Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 104 I was detained while meeting with a constituent. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Peace Corps Week and congratulate the Peace Corps for celebrating its 53rd anniversary this Saturday. The Peace Corps is doing great work around the world with 7,200 volunteers and trainees working on projects in 65 countries. Their work reaches every corner of the world.

However, none of this could be accomplished without the great volunteers. These volunteers come from all around our country, but from my home State in Minnesota and my district, we have got a pretty good track record of producing members. In fact, there are currently over 200 different Minnesotans volunteering in the Peace Corps, and 30 of those volunteers come from the Third District.

Last year, our State ranked seventh in producing these volunteers for the Peace Corps, and my district was actually one of the highest performing in the country.

Mr. Speaker, recently I had the chance to welcome, and also join, Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet to come to Minnesota to participate in a recruiting event. I can tell you that after 53 years, the desire to volunteer for the Peace Corps is as strong as ever.

I would like to commend all the Peace Crops volunteers, both past and present, for their service.

Mr. Speaker, this week, on February 28, we recognize Rare Disease Day, which gives us a chance to raise awareness of the rare diseases affecting our communities.

In the United States, there are 7,000 rare diseases affecting nearly 30 million Americans. One disease I would like to raise awareness about today is pulmonary fibrosis, which affects individuals' lungs and their ability to breathe.

Pulmonary fibrosis kills 40,000 Americans each and every year, the same number of annual deaths as from breast cancer. There is still no known cure, no known cause, and no FDA-approved treatment.

Earlier this year, Mr. Speaker, Senator Coons and I led a bipartisan letter, with 41 other Members of Congress, asking the National Institutes of Health to review their funding levels for rare diseases like pulmonary fibrosis. This letter shows that Members on both sides of the aisle want to see more progress in fighting back against these rare diseases.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues and constituents to remember our fellow Americans suffering from rare diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis.

Mr. Speaker, as millions of Americans turn their attention to Sochi for the Winter Olympics, we cannot overlook Russia's continued ban on intercountry adoption.

Every day, families across America eagerly await news that the Russians' ban on allowing American families to adopt Russian children has finally ended. Some families have decided to look at other places to adopt, but many are still committed to completing their adoptions. Families like the Thomases, from Minnetrista, Minnesota, have not given up hope in adopting their second child from Russia. In 2008, they completed an adoption for their son Jack. After a successful transition, they have now begun the process of adopting Jack's younger brother, Nikolai. Unfortunately, Russia's adoption ban has squashed any hopes of completing that adoption.

Mr. Speaker, every child, no matter where he is born, should have the opportunity to grow up in a loving family. I urge my colleagues to continue fighting to end the Russian adoption ban and to let our families bring home their children.

Mr. Speaker, 4 years ago, the American people were told that the President's new health care law would create 4 million new jobs. Well, it turns out supporters of the law were only off by 6 million, because yesterday the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office revealed that over 2 million jobs will actually be lost under ObamaCare.

One problem is the law drastically changes the definition of full- time work to 30 hours per week. Because of this so-called ``30-hour rule,'' millions of Americans working in education, small business, hospitality, retail, food service, and public safety are now having their hours and their wages cut by up to 25 percent. And this comes at a time when there are already 7.8 million Americans working part-time who want full-time work.

America's workers deserve better, and, thankfully, there is bipartisan support for the Save American Workers Act to restore a common understanding in America that full-time work is 40 hours. The bill passed the Ways and Means Committee and is headed for the floor.

Mr. Speaker, let's have some common sense and eliminate this onerous mandate so we can get people back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate two Wayzata High School National Science Bowl teams for winning first and second place at the 2014 regional competition. These teams of dedicated students competed against dozens of neighboring high schools for a chance to represent Minnesota at the Department of Energy's National Science Bowl.

More than 225,000 students, Mr. Speaker, participated in the National Science Bowl since it first was established in 1991. The top 16 high school teams in the national finals will win $1,000 for their schools' science departments.

The winning team of Amanda, Joseph, Jayant, William, Orien, and Nathan will now head to Washington, D.C., in April to compete against other high school teams from across the country in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, and math.

I want to congratulate all of the teams in Minnesota and encourage everyone to keep up the great work studying science and math.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I along with Peter Welch, my colleague, and Senators Wyden and Isakson introduced the Better Care, Lower Cost Act, bipartisan legislation to truly bend the cost curve and improve chronic care management in Medicare.

