Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, which was a landmark bill that made the program more effective and more efficient.

Today, we no longer refer to it as food stamps, but as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In 40 years, there have been numerous changes and updates, but the goal remains the same: to end hunger in America.

SNAP lessens the effects of poverty on some of our most vulnerable citizens. The results are proven. According to the Census Bureau, SNAP lifted 5 million Americans, including 2.2 million children, out of poverty in 2012 alone. SNAP generates $1.80 in economic activity for every $1 in new SNAP benefits.

In 2013, SNAP payment accuracy was 96.8 percent, which was a historic high.

Participating in SNAP for 6 months decreased food insecurity up to 10 percent, including households with children.

Mr. Speaker, for over four decades, the program has become more effective, more efficient, and more modern. I look forward to continuing our work to improve SNAP, to serve those in need, and to provide pathways out of poverty.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Eriez Manufacturing on 75 years in business in Erie, Pennsylvania. Eriez has grown exponentially since the early days when Orange Fowler Merwin--or O.F., as he was known--sold equipment to grain millers.

His customers often complained about stray pieces of metal that found their way into the grain that the farmers brought to the mills for grinding. In 1942, O.F. devised a permanent magnetic separator in the basement of his home and sold it to a grain miller. Eriez was officially on its way.

Since those humble beginnings in that Erie basement, Eriez has expanded into the world authority in separation technologies with operations all over the world. Of course, it has always been headquartered in Erie and on Asbury Road since 1962.

Mr. Speaker, today, Eriez employs more than 300 Erie residents, between its two locations on Asbury Road and at its facility near Belle Valley.

The story of Eriez Manufacturing truly is a classic American Dream tale, and it has maintained local family ownership throughout its history. I congratulate them on this milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of reauthorizing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, known as MIECHV, which the House is expected to consider later today.

Proudly, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was one of the earliest adopters of evidence-based State policies and has utilized MIECHV to aid more than 4,000 families statewide. MIECHV-supported home visiting programs are widely embraced on both sides of the aisle. The programs have a proven record of success, and they support the Nation's most vulnerable families during a critical and crucial time in their children's development.

Parents truly are the children's first teachers, and the results speak for themselves. MIECHV helps improve maternal and newborn health. It reduces child injuries, abuse, and neglect. It improves school readiness and achievement. It reduces crime and domestic violence. It improves family economic self-sufficiency.

Mr. Speaker, during the home visiting process, nurses, social workers, educators, and other trained professionals form relationships with the expectant parents and visit with them until their child has completed his or her first year of school. This model of care empowers parents to make healthy decisions that positively impact their child's health, well-being, and learning development.

In Pennsylvania, MIECHV's funds support four evidence-based home visiting models. These include Early Head Start, Healthy Families America, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. MIECHV funding plays a critical role in helping increase the availability of these services to more and more families across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Scientific research has supported claims that these services positively impact health, education, and employment outcomes for children while reducing criminal justice costs, instances of child abuse, and independence on public assistance.

These services can also play a key role in helping to support infants and mothers struggling with addiction. Pennsylvania has a long history of evidence-based home visiting programs because they are a proven way to strengthen families and improve the lives of children.

For these reasons, I look forward to supporting H.R. 2824, the Increasing Opportunity and Success for Children and Parents through Evidence-Based Home Visiting Act, when it comes to the House floor this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, Sunday marked a special kind of Mother's Day: Gold Star Mother's Day. Since 1936, the Nation has observed Gold Star Mother's Day on the last Sunday in September. The President humbly proclaimed Gold Star Mother's and Families' Day this Sunday, September 24.

Our Gold Star Mothers should be honored and offered respect and gratitude for their personal sacrifice. Gold Star Mother's Day is intended to pay tribute to women who have experienced tremendous personal loss on behalf of our country.

Mr. Speaker, our Gold Star Mothers serve as a strength and inspiration for this country. They are part of an exclusive group, one that no one ever hopes to belong to. One can hardly imagine the deep pain and anguish that a mother experiences when losing a child, particularly in military action.

May we always honor the Gold Star Mothers of America for their courage, their strength, and their sacrifice. They bear their cross with honor. The memory of their children lives on not only in their hearts, but in the heart of this Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

Madam Speaker, our Nation's veterans are 22 percent more likely to commit suicide than their nonveteran peers. This trend is troubling, and we all must work to reverse it.

The Department of Veterans Affairs started a new campaign this month called Be There. The campaign emphasizes small actions, such as calling an old friend, checking on a neighbor, or inviting a colleague to go for a walk. These small gestures may have a real impact on someone who is struggling or feeling alone.

