Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1011, I call up the bill (H.R. 184) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on medical devices, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill H.R. 184, currently under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, today, the House will vote on H.R. 184, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, which will finally repeal the medical device excise tax and eliminate a burden on patients and the companies that create and produce lifesaving medical devices for people all over the world.

The medical device industry is truly an American success story, directly employing more than 400,000 people. In Minnesota alone, more than 35,000 people are employed at almost 700 companies, mostly small companies that you have never heard of. Many of them were started by a doctor or an engineer or an entrepreneur in the garage or in the backyard with an idea to improve or help save someone's life. In fact, 80

percent of all medical device companies have less than 50 employees, and 93 percent have less than 500 employees. The jobs they provide are good, rewarding jobs that pay above-average salaries.

Mr. Speaker, America is a net exporter in medical devices, one of the other reasons why it is an American success story. But back in 2013, the Affordable Care Act imposed a new 2.3 percent excise tax on all medical devices.

Mr. Speaker, 2.3 percent may not sound like much, but it wasn't a tax on profits; it was a tax on sales, on revenue. Usually the government puts an excise tax on things we want to discourage, like tobacco, alcohol, or gas-guzzling automobiles.

Why would we want to discourage medical innovation? Only in Washington would you impose a tax on lifesaving medical devices and then think you are going to help reduce healthcare costs.

Guess what? The device tax caused the loss of over 29,000 jobs. Now, with strong bipartisan support, we have been able to eliminate this onerous tax with suspensions. The last time we suspended this tax, companies responded by hiring more engineers and more technicians and putting more money into research and development projects for these new, lifesaving technologies.

But these innovators need certainty. They need predictability. And a permanent repeal is needed to especially help startup companies from where the next generation of inventions and innovation will come.

Investors will hold back capital in new companies when there is a threat of an excise tax starting back up because it already takes 8 to 10 years, Mr. Speaker, for these companies to become profitable in the first place. This tax raises the bar and makes it even more difficult for them to become profitable.

I have had many conversations with companies that I represent in my community about what this excise tax means to them. I remember having a conversation with a medium-sized company owner who said that without this tax they would be able to have a few more projects online, which meant they would hire two more engineers and two more technicians. Other companies to which I have spoken said they would be able to directly invest more in research and development, creating more high- paying jobs, invent better products. Ultimately, it is about helping more patients.

The good news, Mr. Speaker, is there is strong recognition that we need to eliminate this tax on a bipartisan basis, because it is such bad policy. In fact, very few bills have such strong bipartisan support: 277 cosponsors. Mr. Speaker, 44 of those cosponsors are Democrats across the aisle.

I pledge that I will continue working with Senator Klobuchar in the Senate across the aisle, and my colleagues, to get this over the finish line, because there are very few issues that would unite an Elizabeth Warren and a Ted Cruz, but this, Mr. Speaker, is one of them.

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks), someone who represents a State that is steeped in medical technology jobs and has been a leader in championing the repeal of this tax.

Mr. Speaker, contrary to some of the claims we heard a little bit before about the bill doing nothing to help everyday, average Americans, I will just remind Members that this bill reverses a harmful tax that is hurting job growth and innovation across the country.

Access to good-paying jobs and innovative medical products is critically important, and I would argue that that is really important for everyday Americans.

I would agree, also, with what was said earlier. Americans need certainty. This is an industry that needs certainty if we are going to be able to invest in new innovations, new inventions, to keep patients at the forefront of lifesaving and life-improving technology, to make sure their healthcare is the model of the rest of the world.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Utah (Mrs. Love), who has been a strong voice for innovation, not only in her State but within our conference here in the House of Representatives, in repealing the device tax.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Utah.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for sharing his perspective from California. I think of Minnesota and California and Massachusetts and some other States that have a propensity of strong ecosystems of medical technology, and those jobs, we know, are very, very important. We want to see those continue.

I just want to mention, Mr. Speaker, what we don't want to go back to, because these are the stories we were hearing prior to our suspension, why we need to permanently repeal this tax.

