Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Jim began his journey by enlisting and attending basic training December 1, 1972, assigned by the Army to a region in Alaska September of 1973, and left active duty December 22, 1978. Arriving in Colorado in 1983 with his wife and two sons, Jim dabbled in car sales. He joined the Colorado National Guard in 1987 and stayed in until his retirement in 2002. His adventures with the Department of Veterans Affairs began as a work-study student at Fort Carson in March 1986 and then hired by El Paso County February 22, 1988 as an Assistant Veteran Service Officer to assist veterans and surviving spouses with completing disability claims.

During Jim's 27 years of service to veterans with the El Paso County Veteran Services, he received numerous awards for his outstanding efforts to serve local veterans and became a part of the community that he worked so tirelessly to help in any way he could. Jim has also been an invaluable advisor to me on all topics related to veterans' affairs. I greatly appreciated his service when he was a member of my Veterans Advisory Board for 8 years.

In 1999, Jim collaborated with local veteran organizations to create the El Paso County Homeless Standdown Committee. He served on the standdown committee for 15 years and helped coordinate the annual Standdown event to assist homeless veterans.

Since 2000 Jim has served as President of the Colorado Veterans Resource Coalition, a non-profit organization to assist with veterans' homeless issues, which is operated in collaboration with numerous other veteran service organizations. As part of this Coalition, Jim has provided executive oversight of the purchase and operation of the Crawford House, two transitional housing buildings, and an apartment complex, which provides services such as safe emergency housing for veterans who are homeless, receiving mental health care, and/or safe transitional low income housing.

From 2003 to 2008, Jim served on the Executive Board and as the Vice President of the National Association of County Veteran Service Officers. During this time Jim ensured numerous Colorado County Veteran Service Officers were accredited through the National organization.

Jim played a critical role in the planning of the new national cemetery in southern Colorado. In 2006, Jim was appointed to the Pikes Peak National Veterans Cemetery Committee and has been instrumental in the upcoming construction of a Veterans Cemetery in El Paso County that is anticipated to be open in 2018. Jim also served on a joint committee to name the new Colorado Springs VA Clinic.

Jim was appointed as the El Paso County Veteran Service Officer in 2008, and immediately began an expanded outreach program to ensure El Paso County veterans are aware of local veteran services and programs. Since this program, the Veteran Service Office has almost doubled the yearly office visits which has resulted in a 190 percent increase in the number of claims for veterans and their dependents, and has made the El Paso County Veteran Services Office one of the most active offices in the United States.

In 2014, Jim served on my Veteran Affairs Clinic Naming Committee which honored our local hometown hero, WWII Medal of Honor recipient, PFC Floyd Lindstrom. He also served on the clinic's Grand Opening Committee to open one of the largest VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in the United States. During this year, Jim also coordinated with Home Depot to construct a Veterans Memorial at Bear Creek Regional Park that honors El Paso County Veterans and their outstanding service.

Jim is one of the most intelligent, highly respected and dependable service officers in the great state of Colorado. He has given every bit of his heart and soul to the Pikes Peak community and he remains one of the most influential community leaders. I am very proud

and grateful for his selfless service to the veterans in Colorado's 5th Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the 42nd anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which legalized elective abortion in the U.S.

Elective abortion is an abhorrent practice that tragically remains a common medical procedure performed in the U.S. Every year, over 1 million abortions are performed here.

Since 1973, when Roe v. Wade was decided, 57 million babies have been lost to abortion--57 million, Mr. Speaker. To put this in perspective, according to the last census numbers, 57 million is about 18 percent of the U.S. population. This staggering loss of children's lives is unconscionable.

My wife, Jeanie, and I have been blessed with five children and two grandchildren, with one more on the way. I firmly believe that every life is a precious gift from God, and I am wholly committed to protecting the sanctity of life.

One critically important step towards protecting life is the Pain- Capable Unborn Child Protection Act that we will be voting on tomorrow. I am a proud cosponsor of this bill that will prohibit anyone from performing an abortion on an unborn child that is 20 weeks or older.

