Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, Sunday marked 32 years since the space shuttle Challenger disaster.

On January 28, 1986, NASA launched the 10th flight of the space shuttle Challenger, and it broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members on board. It was devastating for those watching at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, for those viewing at home, and for our Nation as a whole.

I rise today to remember the Challenger's dedicated crew:

Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, and Judith Resnick.

As President Reagan said in a televised address 32 years ago: ``We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and `slipped the surly bonds of Earth' to `touch the face of God.'''

Madam Speaker, these crew members had a passion for exploration. They inspired children around the world who dreamed of going to space. Through encouraging STEM study--science, technology, engineering, and math--we can continue to preserve their legacy and inspire another generation of explorers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate farmer-educator Lyn Garling for being selected as the 2018 recipient of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's PASAbilities Award. The award honors businesses and individuals who make meaningful contributions to sustainable agriculture in the State and beyond.

For the past 20 years, Lyn Garling of Rebersburg has owned and operated Over the Moon Farm in Centre County. Over the Moon specializes in organic hay, broilers, hogs, and turkeys.

Lyn has traveled widely, teaching ecology in Nicaragua and conducting biological studies in Costa Rica and Mexico. She has earned her bachelor's degree in zoology and has worked on an 80-cow, 800-acre dairy farm in Colorado. She has spent decades as a program director for the Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Program at Penn State University, and she is widely known for helping growers at all scales understand and manage pests on their own operations.

Lyn has also worked as an independent organic inspector for Pennsylvania's Certified Organic and has served several terms on PASA's board of directors.

I wholeheartedly congratulate Lyn on this well-deserved recognition, and I thank her for all of her contributions to the industry.

Mr. Speaker, this 3-day Senate Democratic government shutdown is wrong,

and it is time for the Senate Democrats to do their job.

They voted against a noncontroversial continuing resolution that fully funded the Children's Health Insurance Program for 6 years. This is perplexing because, for the past several months, nearly every Democrat has cited CHIP as one of their most important priorities--but, apparently, it is not more important than playing politics.

Senate Democrats who voted against providing healthcare to 9 million vulnerable children need to be held accountable.

The total number of children enrolled in the CHIP program in Pennsylvania in fiscal year 2016 was 342,268. That means that 12.8 percent of children in Pennsylvania are at risk of losing healthcare because of Senate Democrats playing partisan politics.

Putting politics before the well-being of kids living in poverty and financially distressed homes is flat-out wrong. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to call on the Senators who have been blocking funding the Children's Health Insurance Program to open the Federal Government.

Mr. Speaker, nobody benefits from the politics of a government shutdown, and millions of children are being hurt.

Mr. Speaker, we must reopen the government.

I find it troubling that a majority of the Senate Democrats have chosen to severely jeopardize our military readiness, shut down central government operations, and eliminate healthcare coverage for low-income children, all while setting an arbitrary deadline to address the DACA issue.

Mr. Speaker, I know that we must achieve comprehensive immigration reform, which includes providing certainty on the status of those brought here as children, but a government shutdown is not the way to achieve that public policy.

We must continue to work towards a bipartisan agreement to protect the fate of the DREAMers and to ensure our borders are secure for the safety of all Americans.

In accordance with the law, my Bellefonte and Titusville district offices will be closed, and many of my staff members are furloughed for the duration of any budget impasse. I will remain here in Washington working to get this impasse resolved.

It is my hope that cooler heads will prevail and we can quickly find a resolution to reopen the Federal Government.

All Americans deserve better.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the sanctity of human life and to redouble my commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us: the unborn.

Today, more than 100,000 pro-lifers from across the country are in Washington, D.C., for the 45th annual March for Life. This year's theme is: ``Love Saves Lives.'' And, Madam Speaker, it surely does. Thanks to the pro-life movement, abortion rates across the country are at the lowest since 2013.

Today's march is one of the best events of the year, and I am always pleased to see so many young people standing for life. They are the leaders of tomorrow. And to see so many individuals here today, standing for what they believe in, truly gives me great hope for the future of the pro-life movement.

We must always be a voice for the voiceless, and we continue to build a culture that values lives and respects mothers and their children.

Madam Speaker, we all know that ``Love Saves Lives.''

Mr. Speaker, this Friday, more than 100,000 Americans will travel from across the country to take part in the world's largest pro-life event right here in the Nation's Capital.

The theme for the 45th annual March for Life is ``Love Saves Lives.'' This embodies the true spirit and mission of the pro-life movement by enlisting the power of love to empower others to choose life.