I remember speaking to a company in Plymouth, Minnesota. They were pretty clear. They said: Instead of 10 projects, we are only going to have 6 projects funded with this tax in place. That means too few engineers, too few technicians while that device tax was in effect.

I talked to another company that was actually in Texas. They had laid off an employee that had been employed for 22 years, and then they had laid off 25 people, deferring the hiring of another 15 employees because of that tax being put in place.

Another medical company in Shoreview, Minnesota, told me they had to borrow $100,000 a month from the bank just to pay the device tax because the tax was on sales and revenue, not on profits. That is a high-risk tragedy, Mr. Speaker, in order to keep these companies alive.

There is a company in New York that was trying to finance a new cancer therapy using gamma radiation, and they struggled to raise the necessary funds that were necessary to complete the project because the medical device tax was discouraging investment in lifesaving innovation.

And then, Mr. Speaker, I remember having a conversation with an employee, someone from my district, and he came up to me and said: Mr. Paulsen, I have been employed at this medical device company for 21 years, a strong medical device manufacturer, but because of the tax, I have lost my job. Now his family struggled at his new job because his wages were $40,000 less than where he was before he was laid off, all because of that device tax. His vacation time was cut in half, and his healthcare costs also went up.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume while we wait for one additional speaker.

Mr. Speaker, let me just remind folks where we are right now. Think back to 2013, 2014 when this tax was first put in place. We heard earlier from one of our colleagues who had said: Do you know what? The medical device industry was a part of putting together the Affordable Care Act, and they agreed to this.

Actually, that is a myth. It is not true. I have talked to numerous medical device manufacturers, small, medium, and large, as well as the associations, that said they had no part in agreeing to that. In fact, when this dollar amount came up as a part of the Affordable Care Act, they backed into it. There was some dollar amount assigned, and that is how he backed into a 2.3 percent excise tax.

And, again, just a reminder, an excise tax is a tax on your sales and revenue, not on your profits. For companies that take 8 to 10 years to become profitable in the first place, that is a high hurdle when you are trying to attract new capital, new investors in order to take the risk that this new technology is going to be successful.

You have already got to go through the FDA. You have got to go through a rigorous process, go through a gold standard, and then you have to make sure that you are going to potentially have CMS offer a reimbursement policy for your devices.

So there is a whole host of, or a multitude of, risk factors that go in already when companies are thinking of starting up to actually be a part of this strong ecosystem of providing medical technology and lifesaving innovation that goes out to help our patients.

The good news is, if we keep this industry strong in America, if we can repeal this tax permanently, we will not only be improving healthcare outcomes around the world; we will be keeping those jobs here. We will be keeping the headquarters here in the United States.

So it is not just some of the tax reforms you pass, Mr. Speaker. It is about giving more certainty and more predictability by repealing a tax that never should have been put in place in the first place.

And I think with strong bipartisan support, both on a vote today in the House and potentially once again in the Senate--I think the last time we had a vote leading up to President Obama signing a temporary suspension of the device tax, we had enough votes in the House to override a Presidential veto. That is what got the attention of the Senate. That is what got the attention of the President at that time, and we actually made it the law of the land, 2-year suspension. We renewed another 2-year suspension.

But now is the time, Mr. Speaker, to actually make this permanent, to put ourselves in a position to make this repeal permanent, to put ourselves in a position where we can guarantee that American innovation is going to be strong and steadfast for years and decades to come. We can keep this American success story alive.

We have got a host of other challenges, I know, as we look towards the medical device industry. We have a hearing going on right now on trade,

for instance. We don't need to do anything else with potential tariffs or quotas in different areas that put additional uncertainty on this industry, on these high-paying, high-quality jobs. So this is one initial effort that we can make today on the House floor, with a strong bipartisan vote, to make sure a permanent repeal is also the law of the land.

Mr. Speaker, I am looking around for my colleague from Indiana, who I think is on the way right now.

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

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Walorski), who has been a champion of not only repealing this tax, but fighting hard for the medical device industry in her home State.