Medicare today, Mr. Speaker, is very different than it was in 1965, as 68 percent of all beneficiaries have two or more chronic conditions, which account now for 93 percent of all Medicare costs.

Our legislation will help seniors like Darlene from my district, who suffers from multiple chronic conditions, including arthritis and diabetes. The complexity involved with gaining input from her many doctors and nurses makes it very difficult for her to manage her own health. This is a difficulty that many seniors typically face today.

But by modernizing the Medicare payment system--paying for results, not just activity; incentivizing people to take care of themselves; and removing the barriers to innovation--we can ensure that seniors get the right care at the right time.

We can also take advantage of health care technology, like telehealth. We can break down the barriers, the geographic barriers, to bring chronic care management skills and experience of institutions like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to light.

Mr. Speaker, we can create a better system, and this bipartisan group shows that it can be done with a little cooperation and collaboration.

Mr. Speaker, it was over 150 years ago, on a battlefield near a small town in Pennsylvania, that President Abraham Lincoln gave what many would argue was one of the most prolific and inspiring speeches in history. His Gettysburg Address may not have been long, but his words lifted a Nation and shone an everlasting light on the immense sacrifice and patriotism displayed on that battlefield only a few months earlier.

Lincoln's words and, to a larger extent, the actions of the brave soldiers who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg must never be forgotten. Today the House will pass legislation to give the National Park Service the authority to incorporate the Gettysburg Train Station into the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation's national parks, including Gettysburg, are some of our greatest treasures. It is imperative that we continue working to ensure that future generations of Americans can visit the history, the scenery, the vistas, and the landmarks of our Nation's national parks.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Eden Prairie Wrestling Coach Scot Davis on his 1,000th coaching victory as his Eagles squad defeated Columbia Heights by a score of 58-17 last month at Eden Prairie High School. Davis' 1,000th victory gives him the most wins of any high school wrestling coach in the United States.

While this is Davis' first year coaching at Eden Prairie, he has coached 35 different seasons of prep wrestling, including 20 years at Owatonna High School, where he coached two state championship teams.

With a group of his friends attending the match at Eden Prairie, he admitted to feeling a little bit more pressure than usual, but the Eden Prairie team easily delivered the milestone victory. While Coach Davis said he never set a specific goal for victories, he did say that reaching the 1,000th victory was a special accomplishment.

So again, congratulations to Coach Davis for accomplishing this impressive feat, and also, thank you for continuing to dedicate yourself to helping student athletes with your time and your talent.

Mr. Speaker, January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It is a perfect time to highlight the terrible reality of sex trafficking that is happening in our communities. It is also an opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to take steps to combat this growing problem that now puts 300,000 children at risk in the United States--many of whom are 12- and 14-year-old girls.

I'm authoring several bipartisan bills to address sex trafficking. One gives law enforcement additional tools to turn the tide against sex trafficking and help the victims of these horrific crimes receive the support they need

and deserve. That's what these young girls are: victims. The second bill improves data systems that track missing children because better information will help us find better solutions.

Mr. Speaker, it's time to end sex trafficking, and there's bipartisan support for action.

Mr. Speaker, recently, the D.C. Circuit Court ruled in favor of America's energy ratepayers.

For more than 30 years, the Department of Energy has assessed a special tax and a special assessment on my constituents and the residents of 40 other States around the country who receive their electricity from nuclear power. Minnesotans have paid over $400 million alone. The stated reason for this tax: to pay for the disposal of used fuels generated from nuclear energy. To date, the total amount collected is more than $24 billion, but little of that money has even been spent.

Since 1987, the law of the land remains that Yucca Mountain is the site for geological storage of nuclear spent fuel. Unfortunately for ratepayers, partisanship and bickering in Washington have nearly halted the program from moving forward. In classic Washington fashion, even with all of this inaction, the tax has continued to be assessed and the moneys have continued to be collected.

Fortunately, this court action will bring an end to this, but just for now. I have long been an advocate of stopping these payments. The government is not doing what it promised to do with used fuel; yet millions of ratepayers are still being forced to foot the bill. Minnesotans and Americans should not be taxed for a service that the government is not providing.

