Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the life of Major D. ``Jim'' Olmes, Jr., of Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania. A World War II veteran, a beloved family member, and community leader, Mr. Olmes passed away last week at the age of 93.

Major Olmes was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for valor as a forward air observer during the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Air Medal and also served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

Following his service, Olmes attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned his law degree before starting his own private practice. He was also active in the community, serving on the Oil City school board and the former Northwest Pennsylvania Bank and Trust Company board.

Major Olmes was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Lee Pence, following more than 60 years of marriage together. As reported in the Oil City Derrick, ``His greatest joy was his family.''

Mr. Speaker, let us remember the special life of Major D. ``Jim'' Olmes as we pray for his family during this time of mourning.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the House's work to advance H.R. 647, the Achieving a Better Life Experience, or ABLE, Act, which yesterday passed the House with broad bipartisan support.

Under the current law, individuals with disabilities face significant barriers to finding and holding employment and living independently because their access to certain safety net programs can be lost once they establish a minimum level of savings and income. The ABLE Act aims to provide families of these individuals with some peace of mind by allowing them to save for their children's long-term disability expenses in the same way that families of able-bodied children can currently save for college through popular 529 investment plans.

As a cosponsor of this legislation and having spent most of my professional career serving those facing life-changing disease and disability as a health care professional, I am proud of this bipartisan effort to empower individuals to live with greater dignity and independence.

Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that the Senate will act swiftly to pass this important legislation. These individuals and their families deserve as much.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the proud grandson of Oscar Thompson, a surface miner, to recognize National Miners Day, which is celebrated on December 6. On this day, we recognize the important role our Nation's miners continue to play across the Nation.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, my home State, the mining industry--the coal industry, in particular--is a vital contributor to the State's economy, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that are responsible for family-sustaining jobs and billions in economic output. In 2011, Pennsylvania produced more than 67 million tons of coal from close to 500 mines, making it the fourth-largest producer of coal and the second-largest producer of electricity among all the States.

Today, coal is used to generate more electricity than any other resource in Pennsylvania, being responsible for 44 percent of the State's electricity generation.

On National Miners Day, we commemorate the work and sacrifice of miners, past and present, and recognize the contributions they make to our economy, the Nation's energy security, and our shared prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, today, the community of Coudersport, Potter County, Pennsylvania, will honor Private Edwin Franklin Tubbs, an American hero who sacrificed his life in defense of our Nation during the Vietnam war.

Private Tubbs was deployed to Vietnam on December 4, 1968. Just 5 weeks later, on January 12, 1969, he was fatally wounded as he set down his rifle to assist a friend who was injured on the battlefield.

With the dedication of the Private Edwin Tubbs Memorial at the West Chestnut Street Bridge, followed by one more dedication later this year, Potter County will have memorialized all nine of the county's Vietnam war casualties with specifically named bridges.

On behalf of this community, I offer my thoughts and prayers as we reflect on the unique life and selfless service of Private Tubbs. While there is nothing that can be done or said to eliminate the sense of loss felt by family members and friends, today's dedication is one small token of appreciation for this hero's honored service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5714) to permit commercial applicators of pesticides to create, retain, submit, and convey pesticide application- related records, reports, data, and other information in electronic form.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill, H.R. 5714.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) for being here to help with this bill today. I also want to thank my good friend and colleague from Oregon, Representative Kurt Schrader, for his leadership on this important piece of legislation.

I rise today in support of H.R. 5714, the Pest Management Records Modernization Act.

Under the current law, the United States Department of Agriculture requires businesses that apply pesticides to maintain and provide access to records on their use, including the product name, amount, approximate date of application, and the location of application of each pesticide used.

While most States allow pesticide applicator businesses to convey information electronically to customers as a way to comply with consumer information requirements, a few States still require that the information be provided in paper or hard copy format. The challenge posed to the industry is not the longstanding consumer information requirements themselves but, rather, the very limited transmission options in certain States.

Today, businesses in virtually all sectors of the economy are going paperless as a way to save costs, increase efficiencies, and, yes, fulfill the range of local, State, and Federal regulatory requirements in a timely and proficient manner. Unfortunately, the transition to a paperless office for many pest management and other pesticide applicator businesses is more difficult than anticipated because of the decades-old State consumer information requirements that mandate transmission of such documents be via paper or hard copy. These requirements are especially disruptive for paperless companies that operate in multiple States, some of which permit electronic conveyance of the required information and others that don't.