Medical research has shown that at least by the 20th week of a pregnancy, unborn babies can feel pain. Polls have consistently shown that a majority of Americans support banning abortions after 20 weeks. Abortions after the 20th week are painful, violent, and harmful, even to the mothers. It is time to end this horrible procedure.

This week, we will continue to mourn the lives cut short in the inhuman wake of Roe v. Wade. We pray for God's continued comfort, grace, and mercy to those touched by abortion.

Every life has value, and we have a duty to protect the lives of those who are the most innocent among us. I will continue to be among those fighting to do just that.

Mr. Speaker, it is the most wonderful time of the year, a time when millions of Americans gather together to celebrate Christmas. For many of us, Christmas is a time to remember the humble birth of our Savior on a holy night more than 2,000 years ago in the town of Bethlehem. We give thanks for Jesus' message of love and peace and remember the sacrifice He made for us all. It is a season of giving, of love, and of joy.

According to a recent poll, 9 out of 10 Americans celebrate Christmas. Sadly, however, there is a troubling effort in America led by a vocal minority to remove the symbols and traditions of Christmas from the public arena.

There have been many examples of atheist groups working to remove public nativity displays and other decorations. Just last year in my home State of Colorado, an anti-religious organization filed a lawsuit against school officials for their support of student-led involvement with Operation Christmas Child.

Mr. Speaker, these petty efforts by groups offended by the religious significance of Christmas violates the freedom of religion our Founding Fathers provided for us in the Constitution. This Congress and in Congresses past, I have introduced a resolution to protect the symbols and traditions of Christmas for those who celebrate the holiday.

The resolution also disapproves of efforts to ban references to Christmas. We must not allow those who chose to take offense to shut down the religious celebration of every other American.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague from the State of New Mexico for his leadership.

I rise in support of H.R. 2366, which I introduced with the help of my colleague, Representative Emanuel Cleaver, which would require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of World War I.

The year 2018 will be the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice with Germany, marking the end of battlefield hostilities in World War I. During the war, more than 4 million men and women from the United States served in uniform, and more than 100,000 gave their lives.

To honor their service and sacrifices, Congress created the World War I Centennial Commission in 2013 and tasked them with planning and executing activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I through the use of private donations and coin sales.

By requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins to commemorate this centennial, this bill would allow us to honor the memory, service, and sacrifices of the brave veterans of World War I, while also providing the means to pay tribute to the end of World War I battlefield hostilities.

Other great conflicts, including the Civil War, World War II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war, have all been memorialized on United States commemorative coins, but no such honor has been extended to the brave veterans of World War I. This year, 2014, as has been said, is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, making it a very fitting tribute that we pass the measure for this year.

It is my pleasure to offer H.R. 2366. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with both Representative Emanuel Cleaver and Senator Roy Blunt on this important bill. Together, we have gathered 300 cosponsors in the House for this patriotic bill. It will not cost the U.S. Treasury anything, as has been said, but, on a voluntary basis, will actually raise money.

It is no coincidence that Representatives and Senators from the State of Missouri are helping on this effort. There is a wonderful memorial to World War I in Kansas City, Missouri, with an adjoining museum that is a world-class museum. For those who haven't had the opportunity to visit that museum and learn about this chapter in our Nation's history, I would strongly urge them to do so.

I thank Chairman Hensarling and the Financial Services Committee for their support of this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the brave veterans of World War I by supporting this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with some other colleagues to talk about the important issue of Iran.

As you may know, on November 24, a mere 6 days from now, the Joint Plan of Action expires. And what that means is that the United States and the other P5+1--and that means the permanent members of the Security Council plus another country, six countries--have been negotiating, with the U.S. taking the lead, with Iran to come to some kind of agreement if perhaps Iran would stop its mad quest to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Many of us are concerned, Mr. Speaker, here in Congress that we may not end up with a very good negotiated settlement. Now, the President has said that it is better to have no deal than to have a bad deal, and Secretary of State John Kerry has said the same thing, and that is exactly what we want to see happen.

I am joined tonight by several colleagues who will be talking about this important issue. So I would like to just move right now and yield to a good friend and colleague, a member of the Armed Services Committee, Jackie Walorski of Indiana.

