Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, while it is widely known that Horace Peterson of Kansas City was the visionary and sole founder of the Black Archives of Mid-America, it is little known who saved the institution from vanishing years later.

During the spring of 1998, Ruby Arnold, a diehard board member, began a personal crusade to secure a new home for the organization she held dear. One Monday morning, during a heavy rainstorm, Ruby Arnold appeared at the front desk of the 29th floor of city hall.

The security guard asked her if she had an appointment with anyone in particular. ``I don't have an appointment,'' she said, ``but I have come to see Mayor Emanuel Cleaver.''

The assistant to the mayor replied: I'm sorry, but the mayor is not in.

A week later, Ruby came by again to see the mayor and waited two hours for an appointment that she did not have to discuss a home for the Black Archives.

And then, at a public event the next week, she asked again: Mayor, have you found a place for the Black Archives?

Ruby Arnold died before the opening of the new archives in the summer of 2010, but former mayor, Emanuel Cleaver, now the U.S. Representative from the Fifth District, said this location for the Black Archives was not secured by wishing or hoping but by the merciful harassment I received from one determined Ruby Arnold. May God bless her remarkable spirit.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke with a dynamic, impressive young woman, Maryn White, from Lee's Summit, Missouri.

Maryn is a 16-year-old sophomore at Lee's Summit West High School. When she was 10 years old, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Despite a lot of pain and a number of major surgeries, Maryn is active in her high school and is raising money for a cure.

Maryn was the winner of the Dream Factory of Kansas City. Instead of going on a cruise ship or some tour to an exotic place, she came to Washington to talk to people who are about to vote on her health. She is absolutely infuriated that money is not going to the NIH to continue to do research for a cure.

There are thousands of similar stories all over the country. This is not a political matter, this is a matter of life and death for people all over this country.

Yes, I am saying that TrumpCare will make America ache again.

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on Wednesday, March 8, 2017. I had intended to vote No on Roll Call vote 129, No on vote 130, No on vote 131, Yes on vote 132, No on vote 133, Yes on vote 134, Yes on vote 135, Yes on vote 136, Yes on vote 137.

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on H.R. 1362, To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Pago Pago, American Samoa, the Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin VA Clinic, on Tuesday, March 7, 2017. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on Roll Call vote 127, and ``no'' on Roll Call vote 128.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a doctor and educator from the Kansas City area who recently passed away. Dr. Jared James Grantham passed away on Sunday, January 22nd at the age of 80, after undergoing treatment for cancer.

During his time at the University of Kansas Medical Center, he founded their Kidney Institute, and a renal research and training program. As the director of the Kidney Institute at the University of Kansas Medical Center, he pioneered research into Polycystic Kidney Disease. Dr. Grantham's many contributions to this research include the discovery of hydro-osmotic effects of the hormone vasopressin in the kidneys, as well as the discovery that the renal tubules secrete and reabsorb solutes

and water, a finding that came from a series of experiments that showed that kidney cysts in Polycystic Kidney Disease patients are in fact distended renal tubules that trap fluid within an expanding cavity lined by a single layer of cells.

Dr. Grantham's drive to find a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease was sparked by a memory. His childhood friend, Ronnie Wilkerson, suffered from Polycystic Kidney Disease. Without this inspiration, Dr. Grantham would have never found that renal tubules in the kidney both secrete and reabsorb solutes and water. This eventually led to his confirmation that the cysts are neoplastic growths filled with liquid.

In 1982, alongside Joseph Bruening, Dr. Grantham founded the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation to help advance research into this horrible disease. The Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation is the only organization in the United States solely dedicated to finding treatments and a cure for polycystic kidney disease, as well as improve the lives of those who suffer with it. Over the last 30 years, the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation has invested over $40 million in basic and clinical research, nephrology fellowships, and scientific meetings with a simple goal: to discover and deliver treatments and a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Before the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation was established, Dr. Grantham was one of the very few researchers studying the disease. In February 1981, the Kansas City Star ran an article entitled ``Research lags on hereditary condition, specialist says.'' This article caught the eye of Mr. Joseph Bruening, a Kansas City, Missouri native and businessman whose wife and daughter both suffered from Polycystic Kidney Disease. In December of 1981, Mr. Bruening mailed a letter to Dr. Grantham interested in contributing funds towards research of this disease. Eventually, the two met and agreed to create a not-for-profit independent medical foundation whose goal was to create a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease. In 2013, the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation made a great stride towards a cure. Tolvaptan, the first drug to show promise in treating this disease, was accepted for priority review by the FDA.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today to pause for a moment to honor Dr. Grantham, a pioneer of research for Polycystic Kidney Disease. The lives of people with this disease are better off because of his research and vision.