Since the Supreme Court issued a decision in Roe v. Wade, tens of millions of abortion procedures have been performed throughout the United States. Although consistent attempts to overturn this decision have fallen short over the past 4 decades, support for Federal pro-life policies has remained strong.

We will witness this strength Friday when Americans from all corners of the country will march on Washington to highlight the progress of the pro-life movement and encourage strong support moving forward.

President Trump will address the marchers from the Rose Garden and show his commitment to protecting the unborn. He is the first sitting U.S. President to address the event via satellite from the White House in the event's 45-year history.

President Trump has remained steadfast in his commitment to advance pro-life policy. One of his first actions in 2017 was an executive order reinstating the Mexico City policy, which bars international nongovernmental organizations that perform or promote abortions from receiving funding from the U.S. Government. This action, first instated by President Reagan in 1984, helps ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions overseas.

Members of this House also passed H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017, just 1 day after President Trump reinstated the Mexico City policy. This bill made permanent some longstanding policies that prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortion, such as the Hyde amendment.

H.R. 7 also helps to ensure that health insurance companies remain accountable to consumers by requiring them to fully disclose whether or not their healthcare plans cover abortion services.

Another pro-life victory that passed the House in October was H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This bill outlaws abortions performed after the 20-week postfertilization period.

I have consistently voted to prohibit late-term abortions and to protect the unborn, and I will continue to do so as long as I am serving in the House. We must always demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting the lives of the defenseless.

The House will continue the fight this week. On Friday, we will vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. This means that, in the case of a child born alive during an attempted abortion, that child must be immediately transported and admitted to a hospital. If a baby born alive is left to die, the penalty can be up to 5 years in jail. I will certainly vote in support of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, abortion is a tragedy not just because an innocent child died, but because of the lasting impact the abortion itself had on the mothers of those children.

We continue to see efforts by the pro-life movement making an impact. Data shows that the annual number of abortions performed in this country is in decline, including my State of Pennsylvania. There are legislative efforts across the country to protect unborn children and provide assistance and hope to their mothers. These efforts are one of the keys to ending abortion in the U.S.

Pro-life education is having an impact on our culture and in the lives of women facing unexpected pregnancies, but there is much still to be done. That is why I look forward to participating in the 45th annual March for Life, where we will redouble our commitment to protecting the sanctity of human life in all phases and conditions. Attendees will hear stories of love, courage, and victory through God's mercy and grace.

Mr. Speaker, human life is sacred and, through education, love can protect the most vulnerable. The pro-life movement is a voice for the voiceless, and I am incredibly proud and honored to be a part of it.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I had the honor of being in Pittsburgh with President Trump to hear him speak about how tax reform is putting America back to work. We were at H&K Equipment, a company that is investing in itself at a rate of 50 percent higher than last year thanks to tax reform.

H&K credits the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for providing them with the ability to expense 100 percent of the investments they make in new construction and demolition equipment. That is tax reform right at work in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Of course, this is in addition to State College's AccuWeather giving year-end bonuses; Malvern's Meridian Bancorp increasing its minimum wage to $15 per hour, with an additional 20 percent added to the 2017 bonuses; Allentown's American Bank giving employees $1,000 bonuses; and Pittsburgh's PNC Financial Services giving $1,000 bonuses to 47,500 of its nationwide employees, while increasing base wages, retirement program contributions, and its charitable giving.

These are just a few stories. Tax reform is working, fair and simple.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association (P.S.S.A.) on the occasion of their 50th anniversary.

I look forward to joining them Friday evening at the annual Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association Convention as they celebrate this monumental milestone.

The Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association (P.S.S.A.) has served to keep the Outdoor Amusement Industry alive and strong through their combined efforts.

The P.S.S.A. has grown because its members have learned to put their individual goals aside for the common goals of the Industry. This unity really has the strength and foresight necessary to continue its work into the next century.

The annual convention and trade show brings together board members, volunteers and staff from most of the 109 Pennsylvania county and local fairs.

For 14 years its support of scholarships has generated more than $200,000. The P.S.S.A.'s investment in our Commonwealth's next generation of leadership is to be commended.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association for working to the best of its ability to keep the Outdoor Amusement Industry the best of America's Family Entertainment.

Congratulations and Happy 50th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise because today former Senator Bob Dole will receive the Nation's highest civilian honor to recognize his decades of service as a soldier, a lawmaker, and a statesman. House and Senate leaders will present the 94-year-old former Senator with the Congressional Gold Medal.

