Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Walden for those words.

This is a fight that is critical to the country, and I want to thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Walden, and Mr. Pallone and the other members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for reporting out for consideration today this multipronged assault on this cruel epidemic that is ravaging the country. The committee has responded, and I thank Chairman Walden for all of these bills that are here with us today, especially the bill that we are debating now, and that is the Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act.

We have invested billions of dollars in treatment and recovery services. As the gentlewoman from Massachusetts has just said, only 10 percent of Americans with a disorder actually receive treatment; 90 percent go without treatment.

That situation is even more dire in small communities. Far too often, when our rural constituents recognize their addiction, they are not able to find treatment or recovery services anywhere close to home or at all.

Those who do enter the treatment profession often don't stay long due to the stress of the job. They don't work in areas most in need of their services, or they have difficulty repaying these sizeable student loans. If we want to maximize our downpayment for the future, these professionals are the key.

H.R. 5102 creates a substantial student loan repayment benefit for a

broad spectrum of medical professionals who enter this noble vocation. It also ensures that these individuals serve in areas most in need of their services for the long haul, offering periodic payments over 6 years.

With these incentives in place, more of our constituents suffering from addiction will receive the quality treatment they so desperately need.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Clark for her genuine concern about the problem and her partnership, and also Dr. Burgess and his team for their guidance on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank Chairman Walden for bringing this bill forward and all of the others that have been reported out today, and I thank Mr. Pallone and the rest of the committee for the great work that they are doing in a bipartisan fashion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Jo Marshall in recognition of her retirement after a lifetime of dedication as a highly esteemed post-secondary education administrator in Kentucky and Alabama, including her last 18 years of leadership as President of Somerset Community College (SCC) in Somerset, Kentucky.

Dr. Marshall and her late husband, Dr. Scott Marshall, were a dynamic team with immense passion for post-secondary education, who worked tirelessly to improve access to college degrees and open new doors of opportunity for those most in need. In fact, when the Marshalls first arrived in Somerset, they surveyed the rural Lake Cumberland region and quickly realized the tremendous need for a scholarship fund to help our students pay for tuition. So, Dr. Marshall launched the SCC Foundation, which is a nearly one-million-dollar fund today, making college dreams come true for countless local students.

Despite severe budget cuts and rising unemployment rates, Dr. Marshall guided SCC through some of its greatest successes. She expanded the local campus with several new state-of-the-art buildings, increased enrollment numbers to historic levels, developed key partnerships with four-year colleges and universities to streamline student transfers, and garnered a multitude of accolades for her personal leadership and SCC's achievements.

Dr. Jo Marshall is an incredibly gracious and humble individual who leads with a steady hand and a heart of compassion. She has made a remarkable difference in our community and in the lives of countless students in Kentucky. Although she is retiring, Dr. Marshall has laid a foundation for future success and growth as SCC continues to serve our region.

My wife, Cynthia, and I wish our dear friend, Dr. Marshall, many joyful years of retirement with her children and grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I had a scheduling conflict, and was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 181; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 182;``yea'' on Roll Call No. 183; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 184; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 185; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 186; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 187; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 188; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 189; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 190; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 191; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 192; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 193; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 194; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 195; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 196; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 197; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 198; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 199; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 200; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 201; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 202; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 203; ``nay'' on Roll Call No. 204; ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 205; and ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 206.

Mr. Speaker, had a scheduling conflict, and was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call No. 167; Yea on Roll Call No. 168; Yea on Roll Call No. 169; Yea on Roll Call No. 170; Yea on Roll Call No. 171; Yea on Roll Call No. 172; Yea on Roll Call No. 173; Yea on Roll Call No. 174; Yea on Roll Call No. 175; Nay on Roll Call No. 176; Yea on Roll Call No. 177; Nay on Roll Call No. 178; Yea on Roll Call No. 179 and Yea on Roll Call No. 180.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of Eastern Kentucky's greatest champions for economic development and infrastructure enhancement, my friend Gail Wright, who is retiring after nearly 30 years of dedication as Executive Director of the Gateway Area Development District.

Gail was raised on a farm in rural Menifee County, Kentucky, where she learned the value of basic infrastructure, a frugal family life and hard work. She developed a deep passion for helping others while on the farm, which inspired her love for community development.

Gail has been an overcomer from day one, including being first in her family to graduate from college and serving as one of the first female Executive Directors for an Area Development District in Kentucky. Most recently, about ten years ago, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor and a genetic defect in her heart that would ultimately test her strength and tenacity. Once again, she never slowed down, overcoming two major health issues back-to-back.

She has utilized that same determination and courage of conviction to fuel her leadership for the Gateway Area, covering Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, and Rowan Counties. She has been an incredible force in the field of community and economic development; she knows the often-complex inner workings of grant funding and administration; she knows how to bring strategic partners together at the federal, state and local levels; and ultimately, she has a genuine love and understanding for the people, the culture, the talent and the heritage of Eastern Kentucky.