Mr. Speaker, as I close, let me remind my colleague, because he had mentioned eliminating the individual mandate as a part of the tax reform that was enacted recently, according to the IRS, 79 percent of the 6.6 million people who paid the penalty in 2015 had incomes below $50,000. These are middle class people.

I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, on the individual mandate, 6.6 million people who paid the penalty had incomes below $50,000. These are middle class people who had to pay the fine instead of buying overpriced ObamaCare coverage that they could not afford. Now, starting in 2019, they are not going to have to do that anymore. Republicans think that is a good thing.

Let me close back on the bill, though, Mr. Speaker.

The good news is that both Republicans and Democrats here today agree and understand that the medical device excise tax does more harm than good, and it has to be repealed. We heard testimony and speakers today on both sides of the aisle. We will have a strong, bipartisan vote to repeal this tax permanently.

We have already had a suspension twice. But we need to give this industry certainty so that we can make sure that this American success story not only survives, but thrives.

It is about high-paying jobs with net exports around the world. This makes sure that patients not only in the United States are going to have access to new medical technology devices, for baby boomers, seniors, and those getting up in their elder years with new devices. This is really critical for the innovation that is going to help to make sure that we are protecting patients around the world, keeping headquarters here, keeping jobs here, and improving healthcare outcomes.

Today, we have an opportunity to help. It is helping those small startups that are part of the very ecosystem that has made this industry so strong in the United States that provides these jobs, and making sure that entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, and folks who come up with an idea in the backyard or in the garage can see their idea come to fruition.

So let's remove this threat to innovation. Let's remove this job- killing tax once and for all. There are 277 cosponsors in the House. How many bills actually get that many cosponsors of Democrats and Republicans? Let's continue to show the American public that what we are doing here in Washington on this issue is results oriented, is solution oriented, and we are sensitive, and we understand that.

Mr. Speaker, I ask everyone to vote for the passage of H.R. 184, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, human trafficking hurts women and children all around the world. Sadly, the United States is no exception.

As many as 300,000 American children are at risk of child sexual exploitation. It is happening in every community around the country. Every weekend in Minnesota, as many as 45 Minnesota girls are sold for sex.

But there is good news. The Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, a new law which was passed with bipartisan support earlier this year to crack down on websites that facilitate trafficking, is making a difference. Backpage.com, the single largest online source of sex trafficking has now been shut down by Federal law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, July 30 marks World Day against Trafficking in Persons. It is another opportunity to raise awareness and also redouble our efforts in the fight against traffickers and helping victims.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, let me first start off by saying that I have great respect for my colleagues, both Representative Emmer and Representative Nolan, and the rest of our delegation, Representative McCollum included.

This has been an ongoing debate.

I just want to make sure folks understand, know, and can appreciate-- and I know the gentleman is going to withdraw the amendment--that hundreds of thousands of people have been weighing in on this ongoing public process, and their comments should not be ignored. That is the bottom line. Nor should we be ignoring a science-based assessment of the best management practices that are important for one of Minnesota's and the country's national treasures.

We should be open to new types of mining in Minnesota, but only when those necessary environmental reviews are met.

I refer to the Boundary Waters as Minnesota's Yellowstone. There is a reason for that. It has a national perspective with hundreds of thousands of

Americans visiting it each and every year, whether it is canoeing or fishing. That is where some of my best memories in my life have taken place.

So I want to make sure--we owe it to ourselves and future generations--that we rely on science before undertaking any activity that would disrupt this fragile ecosystem.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time, and I want to thank my colleagues for their ongoing discussion on this issue.

Mr. Chair, once again my colleagues, Representatives Emmer and Nolan, are offering this amendment. And while I appreciate my friendship with my Minnesota colleagues, I once again oppose this amendment and rise in opposition.

Minnesota has a rich history of taconite mining that dates back generations. However, this amendment is not about taconite mining, it's about copper-nickel mining, which has never been done before in Minnesota and is being proposed within the watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which is one of America's most visited wilderness areas.

An environmental review is currently underway to study the viability of mining this close to the Boundary Water Canoe Area and this amendment would defund that review less than a year before its scheduled completion in 2019.