I would like to ask the gentlelady, you mentioned an important point. You talked about what would happen if Iran did, God forbid, achieve the ability to have a nuclear bomb.

What would other countries in the region do? What are some of the countries you feel would be compelled to have their own version of a nuclear weapon?

I appreciate that, and I think we would agree that of the other countries in the region almost without a doubt Saudi Arabia would want its own bomb.

Egypt would want its own bomb. Turkey would want its own bomb. And others. Others would aspire, but they would have the money and possibly the technology to actually achieve that, or buy it from another country.

I thank the gentlelady.

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to invite another Member to speak. Ron DeSantis represents part of the State of Florida, and I am privileged to call him a colleague and a friend. I now yield to Mr. DeSantis.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the gentleman what would happen over in the Senate if Harry Reid were to allow for a vote on, let's say, the Menendez-Kirk language on tougher sanctions if Iran leaves the negotiating table?

It is interesting, it was tough sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table in the first place. Now the administration had to be drug kicking and screaming to have tougher sanctions that Congress initiated and pushed for. They ultimately relented and enforced those, and I approve of that. But it was not their initiative. It was Congress's initiative.

Today, as you just said, Ron, Congress is pushing once again, and the administration for some reason is digging in its heels, and yet tougher sanctions is what brought Iran to the table. If Iran is serious about having a deal, what is wrong with saying if it falls apart we will reimpose tougher sanctions, but if you do do an acceptable deal, nothing happens along those lines?

Well, I appreciate your comments and thank you for saying that. Also, let me ask you one further question. You talked about Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism and you touched on the fact that they contributed to the death of some of our finest young men and women in this country who died in Iraq. Can you elaborate on that?

Thank you so much for your remarks. You have helped enlighten everybody on how important it is that we not have a bad deal with Iran. The President has said that no deal is better than a bad deal, and yet I am afraid that is what we are tiptoeing to. And in 6 days, if we don't have a deal, I have no doubt that there will be a request for an extension of time. But I haven't seen up to now, and there are only 6 days left, that this joint plan of action has materialized, has produced any kind of solid deal, and that is very troubling.

Representative DeSantis made a good point about Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, in fact, the leading worldwide state sponsor of terrorism. That is very troubling. For that reason Congress in the past and the Security Council have said, Iran, you must stop your state sponsor of terrorism. Both the Security Council of the United Nations and Congress have said that you need to stop your ballistic missile program.

Also the Security Council and Congress have said, ``You need to stop your nuclear enrichment program.'' Those three elements are not something that are snatched out of thin air. They have a history. There is a reason why those three things are so troubling to Congress and to the Security Council of the United Nations.

For that reason, I offered an amendment during the discussion of the National Defense Authorization Act on the floor here in the House this summer saying that those three elements need to be part of a comprehensive agreement with Iran. The House went along with that, totally agreed with that.

I want the Senate to act on the NDAA. I hope that they can adopt that same language because, once again--and I will just repeat--that is language that has already been agreed to by the House, by the Senate, by Congress, as well as by the Security Council of the UN.

I want to see, in 6 days, an agreement with Iran where those three elements are dominant, where we have stopping of their nuclear enrichment, stopping of their ballistic missile program, and stopping their state sponsor of terrorism. Anything short of that is going to be very troubling, Mr. Speaker.

I am concerned that we may have an administration that does not enforce those three vital elements of a deal, but they need to be part of a deal.

Our hearts really go out to the families of those who were killed in that sad and tragic terrorist attack in Jerusalem earlier today. It just shows that the Middle East is a very troubled place. There are those who do not want peace, and they will resort to violence and death and destruction. That is a very sad and tragic thing.

When we look at Iran--and we know that Iran wants to destroy Israel-- and

yet Israel is only the Little Satan, the United States is the Great Satan--so when we look at containing Iran, it is not just to protect Israel--although that is important and vital as far as it goes--but also Iran is a threat to Europe, to the United States, to the whole Western World.

Iran has a set of values, at least up until today, where they call Israel the Little Satan and the U.S. the Great Satan.