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on January 13, 2017 regarding S. Con. Res. 3 and S. 84. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on Roll Call vote 57, ``no'' on vote 58, and ``no'' on vote 59.

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on H.R. 5, the Regulatory Accountability Act on Wednesday, January 11, 2017. I had intended to vote ``no'' on Roll Call vote 35, ``no'' on vote 36, ``yes'' on vote 37, ``yes'' on vote 38, ``yes'' on vote 39, ``yes'' on vote 40, ``yes'' on vote 41, ``yes'' on vote 42, ``yes'' on vote 43, ``yes'' on vote 44, and ``no'' on vote 45.

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed votes on January 13, 2015. Had I been present I would have voted ``No'' on Roll Call 20, ``No'' on Roll Call 21, and, ``Yes'' on Roll Call 22, ``No'' on Roll Call 23, ``Yes'' on Roll Call 24, ``Yes'' on Roll Call 25, ``Yes'' on Roll Call 26, ``Yes'' on Roll Call 27, and ``No'' on Roll Call 28.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2366, the World War I American Veterans Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, introduced by Representative Doug Lamborn of Colorado's Fifth Congressional District, and seek its immediate passage.

Mr. Speaker, as you may know, this summer marked the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. The United States formally joined the war in April of 1917. During that time, more than 4.7 million Americans served, and of those brave men and women, more than 116,000 soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice.

While 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, there currently exists no coin to honor the brave veterans of World War I. This bill would honor their service by directing the Secretary of the Treasury to, number one, hold a competition to design the coins and, number two, mint and issue $1 silver coins in commemoration of the centennial of America's involvement in World War I.

The sale of the coins will assist the World War I Centennial Commission in raising funds that will be utilized in commemorating U.S. involvement in the Great War and educating a new generation of Americans about the role the United States assumed in that war.

I am also pleased to report that the passage of this bill entails no net cost to taxpayers.

I would urge my colleagues to join me in passing this commonsense, bipartisan bill without further delay.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member.

This legislation is very likely going to be approved, and that is sad for a number of reasons.

Let me just declare here what I declare in my district and anywhere else. I believe in earmarks because I think it is constitutional. I think it is almost politically obscene to give what the Constitution says is our responsibility to the White House no matter who is there. That is why I have some serious concerns about this special interest earmark that will make the U.S. a permanent conduit to international markets for one of the dirtiest fuel sources on the planet.

This is an earmark for TransCanada. Maybe the worst abuse in this legislation is that it exempts TransCanada from all Federal permitting requirements and other Federal environmental laws. Other U.S. companies will have to abide by laws that we will exempt for TransCanada. It exempts TransCanada from paying into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which helps the government respond to oil spills.

Now, this particular company already has had major oil spills. We will have oil spills. So what we are saying when we approve this legislation are these things:

One, we are going to give an earmark to TransCanada. It is okay give it an earmark, special interest earmark, but we just can't do it here in the United States;

Number two, we are saying that TransCanada will have the ability to bypass environmental laws that Americans cannot bypass;

And number three, we are saying that this company does not have to pay one penny into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which means that the people who are watching this debate tonight will pay when an oil spill occurs, and I think that is obscene.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Kansas City VA Director Kent Hill, a transformational leader with an open door policy that is known for the unselfish public service that he has provided to our veterans, their families, his staff, and to me in my capacity as United States Representative for the Fifth District of Missouri. I think it is important to recognize the accomplishments of those who professionally serve with distinction. Director Hill has done so modestly without bringing attention on himself.

The scope of his work since 2002 at the Kansas City VA Medical Center included an operating budget of approximately $260,000,000, approximately 1,500 employees and providing healthcare services to more than 45,000 veterans. He had the added responsibility of opening and overseeing clinical programs, including five Community Based Outpatient Clinics, and the new Honor Annex. In addition, the Kansas City VA Medical Center has a vibrant research and outreach program.

