Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is a question that families all across the country are asking themselves: How can we afford to send our children to college?

The President's plan to tax 529 college savings plans would have punished people who are saving for their children's higher education. Instead of punishing families who are diligently saving for their children's education, we should reward them, we should give them more certainty, and we should strengthen and improve these plans.

529 college savings plans are a very valuable asset for millions of families who put aside money to help ensure that their children or their child will not be burdened with mountains of debt after they graduate from college.

This week, I will be supporting legislation taken up in the House that will strengthen, that will expand, and that will modernize 529 college savings accounts so that more families have the opportunity to send their children to the higher education institution of their choice.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 77, I was attending the Clay Hunt SAV bill signing at the White House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 78 I was attending the Clay Hunt SAV bill signing at the White House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

personal explanation

I thank the chairman for his leadership on leading the effort to simplify the Tax Code and give some confidence and certainty to those who use it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, the America Gives More Act. This legislation is absolutely about helping those who are most in need. Those are our charities and our foundations across the country, which are working day in and day out to help those who are most in need.

There are a number of important tax rules that we have already discussed that are governing charitable donations and charitable organizations, but they have always been temporary. We have already had these provisions in law, and they have already expired, so here we are, acting under retroactivity already. It is time to get rid of these short-term fixes and embrace long-term solutions. This legislation simply makes the provisions permanent.

It encourages companies to donate food to help feed the hungry. It makes it easier for individuals who might want to use their money in their IRA retirement funds and give that money to charitable organizations to help others of all varieties. It incentivizes landowners to help protect and preserve our environment for future generations through conservation easements.

I want to just address one other provision that is in this bill, which I actually authored with my colleague, Mr. Davis of Illinois, to help simplify the Tax Code for private foundations. He has been a very strong advocate in leading this effort.

I think we would all agree that private foundations make a world of difference in our communities. We all have them in our States. I know, in Minnesota, we have 1,400 different foundations that donate about $1 billion annually to all of those who are in need. Across the country, there is something like 86,000 foundations that give tens and tens and tens of billions of dollars. Now, these are really impressive figures, but the truth is those figures could actually be a lot higher, and here is why.

The foundation community has come to us, and they are telling us that the Tax Code is discouraging them from actually giving large donations. Today, these institutions face a really complex, cumbersome, two-tiered system of taxation that requires them to pay either a 1 percent or a 2 percent excise tax on their investment income, but in order to qualify for the low rate in any given year, they have got to go and donate an amount greater than the average of their 5-year rolling average from the previous 5 years.

This, actually, creates a very perverse disincentive for these foundations to not make any donations of large amounts in times when we might have a natural disaster, when there are economic tough times. Absolutely now, this is because a large donation in

these times would significantly increase a private foundation's 5-year average and make it difficult for them to actually qualify for the lower rate. It also makes sure that they are not going to get the low rate for the next 4 years. We are eliminating this disincentive by replacing a very complicated, two-tiered system with a simple, flat, 1 percent excise tax on all private foundation investment income.

It is important to simplify the tax planning process especially for smaller foundations, because they are the ones who are spending money on accountants and lawyers to navigate the Tax Code when those are valuable resources that could actually be used to help give grants to others who need those resources. This bill simply makes sure that charitable giving decisions are going to be based not on the Tax Code but on the needs of our communities.

The bottom line is: every dollar that these organizations are paying in taxes is one less dollar that they are giving to those who truly need it. I ask my colleagues to join in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about an important issue for millions of Americans, and that is protecting access to speech-generating devices.

For those living with ALS and other neurological and degenerative disabilities, these life-improving devices give them the ability to communicate with their friends and their loved ones, something that we all take for granted.

Unfortunately, a government agency is now threatening to limit access to speech-generating devices, causing unnecessary hardship for those who are living with ALS or other disabilities.

