Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is time for the President to put politics aside and approve the Keystone pipeline. It has been nearly 6 years since the application for Keystone was submitted.

Recently, I had the opportunity to see the domestic energy production happening in the Bakken oilfields in North Dakota. The increased energy production in North Dakota has lessened our dependence on foreign oil, created good-paying jobs, and helped reduce the State's unemployment to the lowest in the country. Approving the Keystone pipeline would have the same effect, creating 42,000 construction jobs and as many as 118,000 spin-off jobs.

Mr. Speaker, news of the recent oil tanker derailments remind us of the increased pressure that our railways are under from shipping more oil. Keystone will absolutely help immediately ease this burden by moving 700,000 barrels a day through the pipeline.

The bottom line here is everyone is standing ready to move forward on this project. I urge my colleagues to continue their bipartisan support for approving the Keystone pipeline.

Mr. Speaker, we have all heard about the horrific and evil acts occurring in the country of Nigeria. Hundreds of young girls have been kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram and are currently being held in captivity.

What did these girls do that Boko Haram considered wrong? They simply were attending school.

As the father of four daughters, I can only imagine the anguish the families of these girls are experiencing as their loved ones are threatened to be sold into slavery. The international community cannot sit idly by while these atrocities occur.

I applaud the steps taken by the administration to send resources to the Nigerian Government to aid with the search, but more can still be done. The President needs to push for Boko Haram to be added to the United Nations Security Council's al Qaeda sanctions list to weaken their power in the region.

Mr. Speaker, whether domestically or internationally, we need to make sure that we remain vigilant against those that wish to harm and exploit young children.

I would like to thank both Chairman Kline for his leadership, along with Ranking Member Miller, and for their working together to bring this very important legislation to the floor today.

I also need to thank my colleague, Congressman Polis, with whom I cochair the Charter Schools Caucus, for his leadership and passion on education issues.

Mr. Chairman, we need to pass this legislation. This is an opportunity to work together because H.R. 10 will ensure that students' ZIP codes do not determine the quality of their education.

There are too many students across the country who are trapped in failing schools, with little hope of ever escaping. Parents want the best for their children, but many parents are often left with only two options: either an expensive private school or a failing public school. Thankfully, many more families now have this third option of a high- quality charter school.

Recently, I had the chance to visit Beacon Preparatory School in Bloomington, Minnesota, which is in my district. While there, I saw students who were thriving in their classes. I saw dedicated teachers. I saw challenging academics.

Charter schools are not tied down by a lot of bureaucratic red tape or by outdated traditions. In fact, charter schools are creating very new and innovative ways of learning that can help grab students' attention and make them more excited to learn.

Mr. Chairman, in too many States, that debate has sometimes been public schools versus charter schools, but it does not have to be that way. Public schools and charter schools can coexist to make the system better.

As Chairman Kline noted, in our home State of Minnesota, we were the pioneers for the charter school movement 22 years ago. It is an example of how this system can absolutely work, and we have a rich tradition of providing a world-class education to our students in both public schools and charter schools.

Charter schools are continuing to grow. In 2007, there were nearly 1.3 million students enrolled in charter schools around the country. As we debate this legislation today, there are 6,500 charter schools that are now enrolling 2.5 million students across the country, but here is the thing: there are 1 million students on waiting lists to enter into these charter schools.

The legislation before us today focuses on the expansion and replication of high-quality charter schools. It concentrates on charter school models that have had a proven record of success in order to raise the bar for everyone and to ensure that those who attend charter schools will receive the best education possible.

Mr. Chairman, this is an opportunity that we have today to show the American people we are committed at the Federal level in helping to produce the best educational opportunities for all students, so let's vote to make sure that a child's ZIP code does not determine the quality of his education.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank him for his leadership, as well as Chairman Hensarling and all the staff on the Financial Services Committee for bringing this legislation forward.

I also want to mention my partner in this effort, Congresswoman Kaptur, for her efforts in promoting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, President Teddy Roosevelt said:

There can be nothing in the world more beautiful than the

Yosemite, the groves of the giant sequoias and redwoods, the

canyon of the Colorado, the canyon of the Yellowstone, the

three Tetons; and our people should see to it that they are

preserved for their children and their children's children

forever, with their majestic beauty all unmarred.