As you look around the communities in the Gateway Area, her fingerprints are visible on countless projects from water and wastewater expansion, industrial parks, transportation enhancements, tourism growth, educational access and other revitalization activities. She has served as Chair of the Kentucky Area Development District's Executive Directors and has dedicated her time and resources to multiple boards in the region, across Kentucky and nationally. Most importantly, she has simultaneously devoted her life to her husband, Dean, with whom she has raised two wonderful sons, Abraham and Jordan.

Gail has been a true jewel for Eastern Kentucky and we will do our best to continue the work she envisioned for the region we all love. As she enters retirement, my wife, Cynthia, and I wish Gail and her family immense joy and blessings in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an American hero and one of Eastern Kentucky's bravest sons, U.S. Navy SEAL Richard Paul Melton, in celebration of his retirement from a valiant 20-year military career.

As a member of the nation's elite Seal Team Six, Paul Melton has served as one of the United States' highly trained experts in warfare, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism and national defense. Our Navy SEALs are the most highly esteemed warriors around the world, known for their unmatched success in covert special operations by sea, air and land, displaying incredible dedication to our country with every mission and unmatched willpower in enemy territory.

Our nation owes this Navy SEAL and his family a great debt of gratitude for their combined sacrifice during his brave service over the last two decades. He has served five tours in Afghanistan, as well as tours in the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa and the greater Middle East. While we may never know the gravity of his classified missions and the imminent danger he faced in areas infiltrated with some of the world's most brutal terrorists, let us never fail to applaud and recognize his undying determination to defend our freedom and protect our allied nations.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Paul Melton is decorated with some of the highest honors bestowed upon any member of the U.S. Armed Forces, including: five Bronze Star Medals with Combat V, a Purple Heart, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Combat V, a Combat Action Ribbon, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, two Presidential Unit Citations, a Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, the Navy E Ribbon, six Navy Good Conduct Medals, a National Defense Medal, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, a Sea Service Deployment Medal, a Navy Rifle Expert Medal and a Navy Pistol Expert Medal.

I count it an immense honor to celebrate this true American patriot upon his retirement from the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group--SEAL Team Six. The people of Leslie County and all of Kentucky are incredibly proud of our hometown hero, Richard Paul Melton.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, despite his laudable efforts to complete all fiscal year 2018 House bills on time, the perpetual stalemate on unrelated matters left us with this undesirable choice of several continuing resolutions.

Piecemeal funding of government is universally harmful, but now we have a chance to get back on track and finalize funding for fiscal year 2018.

Mr. Speaker, there is a reason why we have a rule against legislating on appropriations bills, and yet here we are. The only holdback that kept us from getting these bills done on time was the fact that a lot of people--some, even, in leadership--who want to load onto this must- pass bill legislation that is controversial. Yet our committee has to cope with an unsatisfactory arrangement.

Protecting American interests around the globe through military readiness and diplomacy is not a luxury in this hostile environment. It is a responsibility. This bill provides the necessary resources to fulfill that responsibility.

It upholds our commitments to key strategic partners and allies such as Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Ukraine. The bill also will assist other partners to fight terrorism, secure borders, resist aggression, and stabilize communities affected by conflict.

We also uphold our longstanding commitment as Americans to help those displaced by conflict or natural disaster or who are facing famine.

Today's bill will also fight back against the scourge of opioid abuse and

help reignite the economy of coal country. Like Operation UNITE, in my Kentucky district, the Federal Government has taken a holistic approach to tackle the complex opioid problem. The agreement provides historic levels of funding for law enforcement, treatment, prevention, recovery, and research. Only when these elements all work in concert will we truly be able to turn the tide and save lives.

In addition, after struggling under the war on coal, it is time to turn a new page in central Appalachia. This bill will give us more tools to strengthen economic development in that region.

First, the agreement invests in cutting-edge technologies to ensure coal remains a significant part of our energy portfolio, both here at home and abroad. There is also continued support for the Abandoned Mine Land pilot program.

This support for the AML pilot program allows us to clean up abandoned mines and repurpose them to create jobs.

Finally, I am proud that this agreement includes legislation that I helped introduce, the STOP School Violence Act, which aims to curb the epidemic of violence in our schools. This is a significant step forward in our effort to protect our children from senseless tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great heaviness of heart that I and all of Kentucky mourn the tragic and untimely death of Officer Scotty Hamilton, a 12-year veteran of the Pikeville Police Department.

Eastern Kentucky lost one of its bravest sons on March 13, 2018 when Officer Hamilton paid the ultimate sacrifice while valiantly serving and protecting the community he loved. Since joining the police force in 2006, Officer Hamilton served with immense integrity, earning the utmost respect of his colleagues and courageously giving his all to the City of Pikeville.