Hundreds of thousands of people, on both sides of the issue, have weighed in on this ongoing public process. Their comments should not be ignored. Nor should we be ignoring the science-based assessment of best management practices for one of Minnesota's national treasures.

We should be open to new types of mining in Minnesota, but only when the necessary environmental reviews are met.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is Minnesota's Yellowstone. Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit it on fishing and canoe trips annually. Some of the best memories of my life have taken place in the Boundary Waters.

We owe it to ourselves and future generations to rely on science before undertaking any activity that could potentially disrupt this fragile ecosystem. I oppose defunding the ongoing environmental review and ask others to vote against the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 346.

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, almost 820,000 Minnesotans live with arthritis every day. When you think about arthritis, you likely think of it affecting only folks in their older years. But many of those Minnesotans coping with arthritis are actually children.

Nationwide, 300,000 children suffer from juvenile arthritis, which makes it harder to do all the things that are essential to being a kid: Running, playing, enjoying the outdoors, and a chance to be themselves. Families with children coping with this condition face very unique challenges.

We have made a lot of progress, Mr. Speaker, in the fight against juvenile arthritis, but there is still a lot of work to be done. July is National Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, an opportunity to recognize, to refocus, and redouble our efforts to find a cure.

Mr. Speaker, last year, 16-year-old Julia Ruelle of Minnetonka, Minnesota, started having headaches and exhaustion. A sophomore at Minnetonka High School, she was diagnosed with a very rare brain tumor.

Julia grew up loving the outdoors, and as she began her treatment, she would often think about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area where her family vacationed for years.

Today, Julia is recovering and is back to outdoor physical activity. She recently won an essay contest on why the Boundary Waters are so important and why it matters to her--winning a prize of a parent-free weekend canoeing in the Boundary Waters wilderness.

Julia, looking strong and healthy, just visited my office last month to advocate for protecting the Boundary Waters. She is a brave girl, and she is a perfect example of what this national treasure means to Minnesota and what it means to our country.

I include in the Record a copy of her essay.

2018 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Essay Contest

(Winning Essay by Julia Ruelle, Minnetonka, Minn.)

It's the start of the school year: everyone is sullen for

being forced to sit still all day and teachers try in vain to

pull us out of our school-induced slumber with a myriad of

get-to-know-you activities. As I fill out yet another form

with questions I am tired of answering, I come to the

question asking me to list my favorite activities. I pause

for a moment, wondering which activities to include this

time: running, cross country skiing, downhill skiing,

sledding, ice skating, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding,

camping, gardening, walking, hiking, biking, hammocking, or

exploring. As a shortcut and

with a melancholy glance at the sun shining through the

window, I settle with writing, ``being outside''.

Though such get-to-know-you forms are rarely very honest,

one fact always holds true to me: I love being outside. In

the summer, a typical day usually starts with running with

the cross country team as the sun rises, paddling with a

friend in the afternoon, and an evening walk with Rio, our

faithful seven year old rescue dog, around a small lake of

the over 10,000 our state is known for. For the past 5 years,

Rio and my family have been lucky to have a change in scenery

to the beautiful, pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area

Wilderness for about four days each summer. These days are

when I feel most connected to my soul and surroundings and

most at home, with no social media or material concerns to

distract me from the purity of the air in my lungs, dirt

beneath my feet, and the sounds of birds, water, and all

things natural in my ears. My love for these lands has caused

me to be involved with the Campaign to Save the Boundary

Waters movement, regularly donating and wearing the logo on

shirts, stickers, and pins as frequently as possible. All my

classmates know of this passion of mine, as I take any

opportunity to educate my peers about the threat the proposed

Twin Metals mine poses to the pristine waters so unique to

the Boundary Waters and the many watersheds it affects.

Though Jerry Vandiver, a country singer with an album or

two about the Boundary Waters area, sings that ``winter is

for . . . pull[ing] out the map'' and ``plan[ning] a new

route'' while keeping close to the warmth of the fireplace,

to me, the snow and sub-zero temperatures of Minnesota

winters make venturing outside even more exciting! I joined

the cross country ski team last year and immediately

regretted not having tried it earlier. Skiing taught me to

love winter and pray for more snow, instead of begrudging it.