His leadership and tireless advocacy for conservation led to the creation of the National Park Service and System back in 1916.

Today, the National Park Service comprises over 401 different areas, covering more than 84 million acres across America, including territories like in American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These areas include some of our most cherished monuments, battlefields, lakeshores, recreation areas, pristine rivers, and pristine falls.

Minnesota is host to five national parks who are visited by more than 650,000 visitors each and every year, contributing $34 million to our local economy. They span the entirety of the State, from the beautiful Voyageurs National Park up on the Canadian border, to the Mississippi River and Recreation Area, running through the heart of the Twin Cities.

Americans from all States, though, and all backgrounds have enjoyed the opportunity to visit these sites. In 2016, in just a few years, we will all come together to help celebrate the centennial, the 100th birthday of the National Park Service.

To commemorate this occasion, we have got bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will allow the Department of the Treasury to authorize the minting of a series of commemorative coins: a $5 coin, a silver dollar, and a clad half dollar. There is no cost to the taxpayer.

Over 300 authors in the House have signed on to the bill, bipartisan support in the Senate; and all the proceeds from this commemorative coin program go to the National Park Foundation, which is responsible for preserving and protecting all these resources under the stewardship of the National Park Service, and then promoting the public enjoyment and recreation and appreciation for those resources.

So more than 278 million people enjoy national parks each and every year, including my wife and my family, my four daughters. We frequently have the opportunity to visit and vacation in national parks. One of the very first summer jobs that I had was working at Yellowstone, some of the best memories of my life. My brother was a park ranger for many years at Glacier National Park.

So here we have a bill that commemorates not only the anniversary of our Park Service but also makes sure we have got dedicated funds that will have no taxpayer cost, no taxpayer impact in promoting these resources.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that our national parks are truly one of our greatest natural resources and crowned jewels, and they deserve being celebrated and preserved so that future generations can enjoy that beauty and history in our country. So passing this bill is just one important step to help us honor our country's very important heritage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Coon Rapids Lions Club for celebrating their 60th anniversary this year.

Since its inception, the Coon Rapids Lions Club has played an integral role in the community. Over the course of its history, more than 500 members have donated their time, money, and energy in supporting endeavors that benefit the local area and its residents. For instance, the Lions Club has helped youth in Coon Rapids by financially supporting school, scouting, athletic organizations, and by founding literacy programs that have provided over 110,000 books to students. They have also donated tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to local high school and college students.

In addition, the Coon Rapids Lioness Club will also be marking their 45th anniversary of service this year as well.

Mr. Speaker, the Coon Rapids Lions and Lioness clubs are proof of how civic groups can absolutely make a difference in their community and make our community a better place. Their service deserves our thanks and praise.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Let me just thank the chairman for his leadership not only on the Rules Committee but for leading the bipartisan free-trade caucus and leading that effort in knowing and understanding the value of trade and the value of exports.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue to Members. It is good to take time on the floor to talk about this because international trade, I will tell you, is a vital part of my economy, to Minnesota's Third Congressional District. The chairman just alluded to that. Statewide in Minnesota, global trade supports almost 750,000 jobs. That is a pretty big number. It is all about exports. It is about selling where 95 percent of the world's consumers are living outside of the United States. Despite our successful economic relationships with a lot of countries around the world--we have good agreements with Korea and Colombia and Panama--there is no doubt that a lot more can be done now. It really begins with passing this bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act, which will renew and update Trade Promotion Authority.

Why is that important?

It is important so we can make headway and get forward momentum on the TPP and the TTIP negotiations. This ensures that we will accomplish several very, very important goals as a part of increasing transparency in trade negotiations and of empowering Congress, of empowering ourselves. This is why there is bipartisan support. It will specifically direct the administration to pursue congressional prerogatives through congressionally mandated negotiating objectives. It will establish very robust consultation and access to information requirements before, during, and after the negotiations so that we have a very open and transparent process with all Members of Congress and the public. More importantly, it also preserves the congressional prerogatives that are there, giving Congress the ability to vote and giving Congress the final approval to any trade agreements through procedures and providing an up-or-down vote, which is really critical. Our trading partners are certainly looking for that authority to move forward.