In 2013, Officer Hamilton was honored as the Pikeville Police Department's very first Officer of the Year. It was an accolade he rightfully earned as one of the Police Chief's ``right hand men''--a dependable and exemplary officer.

Outside of the police force, Scotty Hamilton loved living in the Appalachian Mountains and could often be found hunting and trail-riding with his family and friends. It was perhaps the great pride he had for his hometown that drove his desire to serve and protect the people who live there. In fact, he volunteered for numerous assignments and charity events to give back as much as he could.

The value of our rural law enforcement professionals, like Officer Hamilton, is immeasurable. Holding to their core principles of duty and sacrifice with unwavering dedication, our

police officers never fail to respond, regardless of the unknown dangers and threats that arise.

I'm reminded of the true definition of love in John 15:13, ``Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'' What a legacy of love, bravery and sacrifice Officer Hamilton leaves to inspire our nation.

My wife, Cynthia, and I extend our deepest heartfelt sympathies to Officer Hamilton's wife, daughter, parents and his extended family, including his brothers and sisters in blue at the Pikeville Police Department. Let us remember Officer Scotty Hamilton as a true American hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the memory of my Irish friend and one of Kentucky's best imports, Dr. Pearse Lyons.

Dr. Lyons was born and raised across the pond in Ireland and the United Kingdom and immigrated to Kentucky over 40 years ago to launch his first major business, Alltech. He quickly became a Kentuckian at heart and developed an inspiring passion for rural Eastern Kentucky. In many ways, he would tell me, that Kentucky's Appalachian region reminded him of his homeplace in Ireland, where folks take great pride in their communities and their trades. In fact, he believed in Eastern Kentucky so much that he extended a branch from Alltech into Pikeville, Kentucky with a new distillery to create jobs and invest in our region. Today, Alltech is now a $3 million company that employs more than 5,000 people across 128 countries, and soon those numbers will include Eastern Kentucky.

Dr. Lyons was the type of visionary that believed we could accomplish monumental things by telling the story of Eastern Kentucky with our own people leading the charge, with our own talents. His charisma and enthusiasm for life were contagious. He helped remind us of the unique treasures that we have in Eastern Kentucky and inspired us to share them on a broader spectrum.

In addition to his business ingenuity, Dr. Lyons and his lovely wife, Deidre, shared their philanthropic spirit with the entire Commonwealth. In fact, Alltech was birthed as a way to help feed the world with locally farmed products. Thanks to his global leadership in agribusiness, Dr. Lyons played an essential role in attracting the World Equestrian Games to Kentucky in 2010 by building the state-of- the-art Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. Aside from the farm, Dr. Pearse and Deidre Lyons have shared immense generosity around the globe through disaster relief, improving access to education, and countless other worthy programs.

I counted Dr. Lyons a dear friend who displayed genuine kindness and love for our state. I'm grateful that he planted seeds of hope in Kentucky, where we will see his dreams continue to flourish for years to come. My wife, Cynthia, and I extend our heartfelt sympathy to Deidre and the entire Lyons family.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the STOP School Violence Act. I want to congratulate Sheriff Rutherford, the original sponsor of the bill, for his dedicated work on this project, among others.

In the immediate wake of last month's tragedy in Parkland, more than 15 students in my home district in eastern Kentucky were arrested. Thankfully, our students and local law enforcement acted swiftly to prevent a copycat event in our own schools. As our Nation battles this epidemic of school violence, it is imperative that we utilize our available resources to stop tragic events before they occur. But, unfortunately, too many students and officials don't have the tools they need to successfully act under similar situations.

This bill takes necessary and commonsense steps to prevent school bullying, suicide, and violence, providing grant funding to States to implement proven and evidence-based trainings that detect threats before they come to fruition. In most cases of school suicides and shootings, at least one other person knew of the plan and failed to report it. So these appalling events are avoidable, but we must give our schools the tools and resources they need, and this bill would do just that.

Enhancing early detection, prevention, and coordination with law enforcement will save lives. There may not be one single answer to preventing all future violence in schools, but this effort is very much a part of the solution.

Mr. Speaker, I was proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote for it.

Mr. Speaker, I have the flu, and my doctor told me not to travel this week. Had I been present, I would have voted as followed:

Yea on Roll Call No. 70,

Yea on Roll Call No. 71,

Yea on Roll Call No. 72,

Yea on Roll Call No. 73,

Yea on Roll Call No. 74,

Yea on Roll Call No. 75,

Nay on Roll Call No. 76,

Yea on Roll Call No. 77,

Yea on Roll Call No. 78,

Nay on Roll Call No. 79,

Yea on Roll Call No. 80.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this fiscal year 2018 DOD Appropriations bill. Although I am proud to support this critical legislation, I will say that I am disappointed to be here, yet again, speaking in support of the DOD Appropriations bill as we, again, seek its passage in the House.