Though I grew up loving to ice skate at the park across the

street, learning to ski ignited a desire to be outside

everyday, even when the cold was biting.

Unfortunately, this winter has been a little different.

Around Thanksgiving, I started experiencing exhaustion,

headaches, and nausea at rates I had never before had to

withstand. As doctors didn't perceive any viruses to be

concerned about, we wrote it off as migraines and I continued

to participate in life as usual, going to school and ski

practices everyday. However, after trying to fight through it

for two weeks, I ended up in Urgent Care one night and

scheduled an appointment with my doctor three days later.

During those three days, I slept pretty much all day and

barely ate, thanks to debilitating headaches and nausea.

Arriving at the doctor's appointment, I threw up in the

waiting room and the nurses deemed my low body temperature

and slow heart rate alarming enough to rush me to the

emergency room in an ambulance. At the end of that day, they

still didn't have any answers as to what was causing it all.

However, the next day, my doctor suggested getting an MRI and

I squeezed into their last slot of the day. Halfway through

the MRI, my parents were rushed into a special room and my

doctors got in contact with the radiologist and a

neurologist. All in all, the verdict was that there was a

mass in my brain causing pressure build up, also known as

hydrocephalus. I required an endoscopic third

ventriculostomy, which is essentially a tube put into my head

to allow the fluids to flow, and a biopsy to find out what it

was. So there I was, getting brain surgery, which is

definitely not the curveball most expect during sophomore

year. The biopsy revealed that I had a rare brain tumor

called a germinoma, luckily with a high cure rate. Obviously,

this has changed my life completely and kept me from doing

most normal teen things. But, the worst part was not being

allowed to run, ski, skate, or do anything that had the

potential of making me fall until the surgeons deemed me

ready. Still, I made it my priority to be outside at least

once a day, usually taking short walks. Getting outside even

when I felt unable to do most other things has been a type of

therapy for me. Breathing fresh air and feeling the cold on

my face refreshed me and made me feel better, at least for a

little while, every time.

After six weeks of limited activity, the Friday I got the

OK to do any activity I wished began the best weekend since

the diagnosis. In the afternoon, I went snowshoeing on a

trail through the cattails. At night, I ice skated with

friends. The next morning, I cross country skied on a frozen

creek. On Sunday, I ran for the first time since the

diagnosis and though it was incredibly slow-paced, the

feeling of fighting through the burn and completing an entire

loop of my go-to trail can only be understood by those who

have experienced the phenomenon of a runner's high. Better

yet was the soreness that almost kept me from making it down

the stairs Monday morning. I had been sore many times due to

the chemotherapy, but this pain was something I had caused

myself by working hard and, in a weird way, made me very

proud of myself.

Reading the announcement of this essay contest in the paper

this Thursday, I could hardly withhold my excitement! I

danced around the house, imagining the essay I would write

and how much fun it would be to share my favorite place with

my friends. Though I am such a lover of the BWCA, most of my

friends have never experienced its hypnotic serenity and I've

always wanted to share it with them, but not wanted to have

to bring my parents along. This contest has the potential of

granting me this wish. In addition, I am lucky to have a

short treatment plan of chemotherapy and radiation that will

be wrapped up in early May with no physical restrictions.

This enables me to be perfectly ready for a summer trip to

the greatest place on Earth with my closest friends.

As I reviewed the details of the contest, I found something

additional that links me to this mission: Joseph [one of the

contest judges]. Hi! I read that you were diagnosed with

leukemia at 13 years old and I imagine you and I share many

similar experiences. Other than just the typical cancer

similarities, I wonder if you share the experience of growing

a little sick of your parents. I know, it might seem

impossible to them, but after being surrounded and worried

about almost exclusively by my parents for the last couple

months, I'm very ready to escape their concern for a little

while. Of course, I have always and will always love and

appreciate them for their constant love and support, but

distance makes the heart grow fonder, right? My desire to

spend a couple days deep in the wilderness, sharing unique

experiences with my closest friends, has increased greatly in

the last couple months.

