in error. I would like to clarify that my intended vote on Amendment No. 6 to H.R. 1582, the Energy Consumers Relief Act, was a ``yes''.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Government Spending Accountability Act, which will rein in out-of-control government spending by providing much-needed reforms and transparency for Federal employee travel and government-sponsored conferences.

As someone who introduced similar legislation last year, I want to thank Chairman Farenthold for his continued work on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, reports of lavish and out-of-control spending by various Federal agencies, most notably by the General Services Administration, have highlighted the need for serious reform for these types of fiscally irresponsible practices. However, other agencies have been responsible for carelessly wasting taxpayer funds as well.

One example of this waste took place an hour from my home in Lakeland, Florida. In 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs held two human resources training conferences in Orlando, Florida, at a cost of $6.1 million to the taxpayers. Last year, an inspector general report published within the Department of Veterans Affairs found that the Department conference planners allowed up to $762,000 in unauthorized or wasteful spending. This included gifts, spa treatments, tickets for helicopter rides, and golf packages.

Mr. Speaker, the men and women in uniform are some of the best and proudest that America has to offer. They take an oath to uphold not only the Constitution of this United States but also to give the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. Here, the veterans administration agency, which is charged with making sure that their benefits are adequately and appropriately provided, has been indicted with wasting these taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, at a time when veterans are waiting in line for benefits they fought and sacrificed to earn, taxpayers should not be subsidizing lavish hotel bills and golf outings.

Once again, I want to thank the chairman for introducing this legislation, and I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in passing this good government legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I solemnly rise in memory of Marc Moore, a resident of my hometown of Lakeland, and a Florida electrical lineworker who was tragically killed while serving Floridians on August 26, 2002.

Lineworkers have one of the most dangerous occupations across our country. Utility companies throughout the United States employ over 100,000 electrical lineworkers. These individuals are some of the first people on the job after natural disasters, and are a critical component of maintaining our nation's infrastructure after hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes, and earthquakes.

They are unsung heroes who literally put their lives on the line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, to keep electricity flowing to our nation's homes, hospitals, military bases, schools, and churches.

Florida linemen not only respond to local and state emergencies; they travel to other states that experience weather related disasters to help restore service, such as the Alabama tornadoes and Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast.

Hardworking men and women, like Marc Moore, who is survived by his wife, Tracy, and two boys, risk their lives daily in dangerous circumstances to ensure reliable delivery of electricity to citizens across the state and across the country.

With that in mind, I would like to encourage my colleagues to join me in annually recognizing August 26th as ``National Electrical Lineworker Appreciation Day.''

Mr. Chair, farmers work hard to produce the abundant food supply that our nation, and much of the world, needs. However, they could not make it on their own.

They owe much of their productivity to the equipment, practices, and inputs, including nutrients and crop protection products, which we have in the U.S.

Sadly, terrorists who will stop at nothing to undermine our way of life have illegally manipulated certain agricultural nutrients and chemicals.

In response, the Department of Homeland Security has been developing, and implementing a set of security regulations to secure and limit access to these products, such as ammonium nitrate.

The agricultural community understands this and understands the need to be vigilant to ensure that we not only have the most productive agriculture industry in the world--but also the safest.

Ammonium nitrate is used as a fertilizer on crops and pastures, especially in warm, moist climates like Florida. It is incredibly important to the many citrus growers in my district.

I think all of us want to see effective and prudent regulations implemented; however, we also do not want to interfere with legitimate access to the nutrients needed by the farmer during the growing season.

The amendment I am offering with my good friend from Florida, Mr. Rooney, would simply ask that the U.S. Department of Agriculture participate fully and at senior levels in the development of any security regulations regarding a variety of agricultural chemicals developed by DHS, or any other agency.

Once again, I want to thank the Chair and Ranking Member for their work on this legislation, and encourage my colleagues to join me in passing this important amendment.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith for their hard work on this important legislation, and to speak in support of my amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.

My amendment is very simple and straightforward--it would prohibit the Department of Defense from using taxpayer funds to provide additional or upgraded recreational facilities for detainees at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

I cannot help but remember that the federal government wasted $750,000 last year to build a recreational soccer field in Guantanamo Bay for detainees. I thought it was a ridiculous idea then, and I think it is a ridiculous idea now.

At a time when we have an out-of-control backlog of Veterans claims pending a decision--taxpayer funding was wasted building a soccer field for terrorists?

At a time when the President's Administration is proposing to drastically raise TRICARE fees on service members and their families-- $750,000 were spent to improve the recreational facilities for terrorist detainees?

At a time when we can't give seniors a fair cost-of-living increase in benefits?

Or at a time when families across the country are making tough cutbacks in their own budgets, we're building soccer fields in Cuba?

Guantanamo Bay is a detention facility for terrorists captured on the battlefield or apprehended actively planning to do harm to Americans.

As such, Guantanamo Bay should not be a place of comfort; rather, it should house the world's most dangerous terrorists in a humane way, providing only the bare essentials.

Our Founding Fathers made it clear that the federal government has no higher duty than to ``provide for the common defense.''

Rather than balancing the budget on the backs of our military, Department of Defense employees, seniors, and families, Congress should prevent wasteful projects like this--period.

Once again, I want to thank the Chair and Ranking Member for their work on this legislation, and encourage my colleagues to join me in passing this fiscally responsible amendment to ensure taxpayer's funds are not used to construct or upgrade recreational facilities for terrorist detainees.

Madam Speaker, as my colleague mentioned earlier, the JOBS Act passed into law with broad bipartisan support.

It hasn't been easy for Republicans and Democrats to agree on a lot of things; but when it came to directing the SEC to get out of the way and allow small public companies to raise capital and create jobs in America, we agreed.

Over a year later, we're still waiting for the SEC to implement several portions of a bill that should have been noncontroversial. This isn't the first instance. In title II of this act, the SEC failed in a time certain to follow the will of Congress and promulgate rules. That's why we're here today.

Now, it's unclear when the SEC is going to promulgate the rules under title IV, which will allow faster capital formation for smaller public companies. But like the job creators and the unemployed in my district, I'm tired of waiting. We're down here today urging Members to support legislation to require the SEC to do their job and implement the rules under this title by the end of October.

It's disheartening that we have to waste taxpayer dollars to do this, but I urge Members to vote in favor of H.R. 701. Madam Speaker, it's time for the SEC and all the regulators to stop stalling and stop ignoring the will and direction of Congress. It's time for regulators to do their jobs so Americans can go back to work and do their jobs, and it's time that Congress hold all regulators accountable.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this bill.