The USDA permits records to be retained and conveyed electronically for restricted use pesticide applications. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of treatments performed by pest management professionals are general use pesticides.

The Pest Management Records Modernization Act is a commonsense change to existing law that will allow commercial applicators of pesticides to create, retain, and submit pesticide application-related records, reports, and other information in electronic form.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 5714, the Pest Management Records Modernization Act.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota for his remarks and encourage my colleagues to support passage of this important piece of legislative. I have no further comments or speakers on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the United States Energy Information Administration published its Today in Energy report, which illustrated that shale gas provided the largest share of U.S. natural gas production in 2013.

According to the report, gross withdrawals from shale gas increased to 33 billion cubic feet in 2013, representing 40 percent of total natural gas production and surpassing production from nonshale gas wells.

According to EIA, production in Pennsylvania, Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas accounted for 79 percent of the total shale gas extraction nationwide, and Pennsylvania has become the second largest shale gas- producing State.

I should note that, in 2007, shale gas made up just 8 percent of the total natural gas produced in the United States, with Texas alone counting for 63 percent of the total production nationally. Continuing a trend, production gains have enabled a decline in natural gas imports for the sixth straight year, reaching the lowest level since 1995.

Mr. Speaker, due to the innovation of private industry, our domestic energy resources are now easier to attain at a much lower cost, which is benefiting the American consumer and our Nation's economic competitiveness.

Mr. Speaker, as a former rural health care professional for three decades, I rise today to recognize National Rural Health Day.

National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to ``Celebrate the Power of Rural'' by honoring the selfless, community-minded, can-do spirit that prevails in rural America.

Rural families and communities face unique health care challenges, including accessibility issues, a lack of health care providers, and the needs of an aging population suffering from a great number of chronic conditions.

Today we take the opportunity to showcase the efforts of rural health care providers, State Offices of Rural Health, and other rural stakeholders to meet those challenges.

I am proud to represent Pennsylvania's Fifth Congressional District, which includes rural communities in 24 percent of Pennsylvania's landmass. Rural communities are a great place to live and work, which is why nearly 62 million people call them home.

Our rural hospitals are the economic foundation of rural communities, providing good-paying jobs and access to affordable and accessible health care. Thank you to those that dedicate themselves to serving the health care needs of their neighbors in rural America.

Madam Speaker, according to the Energy Information Administration, today's national average price for retail gasoline is $2.97. This is the lowest price in over a 4-year period beginning in October of 2010.

Gasoline prices have decreased by roughly 21 percent in the last 6 months alone. One of the most prevalent factors determining the price of gasoline at the pump is the international average of the cost of a barrel of crude oil.

Now, over the past week, the price of crude oil per barrel has hovered between $77.15 and $77.85. These are the lowest per-barrel prices since June of 2012, just over 2 years, a stark contrast to $145 per barrel in May of 2008.

The Energy Information Administration has projected that gasoline prices at the pump will continue to decline in December to somewhere around $2.80 a gallon and possibly even lower in 2015.

Additionally, U.S. natural gas prices are roughly $4.24, as production continues to flourish. This is all welcome news for consumers, businesses, and the economy, from more affordable transportation to heating our homes, from the food we consume to American manufacturing having lower costs, therefore being more competitive globally. Lower energy costs are good for our economy overall.

Now, there are many factors as to why gasoline prices fluctuate. They include international market trends and geopolitical events, as well as weather and impacts upon refining capacity due to natural disasters.

While a downed economy has decreased annual demand for gasoline as the summer travel season comes to an end, the price decreases for gasoline can largely be attributed to an increase in domestic supply.

At any other time in our history, given today's world events, our gas prices would be pushing $4 a gallon. Especially with the ongoing recession, American energy production has thankfully increased in recent years, and gas prices have decreased.

While some in Washington would like to credit the Federal Government with the increased supply, the truth is that the vast majority of this domestic production has occurred in spite of Federal actions, not because of them.

The great majority of the production has occurred on private and State-owned lands and has been the result of technological enhancements that have made shale gas and oil reserves more attainable.

Specifically, this increase in production stems from the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Pennsylvania, for example, is currently third in State production of natural gas. The Commonwealth has produced 3.2 trillion cubic feet in 2013 alone.

Increased production has bolstered domestic energy supplies and directly led to historically low natural gas prices across the U.S. This comes on the heels of alltime high prices in 2008 of about $12. Production in Pennsylvania has provided royalty payments to landowners, while contributing significant funds to counties.

