Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in May, the citizens of Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania, experienced a devastating flood. I rise today to express my sincere appreciation to the first responders, the borough employees, and the Ridgway citizens who came to the aid of their neighbors.

On Friday, May 23, following the flood and upon my return from Washington to the Fifth Congressional District of Pennsylvania, I was in Ridgway for a briefing by borough manager, Colonel Kim Zimmerman. Our mission was to analyze the scope of the damage, coordinate all levels of government, and determine the best and most efficient path forward to bring relief to those in need.

The colonel, his staff, and the fire department did an outstanding job considering that the Clarion River rose from the normal 3 feet level to greater than 21 feet in a few hours. Despite record flooding, there was no loss of life and no injuries. This fact is remarkable given that 100 citizens had to be evacuated by boat and a total of 500, including land evacuation.

I returned to Ridgway the next day to walk the streets to talk with residents and offer my support to the residents and businesses dealing with losses and damages caused by this devastating flooding.

During my 2 days on the scene, I witnessed heroes in action: fire department volunteers who had been on the job almost 48 hours with little or no sleep; borough employees who refused to be sent home after multiple shifts; neighbors who took time from their own cleanups to assist their neighbors; and church organizations that traveled from surrounding counties to help the community begin to put the pieces back together.

Mr. Speaker, the actions that I observed those days in Ridgway is one of the many reasons that I am proud to call this area my home, and I am proud to represent the Pennsylvania Fifth District.

I want to thank Governor Tom Corbett for his immediate presence and the work of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, along with the visit by Lieutenant Governor Cawley.

Now, based on the joint county, municipal, and State recommendations, Governor Corbett made a disaster declaration on May 29 and also requested loan and grant assistance from the Small Business Administration. Fortunately, the disaster designation was granted, and I offer the commitment from my offices and staff to assist businesses and homeowners who have been affected the resources to assist with their claims.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jude Harrington, supervisory park ranger at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Raystown Lake, located in Huntingdon County of the Pennsylvania Fifth Congressional District.

Mr. Harrington has been recognized as the recipient of the 2014 American Recreation Coalition's Legends Award.

For the past 30 years, Mr. Harrington's efforts have significantly contributed to the improvement of visitor recreational experiences and the enhancement of environmental, social, health, and economic benefits for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Jude's leadership helped to make Raystown Lake a national tourism destination through facility upgrades, coordination of widely publicized special events, and a strong partnership program.

Jude is a founding member of the Friends of Raystown Lake and a longtime adviser, which has led to more than $1.7 million in partnership contributions.

Mr. Speaker, without Mr. Harrington's high standards, customers and the surrounding community would not have such high quality camping facilities, roadways, trails, boat launches, and beaches to enjoy. He is a true professional, leader, and team member.

Congratulations, Jude, for your commitment to excellence as the 2014 Legends Award winner.

Mr. Speaker, disclosures of abuse and neglect at our VA hospitals have been absolutely intolerable. This week's release of the interim report from the VA inspector general highlights the urgency in identifying the full scope of these tragic and potentially deliberate abuses and the need to hold officials at all levels to account for these failures.

Since elected, I have remained in close contact with the VA hospitals serving the Fifth District of Pennsylvania, and I want to thank the committed public servants who work so very hard to provide the best possible care and support to our veterans in those facilities in this region of the country.

Last week, the House, with bipartisan support, passed H.R. 4031, the VA Management and Accountability Act, and I am a proud cosponsor of that bill. While I am glad the House came together to pass this important reform, I encourage the Senate to do the same. So much more must be done to correct these specific abuses and impose accountability and trust across the VA system moving forward.

Mr. Speaker, the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform deserve nothing less.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rodney A. Erickson, retiring president of the Pennsylvania State University.

After 37 years at Penn State as an academic and administrator, Rodney Erickson selflessly took the role of president of the university during a troubled time. We thank him for his service, his dedication, and, most of all, his tremendous vision and leadership.

Rodney Erickson became a faculty member at Penn State in the last 1980s, and over the years, he held roles from assistant professor to dean to vice president for research, to provost and president.