When Kent Hill took over as Director for the Kansas City VA Medical Center, he came in as a veteran who had attended the Air Force Academy and has spent 40 years in Federal service. During his career, he cultivated a successful management style, centered on personal involvement and respect for his staff and the veterans and their families that he served. He was an advocate of the methodology outlined in the book, ``The Servant Leader''. His staff worked within a management style that delegates power, believes in a team approach, motivation, recognition, and at the core; an understanding for the veterans and their issues. He has been a strong advocate for continuing professional growth through education and initiated a mentoring program.

Under Kent Hill's direction, the hospital has undergone a complete floor to floor update and expanded to include: new surgical suites, Women's Clinic, Chiropractic care, state of the art Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Hospice Unit, Blind Rehab Center, Cochlear implant program, Sleep Lab, New Ambulatory Surgery Unit, an OIF/OEF Case Management Program and a new Dialysis Unit.

Access to VA healthcare and services have long been a priority for Director Hill. His management and oversight of veteran access included weekly meetings with clinical leaders to review capacity for appointments and wait times as well as decisions on adding staff and new services. To facilitate easy access for veterans to the programs and services of the Kansas City VA Medical Center, Director Hill originated a Greeter program, a Vet 4 Vet navigator program and shuttle service to and from the parking lots; and a successful and long awaited Veterans Transportation Service became operational. He tackled telephone access and electronic messaging to providers. Director Hill did not stop with services and programs at the main hospital--but placed emphasis on taking VA healthcare outside the parent facility and into the surrounding communities. He activated a Mobile Medical Unit, opened Community Based Outpatient Clinics, and built a community-based Radiation Therapy Building. One of his more noteworthy achievements was the opening of a large outpatient building--the Honor Annex--that houses mental health services, primary care and a women's clinic.

One of the compliments that I have heard often is regarding cleanliness and modernization of the hospital. An example of his receptiveness and desire for a more accessible environment can best be illustrated with the Director's directive to remove glass partitions that had created barriers between staff and veterans. This important move coincided with many communication and outreach initiatives.

During my time in office, I have watched the Kansas City VA gear up for returning veterans from current conflicts while maintaining services to all of our existing veterans. An example of Director Hill's proactive style became evident as the current conflicts brought new mental health problems and illnesses, he called for focused education for his staff on how to identify and help veterans coming home from combat. With the continual evolution of hidden wounds from war, he ensured the staff was trained to identify signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury and possible suicide. Expanding of mental health services included veterans having access to Veterans Court as well as a multitude of homeless programs and initiatives. An example of the influence and impact of Director Hill's leadership is the widespread participation of the KCVA staff in the spring and fall community Heart of America Stand Down for homeless veterans. Director Hill can be seen every year personally distributing boots to homeless veterans. Since arriving in Kansas City, Director Hill has championed inner city and rural outreach programs to ensure veterans are aware of their many benefits. His

outreach efforts have touched veterans in many different locations throughout the Heartland. In 2013, Kansas City VA staff hosted and/or participated in more than 40 veteran-focused events. Director Hill can be seen at many different events always supporting causes and programs for our veterans. He has a strong dedication and commitment to the veterans he serves. One of the most compelling stories about Director Hill is when he attended the funeral of a civil war veteran, whose family had long-awaited formal burial. These are only a few of the many examples of how Kent Hill has torn down barriers and gained the respect of our veterans.

Perhaps the most gratifying praise one can receive is to have the respect and appreciation from those they serve. Among the veterans of Missouri's Fifth District, Director Hill is regarded as a listener who takes their concerns seriously and will take the time to discuss solutions, explains his position with diplomacy and compassion. In an effort to have a closer relationship with our veterans, he meets periodically with the Veterans Focus Liaison Committee. This committee concept was presented to Director Hill by a group of veterans who received services at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. The idea was readily accepted and this grassroots committee took shape. The members talk to their peers and relay their concerns to the Director. He has been receptive to their suggestions and always willing to investigate their grievances. This partnership has resulted in more honest communication and better relations between staff and the veterans they serve. Veterans have commented that when meeting with Director Hill, he already was aware of the issue and had been working on solutions.