That is why I have helped author H.R. 628, the Steve Gleason Act, to ensure that Medicare's most vulnerable patients have access to the communication technology that they deserve during the most challenging points in their lives. The bill is named after NFL pro Steve Gleason, who has championed the needs of the ALS community.

Mr. Speaker, passage of this important legislation will make a world of difference for those that are suffering from degenerative disabilities and their families.

Mr. Speaker, those who sign up to serve and defend our country deserve our respect and support when they return home. Sadly, there is a crisis in our country when it comes to our veterans' health care. With an average of 22 veterans a day taking their own lives, we are failing them.

That is why Congress took action to pass the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act so as to improve mental health care services and suicide prevention programs at the VA and at the Department of Defense. By establishing pilot programs to recruit and keep psychiatrists and to establish support networks for veterans, the Clay Hunt SAV Act will help servicemembers transition to life after the military. The bill is named after Clay Hunt, a brave soldier who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Tragically, Clay took his own life when he returned home.

I want to thank my Minnesota colleague, Tim Walz, for his leadership on this issue, and I encourage the President to quickly sign this legislation into law and get our veterans the support that they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the House passed 12 different bills combating the growing crime of sex trafficking by protecting victims and bringing traffickers to justice.

In addition to the action that Congress is taking, however, it takes people on the ground, in our communities, stepping up to deal with this issue. I would like to highlight some of the efforts that are being done by some students in Chaska, Minnesota, who are making efforts to put an end to this horrible problem.

The Chaska High School Student Council, led by senior Luke Standbrook, is helping fight sex trafficking by organizing assemblies to help fellow students know the signs of trafficking in their community. They are also organizing fundraisers to help raise money for organizations that help victims of human trafficking.

Mr. Speaker, it is rewarding and energizing to know that there are young leaders like Luke in the senior student council who are working to have such a strong impact in putting an end to this horrific crime, and I am proud of their efforts.

Mr. Speaker, in the State of the Union Address, the President outlined some areas where common ground can be found to work with Congress. One important area is trade.

I agree with the President that we should move forward on trade agreements to create jobs for our workers as we expand exports to help our manufacturers, our ranchers, and our farmers. With the Trans- Pacific Partnership agreement, we will allow American companies to sell our goods and services in the emerging markets of Asia and create jobs here at home. A new trade agreement with Europe to help streamline and modernize standards and regulations will level the playing field for American companies.

Mr. Speaker, 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside of the United States, and these trade agreements will give us the opportunity to build on the success that we already enjoy. In Minnesota, 750,000 jobs are directly connected to international trade. It is time for the President and the Congress to move forward on a robust trade agenda to help create a healthier economy.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, it is easy and comfortable to think that sex trafficking only happens in countries outside the United States. The truth is that more than 100,000 are at risk of being trafficked for commercial sex here in the United States each and every year, here in America.

We have a word for a situation when one group of people is dehumanized and has their basic human rights snuffed out for someone else's economic gain. That word is slavery. The problem we have today is not a thing of the past. It is not from some remote corner of the world that you can't find on a map.

Slavery in the form of human trafficking is happening right now. It is happening in our cities, suburbs, and rural communities. It is happening in each and every one of our congressional districts.

I am sad to say that Minneapolis, Minnesota, my home State, has actually been listed as one of the 13th largest centers for sexual exploitation of children in the entire country.

I realize how critical it is to educate our community about what I have learned from talking to victims like Dayanna, who became a 13- year-old trafficking victim. Dayanna didn't get a lot of love and attention from her mother or family.

While she took it upon herself to take care of her brothers and sisters, she longed for someone to give her love and attention. She ended up being seduced by a man who promised to be her ``boyfriend.''

Guess what? At age 13, within days after running away with him, she found herself being trafficked in Chicago and Philadelphia, without a home and separated from her family. Only a daring jump from a second- story window actually allowed her to escape.

Many might think that if Dayanna had come from a different family situation, she wouldn't have been trafficked; sadly, that is not the case.

