Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, millions of Americans are losing their health care plans, their doctors, and their confidence in the President's new health care law. The simple truth is the facts show the law is hurting more people than it is helping. Although the President committed many times that no one would lose their original health care coverage, millions have.

One of my constituents, Ron from Champlin, has had his health care plan for 21 years. He likes his health plan. It works for him. But Ron, like thousands of other Minnesotans, received a cancelation notice. Another constituent emailed me this morning, saying that his family health care plan was renewed, but the costs were going up $5,400 this year. And unfortunately, I have heard stories like these from many others in my community.

Mr. Speaker, if you like your health insurance plan, you ought to be able to keep it, and no one should be forced to buy health insurance that isn't right for them or for their families' needs. I will continue to work with all of those that are willing to sit down at the table to have a responsible solution and a real solution to our health care challenges.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Edina High School Girls Tennis Team. Once again, this talented group of young ladies demonstrated extreme passion, intensity, and dedication in winning their 17th consecutive AA State Tennis Tournament this year.

The motivation and athletic commitment that the girls on Edina's Tennis Team showed throughout this season was outstanding. Together, the ladies of this team have truly exemplified what it means to be student athletes. I would like to commend coaches Steve Paulsen and Perry Forster for leading this team, and Edina's previous tennis teams as well, to this very honorable position.

A special congratulation also goes out to junior Caitlyn Merzbacher for placing first in singles for the State Tennis Tournament.

Mr. Speaker, the Edina Girls Tennis Team displayed a positive standard for all of their classmates and for our entire community. It is an honor to be able to represent and recognize such wonderful and outstanding student athletes, and I offer them congratulations.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and bring attention to the recent candlelight vigil held in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, honoring the 38 deaths from domestic violence this year.

The vigil, which was organized as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month by the local domestic abuse prevention nonprofit, Cornerstone, was held at Purgatory Creek Park earlier this month. There was an incredible showing of support by members of our community and local police departments and law enforcement for those that are affected by domestic violence.

Madam Speaker, this is an issue which affects families and communities all across our country, and we must do more to put an end to these horrible acts.

Earlier this year, I was proud to author a provision in the Violence Against Women Act to assist domestic abuse victims in locating safe housing, which is a critical step on the path to recovery, but more work needs to be done to bring attention and an end to domestic violence in our neighborhoods.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Minnesota for organizing this delegation, along with Congressman Kline, who has joined us as well, and acknowledge the passing and remember a wonderful servant from Minnesota, Congressman and U.S. Senator Rod Grams, who lost a very courageous battle to cancer recently. He passed away peacefully with his wife, Christine, by his side.

I actually got to know Rod Grams first. Our families went to church together. I was just a young student, but I always remembered Rod Grams not only as a successful small businessman, but someone who was a famous anchorman on Channel 9 KMSP. That is where he got his start in politics. He left the news and actually ran for Congress back in 1992 and then the United States Senate in 1994.

The one thing I will always remember about Rod Grams is that he always maintained his small-town, rural Minnesota values. He embodied those values. He shared those values. He always lived them to the fullest, and we remember his service to our State.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that the medical technology industry is one of America's leading manufacturing industries and has huge potential to continue being a vehicle for creating jobs.

This American success story employs more than 400,000 workers, pays salaries 40 percent higher than the average national wage, is one of our country's few industries that actually exports more than it imports; and it is an industry that is fueled by innovation and is made up of mostly small businesses. Eighty percent of these businesses have less than 50 employees; 98 percent of them have less than 500. Most importantly, however, this is an industry that saves and improves lives for patients.

Medical devices helped slash the death rate from heart disease by a stunning 50 percent and cut the death rate from stroke by 30 percent. But, Mr. Speaker, last January, a new $30 billion medical device tax was enacted as a part of ObamaCare. It's not a tax on profit; it's a tax on revenue. It's a tax on sales.

Nobody can explain why this industry was singled out, other than tens of billions of dollars needed to be brought in to pay for an over- trillion-dollar law. But you know what, the effects have been devastating--10,000 job losses across the country have been announced; companies are moving their operations overseas. And once these jobs move overseas, they don't just come back.

Countless small, privately held companies, they've cut jobs and investment in research and development to deal with this onerous policy; and research and development is the very lifeblood of this industry.

I have a letter, Mr. Speaker, from 975 organizations in support of repealing the device tax. The signers include the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, numerous doctors and physicians and health care groups, and others who are directly impacted by the tax. I will include it in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, we know this tax is bad policy. We know there is support in this Chamber and in the Senate to repeal this tax. Last year, the House passed my repeal legislation with overwhelming bipartisan support, but the Senate didn't act before the end of the year. But this year, we have 263 cosponsors of my legislation to repeal this tax--far more than last year and more than enough to pass it in the House.

Last April, when the Senate was debating their budget resolution, 79 Senators voted their intention to also repeal the device tax, and 33 of those Senators were Democrats. Mr. Speaker, how often do we have such an overwhelming bipartisan support on an issue? This is our opportunity.

Winston Churchill is to have said that people ``occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.''

The truth that we all know about the medical device tax is that it has destroyed jobs, it's destroyed innovation, and it has hurt patient care. These are the very pillars that the health care reform was actually supposed to support.

Repealing this policy sends a very strong and commonsense message to the American people that Congress may not always agree on what is the right path forward, but we can absolutely recognize when a policy has set us on the wrong path; and today we have an opportunity to right this wrong.

This amendment repeals a tax that is threatening America's global leadership in innovation. This is about saving lives. It's important that we do act now--and today. Let's stop the job losses. Let's protect these high-wage jobs; and let's ensure that America continues to invent, continues to innovate, and continues to develop the very cutting-edge and lifesaving technologies for our patients.

Vote for the repeal of the medical device tax.

September 28, 2013.

Hon. Harry Reid,

Majority Leader, U.S. Senate.

Hon. John Boehner,

Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives.

Hon. Mitch McConnell,

Republican Leader, U.S. Senate.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Minority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives.

Dear Majority Leader Reid, Speaker Boehner, Minority Leader

McConnell and Minority Leader Pelosi: As Congress nears the

end of the calendar year, we respectfully request that repeal

of the medical device excise tax be addressed as a top

priority. Implementation of what was to be a $20 billion

excise tax and is now estimated to collect over $30 billion

in taxes--is adversely impacting patient care and innovation,

and will substantially increase the costs of health care. The

Senate and House have both passed repeal legislation with

strong bipartisan majorities. On behalf of the more than 975

undersigned organizations, associations, companies, patients,

providers and venture capital firms representing hundreds of

thousands medical technology jobs, we ask that you act to

repeal the medical device tax during this session of

Congress.

As you know, the medical device industry is a unique

American success story--both for patients and our economy.