Senator Dole represented Kansas for 35 years: first as a Representative of this House, and later lending his leadership to the U.S. Senate. In 1996, he was the GOP candidate for President.

President Ronald Reagan, in 1989, said that Senator Dole served America heroically and ``has . . . been a friend to veterans, farmers, and Americans from every walk of life. Bob Dole has stood for integrity, straight talk, and achievement throughout his years of distinguished public service.''

Senator Dole has served this country, this Nation, on the battlefield, enlisting with the U.S. Army during World War II. During a military offensive in Italy, he was seriously wounded while trying to save a fellow soldier. Despite his grave injuries, Dole recovered and was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with an oak cluster for his service, among other medals.

I am proud that we will honor Senator Dole today for his life of service to the United States both in the military and here on Capitol Hill. It is sure to be a moving ceremony in honor of a real American hero.

Honoring Army Secretary Mark Esper

Mr. Speaker, service to one's country is among the most notable and selfless acts throughout history. Our military men and women have shown uncompromising honor, dedication to duty, and genuine love of country.

This evening, Members of Congress will have an opportunity to meet the 23rd Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Mark T. Esper. Secretary Esper is a 1986 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served on Active Duty for more than 10 years before transitioning into the Reserve, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Secretary Esper's service included deployment with the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Desert Storm. For his valor during that operation, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Proudly, the Secretary is a Pennsylvania native. He graduated from Laurel Highlands High School in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in 1982. Secretary Esper later earned a master's degree in public administration from Harvard and a doctorate from George Washington University.

I am looking forward to meeting the Secretary tonight thanks to the reception hosted by the House Army Caucus.

In addition to the Secretary, we will be joined by General Mark Milley, the 39th Chief of Staff of the Army. The Army senior leaders and members of the Army staff will also attend.

This reception provides an important opportunity for Members to meet directly with Secretary Esper and General Milley as well as the Army staff to gain their perspectives on the strategic environment facing the Army during the 115th Congress and discuss issues facing our Army, our soldiers, and their families.

Two outstanding events will take place today in the Capitol, and I look forward to both of these historic occasions.

Congratulating the Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association on the occasion of their 50th anniversary. I look forward to joining them Friday evening at their annual Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association convention as they celebrate this monumental milestone.

The Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association has served to keep the outdoor amusement industry alive and strong through their combined efforts. The PSSA has grown because its members have learned to put their individual goals aside for the common goals of the industry. This unity really has given them the strength and foresight necessary to continue their work into the next century.

Their annual convention and trade show brings together board members, volunteers, and staff from most of the 109 Pennsylvania county and local fairs.

For 14 years, their supportive scholarships have generated more than $200,000.

Their investment in our Commonwealth's next generation of leadership is to be commended.

Thanks to all the members of the Pennsylvania State Showmen's Association for the work that they do, to the best of their human ability, to keep the outdoor amusement industry the best of America's family entertainment. Congratulations and happy 50th.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Emporium Borough Mayor Bruno Carnovale on his upcoming retirement after more than 50 years of service to the community.

Mayor Carnovale first served as a council person for 18 years, then as civil service chairperson for the Emporium Borough Police Department for 4 years, and, most recently, as mayor beginning in 1988.

It was 1966 when Bruno Carnovale ran for office with the goal of finding a solution to continual flooding problems near Oak Street. He stuck around long after that goal was achieved.

Mayor Carnovale grew up in Johnsonburg, but he has had connections to Emporium since spending childhood summers working on his grandfather's farm. After high school graduation, he moved to Emporium and briefly went to work for Sylvania before joining the Navy during World War II. After the war, he returned to Sylvania and became a senior electrical designer, certified electrical inspector, and master electrician.

Mayor Carnovale has been active with The American Legion, Lions Club, Cameron County Republican Committee, the American Cancer Society, and he is an active member of St. Mark's Church.

Mr. Speaker, I wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement, and I thank him for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

What an outstanding turnout tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here tonight and participate in this Special Order to celebrate the sanctity of human life and redouble my commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us: the unborn.

I want to thank Congressman Chris Smith for hosting this opportunity tonight. He has certainly been a champion of the pro-life moment, and this week marks the 45th anniversary of Roe V. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that set constitutional precedent on the issue of abortion.

That decision also ignited the pro-life movement, which was already taking shape.

And this movement will be witnessed on Friday, when more than 100,000 pro-lifers from across the country will come to Washington, D.C. for the 45th annual March for Life. This year's theme is ``Love Saves Lives.''