I want to commend the chairman, who has had a role in that legislation, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, as well as in the Senate, with bipartisan support in making sure the administration will be negotiating a deal that covers the issues that are most important in today's economy. The reason it is important, Mr. Speaker and others, is that this is not simply about focusing on tariffs. We always know that trade negotiations and agreements focus on tariffs. This is about import quotas and other nontraditional barriers to trade because the regular, traditional barriers are no

longer enough. This is about finding 21st century solutions to streamline trade and end these nontariff barriers so we can interconnect regulations across our borders and reduce foreign regulatory barriers to our exports.

You have got the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which, of course, my colleague from South Dakota spoke so eloquently on, in which we have got 11 countries participating with emerging markets. Yet the area of negotiation that I am most interested in right now is TTIP, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, with our Atlantic friends. This is one of those opportunities, I think, as cochair of the TTIP Caucus, along with Congressmen Neal and Keating and Young, in which I want to make sure that the ongoing negotiations are going to move forward, because the transatlantic economy is our largest in the world. It is the most integrated in the world. It is 50 percent of the world's GDP. It is generating about $5 trillion in total commercial sales each year--30 percent of global trade. Mr. Speaker, those are big numbers as well, and we have known for years that a trade agreement between the United States and the European Union is the right thing to do.

I remember, back in the summer of 2012, I authored a bipartisan letter with 50 different Members of Congress bipartisanly supporting such an agreement. Then, last year, we had the launch of the Business Coalition for Transatlantic Trade. We had a chance to meet with our Ways and Means counterparts and introduce the resolution calling for swift action on TTIP. Then as I mentioned, earlier this month, we launched that TTIP Caucus, which is the chance to move forward, I think, significantly. I will tell you what it means to Minnesota: $4.5 billion in Minnesota goods are purchased by European countries right now; 42,200 Minnesota jobs are supported by European investment annually; if we pass TTIP, it is estimated that another 3,000 jobs are going to come on hand. This is about higher wages and a healthier economy, and that direct investment is absolutely going to be helping us right here at home.

These TTIP negotiations present a huge opportunity to tackle these nontariff barriers, as I mentioned earlier, such as regulations that will needlessly impact and increase the cost of trade between the U.S. and Europe right now. Yet everyone knows getting to this agreement is not going to be easy. There are some real differences between our economies and our continents, such as the way we approach regulation, but all indications are, it seems--and I think the chairman would agree--that the negotiators are moving full speed ahead. They want to continue to make progress towards a final agreement. The next round of negotiations is actually set to take place this next month, but we can't get there unless we pass the TPA.

Passing this Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act is going to make sure we are protecting intellectual property and that we are setting high standards. Other countries around the world are going to be forced to look at what the United States and the EU are doing, and then we can make sure that the bad actors are following our lead by setting those high standards.

So, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Chairman, I just want to commend you for hosting the time today, and I want to thank the chairman again for the opportunity to discuss trade and the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act as well as the importance of trade to both of our States and to the entire country. I know it is important to Minnesota and to my economy back home.

Absolutely. I think you just pretty much laid it out. That is the way we do see this working. This is a win-win for the opportunities for our companies to engage in a healthier economy and to employ more people, but also for consumers to benefit on the other side.

I mean, I know that, without a doubt, South Korea, Panama, and Colombia were significant trade agreements and that they had been languishing on the sidelines for a long period of time, but with bipartisan support, we were able to pass them all. Now we have got a chance to show and prove that America is back on the playing field. We know the benefits of trade. I know, when I had a chance to visit South Korea, they spoke about the Costco in South Korea and about their interest in selling American goods and how that was the number one Costco in the world, essentially, after the free trade agreement because they want to buy American. This is about exporting. It creates more jobs at home; it keeps the innovation here at home; and it sells where the customers are.

We can't get to these agreements, though, unless we get this Trade Promotion Authority, which makes sure every Member of Congress is going to have a hand in seeing the negotiations process forward to the tune where we have not had that type of involvement among individual Members of Congress in the past. This is very important, I think, for Congress to exercise its congressional prerogative and, at the same time, to work in partnership with the administration in moving some very important initiatives forward.

Yes.

I should just mention here that the first trade agreement that really dealt with the opportunity to negotiate on medical devices specifically was the Korea free trade agreement, which recently passed. Medical devices is kind of near and dear to my heart because it is so prevalent in Minnesota. We have one of the strongest ecosystems in the medical device community in the country--in fact, in the world. These are high- valued manufactured products that are improving lives, that are saving lives, and there is a regulatory scheme that is often surrounding it, of course, making sure these devices are approved before they move forward.