The United States is the world leader in manufacturing life-

saving and life-enhancing treatments, and the industry is an

important engine for economic growth. The industry employs

more than 400,000 workers nationwide; generates approximately

$25 billion in payroll; pays out salaries that are 40 percent

more than the national average ($58,000 vs. $42,000); and

invests nearly $10 billion in research and development (R&D)

annually. The industry is fueled by innovative companies, the

majority of which are small businesses with 80 percent of

companies having fewer than 50 employees and 98 percent with

fewer than 500 employees.

Unfortunately, the health care law imposes over $30 billion

in new excise taxes on medical technology companies that are

stifling innovation and U.S. competitiveness. The tax is

already having an adverse impact on R&D investment and job

creation, jeopardizing the U.S. global leadership position in

medical device innovation. If this tax is not repealed, it

will continue to force affected companies to cut

manufacturing operations, research and development, and

employment levels to recoup the lost earnings due to the tax.

It will also adversely impact patient access to new and

innovative medical technologies.

In short, this tax on innovation should be repealed for the

following three important reasons:

The tax stifles innovation and has already costs thousands

of high-paying jobs. It has increased the effective tax rate

for medical technology companies, thereby reducing financial

resources that should be used for R&D, clinical trials and

investments in manufacturing. The impact is especially hard

on smaller companies whose innovations are not immediately

profitable.

The tax will increase health care costs as confirmed by a

report issued in April 2010 by the Office of the Actuary at

the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In some

cases, the 2.3% tax will be passed on to

consumers, leading to higher health care costs.

The tax is not being offset by increased demand for medical

devices. In fact, it is important to note that there is no

evidence suggesting a device industry ``windfall'' from

healthcare reform. Unlike other industries that may benefit

from expanded coverage, the majority of device-intensive

medical procedures are performed on patients that are older

and already have private insurance or Medicare coverage.

Where states have dramatically extended health coverage, such

as in Massachusetts where they added 400,000 new covered

lives, there is no evidence of a device ``windfall.''

At a time when the federal government is working to promote

investment in U.S. industries of the future, it is

inconsistent that a tax of this magnitude is placed on the

medical device industry. We must do all we can to encourage

and promote research, development, investment and innovation.

Instead, increased taxes, such as this one on the medical

device industry, coupled with the increased regulatory

uncertainty the industry also faces, is leading to further

job losses, hindering the development of breakthrough

treatments and delaying patient access to medical technology.

We respectfully request timely action on legislation to

repeal this over $30 billion excise tax.

3C Spine, Inc., 3D Medical Manufacturing, Inc., 3M

Healthcare, A-dec, A.R. Hinkel Company, Abaxis, Abbey Moor

Medical, Abiomed, Inc., Acacia Research Corporation, Academy

of General Dentistry, AccessClosure, Accuitive Medical

Ventures, Accuray Incorporated, Acertara Acoustic

Laboratories, LLC, Aciont Inc., ActivaTek Inc., Active

Implants, Actus Medical, Acumen Healthcare Solutions, LLC.

Adagio Medical, Inc., Adept-Med International, Inc.,

Adhezion Biomedical, LLC, ADM Tronics, Adroit Medical,

Advanced BioHealing, A Shire Company, Advanced Bionics,

Advanced Circulatory Systems, Inc., Advanced Medical

Technology Association, Advanced Orthopaedic Solutions (AOS),

Advanced Surgical Instruments, Advanced Technology Ventures,

AdvanDx, Aerocrine, Inc., Aesculap, Inc., AestheTec, Inc,

Aethlon Medical, Inc., AFC Tool, Affinity Capital, Agamatrix,

Inc., Agendia, Inc., Alabama Dental Association,

Albright Technologies, Alcon, A Novartis Group Company,

Aleeva Medical Inc, Align Technology, Inc., Alkaline

Corporation, Allegro Diagnostics Corp., Allergan, Allvivo

Vascular, Inc., ALPCO Diagnostics, Alphatec Spine, Inc., Alta

Partners, ALung Technologies, Inc., AlvaMed Inc., Alverix,

Inc., Ambio Health, Ambu, Inc., Amedica Analogic Corp,

America's Blood Centers (ABC), American Academy of Facial

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy

of Periodontology, American Association of Endodontists,

American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American

Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American

Association of Orthodontists, American College of

Prosthodontists, American College of Radiology, American

Dental Association, American Medical Systems, American

Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Society

of Dentist Anesthesiologists, American Society of Plastic

Surgeons, Andersen Products, Andover Healthcare, Andrew

Technologies, Angel Medical Systems, AngioDynamics.

AngioScore Inc., Anulex Technologies, Inc., AOTI Inc.,

Apnex Medical, Inc., Apollo Endosurgery, Applied Dexterity,

Inc., Applied Research & Photonics, Inc., Aptus

Endosystems, Inc., Aqueduct Neurosciences, Inc., Aqueous

Biomedical, Inc., AcrueSys, Inc., ARC Medical, Inc.,

Ardiem Medical, Inc., Argenta Advisors, ARIBEX, Inc.,

Arizona BioIndustry Association, ArKal Medical, Inc.,

ARKRAY Arteriocyte, ARTHROSURFACE, INCORPORATED.

Articulinx, Asante Solutions, Inc., Aso LLC, Aspen Medical

Products, Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM),

Associates of Cape Cod, Inc., Astute Medical, AtCor Medical

Holdings, Ltd., ATEK Medical, Ativa Medical, ATL Technology

Utah, Atlanta BioMedical Corporation (ABC), Atlas Spine,

Inc., Atos Medical Inc., AtriCure, Inc., Atrium Medical

Corporation, Aurident, Inc., Autonomic Technologies, Inc.,

Auxogyn, Inc., Avacen MOD Corporation.

Avantis Medical Systems, Inc., Avedro, Avinger, Axiom

Medical, Inc., AxioMed Spine Corporation, AxoGen, Inc., B.

Braun Medical, Inc., Balchem Corporation, Banyan Biomarkers,

BAROnova, Inc., BaroSense, Inc., BARRX Medical, Inc., Baxano

Surgical, Inc., Baxter Healthcare, BayBio, BD, BEACON

(Biomedical Engineering Alliance & Consortium), Beaver

Visitec, Beckman Coulter, Belmont Instrument Corporation.

BeneChill, Inc., Benvenue Medical, Inc., Berlin Heart,

Inc., Berman Medical BioBDx, Bioanalytical Systems, Inc.,

BioBDx, BioCardia, Inc., BioCare Systems, Inc., BIOCOM,

Bioconnect Systems, Inc., BioDerm, Inc., BioElectronics,

BioFlorida, BIOforward, BioHouston, BioMedical Life Systems,

BioMedix, bioMerieux, Inc., Biomerix Corporation, Biomet,

Inc., Biomimedica.

BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., Bionix Development

Corporation, BioOhio, Biophan Technologies, Inc., BIOSAFE,

Inc., Bioscale, Bioscience Association of Maine, BioSculpture

Technology, Inc., BioSET, Inc., Biotest Laboratories, Inc.,

BIOTRONIK, Inc., Bioventus LLC, Birchwood Labatories Inc.,

Boston Healthcare Associates, Inc., Boston Scientific

Corporation, Botanical Laboratories, BrainScope Company,

Inc., Breathe Technologies, Breg, BridgePoint Medical, BTE

Technologies, Inc., Busse Hospital Disposables.

C.R. Bard, Inc., Cabochon Aesthetics, Inc., Cadence, Inc.,

Caldera Medical, Inc., California Healthcare Institute (CHI),

Calypso Medical, Canaan Partners, Cannuflow Inc., Cantel

Medical Corp., Cantimer, Inc., Cape Cod, Inc., Carbylan

Biosurgery, Inc., Cardia Access, Cardiac Dimensions, Inc.,

Cardiac Science, CardiacAssist, Inc., CardiAQ Valve

Technologies, Inc., Cardinal Health, Cardinal Scale

Manufacturing Company.

CardioDx, Inc., CardioFocus, Inc., CardioKinetix Inc.,

CardioMEMS, Inc., CardioNexus Corporation, Cardiovascular

Systems, Inc., CareFusion Corporation, Carmell Therapeutics

Corporation, CarrierCOM, Carrot Medical, Carticept Medical,

Cartiva, Inc., Case Medical, Inc., Catheter Connections,

Inc., Cayenne Medical, CEA Medical Manufacturing, CEA

Technologies, Inc., Celleration, Cellestis Inc., Center for

Medical Device Innovations.

Cepheid, CeQur, Cerephex Corporation, Ceterix Orthopaedics,

Checkpoint Surgical, CHF Solutions, Inc., Christcot Medical

Company, Cianna medical, Circadiance, City Hill Ventures,

LLC, CivaTech Oncology, Claret Medical, Inc., Clarity Medical

Systems, Inc., Claro Scientific, LLC, Clarus Medical, LLC,

ClarVista Medical, Cleveland Medical Devices Inc., Clinical

Research Consultants, Inc., CoAlign Innovations, Inc.,

CoAxia, Inc., Cochlear.

Cohera Medical, Inc., Coherex Medical, Colorado Bioscience

Association (CBSA), Colorado Dental Association (CDA),

Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Command Medical Products, Inc.,

COMPASS International Innovations, Compression Therapy

Concepts, Concert Medical, Congress of Neurological Surgeons,

ConMed Linvatec, CONNECT, Consensus Orthopedics, Inc.,

ConvaTec Inc., Cook Medical, Core Medical Imaging, Corgenix

Medical Corporation, Corin USA Limited, Corindus Vascular

Robotics, Corinthian Ophthalmic, Inc., Cormatrix.

Corventis, Inc., COTERA, Inc., Council for Affordable

Health Coverage, Covalent Medical, Inc., Covidien, Creatv

MicroTech, Inc., Critech Research, Critical Diagnostics,

Crux Biomedical, Cryothermic Systems, CSA Medical, Inc.,

Curexo Technology Corporation, Curo Medical, Inc.,

CurveBeam, CV Ingenuity, CVRx Inc., CyberHeart,

Cyberonics, Cynosure, CytoMedical Design Group LLC.

Cytopherx, Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., CytoSorbents

Corporation, D&D Medical, Inc., D&R Products, Dallen Medical,

dataCon Inc., DataPhysics Research, Inc., DaVinci Biomedical

Research Prod., Inc., De Novo Ventures, DEKA R&D Corp,

Delcath Systems, Inc., Dental Trade Alliance (DTA),

Denterprise International, Inc., DERMA SCiENCES, INC., Design

Mentor, Devicix, DFine, Inc., DG Medical, Digirad, Direct

Flow Medical.

Disposable Instrument Co., Inc., DJO Global, Inc., Domain

Associates, L.L.C., Domain Surgical, Inc., Drexler Medical,

Dynatronics, E. Benson Hood Laboratories, Inc., EarlySense

Inc., eCardio Diagnostics, Echelon Biosciences, Inc., Echo

Therapeutics, Edwards Lifesciences, EKOS Corporation,

Electrical Geodesics, Inc., Electromed, Inc., Ellipse

Technologies, Inc., Ellman International, Emergence, Emergent

Medical Partners.

Emerson Consultants, Inc., Endo Health Solutions, Inc.,

Endo-Therapeutics, Inc., EndoChoice, Inc., EndOclear, LLC,

EndoGastric Solutions, EndoShape, Inc., eNeura Therapeutics,

Engineered Medical Systems/Pulmodyne, Entellus Medical,

EnteroMedics, Inc., EPIC Research & Diagnostics, Erchonia

Corp., Essex Woodlands, eVent Medical, Evergreen Medical

Technologies, Exactech, Experien Group, ExploraMed

Development, LLC, FAST Diagnostics.

FemCap Inc., Ferris Mfg. Corp., Fidia Pharma USA Inc.,

Figure 8 Surgical, Fisher Wallace Laboratories, Fjord

Ventures, Flexicath, Inc., Flexuspine, Inc., Flight Medical,

Flocel Inc., Florida Medical Manufacturers' Consortium, Inc.,

Fluidnet Corporation, ForSight Labs, Fortimedix USA, Inc.,

FOUNDRY NEWCO XI, Fresenius Medical Care NA, Freshmedx,

Frontier Scientific Inc., FTSI, FUJIFILM SonoSite Inc.,

Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc., Galil Medical.

Galt Medical, Gambro, GE Healthcare, Genesis Plastics

Welding, GENICON, Gentis Inc., Georgia Bio, Georgia Dental

Association, GI Dynamics, Inc., Gilero, LLC, Glaukos

Corporation, Glenveigh Medical, Globe Composite Solutions,

Ltd., Globus Medical, GluMetrics, Gradient Technologies, LLC,

Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Inc., Greatbatch Medical,

Ground Zero Pharmaceuticals, GT Urological, LLC, Gulden

Opthalmics,

Haemonetics Corp., Halo Healthcare Inc., HALT Medical,

Inc., Hausmann Industries, Inc., Health Industry Distributors

Association (HIDA), Health IT Now Coalition, HealthCare

Institute of New Jersey, HealthpointCapital, HeartFlow,

HeartWare International, Inc., Heidelberg Engineering,

HEMERUS, Hemosphere, Hill-Rom, Hispanic Dental Association

(HDA), HITACHI MEDICAL SYSTEMS AMERICA, INC., Holaira,

Hologic/Gen-Probe, Home Dialysis Plus, Hospira Inc., Hotspur-

Cardiac Care.