At each level of service to the university, he sought new ways of teaching, better forums for learning, and innovative approaches to streamline bureaucracy and keep the university and its individual departments on the cutting edge. At every stage, he has been an inspirational leader to those around him.

A leader of and advocate for the university in countless ways, Erickson leaves behind a legacy of excellence, integrity, pride, and tireless dedication for this community to cherish and build upon for generations to come.

As a proud Penn State alumnus, I want to thank President Rodney Erickson for his commitment and his dedication to Penn State University. I also wish you and your wife, Shari, the very best with future plans for the years ahead.

Youth Traffic Safety Month

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as well, to recognize Youth Traffic Safety Month, which is celebrated each May.

As many are aware, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for teens. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers.

An even more disturbing fact is that one-third of fatal teen crashes involve a young driver who had been drinking. Also troubling is that 50 percent of high school students say they text ``at least sometimes'' while driving.

Now, these statistics are a stark reminder of how much more must be done to educate our kids on the privileges and responsibilities of operating a motor vehicle.

Mr. Speaker, as we begin the summer season, which is a dangerous time of year on the road for all drivers, let us reflect on these tragic statistics.

While Youth Traffic Safety Month is coming to a conclusion, let us recommit in the coming months, through advocacy, education, and awareness, to promote road safety and reduce the number of vehicle- related fatalities.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that last night, the language that Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio and I introduced in March, H.R. 4305, the Medical Evaluation Parity for Servicemembers Act, or MEPS Act, was included as an amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act. This bipartisan legislation passed the full House this morning.

While our military has made great strides to address issues of mental illness, large gaps exist in this response that we must fill. Given these challenges and in light of the tragic events such as those at Fort Hood, we must and can do more.

Today, military recruits must undergo comprehensive physical evaluations. But what some are surprised or even shocked to hear is that currently no similar exam exists for mental competency.

The MEPS Act institutes a preliminary mental health assessment for all incoming recruits. This bill will offer our military an important tool and move us to a more comprehensive and effective approach to suicide prevention and detection.

I applaud my colleagues for joining us in support of this bill and encourage the Senate to take action on this important reform.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Mark A. Nordenberg, chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, which includes regional campuses in the Pennsylvania Fifth Congressional District, in Bradford, McKean County, Pennsylvania, and Titusville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.

This August, Chancellor Nordenberg will step down after 19 years as chancellor, but will remain at the university that he has served for over 37 years.

During Chancellor Nordenberg's tenure, the university experienced tremendous growth. Annual applications for admission climbed from 7,825 to 27,626. Overall enrollments have steadily increased. Average SAT scores for incoming students are now 185 points higher, and the university continues to expand and to modernize.

Today, the University of Pittsburgh is ranked nationally and competing for the best students in the region, the country, and the world.

Chancellor Nordenberg joined the faculty of Pitt's School of Law in 1977, eventually serving as dean and interim provost of the university. In 1995, he was elected interim chancellor by the university's board of trustees, and in 1996, he was elected chancellor.

Through Chancellor Nordenberg's vision and leadership, the University of Pittsburgh now has an outstanding foundation for success which will last for years to come.

Tomorrow, Chancellor Nordenberg will receive Pitt-Bradford's highest honor, the Presidential Medal of Distinction, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding long-term service to the university.

It is my honor to join Dr. Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford, and the entire University of Pittsburgh team, in offering my congratulations on receiving this important distinction.

Mr. Speaker, we thank Chancellor Nordenberg for his commitment to educational excellence, for his drive and passion to build the University of Pittsburgh into a renowned institution of higher learning.

Madam Chair, first of all, I want to thank Chairman McKeon for his service on this committee and in this body as a colleague; and quite frankly, on behalf of my wife Penny and I, as military parents, thank you for your service to those who serve.

I want to thank you, also, for allowing me to discuss my amendment and have it as part of this en bloc. My amendment will institute a preliminary mental health assessment for all incoming military recruits. A recent Army study found:

Nearly one in five Army soldiers enters the service with a

mental disorder, and nearly half of all soldiers who have

tried suicide first attempted it before enlisting.