Madam Speaker, private and State-owned lands have changed the face of energy production and affordability in our country. The Federal Government would stand to gain by following suit. This starts with opening up new areas of Federal lands, both onshore and offshore, for the production of our natural resources.

These resources belong to the people. There is no reason the administration should continue to play games with energy security. Over the last 4 years, the House has made a priority of moving legislation that would increase our domestic energy production supply.

Just this past September, the House passed H.R. 2, which was a combination of 13 energy-related bills, among them is the Keystone XL pipeline, increasing the amount of permitted onshore and offshore lands for development, along with streamlining cumbersome energy permitting regulations. The bill sets timelines for agencies' permitting decisions and would provide for more pipelines and liquefied natural gas exports.

Many of these actions can be taken by the executive branch, but the administration has not acted. As we have witnessed in recent years, through the development of private lands, increasing our domestic energy supplies and encouraging American production will have a positive impact on energy prices here at home.

Increased domestic energy production of oil and natural gas has eased the financial pain at the pump. This is also welcome as temperatures drop and the home heating season has begun.

The bottom line is the government can do much more to influence energy prices for American consumers. The time for the administration to act is long overdue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my deepest condolences to the parents of Peter Kassig, a former Army Ranger, Iraq veteran, and humanitarian aid worker who was murdered in cold blood by mass cowards, representing the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

These barbaric acts are those of cowards who have unleashed terror throughout the desert in western Syria and northern Iraq. They have massacred entire villages, beheaded families, and sold women and children into slavery. ISIS blows up history it does not agree with and sells artifacts to fund its rampage.

Now, I condemn this attack and all attacks against the innocent and call for neighboring countries to become more actively engaged in defeating this threat. Not only is ISIS a threat to stability in the region, acts like these have shown that they are a threat to peace- loving people across the globe.

They have brainwashed thousands of young individuals and have set their eyes on preparing a new generation of terrorists. Last week, ISIS even announced a partnership with al Qaeda.

To quote Ed and Paula Kassig, Peter's parents, ``Good will prevail.'' Fortunately, some have stepped up to fight the spread of ISIS. Our brave men and women in the U.S. Air Force and Navy have led an incredible and efficient bombing campaign against ISIS targets, halting their advance.

Kurdish Peshmerga forces have gained ground and have been an effective fighting force. Iraqi forces have organized and began an offensive to retake lost territory. There has been progress, but more needs to be done to secure the region.

Despite clearly evil acts by ISIS, there are good people pushing back who have risked everything to help those most affected. Aid workers and volunteers have gone into the war-torn portions of Syria and Iraq to help provide assistance and hope to those most affected. These workers have provided food, water, first aid, and support.

Peter Kassig did the right things. He helped the helpless. He aided the deprived. He treated the wounded. Because he did these things, Peter and others became targeted by ISIS.

We should look at the examples set by Peter Kassig and not forget the selflessness he embodied.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the efforts and hard work of the German-American Caucus over the past several years and the great leadership of caucus Cochairman Jim Gerlach.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Gerlach since before I was elected to Congress, and I am honored to take his place as the next cochairman of the German-American Caucus alongside Congressman Bill Keating.

Under Mr. Gerlach's leadership, the caucus has grown to nearly 100 members and helped foster a great appreciation for the many ties and connections shared between our two countries.

From meeting with very important government, business, and industry leaders to hosting networking events on the Hill, the German-American Caucus has served as an important medium for the exchange of information.

Pennsylvania is proud of its German heritage. The Commonwealth hosts one of the largest German populations in the country. Accordingly, I look forward to working with Ambassador Peter Wittig and Congressman Keating and the leaders of the German American Business Council as we move towards the 114th Congress.

I promise to do my best to live up to the leadership that has been provided by my good friend Congressman Jim Gerlach.

Mr. Speaker, Friday, November 14, was the closing of the public comment period for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' proposed ``waters of the United States''--WOTUS, as it is known--rule under the Clean Water Act, which would dramatically expand the scope of Federal authority over water and land uses across the United States.

Enacted in 1972, the Clean Water Act was created as a partnership between the States and the Federal EPA in order to better manage identified pollution sources through a range of pollution control programs.

This new proposed rule is a direct threat to this longstanding federalist approach created by the law, which has been long supported by Republicans and Democrats alike for over four decades.