Hotspur Technologies, Inc., HoverTech International, Hull

Associates, Hycor Biomedical, Inc., Hydrocision, ibiliti-

iCAD, Inc., ICAP Patent Brokerage, Ichor Medical Systems,

ICONACY Orthopedic Implants, LLC,

ICU Medical, Inc., IKARIA, Illinois Biotechnology Industry

Organization--iBIO, Illinois State Dental Society, IlluminOss

Medical, Inc., ImaCor, Imalux Corporation, IMARC Research,

ImpediMed.

Impliant, Inc., ImThera Medical, Inc., InaVein, LLC, Incept

LLC, Incline Therapeutics, Indiana Chamber of Commerce,

Indiana Dental Association, Indiana Health Industry Forum,

Indiana Manufacturers Association, Indiana Medical Device

Manufacturers Council, InfoBionic, Infraredx, Inc.,

InfraScan, Inc., InjectiMed, Inc., Innovative Pulmonary

Solutions, Inc., Innovative Surgical Designs, Inc.,

Innovative Trauma Care Inc, Innovent Medical Solutions, Ltd.,

Inogen, Insight Medical, inSite Medical Technologies.

Instratek, Inc., Insulet Corporation, Insurgical LLC,

Intact Vascular, Inc., Integra LifeSciences, International

Franchise Association, International Medical Industries,

Inc., International Sterilization Laboratory LLC,

Intersect ENT, InterValve, Inc., Interventional Autonomics

Corporation, IntraPace, IntriCon, IntriMed Technologies,

Intrinsic Therapeutics, Intuitive Marketing Strategists,

Intuity Medical, Inc., Ionix Medical, Inc., Iowa Dental

Association, iRhythm Technologies, Inc., Irvine Chamber of

Commerce.

iSonea, Limited, ISTO Technologies, Inc., Ivantis, Inc.,

Ivera Medical Corporation, Ivivi Health Sciences LLC, iWalk,

J.H. Garver Consulting, LLC, Jabil, Jack Saladow &

Associates, Kalypto Medical, KCI, Kensey Nash Corporation,

KFx Medical Corporation, Kimberly-Clark Health Care, Kinamed

Inc., Knee Creations, LLC, KRONUS, Inc., Kspine, Inc., LAAx,

Inc., Laser Peripherals, LLC, LeukoDx Ltd., LFI Medical.

Life Core Technologies, Life Science Tennessee, Life Spine,

Inc., Life Technologies, Lifecore Biomedical, LLC,

LifeScience Alley, LifeScience Plus, Inc., LifeWave,

Lightstone Ventures, Linde Healthcare, LipoScience, Inc.,

LogicMark, LLC, Logikos, Inc., Lonestar Heart, Inc.,

Louisiana Dental Association, Luminex Corporation, Lutonix,

Inc., Mack Medical, MacuCLEAR, Inc., Magellan Technologies,

Inc., Magnolia Medical Technologies, Inc., Maine Standards

Company, LLC.

Mammotome, Manufacturers Association of Maine, Mardil

Medical, Inc., MarketLab, Masimo, Massachusetts Dental

Society, Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council MedIC,

MassBio, Materna Medical, Mauna Kea Technologies, MB Venture

Partners, LLC, MBio Diagnostics, Inc., MBL International

Corporation, Mectra Labs Inc., MED-EL Corporation, Medafor,

Inc., MedDx Capital Advisors, Medenovo, LLC, Medical Device

Consultants, Inc., Medical Device Manufacturers Association,

Medical Engineering Innovations, Inc., Medical Imaging &

Technology Alliance.

Medical innovations Intl. Inc., Medical Polymers, Inc.,

Mediclever, Medigroup, Inc.-, MediStim USA, Inc., MedOne

Surgical, Inc., Medrobiotics Corporation, MedShape, MedTech

Association of New York, Med Waves, Inc., Megadyne, Mercury

Medical, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., Metric Medical Devices,

Inc., Metronom Health, Inc., Mettler Electronics Corp.,

Mevion Medical Systems, Inc., MGC Diagnostics, Micardia

Corporation, Micell Technologies, MichBio, Michigan Dental

Association.

MicroCube, Microline Surgical, Inc., Micronics, Inc.,

MicroTransponder Inc., Midmark Corporation, Mighty Oak

Medical, Millar Instruments, Inc., MIM Software Inc., Minerva

Medical, Minnesota Dental Association, Minnetronix, Mirabilis

Medica, Inc., Mirador Biomedical, Miramar Labs, Mississippi

Dental Association, Missouri Biotechnology Association,

MitraGen, Mitralign, Inc., Molecular Detection, Inc., Monebo

TEchnologies, Inc., Moog Medical Devices.

Morgenthaler Ventures, Morris Innovative, Mound Laser &

Photonics Center, MOXI Enterprises, LLC, Moximed, MPM

Capital, MPR Product Development, Mustang Medical, Mustang

Vacuum Systems, MyoCardioCare, Inc., Myomo, Inc., Myo

Science, nanoMAG LLC, nanoMR, Nanostim, Nasiff Associates

Inc., National Association for the Support of Long Term Care

(NASL), National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), National

Federation of Independent Business, National Venture Capital

Association (NVCA), Natus Medical Incorporated, NaviMed

Capital.

Naviscan, Inc., NDH Medical, Nebraska Dental Association,

Nelson Laboratories, Inc., Neocure, Neodyne Biosciences,

Neograft Technologies, Inc., Neomend, Inc., NeoMetrics, Inc.,

NeoTract, Inc., Neovista Inc., Neuro Kinetics, Inc., Neuro

Resource Group, Inc., Neuro-Fitness LLC, Neuronetics, Inc.,

NeuroPace, NeuroTherm, NeuroTronik, NeuroVista Corportation,

NeuroWave Systems Inc., Neuvomedica Ltd., NeuWave Medical.

Nevada Dental Association, Nevro, New Enterprise

Associates, New Hampshire Dental Society, New Jersey Life

Sciences Vendors Alliance, New Leaf Venture Partners, NexDx,

Inc., NinePoint Medical, Niveus Medical, Nocimed, LLC, Non-

Invasive Medical Systems, Nonin Medical, Norris Capital,

Inc., North Carolina Biosciences Organization, North

Carolina Dental Society, Nova Biomedical, NovaSom, Novasys

Medical, NRG, NuMED, Inc., NuOrtho Surgical, Inc.,

NuVasive.

Nuvimedix LLC, NxStage Medical, Inc., NxThera, Inc, O.E.