As a long-time lover of the outdoors and the Boundary

Waters and a recent parent-escape hopeful, I would cherish

this opportunity to navigate the lakes and portages I'm so

fond of with my friends. I know my dreams will soon be filled

with mornings looking out over the water, long days of

paddling, dinners laughing beside the campfire, and nights

sleeping with only a tent between me and a sky full of stars.

I pray these dreams will be made a reality.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the Wayzata boys track team on winning the Minnesota State High School Championship. Wayzata edged out second place to win, their third now, State championship in the last 4 years.

The Trojans put on an impressive all-around performance, competing particularly well in long distance and relay events. It was a well- deserved win for a program that has now become increasingly dominant in recent years.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that success on the track takes dedication, hard work, commitment to training, and raw athletic talent. Wayzata's success is a testament to the skill of its young student athletes and the commitment of its coaches.

I want to congratulate the coaches, the entire team, the families, and the fans for winning the State high school championship.

Mr. Speaker, today is the 6-month anniversary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. And few would have thought that 6 months ago we would have seen such progress so fast because of tax reform, and the results are significant: bigger paychecks and employers giving workers pay raises; we have got faster economic growth; we have got 1 million new jobs that have now been created since the beginning of the year already; unemployment is at one of its lowest rates ever, under 4 percent; and we actually now, for the first time in history, have more job openings than jobseekers.

This is a good thing, with more business investment, record optimism among small businesses and manufacturers, and consumer confidence nearly at an all-time high.

Mr. Speaker, tax reform was just the shot in the arm that our economy needed to put Americans back to work and get our economy back on track.

Madam Speaker, the opioid crisis is an epidemic that is impacting every community across the country. It is a crisis that is getting worse and worse.

The chances are that everyone knows someone who has been personally affected--wrestling with addiction, providing support to a loved one in recovery, or simply offering comfort to a friend who may be dealing with loss.

For the second consecutive year, American life expectancy has actually declined. Opioid-related overdoses caused more than 33,000 deaths in 2015 and more than 40,000 in 2016.

It's no coincidence that most people are just prescribed opioids to manage their pain even though the government will also pay for hundreds of medical devices, physical therapy and non-opioid medications.

The fact is many people and providers simply aren't aware of other, equally effective therapies like medical devices, non-opioid medications and physical therapy. We need to change that.

That's why I authored the Medicare CHOICE Act with my colleague Representative Kind. It which is one of the bills in this package H.R. 5775, the PROPER Act.

The CHOICE Act will require Part D drug plans to inform seniors about other, non-addictive pain management therapies that Medicare covers so that when they get injured or have some other type of pain, they will be able to ask their doctor the right questions to make sure that they receive the most effective and least harmful pain management therapy.

Education is important and can be an effective tool for providers and can help make a difference in the fight against opioid addiction.

Representatives Black, O'Halleran and Crowley also have an initiative included in the PROPER Act package to educate seniors about ways they should safely dispose of unused opioids and how providers should take into account the whole patient when discussing pain. I thank them for their important work.

This package has strong bipartisan support and I want to thank my colleagues for working together to get these initiatives moving for action on the House floor.

It will make a difference in addressing an epidemic that continues to bring tragedy and sadness to so many families.

Madam Speaker, I am glad that we are taking action to educate seniors on their alternative pain management therapies, how they can safely get rid of unused opioids, and how providers should look at the whole patient when delivering advice for pain management.

Mr. Speaker, we know the opioid epidemic has, unfortunately, been tearing apart communities all across our entire country. I want to share a story in particular that is similar to the heartbreak and heartache we have heard from others today.

Keegan: Keegan Duffy was 30 years old when he died in January of last year after an accidental overdose. He had just received his master's degree, had a promising career in computer science, was an avid outdoorsman, and volunteered a lot of his time to helping the poor.