Just recently, the President of Iran came out with a plan how he would go about destroying Israel. This kind of rhetoric is just unacceptable and tragic. I find it very hard, Mr. Speaker, to trust Iran with a negotiated agreement that doesn't have those verified elements, those three vital elements: stopping their nuclear enrichment, stopping their ballistic missile development, and stopping the state sponsorship of terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, if we don't have a good agreement in 6 days, I am just afraid that we need to reimpose the strong sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table in the first place. I know that if the majority leader of the Senate who will be in office for the next 6 weeks or so--Harry Reid--if he were to allow a vote of the Senate, there is no doubt they would agree to stronger sanction language.

The Kirk-Menendez language would do just that. The House previously had passed almost identical language establishing the same doctrine, that if Iran leaves the negotiating table and does not have an acceptable deal with the U.S. and the rest of the P5+1, that we will reimpose tough sanctions.

That obviously was having an effect because that brought them to the negotiating table. We need to have tough sanctions waiting in the wings, waiting in reserve, if Iran does not do the right thing.

I don't understand why the administration is fighting and resisting a vote in the Senate and saying that that will somehow offend or humiliate or drive away the Iranians. It is what brought them to the negotiating table in the first place. They understand strength and force.

Mr. Speaker, there are some people in some countries in this world that view weakness as provocative and they move in and take advantage of that. Iran is one of those countries, history has shown.

If we show strength and resolve and decisiveness to them, then they are more likely to respond in the right way. If we show weakness, then they are more likely to take advantage of that. I think we show strength to Iran during this time of negotiation--we have 6 more days before the deadline--by making a statement that, ``Hey, if you don't back off, then we are going to reimpose these tough sanctions, sanctions that have bite to them.'' That is what brought them to the negotiating table, and it has to be part of what we do going forward.

Mr. Speaker, it is just really important that we show strength to Iran, and we only have 6 days left. We don't want a bad deal, no deal is better than a bad deal, but I am very apprehensive. You have heard from others as well. Up until now, the prognosis hasn't been good. We haven't heard of breakthroughs or concessions in the negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, with those things in mind, I think that we just need to urge the administration to show resolve, to show strength, to allow Congress, especially the Senate which hasn't yet taken a position because they have been denied the ability to vote, although we have done it here in the House, to say, ``Iran, you have to come back to the table and have a serious negotiation where you do agree to stop enrichment, stop ballistic missile production, and stop state sponsorship of terrorism, and if you don't do those things, we will have tougher sanctions come back in force.''

We shouldn't deny the Senate that chance for a vote. We should allow them to have that vote. We have taken that position here in the House. It is the right position.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank my colleagues for this time that we have had. We are going to be watching for the next 6 days. I think that it is one of the most vital issues that is hanging out there in world politics today. It affects Israel, but it affects even so much more.

I think the Western World will be totally affected in a negative way if Iran doesn't come clean and have a concession on nuclear enrichment, on state sponsorship of terrorism, and on ballistic missiles.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Eduardo Eurnekian, a truly remarkable man.

As Chairman of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF), Mr. Eurnekian has made a significant contribution to preserving and promoting the extraordinary legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, the WWII Swedish diplomat who is credited with saving scores of Jews in Budapest from the horrors of the Holocaust. Raoul Wallenberg disappeared on January 17, 1945 when he went to meet with members of the Soviet Army to discuss the future of the Jewish refugees in Hungary. Imprisoned by the Stalinist regime along with his loyal driver, Vilmos Langfelder, his fate and whereabouts, now 70 years later, remain shrouded in mystery.

In 1981, our nation honored Raoul Wallenberg by making him an Honorary Citizen of the United States, only the second person to be so honored (following Winston Churchill). More recently, on July 9, 2014, the U.S. Congress presented him the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his humanitarian service.

Under the leadership of Mr. Eurnekian and in collaboration with IRWF founder Baruch Tenembaum (who was honored by this House on September 10, 2003), the IRWF has worked tirelessly to preserve and promote the legacy of the hero who became a victim himself. It has been reaching out to tens of thousands of young people around the world, instilling Raoul's spirit of civic courage and solidarity in their hearts and minds.