It is through this federalist model, which enables regulators at the Federal, State, and local levels to provide adequate flexibility to address water quality while accounting for local and regional variations and conditions, that Pennsylvania has demonstrated a track record of success in improving and protecting the ecological health of its waters. Unfortunately, the proposed rule would dramatically expand the Federal authority to the detriment of our economy and at the expense of existing State-Federal partnerships that have been effective in protecting and improving the biological integrity of our watersheds and waterways.

For this reason, I along with Senator Pat Toomey and eight additional members of the Pennsylvania delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives voiced our strong opposition to this flawed policy. In comments submitted Friday to the agencies, we outlined concerns specific to our home State and those of our constituents, including private landowners, counties, municipalities, farmers, foresters, among so many who will be negatively impacted if this rule is allowed to be fully implemented.

Mr. Speaker, there is a widespread agreement that the Clean Water Act has been a beneficial tool for the management and the health of our Nation's watersheds and water quality.

While Congressional intent of the Clean Water Act has been limited to ``navigable waters,'' the extent of the law's jurisdiction has been the subject of much litigation and regulatory action. Complicating the issue further are Supreme Court decisions that have not adequately described the scope of Federal authority under the law resulting, at times, in conflict.

While the existing law and the Supreme Court have left uncertainty regarding what constitutes a ``water of the United States,'' previous holdings have made clear that the Federal Government's authority is not limitless. Unfortunately, the proposed rule assumes just that-- limitless Federal authority.

Mr. Speaker, the reason this is so concerning is that many of these issues are best regulated at the State level in a manner that recognizes regional differences in geography, climate, geology, soils, hydrology, and rainfall, among other variables. Rather than strengthen the law, the rule creates more confusion--confusion that will most certainly delay permitting and will undermine strong water quality programs that exist in Pennsylvania and in other States. Moreover, this type of uncertainty is susceptible to inconsistent interpretation and application, which holds the potential for substantial implementation costs across the various Clean Water Act programs, and will likely invite more enforcement actions and third-party litigation.

In addition to jeopardizing existing water quality control programs, the economic impact of the proposed rule will be far-reaching. Activities that drive economic development in Pennsylvania, such as highway and road construction, pipeline projects, energy production, infrastructure projects, farming, flood control, and public works projects will all be subject to Federal permitting if this proposal is finalized.

For example, the rule would make most ditches into tributaries. Routine maintenance activities in ditches and on-site ponds and impoundments could trigger permits that can cost $100,000 or more. These permitting requirements would likely trigger additional environmental reviews which would add years to the completion time for ordinary projects, which means more costs for landowners and more regulatory burdens upon the States, all with no guarantee or measurable benefits to our waters.

Mr. Speaker, we all agree that managing the Nation's water is critically important, but in this case, the Federal Government has failed to recognize the fundamental role that States play in meeting our shared goals of clean watersheds and water resources. Mr. Speaker, it is time for EPA and the Corps to vacate this proposal, get back to the drawing board, and fix the fundamental flaws within this rule. The American people, including my constituents in Pennsylvania, deserve as much.

Mr. Speaker, currently, more than 113 million Americans are facing long-term disease or disability. Significant policy advancements have recently been signed into law to encourage the development of drugs for those with limited medical options and continued efforts to get advanced diagnostic tests to patients more quickly. Yet a segment of the population remains who are in the midst of an ongoing struggle.

As someone who spent most of my professional career serving those with life-changing disease and disability, a shared goal of health care providers is to improve the quality of life for their patients. This is particularly true when it comes to those with limited speech, whether they have suffered from stroke, trauma, or progressive neurological diseases such as ALS, MS, or Huntington's.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that after years of recommendations, earlier this month the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has lifted prohibitions on unlocking of speech-generating devices from accessing our technologies such as email or Internet access.

Moving forward, our goals should be the continued empowerment of those facing disease and disability, to ensure their dignity, mobility, and communication abilities can be enhanced in our modern world.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the closing of the comment period on the rule for the Waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act that has been proposed by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Since the comment period opened, which was April 24 of this year, landowners, States, counties, and groups representing a diverse range of both economic and environmental stakeholders from across the country have filed more than a quarter million comments on a rule that threatens both our economy and the ability of States to effectively manage water quality.

Through a strong State-Federal regulatory partnership that provides adequate flexibility to address water quality while accounting for local and regional variations and conditions, Pennsylvania has demonstrated a successful track record of improving and protecting the ecological health of its waters. Unfortunately, this new Federal policy poses a direct threat to the longstanding federalist approach empowered within the Clean Water Act.

Today, Members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation will join the thousands of other concerned citizens in opposing this flawed policy.