Meyer Co., Obalon Therapeutics, OBMedical Company, OCTANe,

Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Manufacturers' Association,

OmniGuide Surgical, OmniGuide, Inc., OMNIlife science, Inc.,

On-X Life Technologies, Inc., Onciomed, Inc., OncoHealth,

ONSET Ventures, OPHTEC USA, Inc., OptiMedica, OptiScan

Biomedical, Inc., Orange County Business Council.

OraSure Technologies, Inc., Oraya Therapeutics, Orbital

Research Inc., Orchid Orthopedic Solutions, Oregon Bioscience

Association, Orlucent, Ortho Kinematics, OrthoCor Medical,

Orthodontic Manufacturers Association, Orthofix International

N.V., OrthogenRx, Inc., Orthopaedic Implant Company (OIC),

OrthoSensor, OrthoWorx, OsteoMed, Ostial Corporation,

Ottobock U.S. HealthCare, Owens & Minor, Palo Alto Health

Sciences, Inc., Paracor Medical, Inc., Paradigm Spine, LLC,

PasticsOne.

Pathfinder Therapeutics, Inc., Pathway Medical

Technologoes, Patient Pocket, LLC, Penn-Century, Inc.,

Pennsylvania Bio, Pennsylvania Dental Association, Penumbra,

Inc., PercSys, Percutaneous Systems, Philips Electronics

North America, Phillips Consulting Group, LLC, Phlebotics,

Inc., PhotoMed Technologies, Inc., PhotoThera, Inc., Pioneer

Surgical, Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, Pittsburgh

Technology Council Pivot Medical Inc., Plasma Technologies,

Inc., Plexus Corp., Pluromed, Inc., Poilgrim Software, Inc.,

Portaero.

Preceptis Medical, Inc., Precise-Pak Inc., Pressure

Biosciences, Inc. (PBIO), Presymtec Medical, Prism

VentureWorks, Prizm Medical, Inc., Pro2Med Inc., ProMedTek,

Prosolia, Inc., Prospect Venture Partners, Prospex Medical,

Proteus Bimedical, Inc., PuriCore, QHeart Medical Inc.,

Qualcomm Life, Inc., QualPro Consulting, Quasar Bio-Tech

Inc., Quidel Corporation, RBC Capital Markets, Redpoint

Corporation.

Regenesis Bomedical, Inc., Regulatory & Quality Solutions

LLC, Reichert Technologies, Reimbursement Strategies, LLC,

Relievant Medsystems, Inc., ReShape Medical Inc., ResMed,

Respicardia, Inc., Respira Therapeutics, Inc., Respiratory

Motion, Inc., Respiratory Research, Inc., Respiratory

Technologies Inc., Response Biomedical Corporation, ReVent

Medical, Inc., Reverse Medical, ReVision Optics, Inc.,

RhinoSystems, Inc., Rhythmlink International, LLC, Richmond

Products Inc., Rinovum Women's Health, Inc., RITM America.

Robomedica, Inc., Roche Diagnostics, Rochester Electro-

Medical, Inc., Rodman Media Corp, RODO Medical, Inc.,

RoundTable Healthcare Partners, ROX Medical, Royal Oak

Medical Devices, LLC, RxFunction, Inc., s2a molecular, inc.,

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., Sakura Finetek USA, Inc.,

Saladax Biomedical, Inc., Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,

SandBox Medical LLC, Sanofi, SCBIO, Scientific Imaginetics,

SDRS LLC, Sebacia Inc., Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.,

Sekisui Diagnostics.

Sensable, Sequent Medical Inc., SI-BONE, Inc., Siemens

Healthcare, Sight Sciences Inc., SightLine Partners, SIGNUS

Medical, LLC, Silere Medical Technology, Inc, Silicon Valley

Leadership Group, Silver Bullet Therapeutics, Inc., Sirtex

Medical Inc, Skyline Ventures, Small Bone Innovations, Inc.,

Smart Perfusion, LLC, Smith & Nephew, Inc., Smiths Medical,

Soft Tissue Regeneration, Inc., Solace Therapeutics, Solta

Medical, Inc., Solvonics Medical.

Sonendo, Inc., Sonitus Medical Inc., Sonoma Orthopedics,

SonoSite Inc., Sorin Group USA, Inc., Soteira, Inc., Sotera

Wireless, South Carolina Dental Association (SCDA),

Southeastern Medical Device Association, Southern California

Biomedical Council (SoCalBio), SP Surgical, SPE Medical,

SpectraScience, Inc, Spherlngenics, Inc., Spinal Kinetics,

Spinal Modulation, Inc., Spinal Ventures, LLC, SpinalMotion,

Inc., Spine Wave, Inc., SpineAlign Medical Inc., SpineGuard.

Spineology Inc., Spinofix, Inc., Spiracur Inc., Spiration,

Inc., SPIWay, LLC Split Rock Partners, St. Jude Medical,

STAAR Surgical Company, STD Med, Inc., SteriPack USA, Ltd,

Steris Corporation, Stimwave, Stout Medical Group, Strada

Consulting, Streamline, Inc., Streck, Inc., Strohl

Medical, Stryker, Sunshine Heart, SunShine Medical LLC.

superDimension, Ltd., Surface Solutions Labs, Inc.,

SurgeOptix, SurModics, Inc., Svelte Medical Systems, Inc.,

Swan Valley Medical, Incorporated, Sylvan Fiberoptics,

Synapse Biomedical, Inc., Synarc, Inc., SynCardia Systems,

Inc., Synecor, LLC, Synergy Life Science Partners, Syntermed,

Inc., Sysdyne Corporation, Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.,

Tandem Diabetes, Targeson, Inc.,-Target Discovery, Inc.,

Tarsus Medical Inc., TearScience, Inc., TEI Biosciences Inc.,

TEKNA Manufacturing, LLC.

Teleflex Incorporated, Temptime, Tenaxis Medical, Inc.,

Teratech Corporation, Terumo BCT, Inc., Terumo Medical,

Tethys Bioscience, Inc.,Texas Healthcare and Bioscience

Institute, The Eclipse Group, The Foundry, The Innovation

Factory, The Plastics Industry Trade Association (SPI), The

Spectranetics Corporation, The Tech Council of Maryland, The

Vertical Group, Therapeutic Resources, Inc., TheraTogs, Inc.,

ThermalTherapeutic Systems, Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, ThermoGenesis Corp., Therox, THI,

Inc., Thoratec Corporation, Three Arch Partners, ThreeWire,

Thubrikar Aortic Valve, Inc., TIDI Products, Tissue Regenix

USA Inc., Titan Spine, LLC, Toshiba America Medical Systems,

Inc., Tosoh Bioscience Inc., Trademark Medical, Transcend

Medical, Transcorp Spine,TransEnterix, TransMedics, Inc.,

Transonic Systems, Inc., Trillium Diagnostics, LLC, Trillium

Engineering.