Mr. Speaker, we should be expanding the development of nuclear energy. It is safe, it is clean, and it is renewable. Storing these used fuels is a critical piece of that effort, and we need a permanent solution, whether it is at Yucca Mountain or somewhere else.

It is reasonable and fair that if the administration is going to continue to drag its feet on a permanent storage site, as they have for several years now, then ratepayers and taxpayers should not be forced to fund inaction.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the court's decision to protect Minnesota ratepayers and stopping these payments. In addition, it is time to get serious about the future of nuclear energy and moving forward with safe and proper storage facilities for the waste.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Eden Prairie Eagles for winning this year's Minnesota High School Football Championship.

It was a three-peat, Mr. Speaker. With this weekend's victory, the Eagles solidified a State record ninth school championship and became the first large enrollment school to win three consecutive titles.

Going undefeated the entire season, the road to the State title was nothing short of excellence, and the Eagles' victory was earned through unwavering hard work.

Mr. Speaker, the members of this year's team exemplify what it means to be student athletes, and they have shown incredible determination, character, and teamwork. It is no wonder that nearly 20,000 Minnesotans came out to watch the championship game.

Congratulations to the entire team, including Coach and Eden Prairie High School Athletic Director Mike Grant. This year's success is a tribute to their high level of commitment, one that I am sure they will continue to display not only on the field, but in all aspects of their years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Minnetonka High School Girls Soccer Team. The talented group of young ladies demonstrated extreme passion, intensity, and dedication to their school in a hard-fought effort to win this year's Girls State High School Championship.

The team had a phenomenal season, finishing with a record of 17-2-2. Four of their players, Maggie Crist, Ellen Mau, Elizabeth

Endy, and Alli Bakken were selected for the all-tournament team. The Skippers allowed only two goals throughout the playoffs and shutout Lakeville North in the championship final. The only goal of the game was scored in the 56th minute by junior forward Ellen Mau, solidifying the championship for the Skippers. Showing true sportsmanship, Mau later stated, ``We are proud of ourselves for getting one past that defense because we know how tough they are. It's also exciting we could get this result against an equally as good of a team.''

The ladies of this team exemplified hard work, sportsmanship, and dedication the entire season and portray what it means to be a student athlete. I would also like to commend the coaches for leading their team to the Skipper's first championship since 2001.

Finally, a special congratulation goes out to senior Elizabeth Endy for being named Girls' Soccer Metro Player of the Year and Minnesota Ms. Soccer.

Mr. Speaker, the Minnetonka Girls Soccer Team displayed a positive standard for all of their classmates and the community. It's an honor to be able to represent, and recognize, such all-star athletes. To the entire team, coaching staff, and school: congratulations and go Skippers!

Mr. Speaker, during the month of November, we celebrate and promote the wonderful and selfless commitment to adoption, as it is National Adoption Month.

Last year, American parents proudly adopted over 135,000 children at birth, in foster homes, and from overseas. However, I would like to bring special attention to the many American families that are no longer permitted to adopt children from places such as Guatemala and Russia.

I have signed on to two separate letters with bipartisan support from Members of both the House and the Senate to urge the Guatemalan and the Russian Governments to once again resume intercountry adoption cases for American families.

Mr. Speaker, every child deserves to grow up in a loving family. We should not be limited by the country they are born into. Let's refresh our commitment to creating more effective strategies and opportunities to work towards a day when every child has an opportunity to be in a safe and loving home.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong concern about the increasingly discriminatory trade and investment environment in India.

The United States and India share a very important trade and security relationship. But our trading relationship is being threatened by an alarming array of discriminatory and internationally inconsistent actions and decisions recently. This is particularly the case in the area of intellectual property.

Intellectual property is the engine that drives the U.S. economy. The attacks on our IP not only harm U.S. job creation and competitiveness, but also chip away at the overall global IP framework that is essential to the innovation of new medicines. Since 2012, India has inappropriately revoked or denied patents on at least 14 lifesaving and life-enhancing drugs. These decisions harm the R&D system, hurting patients and their families who rely on the development of new cures and treatments.

That is why earlier this year Representative John Larson and myself were joined by 170 other Members of this body in urging the administration to raise these issues at the highest level of discussions with the Indian government. It is critical that we send a strong message to our trading partners that we will not sit idly by while India blatantly undermines intellectual property rights and discriminates against our businesses.