Mr. Speaker, please join me and our colleagues in recognizing and honoring Mr. Kent Hill, Director of the Kansas City VA Medical Center upon his retirement from the Department of Veterans Affairs. While he embraces this next phase of life with his wife, Anita; children, Blake, Kirk, Keith and Stephen; and grandchildren, he leaves with the respect and admiration of those who have had the pleasure of working with him. I wish to personally thank him for his tireless service to our country and his unquestionable dedication to our veterans. His imprint will long be felt by future generations at the Kansas City VA Medical Center and in our community.

Mr. Speaker, due to President Obama's visit to my district, I regrettably missed votes on July 28, 2014, July 29, 2014, and July 30, 2014. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 455, ``yes'' on rollcall 456, ``yes'' on rollcall 457, ``no'' on rollcall 458, ``no'' on rollcall 459, ``yes'' on rollcall 460, ``yes'' on rollcall 461, ``yes'' on rollcall 462, ``no'' on rollcall 463, ``yes'' on rollcall 464, ``no'' on rollcall 465, ``no'' on rollcall 466, ``yes'' on rollcall 467.

Thank you, first, Mr. Murphy, and to the chair, ranking member, and the chairman of the committee.

Mr. Chairman, our amendment would transfer a modest amount, as Mr. Murphy stated, $1 million, from the Corps' expense account to the construction account. The boost in funding can help flood control projects that communities, including several in my district, are pushing in hopes that they can be completed.

The United States has, as I believe we all know, an aging water infrastructure system and a colossal $80 billion backlog of Army Corps projects. Over 1,000 authorized projects vigorously compete for funding. This is understandable when you consider the fact that America's levees, dams, and inland waterways were given a grade of D by the American Society of Civil Engineers in their 2013 report card. How can we expect our economy to flourish when its bedrock is deteriorating?

Water infrastructure funding is vital to my district. It sits on the confluence of several rivers, and flood control projects protect thousands of lives and billions in economic investment.

One such project, Swope Park Industrial Area, lies within a 100-year floodplain. When it floods, access to and from the park is cut off, risking the lives of over 400 workers. Without a 7,000-foot floodwall and levee, those 400 workers and over $61 million in manufacturing remain unprotected.

Another project in my district, Dodson Industrial Park, is ready to start its final phase. But until that final segment is completed and connected, the rest of the project, the investment $250 million within the park, remain at risk.

Mr. Chairman, most Army Corps projects contain agreements between the Federal Government and local communities to share the funding and responsibilities for their construction. It is time for the Federal Government to hold up its end of the agreement, for us to step up to the plate, and fully invest in our water infrastructure.

I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Murphy) for his collaboration on this amendment.

Thank you, Mr. Blumenauer.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to be here, particularly with Mr. Blumenauer and Mr. Garamendi, who spoke earlier, because they have long histories--longer, in fact, than I have been in the House--of pushing for transportation issues.

I think that this is a rather sad and somewhat tragic moment in our history. The interstate highway system was developed and put in place in 1956, and who would have thought when we entered the 21st century that the Congress of the United States would fail to keep that system in top condition?

The transportation bill affects Americans in every State of this country. A robust Federal investment in transportation is an economic engine, strengthening hundreds of communities. The thing that I have said often in my district and, frankly, in hearings is that the best stimulus for the economy--the very best stimulus--is a transportation bill. The weird thing is that the infrastructure is the backbone of our economy upon which businesses, families, and communities thrive. Everyone is involved in this. Red or blue, urban or rural, we all rely on transportation and infrastructure. Ensuring economic prosperity is of paramount importance. It is not a Republican or a Democratic goal but one that we all share.

One of the things that has troubled me most since being elected to Congress 10 years ago is that we have somehow narrowed everything down to the point at which it is either red or blue--it is either Republican or Democratic. I am not sure how we can look at highway systems in terms of political tribalism. I served as the mayor of Kansas City for 8 years during the 1990s, and I can truthfully say that I had no idea on a day-to-day basis, based on what people said and did, who the Republicans were and who the Democrats were. We were all interested in trying to preserve Kansas City. When there was a pothole in one of the streets in Kansas City--and Kansas City is a huge city. It's 322 square miles. To give you an idea, you can put San Francisco inside our city limits 30 times or St. Louis three times. It is a huge city--what we all were interested in is making sure that it was fixed because there was no Republican way of fixing it, and there was no Democratic way of fixing it. We fixed the pothole. One of my great disappointments when I arrived here was that there was a Republican or a Democratic philosophy on everything, including on transportation and infrastructure.