I will never forget meeting with the mother of a young woman named Brittany. Brittany was a very young girl who was violently raped, murdered, and then found dead in an impound lot last February. Unlike Dayanna, Brittany had a loving family. She worked with children at a local recreation center and taught dance lessons.

Despite these circumstances, Brittany was also a victim of sex trafficking but was too embarrassed to speak out until it was too late. As Brittany's mother told me: ``It doesn't matter if victims have a home because if sex trafficking can happen to my daughter, it can happen to any young girl.''

That is exactly what we are talking about: young girls who are only 12, 13, or 14 years old. They are not old enough to have graduated from high school. They are not old enough to have voted in an election. They are not old enough to pass their driver's license exam. In fact, in most States, these girls would be considered criminals that should be incarcerated and charged with prostitution instead of being treated as victims.

We found that criminalization only traumatizes these girls and actually isolates them from the community and the services that they need and deserve. That is why, Madam Speaker, we need this legislation, H.R. 159, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, which focuses on incentivizing States to have safe harbor laws.

Safe harbor laws ensure that these girls are treated as victims. Safe harbor laws will give legal protection for minor victims and provide them with specialized social services.

We know that by bringing these victims out of the shadows, we can make sure they get the services they need, including medical and psychological treatment, housing, legal services, educational assistance, job training, and more.

Law enforcement can then focus on actually bringing the perpetrators of these awful crimes to justice. This bipartisan legislation incentivizes States to adopt these safe harbor laws, so we can expand on the successes we have seen in States like Minnesota.

In 2011, Minnesota became the fifth State to approve safe harbor legislation. After their safe harbor laws went into effect, guess what? Law enforcement in Minnesota began arresting more johns than ever before, and human trafficking convictions more than doubled. Best practices evaluated by law enforcement and victims groups show that removing the fear of prosecution from victims actually works.

Today, only a little over a dozen States have full safe harbor laws. We have got to do more to protect these victims and be sure the pimps and johns are brought to justice.

This legislation also helps victims by codifying a national human trafficking hotline and making victims eligible for Job Corps services. By giving them an avenue to access for job skill training, they can begin to rebuild their lives.

Madam Speaker, the bill also helps law enforcement by allowing the U.S. Marshals Service to support other State, local, or Federal law enforcement agencies that are investigating missing child cases.

Finally, the bill increases oversight by requiring additional reporting to Congress on restitution orders in trafficking cases. These provisions are all essentially critically important pieces in the effort to combat sex trafficking.

I want to thank my colleague Gwen Moore from Wisconsin for her advocacy, passion, and partnership on this legislation and moving it forward on a bipartisan basis. I also want to thank the leaders of the Judiciary Committee team who have recognized that this is a top priority and moved it quickly early in this session of Congress.

I look forward to working with my colleague, Senator Klobuchar from Minnesota, as well, in passing each and every one of these anti- trafficking bills and getting them on the President's desk, so we can continue to save the lives of children.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and I want to thank her for her leadership, along with Representative Wagner, in coordinating and drawing attention to what this horrific crime truly is, spending a little bit of time on the House floor.

When you hear the words ``sex trafficking'' and ``human trafficking,'' a lot of people just think this is something that happens in faraway countries, that it doesn't happen in the United States. It is very sad to say that it is happening right here in our own backyards, knowing that these traffickers are exploiting young girls for their own financial gain, right in our own communities.

We are talking about 12-, 13-, and 14-year-old young girls. It is pretty hard to imagine, but it is true. It is happening in our cities. It is happening in our suburbs. It is happening in rural towns. I will say I realize how critical it is now to educate our community about what I have learned from actually speaking and talking with some of these victims.

I remember speaking with Deyanna. Deyanna is age 13. She tells the story about how, within days of meeting this so-called boyfriend, she finds herself in Philadelphia, in Chicago, being trafficked and has the wherewithal to escape with her life.