Despite Chairman Frelinghuysen's Herculean efforts to complete all 12 bills on time and passing several packages that included the Defense bill, the Senate refuses to act. We recently saw the effects of this when the government shutdown put great stress on the backs of our servicemembers and their families.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that we push aside partisanship and do what is right for the country and for our national security by passing this bill. While it certainly represents the outcome of many hard choices, it prioritizes funding where our troops need it most. It wisely invests in readiness, training, maintenance, and procurement of new equipment and technology to ensure that our troops are prepared for the tasks before them.

I am pleased that this bill takes care of our troops and their families at home by granting them a long-awaited 2.4 percent pay raise. Our Nation has been at war for nearly two decades, and our servicemembers have put their lives on the line to ensure that we can live our way of life. This raise represents just one small way for us to honor their service.

Mr. Speaker, they say that the third time is the charm, and I hope this holds true here. After the House passes the bill, I urge the Senate to do so as well so that the President can sign this bill into law. According to the Constitution, it is the Congress' responsibility to provide for our common defense. This bill does just that.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill.

Here it is in a nutshell: Chairman Frelinghuysen saw to it that we passed all 12 of the appropriations bills and sent them to the Senate, where not a single one has been allowed to come to the floor because of Democratic Senators who profess they want to keep the government going but vote ``no.''

And because the Democrats in the Senate have barred the consideration of any of these bills, here we are. We have no choice but to vote for this bill if we want to keep the government open. It is the only game in town.

And those on the other side who profess they want to keep the government going today will vote ``no.'' I don't understand that logic.

Mr. Speaker, this is the only chance we have to keep the government operating to be sure that the American taxpayers' money is being spent properly and adequately, but for the purpose of keeping our government open.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and let's move on.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of the second fiscal year 2018 continuing resolution this year, which will fund the Federal Government through December 22 of this year.

This bill is a necessary measure to continue vital government programs and services. It also prevents uncertainty and harm in a shutdown.

This year, the committee worked at a historic pace to produce and then pass all 12 bills to fund the government. Chairman Frelinghuysen should be recognized for this feat of leadership. It is important that we eventually send these bills to the President's desk.

As chairman of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, I want to highlight that the funding provided in our bill supports continued leadership by the U.S. and advances our national security and economic interests. This funding is critical to addressing the many challenges that we face around the world.

Mr. Speaker, while CRs are never our preferred course of action, the bill before us today will give us more time to complete our work with the Senate and put together a final bill that will support the American people. Our current continuing resolution expires tomorrow, so we must act today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the CR.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my long-time friend, Ralph Hacker, upon his induction into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame--Class of 2017.

Ralph Hacker's voice was a colorful hallmark of the UK Radio Network for more than three decades, including three men's basketball national championships, seven Final Fours and four football bowl games. Before we could watch our beloved UK Wildcats play basketball on television, we used to ``watch them on the radio,'' as some would jokingly say--and it was the voice of Ralph Hacker that brought the game to life, as we envisioned every block, every dunk and every heroic play on the court. Still today, the Big Blue Nation is known to turn down the audio on the television to instead listen to familiar commentary on the radio as the game plays on. It's a testament to local broadcasters, like Ralph Hacker, who attended practices and spent unmatched time on and off the court with coaches and players to learn about the passion and drive that breeds championship teams. Today, the University of Kentucky is the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I Men's Basketball winningest program, and it was Ralph Hacker's voice that helped fans rejoice with every win and find solace in every defeat.

Before becoming a voice for the Wildcats, Ralph and I first met at WVLK in Lexington as young disc jockeys, where we also worked with fellow broadcasters Jim Host and Claude Sullivan. While I detoured to UK Law School and eventually, the U.S. House of Representatives, all three of my friends had tremendous broadcasting careers, pioneering advancements in communications and business. Ralph later purchased and built a prominent radio network as president of HMH Broadcasting, earning the respect of broadcasters across the country.

Aside from his broadcasting career, Ralph and his lovely wife Marilyn have generously opened up their hearts and their home to help raise support for a number of charities. Their joint philanthropic drive has made a profound impact on the lives of countless Kentucky families. Most recently, Ralph has adamantly lent his voice to raise awareness for cardiac health across the state.

Mr. Speaker, the UK Athletics Hall of Fame is filled with incredibly talented men and women from my alma mater. I'm incredibly proud that my friend, Ralph Hacker, is rightfully being added to this prestigious list of legends after dedicating his voice to the broadcasting industry in Kentucky for more than a half century. However, among all his accomplishments, I know Ralph and Marilyn are most proud of their wonderful daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Danny Reilly, and especially their granddaughters, Collins and Gresham Jane.