Suicide rates are especially high in rural areas, where veterans may experience isolation or limited access to VA care--often for mental health concerns. That is why I introduced the VETS Act, which seeks to build on the VA's existing telemedicine program. It allows veterans to receive mental healthcare from anywhere. This will give our veterans greater access to the care they so desperately need.

Madam Speaker, our servicemen and -women answered the call of duty. When they return home, it is our turn to be there for them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate AccuWeather as it celebrates 55 years of serving communities, businesses, and institutions around the world.

In 1962, Dr. Joel Myers founded AccuWeather to help people plan their lives, protect their businesses, and to make the most of their days.

Dr. Myers has led an impressive career as a fellow of the National Meteorological Society and one of the top entrepreneurs in American history. Today, AccuWeather is the world's largest weather and digital media company, reaching nearly 2 billion people at least 29 million times each day. Proudly, it is headquartered right in State College, Pennsylvania.

Throughout the years, the company has expanded its offices to New York, Montreal, and Tokyo, just to name a few, but it has always called Pennsylvania home, and it has been a major employer for decades in the Commonwealth.

Over 55 years, AccuWeather continues to build upon its main mission: to improve people's lives.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate AccuWeather on 55 years of service, accuracy, trust, and protection they have offered to people around the world.

Mr. Speaker, over the course of the summer, I was able to join some farm bill listening sessions with Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson. These sessions were titled ``The Next Farm Bill, Conversations in the Field,'' and they allowed committee members to gather input directly from farmers, ranchers, and stakeholders across the country.

As the House Agriculture Committee works to craft the next farm bill, these listening sessions have allowed us to hear firsthand from those who are directly impacted by the farm bill. They provide us with real world examples of what is working and what isn't.

With farmers in every region of this country, we heard many different perspectives. This feedback will help us write the best legislation possible.

Now, my schedule permitted me to attend listening sessions in Gainesville, Florida; San Angelo, Texas; and Decatur, Illinois. I also hosted a listening session in my own district. Our ``Barnyard Discussion'' at Penn State's Ag Progress Days focused on issues driving the state of agriculture in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I was joined by my Democratic colleague, Congressman Dwight Evans of Philadelphia; as well as Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Reading; and Rick Ebert, president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

We heard from a variety of stakeholders, including those from the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, the Center for Dairy Excellence, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is Pennsylvania's largest outdoor agricultural expo. Proudly, there are numerous opportunities for attendees to hear from their State and Federal lawmakers about regulations, policies, and government programs through various events and exhibits.

The Barnyard Discussion is an annual event for me and, in the same fashion, as the committee's listening session, it allows me to hear how our Federal policies are working for those who are directly impacted by these decisions. Producers from across the Commonwealth flock to Pennsylvania Furnace for the 3-day event that features the latest technology and research exhibits, educational programs, and guided tours.

This year marked the 42nd year, and it is one of only three agriculture exhibitions in the country to be sponsored by a major university. I especially enjoyed the Barnyard Discussion, and I gathered excellent insight about the challenges and successes facing the agriculture industry.

These sessions were particularly important to me, as chairman of the Nutrition Subcommittee, because Federal nutrition programs are vital to ensuring that all Americans have access to healthy foods, especially our low-income populations, the elderly, and those living in areas with strained access to nutritious foods, or what we call food deserts.

Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--or SNAP--support agriculture and lessen the effects of poverty on our most vulnerable citizens.

As we begin to work on the next farm bill, we will continue to identify ways--through Federal, State and local programs--to provide safe and nutritious food for those who need it most. Gathering feedback from Americans who farm every corner of this Nation is essential as we work to construct the next farm bill. I am grateful to all those who shared their stories and their insights with us.

Our farmers feed. They are the stewards of our land, and their insights are invaluable to the Agriculture Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great career and technical education or skills-based education profession because I rise today during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week to celebrate America's 3.5 million professional truck drivers.

Trucking is the lifeblood of the American economy. More than 80 percent of the U.S. communities rely exclusively on truck drivers to deliver their goods and commodities, including the most remote towns and territories that aren't reachable by other modes of transportation.

One out of every 16 people working in the United States is a professional truck driver. The impact the trucking industry has on our economy is clear. Trucking brings roughly $726 billion in revenue to the Nation.

Truck drivers are hardworking men and women who deliver critical goods like medicine, foods, building supplies, clothing, and more. These professionals safely move our economy each day. They deliver our goods safely, securely, and on time. They keep our highways safe.