We have the opportunity, I think, now, Mr. Chairman, with some of these trade agreements that are moving forward to not only negotiate the tariffs--making sure that these manufactured products are going to be available to others around the world and also lowering costs for our consumers--but also to know that the regulatory environment can be set up in a way that, if we have oversight committees--for instance, in the EU and in the United States and if we have got a device that is on track to be approved, say, by the FDA in the United States--we can make sure that, if our oversight committees agree on the other side of the continent, on the other side of the Atlantic, that they can sign off on it. So

you save a tremendous amount of time in moving forward and in having those goods be available pretty quickly to a lot of consumers around the world, which is going to help, again, the economy; it is going to grow jobs; and it is going to help patient care around the world. That is one area in particular that Minnesota will and has benefited.

This is an area, I think, in which the United States really stands out and shines. If anything, we are known for our innovation. It is really part of our DNA in terms of having a patent system that protects intellectual property, the rule of law. There are many other countries around the world that don't have those same standards, and that is where the benefit of trade agreements can help bring in high-standard agreements. It is so that other countries can be forced to follow these agreements.

Intellectual property protects the ideas. That protects the innovation. That protects the invention and the dreamers who are coming up with all of these ideas, and that is critical. There are some countries that are lagging behind. We have had frustrations, I know recently, with China by which they have targeted U.S. information technology. They have targeted renewable energy, and they have targeted biopharmaceuticals and other products for the express purpose of creating local production opportunities for Indian companies, for instance, and that is a violation of intellectual property in many respects.

Having these trade negotiations is going to ensure that we can keep that conversation moving forward and having those high standards. It is going to protect our jobs here at home for the dreamers, the thinkers, and the folks who create and innovate these new ideas and these new products.

And so, when you have unfair and you have harmful practices that are happening in other countries--maybe it is India, maybe it is China-- that is ultimately going to damage the long-term health of the economic health of both of our economies when we are having that type of a situation.

Well, Mr. Chairman, I think what you are alluding to is that fact that America can compete and win at any level if we are on a level playing field. If the rules are even, if the rules of the game are set the same, Americans can compete and win. That is, again, going to help improve our economy, help grow jobs here at home.

In terms of American exceptionalism, there is no doubt that, when you have got a free flow of goods going across borders, it is going to help our foreign policy, it is going to help us lead from a position of strength. There is someone who famously said at one time:

If goods are not crossing borders, guns will.

Having that trade connection is very, very important. It helps us have diplomatic conversations. It helps us, as America, lead the rest of the world, showing that we are strong, we are leading out front.

Again, if you have two pretty significant trade agreement opportunities being negotiated right now, coming close to conclusion, I think we can wrap those up within the year, if we pass Trade Promotion Authority, both in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and with the TTIP negotiations going on in Europe; and that will cover, by and large, two-thirds of the economy in the world, and all the other countries will follow our lead.

This is a huge opportunity, as the chairman knows, for our companies and our economy back home.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chair, I want to just speak for a few minutes in favor of the Republican budget resolution. This is a budget resolution that stands in stark contrast today compared to what the President has offered in his budget.

It is a budget that balances. It is a budget that is responsible. It is a budget that is thoughtful. It addresses the spending side of the ledger to be more fiscally responsible, and it also includes, Mr. Chair, a roadmap for progrowth tax reform to create a healthier economy.

Yes, we need to spend less, but our national debt and our budget imbalance have grown so big that we can't fix them alone by simply addressing spending. We have also got to grow our economy and put people back to work to bring in more revenue.

We are suffering from a growth gap. Normally, the economy doubles every 20 years; but because of excessive Washington spending, budget deficits,

high debt, these onerous regulations that come out of Washington, and higher taxes, the economy is now set to double every 30 years; so we have literally added 10 years onto our growth cycle.

What does that mean? The growth gap means this, Mr. Chair: it means, for disposable income, since the end of the recession nearly 5 years ago, every man, woman, and child has been robbed of almost $3,200 every year.

It means that a family of four has been robbed of about $13,000. That is an additional average of aftertax income and disposable income. That is real money to a family. What could you do with $13,000?