Just recently, Mr. Eurnekian spearheaded the events celebrating the award of the Congressional Gold Medal to Raoul Wallenberg. Dozens of Members of Congress had the opportunity to learn about the IRWF and to pay tribute to its outstanding work at a luncheon ceremony prior to the moving award presentation in the Capitol Rotunda. Mr. Eurnekian was there presented with the ``Guardian of the Rescuer's Legacy,'' a magnificent statue symbolizing peace and solidarity that was created by the renowned artist Frank Meisler.

In an effort to raise global awareness of Raoul Wallenberg, and to pay tribute to world leaders who treasure the values of the Swedish hero, Mr. Eurnekian and Mr. Tenembaum have bestowed the Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Medal upon many distinguished individuals throughout the world. These include the former British PM Gordon Brown, the former President of Slovakia Ivo Gasparovic, the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, the former Secretary of Pope John XXIII Cardinal Loris Capovilla, the legendary British savior Sir Nicholas Winton, the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias, the Former Minister of Justice of Canada and long-time Wallenberg supporter and prominent human rights activist Professor Irwin Cotler.

The IRWF strives to raise awareness of Raoul Wallenberg's legacy and fate, urging international leaders to raise their voices. President Obama did so in his video address of April 19, 2012 entitled ``Remembering and Honoring Courage.'' Similarly, former Australian PM Julia Gillard paid tribute in a video address devoted to the Swedish diplomat.

Under Mr. Eurnekian's leadership, the IRWF has not shied away from difficult legal challenges. On August 5, 2014, after a protracted five- year-long battle, the Argentinean Supreme Court overturned a lower court judgment in favor of the grandson of an Argentinean diplomat, Luis Hernan Irigoyen, who had been stationed at the Argentine Embassy in Berlin during the Nazi regime. After the IRWF accused the diplomat of letting Argentine Jews die, the diplomat's grandson sued IRWF for damages. The high court decided that the IRWF will not have to idemnify the diplomat's grandson and that ``even the harshest criticism has Constitutional Protection.'' Years before this unprecedented ruling, following a campaign by the IRWF, the then-Foreign Minister of Argentina, Mr. Rafael Bielsa, ordered the removal of a plaque that was placed inside the Argentine Chancellery in homage to 12 Argentine diplomats (Irigoyen was among them) that allegedly worked in favor of persecuted Jews. The IRWF proved that this honor was undeserved.

Mr. Eurnekian is an internationally recognized entrepreneur. He is CEO and President of Corporacion America, whose diverse holdings include management of more than 50 airports, infrastructure development, mining, financial services, energy, agricultural, wine and nano-technology and microchip production. He serves as First Vice- President of the Argentinean Chamber of Commerce and is a Member of the Executive Board of the International Chamber of Commerce.

His work has earned him a variety of prestigious awards and prizes, including the following: ``Businessman of the Year'' from (Argentina 1995); ``Leonardo Award'' from the Italian Government (1999); ``Man of the Year'' from the Armenian General Benevolent Union (2010); ``Knight of Holy Etchmiadzin Order'' from the Catholicos of all Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II (2011); ``Certificate of Appreciation'' from UNDP for his role as an ``advocate for sustainable development'' in Armenia (2012); ``Business for Peace Award'' from the Oslo Business for Peace Foundation (2012); ``Businessman of the Year'' from CAMACOL--Latin Chambers of Commerce and Industry (2012); and ``Businessman of the Year--Services Category'' from the Argentine Businessmen Association (2012). In spite of his many commitments, Mr. Eurnekian did not hesitate for a single moment when offered the challenge to lead the IRWF--and he has led with tireless commitment, passion and ingenuity.

Now 82 years old, Eduardo Eurnekian continues his activism with passion and vigor. Although he has never received any compensation for his work on behalf of the IRWF, he has generously contributed his own funds to the mission of this important organization, whose membership includes more than 300 heads of state, Nobel Prize laureates and accomplished individuals from all walks of life. Indeed, the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, joined its ranks many years ago, and the IRWF is honored to include him, now known as Pope Francis, in its membership.