Mr. Speaker, when you are provided the privilege and honor of representing people from home and you come to Washington, the very first decision you make is probably one of the most important decisions, and that is who your chief of staff will be. Today, I am blessed to stand here to recognize a man who I think is among the best of the chiefs who has served any Member of Congress.

I rise today to recognize the distinguished career of Jordan Clark, who has served as my chief of staff and is retiring from the House this month. Jordan is a man with a deep love of politics, public policy, and people, including his family and most especially his wife, Mary Therese, and their seven children.

A one-of-a-kind personality and wit as sharp as his record of public service is long, Jordan will be dearly missed by friends and colleagues from Capitol Hill and beyond. It is these qualities, combined with a distinct sense of humor and an unmatched work ethic, that took a young boy from Pittston, Pennsylvania, to the halls of power in Washington. But it wasn't power that Jordan sought. It was public service.

Before beginning his career in Washington, Jordan served in the United States Army. He served his commission after completing Infantry Officer Candidate School. Shortly following this, he was assigned to the Kennedy Center for Military Assistance at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served in special warfare and psychological operations.

After completing Active Duty, he served for 3 years as a captain and company commander in the Maryland National Guard.

Following Jordan's service in uniform, he began a career in Washington with the United States Department of Labor, creating employment opportunities for veterans. Because of his efforts, he was assigned to the President's veterans commission to coordinate job programs between Federal agencies and the private sector, and was chosen by the Secretary of Labor to participate in the Department's career management program.

Jordan later was hired as chief of staff to former United States Congressman Joseph McDade, at the time Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District Representative and also a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations. In the House, he also served as a staff member on the Government Operations and Small Business Committees, where he played an integral role in establishing the first White House Conference on Small Business.

Following the OPEC oil embargoes, Jordan accepted a position in the Office of the Secretary of Energy and was responsible for the administration of the country's conservation and renewable energy programs. During this time, he helped develop the Department's Technology Transfer Program, promoting the sharing of research and information between the Federal Government, private sector institutions, and corporations. He was also the first Department of Energy official to visit Brazil to evaluate its ethanol programs and production.

Following his time in the Energy Department, Jordan served as CEO of communitypath.com, a homeowner advocacy group and successor to the nonprofit United Homeowners Association, which he founded. Before founding the UHA, he was director of operations and assistant vice president for congressional relations for the 180,000-member National Association of Home Builders, where he created the Congressional Contact Program, an industry model for grassroots advocacy.

Upon his return to Capitol Hill, Jordan served as chief of staff to Representative John E. Peterson, my predecessor, until Mr. Peterson's retirement in 2008. At the time, he also served as senior staff member on the House Appropriations Committee, during which he initiated and coordinated efforts to eliminate the 24-year-old congressional moratoria on oil and gas production in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.

In 2009, I was first elected to represent Pennsylvania's Fifth District. Having worked with Jordan in various capacities over the years, I have come to respect his judgement and his work ethic. He is a man who is acutely aware of the needs and challenges facing our men and women in uniform. He is an expert in energy policy, which is fundamental to the history and economy of Pennsylvania's Fifth District, the birthplace of the oil industry in 1859 and today home to the emergent Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Play. He is someone with insight and understanding of the Fifth District, with its diverse geography, residents, and economy.

Mr. Speaker, I could not have made a better choice for chief of staff. I know I speak for generations of close friends and colleagues when I say: Thank you, Jordan Clark, for decades of committed public service in pursuit of a stronger Nation. We wish you, Mary Therese, and your family the very best on the road ahead.

Mr. Speaker, today Congress returns to session with little time to complete business on a range of important matters, which is why I am calling on the Senate to take swift action on the National Defense Authorization Act.

The NDAA, which passed the House in May, authorizes policy for the Pentagon, and this year included reforms to ensure our troops are more adequately trained and equipped, both mentally and physically.

A recent Army study found that nearly half the soldiers who reported suicide attempts indicated their first attempt was prior to enlistment. And I am proud to say the House version of the NDAA includes provisions identical to the Medical Evaluation Parity for Servicemembers Act, or MEPS Act, that I introduced earlier in the year. That will help address this challenge.

The MEPS Act enables the Pentagon to establish a baseline to properly track changes in the servicemembers' behavioral health by instituting a requirement that all incoming troops undergo a mental health assessment upon enlistment.

It is time for the Senate to act on this bipartisan legislation that has the support of over 40 veterans' and military advocacy groups.