In March, Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio, and I introduced the bipartisan H.R. 4305, the Medical Evaluation Parity for Service Members Act of 2014, which is the exact language of this amendment.

This small but subsequent change to current law will bring mental health to parity with physical health during entrance screenings. A preliminary evaluation will also have the purpose of serving as a baseline to identify changes in behavioral health, including traumatic brain injury and/or posttraumatic stress injury throughout an individual's military career.

Protecting individual privacy was taken into the utmost consideration when putting this amendment together. While the MEPS Act is not a cure- all, it will be a significant step in further understanding a well- documented gap in behavioral health information that exists among our service branches; and of equal importance, it will assist with the mental wellness of our servicemembers and veterans.

Since introduction, the MEPS Act has garnered over 35 bipartisan cosponsors and the support of over 40 major military, veteran, and health advocacy groups.

I thank all those who supported this legislation and worked with me and my staff to put this together. I ask for your support as we pass this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise as a proud cosponsor of H.R. 3116, the MODDERN Cures Act.

As most know, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disorder that causes the loss of voluntary muscle control, often resulting in paralysis.

As a former rehabilitation therapist and manager, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that this disease takes of individual lives and family members.

The life expectancy after a diagnosis with ALS is an average of 2 to 5 years. Veterans are twice as likely to experience and to die from ALS as the general public. What is even worse, Mr. Speaker, is there remains no cure.

The MODDERN Cures Act would speed up the development of new and better treatments for patients with chronic diseases and disabilities, including ALS, by removing barriers to medical innovation.

The legislation encourages research on treatments which, quite frankly, have been set aside in the lab, but hold promise for treating ALS and other chronic diseases and disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Margaret D. Tennis of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, in Centre County, Pennsylvania, for decades of service to her community.

Ms. Tennis, age 85, embodied the word ``service,'' and for the past 33 years she has dedicated both her time and her efforts to so many causes and important events, including the Boalsburg Memorial Day celebration.

The Memorial Day celebration in Boalsburg is a unique occasion, which includes a walk to the local cemetery, a tradition held by this community for many years. This year, Boalsburg celebrates the 150th anniversary of this tradition.

Mr. Speaker, the solemn Memorial Day services in communities throughout the Nation allow all of us to pay tribute to those who sacrifice for our freedoms. It is also a time to give thanks to individuals like Margaret Tennis, who make these important community gatherings possible.

Thank you, Margaret, for decades of service and for your tireless efforts to make the Boalsburg Memorial Day celebration such a special day.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the work of United Way Erie in Erie County, Pennsylvania, which this month celebrated its 100th annual campaign to eradicate poverty and improve the lives of local individuals and families.

Each year, on average, United Way Erie touches the life of one out of every three residents in Erie County. In 2013, over 100,000 men, women, and children were helped by the United Way and its supporters.

Last year, United Way Erie put forward an ambitious goal, which is to reduce the number of Erie families struggling to meet their basic needs by one-third between now and 2025. As a result of this new initiative, they have raised over $6.1 million during 2013, which was the largest fundraising campaign ever for United Way Erie.

Mr. Speaker, through bold new ideas and innovative charitable efforts United Way Erie is making a difference. I congratulate them on this 100th campaign anniversary and thank the generations of caring community supporters for their work to help those most in need find a helping hand.

Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I am certainly not opposed to this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Kline and Ranking Member Miller for their work on the bipartisan Success and Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act. This is the second bipartisan bill the committee has brought to the floor this week.

I also want to thank the gentleman from Rhode Island, my good friend, Representative Langevin, who I am proud to join in offering this bipartisan amendment. We cochair the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus together, and opportunities like this amendment are really at the heart of education: preparing students for viable workforce opportunities and to assist the American economy to be competitive in a global market.

The amendment we have put forward adds comprehensive career counseling to the criteria the U.S. Secretary of Education will consider when making grants to support high-performing charter schools and their expansion.

No matter the school, the further promotion of comprehensive career counseling helps drive curriculum improvements that are better aligned with local workforce trends and the availability of postsecondary opportunities, whether they be non-degree certificate programs, internships, apprenticeships, or 2-year and 4-year degrees.