Mr. Speaker, I celebrate the men and women who deliver America's goods and honor all professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment in tackling one of our economy's most demanding and important jobs.

Trucking moves America forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding work of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation in its mission to help our schoolchildren lead healthier lives. The alliance works closely with schools in Pennsylvania and nationwide to improve student health and wellbeing.

Over the past decade, Healthier Generation's groundbreaking work with schools, communities, and businesses have benefited more than 25 million children across this country. More than 950 Pennsylvania schools have teamed with Healthier Generation, helping more than half a million children in the Commonwealth make healthier choices.

Since 2007, 18 Pennsylvania schools have been recognized with National Healthy School Awards for their exceptional work. The Healthy Out-of-School Time program has helped more than 11,000 Pennsylvania children have access to healthier foods and focus on more active community programs outside the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, I am so proud of our schools and our students who work to serve healthier meals and snacks, get students to move more, offer high-quality physical and health education, and empower school leaders to become healthy role models.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the success of the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program, otherwise known as FINI, in providing low-income Americans the opportunity to put healthier food on the table for their families.

As a joint program between the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, FINI provides funding to improve the nutrition in SNAP households.

Last month, Secretary Perdue announced nearly $17 million in grants to help SNAP participants purchase healthier food options for their families. This funding would not have been possible without FINI, which was authorized by the 2014 farm bill.

As chairman of the Nutrition Subcommittee, creating opportunity for low-income families to afford nutritious food options is incredibly important to me, and we want to ensure the program is viable for generations. Last year alone, SNAP helped at least 44 million families put nutritious food on their tables. That allowed 19 million children to lead healthier lifestyles.

The FINI program is successful, and we see the success through the good it does for the health of American families.

Mr. Speaker, during the August in- district work period, I had the privilege of visiting CPI in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania. CPI is the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology.

I was proud that my colleague, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, was able to join me in Pennsylvania's Fifth District at CPI on the first day of school.

CPI was founded in 1969 to meet the career and technical education needs of high school students in Centre County. By combining academies with technical training and industry-recognized certifications, CPI is uniquely poised to prepare students for rapid employment and long-term career success. CPI offers more than 18 secondary programs, over 60 in- house adult and continuing education programs, and more than 350 online courses.

In addition to exceptional classroom and hands-on instruction from a highly qualified, experienced faculty, CPI offers certification in a wide range of disciplines, a notable advantage to CPI graduates and their employers.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi and I were at CPI to talk about our bill, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. This House unanimously approved the bill in June, and I call on the United States Senate to make it a priority for this fall.

Mr. Speaker, our bill is the first major overhaul to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act in more than 10 years. The bipartisan legislation strengthens and improves career and technical education and gives Americans the skills they need to compete for in- demand jobs.

This can be witnessed firsthand at CPI. This November, CPI will launch a new 2-year degree program: Natural Gas Compression--CAT/Ariel Emphasis Associate of Specialized Technology. The program is in partnership with the Cleveland Brothers, a Pennsylvania-based Caterpillar dealer, and Ariel Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of natural gas compressors. CPI is currently accepting students for a November 28, 2017, start date. It is only one of two programs of its kind nationwide.

Ariel Corporation compressors and CAT engines are located in oil and gas fields throughout the world. Graduates of CPI's natural gas compressor degree program will have an opportunity to work locally, nationally, and globally. Cleveland Brothers, Ariel, and gas industry partners will be interviewing the NGC students after the first term. If pre-hired by the program's industry partners, students will receive company-sponsored tuition reimbursement.

Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the type of career and technical education investments we should be making and encouraging. By educating Americans in high-demand fields, they can climb rungs on the ladder of opportunity and obtain family-sustaining jobs.

I will continue to advocate for these important reforms that will benefit Americans from all walks of life. I urge the Senate to take up our bill without delay. It is important to close the skills gap and give every American a chance at having a fulfilling career.

Now, I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Krishnamoorthi, for traveling to Pennsylvania to see this program in action. I want to thank the staff of CPI for not only hosting us on the first day of school, but for working to educate students in their chosen fields.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Senate to act on this bipartisan bill without delay because it is critically important to closing the skills gap in this country, and above all else, it is a win for the American worker and American families. Let's help all Americans learn to earn.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Clarion University of Pennsylvania as it celebrates 150 years.

In 1859, the people of Clarion County created a proposal for a higher education institution in Clarion. Shortly after, the Civil War erupted and disrupted the Nation, but it did not stop the determination of the Clarion people.