TriReme Medical, Inc., TriVascular, Inc., Twin Star

Medical, TYRX, Inc., U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Ulthera,

UltiMed, Unilife medical solutions, Uresil, Urologix, Inc.,

Uromedica, Inc., Uroplasty, Inc., Urovalve, Inc., USGI

Medical, Inc., USHIFU, LLC, Utah Dental Association, Utah

Technology Council, Valeritas, Inc., Valley Ventures,

ValveXchange, Inc., Vapotherm.

Vascular Solutions, Inc., Vector Resources, Vector

Surgical, LLC, VectraCor, Inc., Velico Medical, Inc.,

Velomedix, Inc., Ven-Tel Plastics Corporation, VENITI, Inc.,

Venous Health, Ventus Medical, Inc., Veracyte, Verax

Biomedical Incorporated, Veritomyx, Inc., Versant Ventures,

VertiFlex' Inc., Vertos Medical Inc., Vibrynt,

Inc., VIDA Diagnostics, Vidacare, Viking Systems, Inc.,

Virginia Bio.

Virginia Biotechnology Association, Virginia Dental

Association, VirtualScopics, Inc., Viscogliosi Bros., LLC,

Vision-Sciences, Inc., VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies,

VisionQuest Industries, Inc., Vital Images, Inc., Vital

Therapies, Inc., Vital/Med Systems Corporation, Vitalcor,

Viveve, Volcano Corporation, VueTek Scientific, LLC, W. L.

Gore & Associates, Warsaw-Kosciusko County Chamber of

Commerce, Washington Biotechnology. & Biomedical Association,

Water Street Healthcare Partners, Waters Corporation,

WaterStreet.

WaveTec Vision, Welch Allyn, Wenzel Spine, Inc., Wescor,

White Pine Medical, Inc., Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati,

Wisconsin Dental Association, Woolfson Eye Institute, Wright

Medical, Wyoming Dental Association, X-Spine, Xlumena, Yukon

Medical, ZELTIQ, Zilico Limited, Zimmer, Inc., Zoe Medical,

Inc., ZOLL Medical, Zyga Technologies, Zynex.

Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 489, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mrs. Napolitano

Mr. Speaker, tonight we'd like to spend some time talking about an issue that I think has bipartisan support and what the American people will want to pay a little bit of attention to. I am actually going to talk a little bit about the medical device industry. Mr. Speaker, I'm a passionate advocate for this industry.

Coming from the State of Minnesota, we have some giant titans in this industry. Many of the folks out in this country may know the names of Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and St. Jude, but I'll tell you there are also 400 medical device companies in Minnesota that are small. These are companies you have never heard of, but many of which I've had the opportunity to tour and visit. They're all about entrepreneurship, innovation, improving lives, and saving lives.

Tonight we have a handful of Members who really want to devote some time talking about a challenge that has risen up against this industry, and that's the new medical device tax. It was part of the health care law. It just started being implemented in January. This is an excise tax that might not sound like a lot at 2.3 percent. This is also a tax not on profit, but a tax on their revenue. We'll get into a little more detail about why that is so dangerous to this industry and why it has become so much more challenging in just a little bit.

I will say this, though: of the 400 companies that are in Minnesota, about 200 of them alone are in my district, the Third District of Minnesota. So it's easy for me to be a passionate advocate. Many people think of Minnesota as just being the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it's more than that. And there's no doubt that the innovative spirit that is alive in Minnesota is actually alive across the country in many States, and you're going to hear from some Members that represent some of those States that are being impacted very negatively from this new tax. It's a $30 billion tax that is being collected. That's a significant amount of money.

What does that mean? It essentially means less research and development. It means less innovation. In the end, that means less opportunity for American patients to access new breakthrough technologies. I would argue that many of us would also say that that means it is also going to result in less access to health care and then lowering health care costs, because technology has the great ability to lower health care costs. There are many statistics that actually show that in the last 20 years, the medical device and technology industry has been responsible for a 4 percent increase in U.S. life expectancy, a 16 percent decrease in mortality rates, and an astounding 25 percent decline in elderly disability rates.

So medical devices that help to slash the death rate from heart disease by a stunning 50 percent and cut the death rate from stroke by 30 percent.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of issues where Republicans and Democrats don't necessarily see eye to eye, but I think we can all agree on this: the single worst thing we can do in America is to crush our inventive spirit, and that is exactly what this new medical device tax does and is doing.

We've got some bipartisan support. I first want to thank Congressman Ron Kind, my colleague from Wisconsin, for being the lead author and for helping build up the 260 coauthors to repeal this dangerous tax.

And I'm going to yield right now to my colleague from Utah, who also is going to share some thoughts and a perspective on this tax. He has been a great leader tonight in gathering up some folks to come and testify and talk on the floor. I want to thank him and his staff for encouraging his colleagues to come out and speak tonight. He has been a strong leader and a great partner in this repeal effort. So I would like to yield to my friend and colleague, Mr. Matheson.

I thank the gentleman. I know the gentleman's comments reflect the interest for all of us to make things in America. And how many times have we heard where we want to make sure that we are able to make things in this country, and this is a clear example where an American success story can continue and should continue. But we're punishing this industry, and we have an opportunity to repeal this tax.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take just a second to introduce a new leader, someone who wants to speak briefly on this issue, Mr. Mullin from Oklahoma, who is a small businessperson who understands the value of entrepreneurship and would like to offer a few comments. I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma.

I want to thank the gentleman for his comments.

It's clearly an example where now we have across this country States that are impacted by this new device tax. But it does show how this is an industry that is an American success story. It covers all sections of the country, from the Midwest to the west coast to the east coast. And I think the share in part of that view too is someone who is a new leader in Congress as well as in the medical technology industry in California, without a doubt, generates $60 billion for that State's economy. It's huge. Significantly more than any other State, even more than my home State of Minnesota.

So the 21st Congressional District is represented by Mr. Valadao, and I yield to the gentleman.

I thank the gentleman. He made several important comments that we've heard from some of the other folks that represent districts across this country. And, in fact, he made the reference point that 261 coauthors of this bill--Mr. Speaker, we can pass this in the House at any time. There's no doubt we can do that at any time. We did it last year--actually, a year and a half ago--when we passed the repeal of this device tax, but it did get roadblocked in the Senate.

Seventy-nine Senators voting in favor of repealing this device tax as a part of their budget, a symbolic vote, as he mentioned, is nothing to scoff at. And that's something where I think we need to continue to put bipartisan pressure on our leadership, on the Senate leadership, to move that issue forward so we can do the right thing and see that this repeal happens before the end of this year.

I thank the gentleman for his leadership in that effort.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to now introduce someone who is from Indiana's Ninth Congressional District. He's been a real partner for repealing the device tax on the Ways and Means Committee. He's a pro- growth, economic advocate for creating jobs. And Indiana, as a State, I think, has about 20,000 medical device jobs, and this is near and dear, I think, to his heart as well.