And, Mr. Speaker, it surely does.

Thanks to the pro-life movement, abortion rates across the country are at the lowest since 2013.

Proudly, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania remains one of the top protective states in the nation to provide legal protections for human life from conception to natural death, according to Americans United for Life.

From 2015 to 2016, we saw a 3 percent decline in abortions in Pennsylvania, and these statics reflect important Pennsylvania State laws, such as, the ban on sex-selection abortion.

These figures are certainly welcome news, but the fight is not over and there is more work to be done.

I know this House will continue to work tirelessly at the federal level to put the health and safety of women and children first. Pro- life education and legislative efforts are making an impact on our culture and in the lives of women facing unexpected pregnancies.

We must always be a voice for the voiceless. And we must continue to build a culture that values life and respects mothers and their children.

I am proud to be part of this movement and I thank every individual here tonight for their commitment to this important cause.

Because we all know that ``Love Saves Lives.''

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on Religious Freedom Day to celebrate the numerous faiths that people hold across this great Nation.

Today, we commemorate the 232nd anniversary of the passing of a State law that has shaped and secured our important legacy on religious liberty.

On January 16, 1786, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. The bill, written by Thomas Jefferson, states: ``. . . all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of reli- gion. . . . ''

Just a few years later, this bill served as the inspiration for the First Amendment, which affirms our right to choose and exercise faith without government coercion or retaliation.

Today, Americans from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds remain committed to the values of faith, honesty, integrity, and patriotism.

Mr. Speaker, our Constitution and laws guarantee Americans the right not just to believe as they see fit, but to freely exercise their religion.

We observe this day in our homes and schools and houses of worship because we have the freedom and the right to do so.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, I will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy by volunteering my time to help my community. I will be at the State College Food Bank working with its clients during distribution time.

State College Food Bank, a wonderful organization under the leadership of the executive director, Carol Pioli, is a tremendously successful organization. Last year, the food bank served thousands of people and more than 700 families in the community. In addition, it shared 26 tons of food to help other nonprofit organizations with their food needs.

As chairman of the Agriculture Committee's Nutrition Subcommittee, I know the vital role the State College Food Bank plays in the lives of so many. Since it opened in 1982, it has provided nutritious food to those in need.

I look forward to working alongside food bank employees and volunteers on Monday because too many Americans are food insecure, and through local food banks, these individuals can receive healthy and nutritious food for themselves and their families. No one in America should go hungry, and our local food banks work every day to realize that goal.

Mr. Speaker, it has been nearly 10 years since the Great Recession officially began, when our economy slumped and unemployment climbed to levels not witnessed since the early 1980s, but last month Congress paved the way to create a tax system that is fair, simpler, and one that establishes an environment where our country can unleash our full potential.

Too many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and have been for too long. Stagnant wages, growing debt, and the inability to save have plagued so many. That is why our tax overhaul is so important. This truly is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that we could not afford to pass up.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will touch every household in the Nation and every corner of our economy. As soon as February, Americans will see more money in their paychecks. When it comes time to file their 2018 taxes, our tax system will be so simple that 9 out of 10 Americans will be able to file on a postcard. The standard deduction will be doubled for individuals and joint filers. Middle class families will also have a significant increase to the child tax credit to help parents with the costs of raising children.

And, Mr. Speaker, for those pursuing opportunity through education, America's students, the graduate tuition voucher exemption and student loan interest deduction remain in our tax reform package. I, and many of my colleagues, urged the conference committee to keep these provisions intact.

Our Tax Code should provide incentives for greater opportunity. For many, this is realized through higher education. The student loan interest deduction helps make higher education more affordable, and based on the most recent yearly data available, 12 million taxpayers benefited from that deduction.

I advocated keeping this provision as well as the graduate tuition voucher exemption and other higher education tax credits as a part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act because they truly do make a difference in the lives of so many Americans. It makes financing an education possible for many low- and middle-income individuals.

In addition to education, another great cornerstone of the American Dream is homeownership, and, proudly, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will continue to provide tax relief to current and aspiring homeowners alike.

Mr. Speaker, there are many accomplishments in this historic tax overhaul, including lowering the corporate tax rate, which will put our job creators on a level playing field with their global competitors. This has already led to increased bonuses and pay raises for millions of workers. Quite simply, this bill provides the kind of tax relief that Americans deserve.

We challenged the status quo and the special interests who said it couldn't be done, and we did it. And the American people won.