On September 10, 1867, Clarion University was founded as the Carrier Seminary of western Pennsylvania. With no facilities to call home, Carrier Seminary operated as a co-educational program in the old academy building, with Reverend James G. Townsend as principal.

Carrier Seminary then became Clarion State Normal School in 1887. In 1915, the Commonwealth purchased the school, and it became a technical school of junior college rank in 1920.

It opened its doors as a college-level institution in 1929. Since then, Clarion's student body has grown to more than 5,000, its programs have received top level accreditation, and the institution has become a part of Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Clarion University on reaching this milestone, and I join all in celebrating its rich history and contributions to our area.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of the subcommittee for the opportunity to offer this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, prior to the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, coal mining played an important role in the United States for nearly 2 centuries, providing critical energy and jobs for our Nation.

However, across Pennsylvania and throughout Appalachia, we continue to have great needs in reclaiming our abandoned mine lands and restoring our waters that have been impacted by historical mining activities.

Since 1977, we have made great gains in restoring our historical mine lands, but much more work still needs to be done.

The Federal Office of Surface Mining has estimated that the unfunded liabilities of abandoned mine lands across the Nation exceeds $10 billion, with nearly half of that obligation located in Pennsylvania.

To complement the funding from the AML trust fund, which was established through SMCRA, this legislation contains appropriations for the AML pilot program in order to support additional

funding for abandoned mine lands for areas that need assistance most.

This program provides grants to States ``to accelerate the remediation of AML sites with the economic and community development end uses in mind.''

Unfortunately, this legislation provides $32 million less for the pilot program compared to last year's level.

My amendment is simple and would not increase Federal spending. The amendment would restore funding for the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation pilot program to its 2017 level by reallocating funds from the EPA's Environmental Programs and Management by the same amount.

Mr. Chairman, where these funds are coming from is very consistent with the mission of that account that it would to be taken from. But the difference is that by putting this into the AML pilot program with a laser focus, we are focused on environmental concerns that have been identified, and we are funding remediation techniques that are proven.

We have an obligation to clean up our environment and restore our abandoned mine lands and waters, and this program helps us do just that.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and ranking member, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for those comments.

My point is, though, that this actually takes $32 million and puts it like a laser on an area where we know that environmental damage is well documented and we have very effective public-private partnership techniques to address.

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the outstanding performance of Pennsylvania's critical access hospitals.

Before I was elected to serve in the House of Representatives, I spent nearly 30 years in the healthcare field. I am most proud to see Pennsylvania recognized in the top 10 States by the Health Resources and Services Administration for quality performance.

With the help of funding from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Pennsylvania's critical access hospitals are able to invest in quality improvement projects and new technical assistance resources to better care for their patients.

Pennsylvania is home to 15 critical access hospitals that provide service to the most rural areas in our State. Since 1991, the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health has dedicated its efforts to ensure that these hospitals constantly improve the quality of care they provide to their patients.

Rural hospitals are critically important to our communities. They may be limited in resources, but they are committed to providing the best care possible to patients.

I am proud of our Pennsylvania critical access hospitals, and I congratulate them on this national recognition.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer amendment No. 49.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer amendment No. 49 to the underlying bill, H.R. 3354, Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act.

Mr. Chairman, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, over a 5-year period, has failed three attempts to place tolls on Interstate 80. Pennsylvania's failed plan has cost millions of dollars, led actually to the indictments of several political insiders, and abetted in diminishing the average citizen's faith in their public institutions.

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania still has authorizing language for tolls of Interstate 80 in State law. Any move by Pennsylvania to dust off the plans to toll one of its interstates must be met with scrutiny and open public debate, and this amendment will ensure that that happens.

The amendment I have offered with Mr. Kelly will simply limit funds from this bill for the purpose of placing tolls on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania during the fiscal year 2018.

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

Mr. Chairman, I am not sure. I appreciate the gentleman's opinion, but I don't see where Congress does not have input into a Federal highway, and that is what Interstate 80 is. It is approximately 311 miles. It is more than well-maintained. The cost of it, with significant gas taxes levied today, pays for not just the maintenance, but the construction and the improvements that are necessary.

Again, we are talking Federal gas tax, again, a nexus to this body that the gentleman doesn't seem to realize. What this amendment does is just call on and require an open debate with scrutiny, and so I, quite frankly, continue to just ask the support for this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time

Mr. Chairman, I made my arguments clear, and I yield back the balance of my time.