So I, with great pleasure, have a chance to yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Young).

I look forward to continue working with you to repeal this device tax. And as you laid out so eloquently, I had a chance to come to Indiana, and I heard the same exact story from a young girl impacted and affected positively by the value of medical technology and medical innovation; and, unfortunately, now that's under threat for our own patients, providing that type of access.

Someone who's going to share a little bit more, having a personal reflection and a personal story about that, is the gentleman from Kentucky's Sixth District, Mr. Barr, whose father recently is the beneficiary of medical innovation.

I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

I thank the gentleman for sharing the personal perspective of how medical innovation has helped his family members literally save lives, improve lives. Thousands and thousands and thousands of Americans have a friend or a family member that can share that exact same story. That is uniquely American, in many ways. And now we are exporting these devices around the world to make health care better. Again, improve lives, saving lives.

Where did the medical device tax come from? That's what a lot of my constituents ask. Why in the world would we tax medical innovation, have a tax on innovation? When the health care law was being debated a few years ago, we needed to find revenue. Let's just do a $40 billion tax on the medical device industry. They backed into the number 2.3 percent. We won't make it $40 billion. We'll make it $20 billion. Well, guess what, Mr. Speaker. It ended up being about $30 billion now.

Despite all of our best efforts now, and bipartisan support on this floor, this tax is in effect. It is being collected. The first payments began being collected in January. Every 2 weeks they get collected--the same amount of time, by the way, that companies give payroll every 2 weeks. So what do company owners have to make the decision to do? Are they going to hire more workers? And they also look at the tax. And the bottom line is they're having to pay that tax every 2 weeks.

So close to $2 billion, Mr. Speaker, has already been collected. It's a little bit like bleeding a patient every 2 weeks in the hopes of making them stronger. It just doesn't make sense.

Now the reality is now this medical technology industry in the United States faces one of the highest effective tax rates of any industry in the world because we've got a high corporate tax rate. That's another issue we're trying to solve with tax reform. But this new tax is killing jobs. Literally, about 10,000 layoffs have happened across the country, primarily because it's a tax on sales and revenue, not on profit.

The Federal Government usually, when they do an excise tax, they apply that type of a tax to ``sin'' goods. Think of alcohol or tobacco. You're trying to discourage consumption. Why would we want to discourage the consumption or the production or the innovation of new medical technologies? I find that quite ironic, actually.

This is about competitiveness, Mr. Speaker. Innovation is the key to providing cutting-edge, lifesaving technologies to patients.

I just want to share a couple more statistics. Between 1980 and 2000, new diagnostic and treatment tools increased life expectancy by more than 3 years. The new tax is hampering innovation and slows medical advancement at a time when our population is aging. We know the population is aging. An innovation can absolutely help reduce the burden of chronic diseases, which now represent more than 70 percent of all health care costs.

Mr. Speaker, the larger companies will cut back on their research and development. But as I mentioned earlier, a lot of small companies in my district and in Congressman Young's district in Indiana, in particular--because I've had a chance to visit some of these companies in Indiana--80 percent of these companies are small businesses. They've got 50 employees or less, Mr. Speaker. Many of these companies, when they start out, it takes 8 to 10 years to become profitable. They just don't see a profit in the first couple of years. They need to attract venture capital, they need to attract investors. They need to convince investors that it is worth the investment.

Many of these companies, by the way, are burning $500,000 to $1 million a month just to bring their product forward--go through the clinical trials, get approval from the FDA, and then have success in the market. That's a big challenge. It's 8 to 10 years to become profitable. Sometimes even longer. We've raised the hurdle now with the tax. We've raised the bar. We've made it that much tougher to become profitable.

So there are going to be fewer investors in these companies. There's going to be less of them. When you've got less small companies being developed, what does that mean? You're not going to have breakthrough technologies. You're not going to have in-the-garage inventions, in- the-backyard inventions.

By the way, a lot of larger medical device companies, through acquisition, look for these small companies. They look for the innovators. They acquire them. And it grows their operations larger. So that's a challenge as well, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Young, I remember when I was in Indiana with you--and we can share some more stories--but this is clearly something that is an ongoing frustration, I think, for investment in this industry.

I thank the gentleman. I remember being in Indiana and also having a chance to talk to Cook Medical. A great success story, without a doubt. It's located right there in the heartland.

I do remember, though, their concerns of the looming tax that was on its way. They were pretty clear that, Look, we've got the opportunity to build new factories, new innovative headquarter operations. We're not going to do it in the United States with this tax facing us right now. We're going to expand elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we've heard tonight how other companies in some districts have moved to Costa Rica. So we are literally sending high- quality jobs offshore--jobs that should be here in the United States.

I remember touring Sunshine Heart in Eden Prairie, my hometown in Minnesota. I met with the CEO there. This is a very small and early- stage med-tech company. And many other med-tech companies that are small and in the early stage would be in the exact same category. He was pretty clear. The CEO said, The device tax has put all of our hiring on hold. So now Sunshine Heart officials have got to sit back and determine exactly how much it's going to affect their cash flow. It's all about cash flow as they try to achieve that profitability.

Mr. Speaker, we've got someone else who's joined us tonight who's a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which is a very important committee. It has oversight over the FDA. I know that Congressman Gardner, who represents Colorado, a very innovative State, has been a champion for streamlining and modernizing the FDA.

Thank you for joining us tonight.

Thank you very much for your leadership, as well, on the Energy and Commerce Committee and for understanding the value of keeping these life-saving and live-improving technologies alive and well.

In a State like Colorado--I know your heart goes out to some other challenges in Colorado right now with the flooding, etcetera, but I know that that innovative and entrepreneurial spirit will see Coloradans through that situation as well.

Mr. Speaker, I want to mention one other thing--and my colleague from the Ways and Means Committee, I think, can comment on this a little bit as well--but there's no doubt this is about less invasive technology. This is about keeping people out of the hospital. It's about keeping health care and lowering health care costs.

This is a very complicated tax. This is not just a simple tax. It's collected every 2 weeks; every single 2 weeks. So a $30 billion tax, it's actually extremely challenging for companies to figure out how they're going to collect the tax. It's pretty onerous. So it's more complicated than a typical excise tax. It's regulated by the IRS--of course. The complexity and the difficulty in developing these regulations for the tax actually underscores that an excise tax--it's a very blunt and a very damaging instrument that is being applied to a highly innovative and dynamic industry, which you just talked about. And the compliance costs alone are very hard, as we've learned in the Ways and Means Committee.

I thank the gentleman.