His addiction started like so many others. He was prescribed 120 pills after suffering chronic back pain. After that first pill, unfortunately, he was hooked. Despite almost a dozen attempts to break free of his addiction in rehabilitation, he could never really quite do it. Ultimately, he died of an overdose that came from fentanyl, a synthetic drug made in Asia, bought online, and smuggled into the United States.

Keegan's story was told to me personally by his mother. It was heartbreaking.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a very loving tribute to Keegan written by his mother and father, Dave and Jean Duffy.

Statement of Jean and Dave Duffy, Father of Keegan, June 14, 2018

Keegan was 30 years old when he passed away Jan 3, 2017 of

an accidental overdose of opioids. At the time of his death,

he was working as a successful computer professional, having

just graduated from Arizona State William Carey School of

Business with a Masters degree in Information Systems. He had

a natural talent for music and loved playing guitar.

He was an avid outdoorsman, golfer, boater, skier and

fisherman. He was also known for his huge heart, helping the

poor find resources, teaching people how to get back in

school, and giving free haircuts to homeless and needy.

Most of all he was a special son and brother to his parents

and two beautiful sisters. He is missed by all of us every

single day.

Keegan became addicted to Oxycodone after receiving 120

pills from a doctor for back pain, while an undergrad. He

said he was addicted after taking the very first pill. His

addiction became chronic progressive, despite his nearly

dozen attempts to get better in well known treatment

facilities, including 6 month stays.

Keegan often said, ``I can figure everything else out in

life, but I can't figure out how to end my cravings.''

Unfortunately, it's not something one can just figure out, as

we all know.

I called the drug task force and the police to report

several doctors, who were encouraging him to take massive

amounts of this drug as well as other highly addictive drugs.

For some of these doctors, this resulted in the loss of their

license to practice.

One of Keegan's sisters, Bridget, is in her final year of

Neuroscience in the U of Minnesota. She volunteers in homes

for addicts and also has a part time job supporting research

at the University, to find a vaccine to prevent opioid

addiction. She plans to continue her studies in medical

school.

Thank you so much for remembering Keegan.

Jean & Dave Duffy

Keegan's story is why this legislation is so important and how it will save other lives.

International mail is often a very easy route that we have seen used for smuggling or the importation of dangerous fentanyl here into the United States. While private carriers have to submit advance electronic data for any of their data about packages that come here into the United States, the Postal Service has been exempt.

So we have a loophole. That loophole is being exploited by smugglers, giving traffickers an easy opportunity to have fentanyl come into America. The STOP Act closes that loophole.

It is supported on a bipartisan basis. It will make it harder and much more difficult to smuggle in fentanyl-laced drugs that not only murdered Keegan but, unfortunately, have inflicted pain through tragic deaths in other countless families across our country and so that we can save other American lives, Mr. Speaker.

I thank Mr. Bishop and Mr. Pascrell for their leadership on this legislation. I look forward to seeing it passed later today, because we are finding solutions to the opioid epidemic.

Mr. Speaker, millions of Americans donate blood each year.

Every 2 seconds, someone in America needs blood, and one person's blood donation can save as many as three lives in a crisis. A single car accident victim could require as many as 100 pints of blood. But it can't be manufactured; it can only come from volunteer donors.

Blood donors help patients of all ages, whether they are burn victims, cancer patients, or transplant recipients. My friend and my colleague Steve Scalise needed as many as 20 pints of blood on the day that he was shot nearly a year ago.

In fact, he is hosting a blood drive this week, and I would encourage all those who have the opportunity to donate blood this week. He is doing it in honor of World Blood Donor Day on June 14.

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage all of those as well who are eligible to make an effort to donate blood to do so yourselves, because blood donors are lifesavers.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, in offering this amendment, let me just start by letting folks know that I am offering this with my colleague, Representative Ellison, who could not be with us today.

Back in 2015 there was a bipartisan coalition of Minnesota lawmakers working with the folks on the committee, acting to protect Minnesota's northern lakes and rivers from the spread of invasive species: specifically, Asian carp.

Asian carp have spread up the Mississippi River System compromising water quality and crowding out native fish and sensitive species. So Congress stepped in and decided to instruct the Army Corps of Engineers to close the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock to commercial navigation to help mitigate the threat of the northern migration of this invasive species.