Then I meet the mother of another young girl who was violently raped and murdered this last February. The only good news I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, is that the Twin Cities, which is home now to Minneapolis, being number 13 in the level of sex trafficking, human trafficking that occurs, is also home to many leaders now in the fight against human trafficking.

Over the last 2 years, I have met with great leaders that are inspiring the community to make a difference and pass model legislation that is now being replicated across the country.

I think of Vednita Carter at Breaking Free. I think of Grant Snyder who is a Minneapolis police sergeant who was the very first officer in Minneapolis that was dedicated to working with trafficking victims; and now, he leads his department in teaching local law enforcement, both in Minnesota and in other States around the country, about how to build trust and better relationships with at-risk youth.

We have also got our county attorneys like John Choi, who has been leading the fight, getting top convictions now for a lot of these abusers.

The nonprofit community has been topnotch as well, with Catholic Charities, Brittany's Place, the Harriet Tubman Center, and the Family Partnership all making a difference.

It does give you hope, Mr. Speaker, that such a large and passionate group of people now are working together to put an end to this modern- day slavery, so the message is spreading.

I will tell you this: we need more safe harbor laws. We need them. Minnesota became the fifth State in the country to approve safe harbor legislation. That means we are essentially treating these children as victims, giving them the services they need and not treating them as criminals. That is really critical.

After the safe harbor legislation went into effect in Minnesota, guess what? We started arresting more johns than ever before. Trafficking convictions more than doubled. It is time that we bring what is working in Minnesota to the national level as well.

I know tomorrow we are going to be voting on this legislation to have this safe harbor legislation that I have authored pass with bipartisan support. A number of other legislation will pass with bipartisan support.

The good news, as the gentlewoman knows, is this is about saving lives, and we are going to make a difference.

Section 2:

``The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, in 1938, it was Franklin Roosevelt who signed the Fair Labor Standards Act, establishing full-time work as 40 hours, so for more than 70 years, that has been the accepted definition for government, for corporations, for small business; but in 2010, the President's health care law threw 70 years of precedent completely out the window.

This new 30-hour rule is forcing companies to scale back hours, with more part-time jobs and less full-time jobs, so now, many employees that were working full time--good full-time jobs--have seen their paychecks cut up to 25 percent.

One study recently found that regulations in the President's new health care law, like the 30-hour rule, are reducing small business wages to workers every year by $22 billion and that employment in small businesses has been reduced by 350,000 jobs.

Mr. Speaker, Americans want more full-time opportunities, and they should get to choose to pursue those opportunities, not have their employers force to reduce them to part-time work. America's workers deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, I insert in the Record a letter from The Associated General

Contractors of America supporting this legislation by Mr. Young.

The Associated

General Contractors of America,

Arlington, VA, January 7, 2015.

Re support H.R 30, The Saving American Workers Act of 2015.

Hon. Todd Young,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Young: On behalf of the Associated

General Contractors of America (AGC), I am writing in support

of the Saving American Workers Act of 2015, H.R. 30. The bill

would repeal the 30-hour definition of ``full-time

employment'' in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by replacing it

with the more traditional 40-hour definition.

The construction industry is typically project-based,

transitory and seasonal, which distinguishes it from other

professional industries with more predictable hours. As a

result, many construction employers rely on part-time,

seasonal and variable-hour employees. In addition, the

construction industry consists of many smaller employers with

limited human resource and administrative staff. These two

issues alone add layers of difficulty for a construction firm

that is required to use the complex formulas in the ACA to

determine whether or not it is considered a large employer

under the law.

Despite prior delay of the reporting and enforcement

provisions of the ACA, the law continues to be an

administrative burden for employers. Replacing the definition

of a full-time employee to the more commonly accepted 40

hours per week will, at the very least, reduce some of the

complexity associated with the ACA.