I have to share a story as well because this is about high-valued manufacturing without a doubt. There was a story, an editorial in the Detroit News just the other day. It essentially highlights a successful Michigan business, Fortune 500 company, Stryker. It's based in Kalamazoo. They were pretty clear, talking about how the new 2.3 percent medical device tax will cost the company $100 million this year alone. That's going to reduce its research and development budget by about 20 percent, which is the equivalent of the loss of 1,000 workers, Mr. Speaker.

We can't afford to be talking about laying off thousands more people when the economy is struggling as it is. We should be flying at 30,000 feet after we came out of the recession, and we're bumping along at 10,000 feet. There's a lot of reasons for that, but the medical device tax is really crippling an industry that could help lead the way out of that recession as well.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to mention one other thing that I think is important as well, that is, that as my colleague mentioned, we know 79 Senators support repealing this device tax. The challenge is with the Senate leadership. We need these rank-and-file Members to pressure the Senate leadership to also bring this up for a vote. We can do this in the House at any time. We will likely be doing that sometime this fall as a part of the other budget negotiations and discussions, but we've got to make sure that our bipartisan efforts continue to pressure our leadership to act on this and convince the White House that this is a top priority.

My colleague would agree, I would assume.

I just want to thank the gentleman for joining us tonight, and all of our colleagues for taking the time to express our frustration, but our optimism that we can repeal this tax because it's about protecting economic growth, it's about protecting innovation, and it's about protecting global competitiveness.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 40 minutes p.m.), the House adjourned until tomorrow, Friday, September 20, 2013, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, this is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Childhood cancers are the leading cause of death by disease amongst children in our country; and each year, nearly 13,400 children are diagnosed with cancer.

I have been privileged to have met with many doctors and researchers who spend every day searching for answers in Minnesota's award-winning institutions, like the Mayo Clinic, the Children's Hospital of Minnesota, the Gillette Children's Hospital, and the University of Minnesota. There is no doubt that we can be proud of the incredible work that they are doing in Minnesota.

I am also cosponsoring legislation that will make cancer treatments more affordable for families and will encourage the development of new treatments by redirecting taxpayer funds that are spent on Presidential campaigns into childhood cancer research.

Mr. Speaker, we all look forward to the day when cancer is 100 percent treatable in our children, and that's why I stand alongside doctors and families and, most importantly, cancer patients in the search for a cure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

This past weekend, I joined neighbors to help kick off the annual Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance Walk and Run. Each year, thousands come out to this event in Edina Park to raise awareness of and education on ovarian cancer, to raise funds for research, and to give support and hope to local women and their families that are touched by this devastating disease.

In 2013 alone, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 22,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed, and 14,000 women will die of ovarian cancer in the United States.

This last March, I met with a group of doctors and nurses from every major health system in the Twin Cities to discuss cancer care and prevention, and I'm pleased to cosponsor legislation that ensures that cancer patients get the care they need.

Mr. Speaker, the powerful stories of hope that I heard this weekend are just a fraction of what we see in our community as we work on our shared goal of making cancer a thing of the past.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the sad truth about sex trafficking in the United States. The Department of Justice reports that between 2008 and 2010, 83 percent of sex trafficking victims found in this country were U.S. citizens and 40 percent of cases involved

the sexual exploitation of children. Just this week, the FBI rescued 105 children from exploitation in 76 U.S. cities, including one from my home State in Minnesota.

Sadly, this is an all-too-common occurrence. The FBI has identified the Twin Cities as one of the Nation's 13 largest centers for child prostitution.

That is why I've introduced the Child Sex Trafficking Data and Response Act with Congresswoman Slaughter, my colleague. We need to improve data systems that track missing children, as well as provide proper designation to ensure that the victims receive the care and help they need.

Through increased awareness and a better understanding of this issue, as well as compassion for the victims of sex trafficking, we can take real steps to make sure we stop the abuse of our most vulnerable.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the health decisions of individual Americans should be made between patients and their doctors. The Internal Revenue Service should not be a part of that equation.

We all know, all Americans know now, that the IRS has inappropriately used its authority to target and intimidate certain individuals and organizations based on their personal beliefs. With 2,000 more IRS agents, more Washington bureaucrats, we'll open the door to more abuse under ObamaCare--more targeting, more harassment of American citizens.

Physicians know the best care for their patients, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington. We should be encouraging patients to take control of their own health care through consumer-directed health care plans, not ceding control to the government.

I would encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, protect the doctor-patient relationship, and do what is needed to make sure that government overreach is not involved in American health care.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the commissioning of the newest United States Navy submarine: The USS Minnesota. The USS Minnesota will be commissioned on September 7th, and is only the third ship to be named after the great state of Minnesota. The last Navy ship to be named the Minnesota was commissioned in 1907 and later joined the active fleet during World War I.

The USS Minnesota is the tenth Virginia-class submarine to be constructed for the Navy. The 377-foot long sub is capable of submerged speeds of nearly 30 miles per hour and can stay submerged for up to three months at a time. It has been built for increased firepower, maneuverability, and stealth and will be the most advanced warship of the Navy. The Minnesota will be manned by a crew of 134 brave officers and enlisted personnel who will be led by Commander John Fancher.

After more than 100 years, it is a tremendous honor for the state of Minnesota to be the namesake of another mighty ship. As the USS Minnesota sets its course around the globe, we must take this opportunity to thank the men and women who have sacrificed and bravely serve to keep us safe here at home.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the hard work of a great foundation from Minnesota, Hope for the City. Hope for the City has contributed over $550 million worth of excess corporate resources to benefit organizations locally in Minnesota and internationally. Their contributions include over 5 million pounds of food a year, as well as medical equipment, toiletries, clothing, sporting goods and toys.

I was able to tour and volunteer at the Hope for the City recently. This facility provides assets to battle childhood hunger and poor living conditions while instilling an insightful perspective of who their organization aims to help and how they intend to accomplish it.

The ambition shown by this group is an uplifting approach to fighting poverty around the world. The impact of Hope for the City's success is certainly appreciated in Minnesota, but also all over the globe.

Thanks to Hope for the City and its great staff and volunteers for your steadfast service to those in need.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to commend and to congratulate the city of Maple Grove for becoming Minnesota's newest Beyond the Yellow Ribbon community. The combined efforts of Maple Grove, the people and

businesses of its community, and the Minnesota National Guard have helped ensure that our military members and their families have a strong support structure at home in their community.

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is a unique program formed by the Minnesota National Guard to support the thousands of servicemembers who have served Minnesota since 9/11. It provides resources and training to servicemembers and their families before, during, and after their deployment, helping them find jobs and integrate back into their community.

As a Yellow Ribbon city, Maple Grove has gone above and beyond in supporting our troops and delivering a compassionate attitude to the many men and women who serve this great country, ensuring that our military members, when they come home, they come all the way home.