Together with Baruch Tenembaum and in the spirit of the IRWF, Mr. Eurnekian is now working to create an Armenian cultural center

in Yerevan, which will highlight the unparalleled contribution of the Armenian diaspora to the world during the last century in the fields of arts, science, culture, social welfare and business.

I am honored to pay tribute and express my gratitude and appreciation to Eduardo Eurnekian, and I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating him on his outstanding achievements.

I thank the chairman for recognizing me and for his contribution to energy and other policies of our country over many years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan H.R. 2, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act.

I am pleased that this package of energy legislation includes legislation I introduced and that has previously passed the House, H.R. 1965, the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act.

H.R. 2 will help ensure the successful production of onshore and offshore energy and provides the regulatory certainty energy producers need to produce American-made energy. This creates American jobs, increases revenues to State and local governments, and promotes economic development across the economy.

H.R. 2 promotes an all-of-the-above energy strategy, streamlining regulations and expediting the production of both conventional and renewable energy. It will ensure that the Bureau of Land Management has the resources they need to expeditiously process permits for all energy projects on Federal land.

The Obama administration has made energy production on Federal land so burdensome and so uncertain that conventional and renewable energy producers are avoiding Federal lands in favor of State and private lands. That is where permits are approved in a timely fashion and are not subject to burdensome and obstructionist lawsuits, and projects can move forward in a stable environment.

In my home State of Colorado, a permit for an energy project can be approved in 27 days for State land projects. For a project on Federal land in Colorado, the Obama administration takes nearly a year to approve the same permit. This delay in approvals not only delays energy production, it delays job creation and revenues to State and local governments.

Energy producers should not have to choose between whether to produce energy on Federal versus State land just because of permit timelines, lawsuits, and regulations.

This legislation injects much-needed certainty into every step of the energy production process. It will ensure timely permit approvals, allow Bureau of Land Management field offices to have the resources they need for energy permits, open up offshore areas for energy production, and ensures that our Nation has a plan for our future energy needs.

I urge my colleagues to join me in strong support of this critical legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the McKeon amendment to authorize the training and equipping of appropriately vetted members of the Syrian opposition.

I believe that Chairman McKeon has crafted language which strikes the appropriate balance between giving the President the authority he is requesting while also ensuring that Congress maintains oversight of our efforts to combat ISIL.

However, let me be clear. We are only here today because of President Obama's weak and failed leadership. My criticism of the President is not about party politics or about his style of leadership but is based, simply, on his failed foreign policy.

Syria is a case study in Obama's failed policy. He drew an arbitrary red line and spectacularly failed to enforce it. We also lost the opportunity to support moderate dissidents in Syria when it would have done the most good.

Next door, in Iraq, President Obama raced for the exit for political reasons instead of recognizing that the threat from Islamic extremists could quickly return without some sort of counterweight. He didn't end the war in Iraq; he merely abandoned it.

The bottom line is that ISIL was a regional threat that has metastasized into a threat to our allies in the region, including Israel, and to us here at home.

Unfortunately, the President's failed foreign policy is not isolated to ISIL. The President's reset with Russia was worthless. Obama's ``leading from behind'' intervention in Libya has created another haven for terrorists there.

Our allies in Europe are threatened by Russia, and our allies in Asia are threatened by China. Iran does not seem to be slowing its efforts to destroy Israel. None of these are easy problems, but President Obama has failed to provide clear and strong American leadership in each case, and, in each case, America and the world are worse off as a result.

Let's provide training to moderates who will fight ISIL and hope the President's slowness of action hasn't made it too late.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5404) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 5404, as amended.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the amendment to H.R. 5404 would extend a number of expiring current authorities and critical programs at both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor. These programs include authorizations for veterans' health care and homeless programs, benefits for disabled veterans, and home loan programs.

These noncontroversial programs are set to expire at the end of this fiscal or calendar year. These are not new programs, and the costs have either been fully offset or have been assumed in the baseline budget for this year.