In all schools, traditional and charter, we must advance every opportunity to guide students into postsecondary opportunities that reflect the individual's talents and interests, which includes offering them the support and the counseling necessary to begin them on that path to mobility and success.

I often say it is not where you start out in life, it is where you end up. And career counseling will help students maximize their individual potential to achieve during that journey.

Our amendment is supported by the American School Counselor Association, the Association for Career and Technical Education, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment that builds on the important and valuable reforms included in the underlying bill, and I thank the gentleman from Rhode Island.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I just urge support of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize a unique program organized through the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, or ESGR, called ``Boss Lift,'' which is designed to help businesses gain a better understanding of the responsibilities of our National Guard and Army Reserve.

In my home State, the Pennsylvania National Guard is doing a tremendous job with the Boss Lift program by providing local employers with a new perspective on the sacrifices and the challenges these soldiers and airmen face and a firsthand look at the work being performed by these citizen soldiers.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Fort Indiantown Gap and the Pennsylvania National Guard and met with the incredible citizen soldiers who help make this program possible, all while remaining ready to defend our country.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank ESGR, the Army Reserve, and the Pennsylvania National Guard for their outreach efforts through the Boss Lift program and helping to remind us all of the vital role our Reserve and Guard components play in our national security and local communities.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Indiana for his leadership on this bill. I also want to thank my colleague from New York, Representative McCarthy, for her leadership on this bill.

One of the most important assets that we have in education is our teachers, but our teachers need proven tools. That is why we are here today. This bill is about making sure that we are providing best practices, data-based tools, in terms of teaching methods.

The Strengthening Education Through Research Act seeks to bolster one of our most fundamental education priorities--improving outcomes and raising student achievement.

In 2002, Congress passed the Education Sciences Reform Act, establishing the Institute of Education Sciences, which is responsible for gathering data on educational best practices in the Nation's schools. The intent of the law was to enable States and school districts to identify and improve upon successful education practices.

Although IES has meaningfully improved the quality of education research over the last decade, it also faces shortcomings, one being the significant delay in disseminating key data and findings to local education stakeholders, especially in more rural areas of the country.

Despite the law's successes, improvements can and must be made, and that is the business we are about here this evening. The Strengthening Education Through Research Act reforms our Federal research structure so that States, local school districts, parents, and policymakers have greater access to data--data that is better organized, more reliable, and more useful for our local schools and communities.

As a member of the House Education Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bipartisan reauthorization.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill, so that we can fulfill the Federal Government's commitment to provide States and localities with the latest and best available evidence-based research in a timely fashion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in deep appreciation for a group of individuals who hold our future in their hands: our Nation's teachers.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, during which we thank the countless men and women who strive every day to ensure that a child's potential can become reality.

America's ability to outcompete rival nations is contingent upon the next generation of minds possessing the education but also the confidence to think outside the box. Our future competitiveness is contingent upon our next generation of children having the skills but also creativity, vision, and know-how to build the future.

Each child's potential is realized through the engagement of families and communities, but also teachers rising to the occasion, which they have done for generations.

So let us take a moment to recognize the compassionate individuals who dedicate their lives and professions to the cultivation of minds and the betterment of our Nation.

During this Teacher Appreciation Week let us not forget those teachers who have helped shape our own lives. They deserve our praise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Nurses Week, which is celebrated annually from May 6 through May 12.

Nurses all over the country serve as the first line of defense in the prevention of sickness and injury. From hospitals and care facilities to nurse's offices at schools and local businesses, nurses play an essential role in keeping our society healthy and safe.

From better educating our children about the importance of health to helping fathers and mothers better care for a newborn child, to helping seniors better manage disease or disability, our Nation's nurses are indispensable.

This year's National Nurses Week theme is ``Nurses: Leading the Way.'' During this National Nurses Week, we take time to give thanks to these professionals for doing just that: leading the way through the promotion and the work of bringing better care and better health to our friends and family and neighbors and loved ones.