Every dollar invested in Missouri transportation generates $4 of economic activity. The Federal Highway Administration actually estimates that, for every $1 billion spent on transportation, 34,000 direct and indirect jobs are created. Just think about that. There are 34,000 indirect and direct jobs that are generated. That is why I take every opportunity I can to talk about infrastructure and improvements to our roads and bridges and waterways in my district and in districts around the country.

Investments in transportation and infrastructure generate growth and jobs during initial design, construction, and then postconstruction. I can tell you that, at a time like this when we are still having some healing needed with our economy, this is the time to pump it up. We don't need QE4. We don't need to do another Dodd-Frank. We need to pass a transportation and infrastructure bill. That will begin to help heal this economy because it is a job creator.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers' 2013 report card--and I hope the people at home get this--3,500 bridges in Missouri alone are considered structurally deficient. There are 3,500 bridges in my State that are considered structurally deficient.

Over 3,300 are considered functionally obsolete. That is 14 percent of the bridges in the State of Missouri are functionally obsolete, and every day, Kansas Cityans and Missourians are driving over those bridges.

That is a tragedy because it is not only bad in Missouri, it is that way all over this country--all over the country, and this body is the only body that can address the problem.

While I agree that States should step up to raise the necessary revenues and make crucial investments themselves, it should be no surprise that interstate commerce is a duty in which this Congress is uniquely poised to fulfill.

We are a nation of red States and blue States, urban communities and rural communities. I represent both. While each State must make investments within the communities, the responsibility to ensure our Nation remains connected and globally competitive falls on this Congress.

Bridge after bridge after bridge is in danger. Highways are crumbling, and we cannot sit by and play partisan politics and argue while our infrastructure continues to deteriorate.

So, Mr. Speaker, I am here tonight, hoping that these words are not falling on the floor and will not be impactful. When we come in here like this, we are hoping that these words matter and that things can change and that they will change.

It is my hope that this Congress will act and act quickly because we cannot wait until the last minute, going into August, when we will end up looking at a highway trust fund becoming insolvent, and that means it will drop below the $4 billion funding level as soon as next month, July. We must do something, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank Mr. Blumenauer for all the work that he has done on this issue over the years, and I hope that the American people will just saturate us with letters telling us: Pass a highway and transportation infrastructure bill.

Thank you, Mr. Blumenauer.

Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, this discussion tonight is, I think, exemplary of the dysfunctionality of this place. No matter whose fault it is, we are not serving the public.

I just came in from the break on a Third World road from Dulles Airport here to the Capitol, and if anybody wonders whether or not we are falling behind other countries, visit China. Look at the percentage of their GDP being spent on infrastructure compared to ours.

I would like to talk about what we call T-HUD, which affects Americans in every single State in this country.

There is no Republican road. There is no Democratic road. There is no Independent road or Tea Party road or Black Panther road. We all have to live in this Nation and function on the roads we build, and the only people on this planet--the only people on planet Earth who can make a decision about TIGER and our infrastructure are people who were elected to sit in this place. It is us.

In the first 4 years of TIGER, funds were awarded to all 50 States. TIGER funds are nearly evenly dispersed across the Central, South, West, North, and East regions of this great country. The Department of Transportation is required by statute to ensure TIGER funds are awarded to rural communities, as well as urban.

These grants are used to build highways, repair badly damaged bridges, and upgrade rail. They are used to help communities who are struggling in this period of economic recovery to make key investments in their infrastructure and bolster local economies.

This bill would decimate TIGER funding, destroying one of the most successful Federal programs in generating bottom-up transportation solutions to our Nation's crumbling infrastructure problem.

TIGER has made a tremendous impact in my district, and I can recall the names of projects, from the Green Impact Zone, Troost Avenue Bridge over Brush Creek, all of these improvements in the communities have made my congressional district better.

Then last year, TIGER provided $20 million to help finance the 2.2- mile streetcar project in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The streetcar project will encourage economic development and housing, and along the line, we will also see a whole new community being rebuilt.

So, Mr. Chairman, I don't know what is going to happen, but I do hope that we can make a decision that, at least on the infrastructure, we can put partisanship and this political tribalism to the side and do what is in the best interest of the American public.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Amendment Offered by Mr. Gohmert