Our economy is performing way below average. We can do a lot better than performing below average. This budget expands opportunities for American workers by equipping them with the skills that they need to succeed in a 21st century economy.

It lays a path to reform a broken Tax Code by simplifying and lowering tax rates, by eliminating special interest loopholes, and by moving us to an internationally competitive tax system, so that U.S. employers can compete fairly in a global economy.

We need commonsense tax reform to keep American businesses headquartered here in the U.S., so that we can sell to customers overseas, bring the earnings back, keep our headquarter companies here, keep the innovation here, and keep the jobs here.

This budget also cuts cronyism, corporate welfare, and waste. It ends the Dodd-Frank bailouts of big banks. It eliminates billions in corporate welfare, and very importantly, it protects and strengthens important programs that our seniors rely on and ensures that these programs will be there for future generations.

It is time to stop spending money that we don't have. We can no longer borrow 40 cents of every dollar that we spend.

Finally, Mr. Chair, this budget not only balances by growing our economy and making government more efficient, it also puts the country back on a path to actually paying down the national debt because the longer we wait to address the drivers of our debt, the harder our choices will be later.

This is a budget proposal and a blueprint that puts the country back on track for a balanced and responsible path. I would ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the passage of the Republican budget.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Wayzata High School's Boy's Swimming and Diving team who recently won the Minnesota Class 2A state title. The Trojans were able to secure the school's first championship with a balanced effort in the finals. Led by a first place performance from Greg Arnold in the 100 freestyle, Wayzata was able to secure the title before the last race even began.

Coach Dave Plummer, in his first season as head coach, pointed to the full team effort necessary to qualify in the preliminary races. Six top-four finishes in the finals also helped put the Trojans over the top.

The dedication it takes to excel in swimming and diving is to be commended. It means that these athletes push themselves every day to shave hundredths of a second off their personal best or repeat dive after dive until it's perfect. When adding in schoolwork, family obligations, and other time commitments, it is remarkable these student-athletes accomplish all that they do.

Once again, congratulations to the Wayzata High School Boy's Swimming and Diving Team on a job well done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Park Center Girls' Basketball team for winning the Minnesota State High School Championship, the first title for any sport in their school's history. While any championship season is going to have its trials and tribulations along the way, many do not include the obstacles that Park Center had to overcome in their championship game.

The triple overtime victory for the Pirates did not come easy. Park Center came back from a nine point deficit and relied on a Danielle Schaub buzzer-beater to tie the game up at the end of regulation. At the end of the game, because of foul trouble, Park Center did not have a player older than a sophomore on the floor.

The perseverance and competitive spirit that the Pirates showed is commendable. Winning a state title does not just happen; it takes years of dedication and hard work to reach that goal. When adding in schoolwork, family obligations, and other time constraints, it is remarkable these student-athletes accomplish all that they do.

Congratulations to the Park Center Girls' Basketball team on their first state title.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, it has been said before, the more we learn about the President's health care law, the more the facts show it is hurting more people than it is helping. The latest development now is the law's 30- hour rule is forcing some companies to scale back hours with more part- time jobs and less full-time jobs, so that those employees that have good full-time jobs are now having to go to part-time jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I met with a small business owner. He owns seven different restaurants. And I know that a lot of folks think that people in the restaurant industry, they only employ part-time workers, but 41 percent of his workers he employs full-time. But because of the new law, where now 30 hours is the standard being considered full-time work, he is being forced to lower the work hours for those employees, nearly all of them, to 29 hours or less. That absolutely makes no sense. These reduced hours are now going to force a 25 percent reduction in pay for those workers. Many will now have to go out and find a second part-time job just to make up for the hours that they lost.

Another small business owner I talked to from Minnesota, he was imploring me when he contacted me: please, Congress needs to correct the 30-hour rule so that it reflects his workforce's needs and his employees' desire to have more flexible hours. He said, if it's not addressed by Congress soon, there will be disruptions in the workforce, and the flexible work options for his employees could disappear altogether.

The 30-hour work rule is negatively impacting restaurateurs, manufacturers, and even our schools, as was mentioned earlier, Mr. Speaker. We should be removing these barriers to work. We should not punish employees who want to work more, and we should be helping American workers.

So let's pass this legislation. It will restore some common sense and a common understanding in America that full-time work is 40 hours. It will pass with bipartisan support.