AGC hopes you will support H.R. 30 and provide some relief

for construction employers across the country.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey D. Shoaf,

Senior Executive Director,

Government Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, I simply rise to honor the dedication and commitment of the men and women who protect us all as members of the law enforcement community.

Every day police officers throughout the country wear the uniform with pride and understand the tremendous responsibility that comes with it, putting the safety of others before the safety of themselves.

Unfortunately, over the last few months, we have been reminded of the

danger that police officers face every day in keeping our neighborhoods safe. The recent tragic murder of two police officers in New York serves as a stark reminder that officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities.

In the coming weeks, I will be reintroducing legislation to make sure that the families of those officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice receive the benefits that they are promised without being subject to the burdens of Federal taxes.

Mr. Speaker, all of us should be honoring the work that all of our police officers and law enforcement do, the sacrifices that they make every day to keep us safe.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commend the Wayzata High School Girls' Swimming and Diving Team for winning the Minnesota State Championship.

The title was clinched at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center with a well-rounded team effort that saw eight top-four finishes by the Elizabeth Hansen-coached Trojans.

Madison Priess led the way with an individual State Championship in the 200-yard Individual Medley. Wayzata also won the title in the 200 medley relay thanks to strong swims from Carly Quast, Alexis Schaaf, Colleen Donlin, and Madison--coming just short of setting a state record.

The title was Wayzata's second in a row and was due to the hard work these athletes put in everyday. Swimming takes a tremendous effort and practice in order to reach the goals that the Trojans accomplished this season. In addition to the hard work in the pool, these student- athletes have to balance their studies, family responsibilities, and social commitments as well. The Wayzata team took all that was asked of them in stride to reach the top of their sport. Family, friends, and fans should all be proud of their effort.

It is my pleasure to honor and congratulate the Wayzata Girls' Swimming and Diving team on bringing home another state title!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the members of the Orono High School girls' soccer team on winning the 2014 Minnesota State Soccer Championship recently.

After playing to a nil-nil draw through regulation and extra time in the finals, Orono displayed teamwork, grit, and nerves of steel as they came out on top in a 3-2 shootout. Goalkeeper Jessica Woessner played a major role in the Spartan's clean sheet and also came up big with the game winning stop in penalty kicks.

The ability of the Spartans to overcome adversity was especially noteworthy. Minnesota's Ms. Soccer, Sophie Babo, tragically suffered a leg injury in the second half of the finals. However, Orono rallied together in order to finish the game victorious. We all wish a speedy recovery for Sophie and best of luck as she plays for the University of Kentucky next year.'

Soccer is called the ``beautiful game'' for its ability to combine skill, teamwork, endurance, and toughness. Few sports require such dedication both to one's physical shape and a commitment to technique.

It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of these young women that they are able to effectively balance the time needed to excel as a team while still maintaining their school, family, and social commitments.

As a member of the Congressional Soccer Caucus, I'm happy to congratulate the Orono High School girls' soccer team, their coaches, and fans on a great season!

Mr. Speaker. today I rise to commend the Edina High School girls' tennis team on their 2014 Minnesota State Championship.

The Edina Hornets clinched the state tennis team title with a strong performance top to bottom in their 6-1 victory over Prior Lake. Senior Caitlyn Merzbacher and Freshman Sophia Reddy led the way in Singles play, but it took a complete team effort to take home the title.

Credit goes to Coach Steve Paulsen, who now can now count this as his 19th state title, including 18 in a row. With such a consecutive title streak on the line, it's easy to see these Edina athletes have no problem coping with pressure.

Tennis is a game with tremendous ups and downs that takes focus, mental toughness, and an ability to overcome mistakes. Edina's success is a testament to the time spent day after day honing those skills.

What makes it even more impressive is that these Hornet athletes are able to thrive at their sport while still meeting their academic, family, and social commitments. Family and friends should be tremendously proud of what these girls have accomplished.

It is my pleasure to honor and congratulate the Edina High School girls' tennis team on bringing home another state title!