With the upper lock closed, the Corps of Engineers undertook a disposition

study of the lock and dam facility, and a vision for a visitor and interpretive center at that site became a consensus goal of the committee. The city of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board passed resolutions supporting repurposing the lock.

My amendment would expedite this study and expand upon this work by authorizing a study looking into modifications to the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam to preserve and enhance recreation opportunities for the space, as well as preserve the health of the ecosystem and maintain portions of the lock and dam necessary to help maintain flood control.

Now, the upper lock, which is located in the heart of the Twin Cities, is at the only major waterfall on the entire length of the Mississippi River. It presents a very unique opportunity to transform the waterfront of the Twin Cities. It is within the St. Anthony Falls Historic District. It is culturally, historically, and recreationally significant to the city and to our State.

The Central Riverfront is a jewel of the State, and the Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Falls are two iconic Minnesota features. The public interest here cannot be overstated, Mr. Chairman. There are several adopted plans for the area as a result, by the city, by the park board, by the downtown council, local neighborhoods, and the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board. So, now, local governments have all come together, reflecting a readiness and a commitment to engage in this project. The upper lock disposition study should, therefore, move forward expeditiously.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, Subcommittee Chairman Graves, for working with me on this amendment. I also want to thank my colleague, Representative Ellison, who couldn't be with us.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank the chairman and my colleagues again for supporting the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, 5.7 million Americans cope with Alzheimer's every day. Every 65 seconds, another American contracts the disease. It is the sixth leading cause of death in our country, and two-thirds of its victim are women.

Alzheimer's is a very progressive disease where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years.

We don't yet have a cure for Alzheimer's, but we're helping provide the resources now to find that cure. The recent budget that we just passed includes a $414 million increase in funding for research into Alzheimer's, for a total of $1.8 billion.

I am also proud to be a cosponsor of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, a bipartisan bill which dedicates new resources to the fight against Alzheimer's, because it is time, Mr. Speaker, we put an end to a disease that is costing Americans $277 billion every year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the month of May as National Mental Health Awareness Month, an important time to share resources for individuals and families that cope with any number of mental health challenges, because about 1 in 5 Americans experience mental illness, and 1 in 25 struggle with a serious mental health condition.

Serious mental health illnesses are now costing Americans nearly $200 billion in lost earnings each year, and 16 million Americans have had at least one major depressive episode in the last year. That is why it is more important than ever to ensure that people and individuals who need help are able to get it.

The good news is that now individuals in need of help can call a 24- hour national help line, operated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, for a confidential conversation. Mr. Speaker, it may be the difference between life or death for someone who is in need

Mr. Speaker, cops, police, law enforcement--they are the men and women in uniform who display bravery and courage while protecting our citizens each and every day, and it is not without risk.

It is National Police Week, when officers and their families from around the country have traveled here to Washington to remember their loved ones and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. In Minnesota alone, there are 440 law enforcement agencies made up of 10,000 Minnesotans who put on their uniform every day, working diligently to protect our communities.

Every year, new names, unfortunately, are added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington. 129 officers were killed in 2017. Sadly, one of those whom we honor and remember is Officer Bill Matthews from Wayzata, Minnesota.

I thank our police and law enforcement, Mr. Speaker, for their service and providing that thin blue line for protecting and for serving.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize National Charter Schools Week.

Minnesota was a pioneer in the charter school movement, opening the Nation's very first charter school in St. Paul in the fall of 1992.

Charter schools are tuition-free, independent, public schools that are open and welcome to all students, no matter ability or need. They are governed and operated jointly by licensed teachers, parents, and community members.

Today, more than 56,000 Minnesota children are educated every day in charter schools, many of them from low-income families. A child's ZIP Code should not determine the outcome of their education.

As co-chair of the Charter School Caucus, I am pleased with the bipartisan work we have been able to do to strengthen charter schools and enable the replication of successful charter programs nationwide.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the great work being done in charter schools across the country and thank the teachers and community leaders who work so hard educating their children.