The amendment to H.R. 5404 would also make certain technical and conforming changes to Public Law 113-146, the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. These changes are needed to ensure proper and swift implementation of this important law that provides veterans whose care at VA is delayed with a choice to obtain private care and provides the Secretary the tools he needs to hold senior VA managers accountable. The changes have the support of the majority and minority leadership of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Denham), the sponsor of the bill and a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee who has made many important contributions to the welfare of veterans such as this bill we are considering right now.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Walorski), who is also a member of the Veterans Affairs' Committee and likewise has made very solid and important contributions for veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman.

I too urge all Members of the House to support H.R. 5404, as amended.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3593) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the construction of major medical facilities, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 3593, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

In a moment I will yield to the bill's sponsor, Mr. Coffman, for a more detailed description.

The goal of this legislation is to improve the way VA manages its major construction projects.

Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that VA has a poor track record in managing major medical facility projects. Major construction projects are routinely completed years late and tens of millions of dollars over budget. Unfortunately, the critically needed VA hospital being constructed in Aurora, Colorado, for instance, has run into major problems, as have a handful of others around the country.

This legislation would direct the inclusion of an outside entity, the Army Corps of Engineers, which has a record of on-time, on-budget completion of projects, to assist in the management of VA's major facility construction efforts.

No longer can veterans afford to wait years for needed facilities to open. This bill finally would move VA away from the status quo, which clearly has not served veterans or the taxpayers well at all.

I would like to commend my colleague and friend, Representative Mike Coffman, and applaud his leadership on this important issue.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Arizona for her support of this good piece of legislation.

I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman), who is a member of the VA committee, a subcommittee chairman of the committee, and the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman).

Mr. Speaker, I too thank the gentlewoman from Arizona once again for her bipartisan support of this good piece of legislation.

I urge all of my colleagues in the U.S. House to support H.R. 3593, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4276) to extend and modify a pilot program on assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks to H.R. 4276, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4276, as amended, would require the Department of Veterans Affairs, beginning in January, to provide reports to Congress on the pilot program for assisted living services for veterans with traumatic brain injury.

With passage of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act earlier this year, we were able to extend this important program for another 3 years. As of June 1 of this year, 187 veterans from 46 different facilities in 22 States have been enrolled for services.

These are severely injured veterans who still want to live within their communities. For that reason, this bill also amends the definition of ``assisted living'' to encompass community-based brain injury residential rehabilitative care.

Too often, pilot programs are initiated and abandoned by the VA with little reporting or data analysis as to the effectiveness or efficiency of the program. That is why this bill is important.

It would require the Secretary to provide quarterly reports to Congress on utilization, status, and veteran satisfaction as well as interim assessments as to the success of the program and recommendations for improvement.

It would also require a final report as to how the VA would expect to continue or integrate this pilot into other services that are vital for enhancing the quality of life for those veterans suffering from what has been called one of the signature wounds of recent conflicts, traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

I am grateful to Representative Bill Cassidy, my friend and colleague from Louisiana, for his leadership in introducing this legislation, and I am proud to join him in supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana, Representative Bill Cassidy, my friend and colleague and a sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I too encourage all Members to support H.R. 4276, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2258) to provide for an increase, effective December 1, 2014, in the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

As a senior member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I rise today in favor of S. 2258, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of- Living Adjustment Act of 2014.

Mr. Speaker, it is timely that we consider this legislation today, having just observed last week the 13th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on our homeland, the catalyst for our efforts to fight terrorism.

Many of those who have sacrificed so much in recent and past conflicts aimed to protect America from harm are in continued and increased need. This is critical legislation that authorizes a cost-of- living adjustment for disabled veterans receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs and other compensation for survivors of veterans who have died as a result of their services to our country.

The amount of the payment increases will be determined by the Consumer Price Index, which controls the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security payments as well.

I would like to thank Congressman Runyan of New Jersey, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs within the Committee on Veterans Affairs, for introducing H.R. 4095, a companion bill to this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I too urge all Members to support S. 2258, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman.

I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 644. The President's actions in unilaterally swapping five Taliban members for an American prisoner swept away a decades-old policy of not negotiating with terrorists. This policy prevents the United States from being extorted by evil people who hold no regard for human life.