I commend the gentleman for his leadership on this issue for getting Americans back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on an issue that affects hundreds of thousands of seniors in Minnesota.

Over half of the medical-eligible seniors in my district have chosen now to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans to meet their health care needs. The Medicare Advantage program has been a resounding success by providing better quality care with more options. However, the proposed cuts to the program, if enacted, will now mean that seniors in Minnesota could see their premiums increase by nearly $1,000 annually. On top of that, seniors will face a loss of benefits and less choice.

Mr. Speaker, we need to take steps to strengthen our Medicare system and ensure it stays solvent for generations to come, and these proposed cuts are not the answer. By encouraging more health care coordination, creating better incentives for providers, and using new technologies, we can lower costs while providing more improved care. These are areas where we can find bipartisan agreement to make progress and make sure that our seniors are protected from these devastating cuts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a truly remarkable woman and my guest at this year's State of the Union address, Vednita Carter.

Vednita was recently recognized as a 2014 CNN Hero for her work combating sex trafficking and is truly deserving of this recognition. Her organization, Breaking Free, provides food, clothing, and support for women who are victims of sex trafficking to help them escape from their tragic situations. Breaking Free has helped over 6,000 women leave sex slavery.

Studies have shown, Mr. Speaker, that women who are trafficked often come from difficult home situations and are vulnerable to exploitation. For many of these victims, Vednita is the first person to reach out and try to help them.

With over 100,000 children estimated to be involved in the sex trade in the United States, Vednita's efforts should serve as a guide to how we can combat this trafficking problem on a wider scale.

Congratulations, Vednita Carter, and thank you for positively impacting so many exploited women's lives and for inspiring so many others.

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, I had the opportunity to celebrate the cold winter in Minnesota by getting together with hundreds of others and jumping through a hole in the ice and into a freezing lake.

Now, while some may think that many Minnesotans consider this normal recreational activity in the winter, it actually was to raise money for a very worthwhile cause.

The Polar Plunge, which takes place throughout Minnesota and other areas of the country all winter long, raises millions of dollars for the Special Olympics programs. This important funding allows more than 7,200 Special Olympics athletes in Minnesota to grow and thrive through a variety of competitions.

I want to thank our State's law enforcement for organizing the plunges, Channel 9's Ian Leonard for giving his selfless time and energy to support this cause and events, to all those who pledged their support for the participants, and of course, those who are crazy enough to jump in the middle of the winter through a hole in the ice.

Mr. Speaker, I want to offer and congratulate the support for the Special Olympics, an organization that is truly life-changing for its participants and their families.

Mr. Speaker, the more we learn about the President's healthcare law, the more the facts show it's hurting more than it's helping.

The President said premiums would go down by two thousand dollars, but instead his chief actuary finally admitted that premiums will go up for two-thirds of Americans working for small businesses.

While the administration continues to provide delay after delay, admitting that the law is unworkable, they continue to let the individual mandate take effect. Millions of people will be hit with a mandate and new financial penalties, while losing the coverage they like, not being able to see the doctors they want, and facing higher premiums and out of pocket costs. Why is the administration willing to give big businesses a delay but not do anything to help hardworking Americans? Today, we have an opportunity to also delay the individual mandate in order to protect all Americans.

Minnesotans needed genuine healthcare reform before President Obama signed his healthcare law--and they still do now. It's time to act and spare the American people of Obamacare's costly and burdensome mandates and enact true, bipartisan healthcare reform that improves quality, increases choice, and reduces costs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the Edina High School hockey team for becoming repeat State champions.

This weekend, the Edina Hornets won the State high school hockey championship when they cruised to an 8-2 victory in the tournament finals against the tough Lakeville North squad. The Curt Giles-coached team became the very first AA high school hockey team to win back-to- back State championships in 20 years.

Led by senior captain and Minnesota Mr. Hockey finalist Tyler Nanne, the Hornets rolled through the three-game State tournament winning by a combined score of 17-4.

It is certainly a testament to the hard work of these young men that they spend countless hours on the ice honing their craft while still balancing their schoolwork, family time, and other endeavors. Becoming State champs does not happen overnight but through years of dedication.

Mr. Speaker, the teachers, the parents, the students, and the entire school district are tremendously proud of these young student athletes.

Congratulations again to the high school hockey champions in Edina.