The President's actions lead to an open season on Americans all over the world. Are we now in the business of negotiating with terrorists? Is ISIL up next at the bargaining table with this administration? These are senior Taliban detainees, not low-level foot soldiers. Will the administration stop at five next time? Why not 50 or 100? This is unacceptable.

The President's actions were also troublesome because he did not inform Congress prior to making the swap. Even the independent Government Accountability Office explicitly said that this exchange broke the law. Some will try to say that this is just partisan rhetoric, but what did they say to the findings of the nonpartisan GAO?

While it is a relief to have an American home, the way this was done further erodes the working relationship between the President and Congress. The President asked the Congress to act and pass bills, but how can we trust him with new legislation when time and time again he has abused that trust? How do we know he is not just going to ignore the next law that we send him?

Congress must stand up against the way this prisoner exchange took place. We are a nation that believes in the rule of law. We have a Congress that makes law and a President who is supposed to enforce them. In this case, the law was broken, and Congress cannot remain silent.

I urge every one of my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize General William L. Shelton, Commander of Air Force Space Command, on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Air Force.

Over the course of his 38-year career in the United States Air Force, General Shelton has served with great distinction and made countless sacrifices for our country. We commend his service; the sacrifices of his family in support of his service, including his wife Linda and their two children Sara and Joel; and must express our great appreciation for his leadership and devotion to our Nation's security.

A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, General Shelton's selection as the Commander of Air Force Space Command in January 2011 culminates a distinguished career that began in 1976 at the Space and Missile Test Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. In a career dedicated to the space enterprise, he commanded units at Falcon/ Schriever, F.E. Warren, Offutt, Vandenberg, and Peterson Air Force Bases. He also provided valuable leadership and counsel to the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Joint Staff community during multiple Headquarters U.S. Air Force assignments. His positive leadership directly influenced countless men and women in our Armed Forces, and the enduring effects of his service to our country will be felt for years to come.

General Shelton has been a vigilant advocate for national security space programs. As the Commander of Air Force Space Command, he was responsible for organizing, training and equipping more than 40,000 military and civilian personnel to assure space and cyberspace capabilities for the Combatant Commands and for the Nation. While space and cyberspace capabilities clearly contribute to making our military unmatched in combat operations, they also have become essential in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts and are now vital assets for the global community and world economy. Through his leadership, we enjoy unprecedented success in the areas of space launch and acquisition which have led to greater mission assurance and cost savings across the Department of Defense. Further, his vision on future space capabilities will position us to make the changes necessary to provide resilient, capable and affordable space capabilities for the joint force and the Nation well into the future.

General Shelton established an unmatched and sustained level of success during a time of increasing challenges. He has worked closely with the House Armed Services Committee, and it has been my great pleasure to work with him in that important capacity. His frank and informed discussions on our space systems, particularly the Global Positioning Satellite system, have helped leaders and citizens around the world appreciate the value and need to protect our Nation's foundational space capabilities. As a member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, I am grateful for General Shelton's wise counsel and firm resolve to always do what is best for the Nation and for the Airmen he has led.

With nearly four decades of exemplary service to our Nation, General William L. Shelton deserves our most heartfelt gratitude and praise. Thank you, General Shelton--and best wishes to you and your family.

Mr. Speaker, article I of the Constitution vests the power to make laws in the United States Congress. The President is given the responsibility to faithfully execute the laws passed by the Congress. President Obama has failed to understand this vital distinction. The President is not able to unilaterally bend the law to his own goals and desires.

Take, for example, the latest news reports indicating that he plans to expand amnesty and extend work permits and visas for millions of illegal aliens, all by using executive orders. These are not lawful actions. These are the power-hungry actions of a President who refuses to work with Congress.

By suing President Obama for failing to faithfully execute the laws of the land, we are saying, stop. The people's representatives will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness of this President. We will do whatever it takes to hold him and future occupants of the Oval Office accountable. We must make it clear that the U.S. Congress is a coequal branch of government and one that represents we, the people.