Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 162, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 163.

Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Black.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 43. This resolution will overturn an Obama administration rule that forces States to direct Federal funds to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.

States receive Federal funding to support family planning services, and they have the discretion to distribute these title X funds in the way that best serves their communities. Many States have exercised their discretion to direct title X funding to community health centers and family health clinics that do not provide abortions and withhold funding from abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.

It is just common sense that States know the needs of their people and their communities better than Washington bureaucrats do. The States should be able to decide how these Federal funds are distributed.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration disagreed, so they issued a last-minute regulation in their final days in office that would force States to distribute funding to abortion providers. Their rule would take away States' abilities to direct title X funds to providers that offer comprehensive care but do not participate in abortion. It would force States to enable the flow of funds to Planned Parenthood and others in the abortion industry. I think it is reprehensible.

Now Congress has the opportunity to right this wrong and undo the massive overreach. We are taking action to defend taxpayers and defend life by using the Congressional Review Act to overturn this rule. Overturning this rule won't reduce funding for women's health care. In fact, it will let States direct these funds in the way that is best for their citizens. It will ensure States can support women's heath as well as protect the unborn.

Madam Speaker, this resolution is essential to rolling back executive overreach and standing up for the sanctity of life. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.J. Res. 43.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 42. This resolution is the latest effort in the House to undo the wave of bureaucratic overreach from the Obama administration.

Five years ago, Congress passed a bipartisan law that included a commonsense provision giving the States flexibility to drug test some applicants for unemployment insurance.

Instead of following the law Congress passed and allowing--not requiring--States to implement the policies right for their citizens, the Obama administration decided to tie States' hands. It issued a regulation that left no flexibility for States, the opposite of the bipartisan law Congress passed.

Mr. Speaker, frankly, it is sad that we are even here today. This all could have been avoided if the Obama administration had simply followed the congressional intent, but yet here we are.

I support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Ed Moore, who was truly a pillar of our community in northern Indiana.

In 1979, Ed founded the Christian radio station, WFRN, which has been a beacon of faith and joy to its family of listeners for nearly 4 decades. I have had the privilege of visiting the WFRN studio many times over the past 5, 6 years. Each time, I saw Ed's passion for serving the Lord and helping listeners strengthen their faith. WFRN has had such a positive impact on so many lives, and Ed's legacy is that it will continue to do so.

In announcing Ed's passing, his family noted they were saddened, yet rejoicing, because Ed is with the Lord.

Mr. Speaker, I join Ed's children, Doug, Steve, and Rachelle, his 11 grandchildren, and the entire WFRN family in mourning Ed's passing, celebrating his life, and rejoicing that today he is with the Lord.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Grace Brown of Granger, Indiana, on receiving a Silver Congressional Award Medal for her dedicated service to our community and her outstanding personal growth.

Grace stands out not only because of her hardworking Hoosier spirit, but also because of her dedication to setting and achieving goals of personal growth and public service. Grace is driven, talented, and compassionate, and at her young age she has already left a positive mark on her community. I look forward to learning of the amazing accomplishments that I am certain lie ahead for Grace.

The Congressional Award recognizes the best of America by honoring individuals who have achieved goals that build character, foster community service, and strengthen personal development and citizenship.

Grace exemplifies these qualities and much more. She has shown great commitment to bettering the lives of others through her dedicated public service. She has built on her talents and developed new skills by teaching and taking part in dance classes. She has shown a genuine interest in learning about different cultures and exploring new environments, organizing and leading a five-day Expedition to Hocking Hills, Ohio. And she has given back to her community, spending more than 200 hours collecting and distributing food for local families in need.

Through all of this, Grace has shown an exceptional understanding of the importance of civic engagement. She has taken on huge responsibilities and demonstrated the power of a dedicated and inspired young mind.

Mr. Speaker, I am inspired by Grace's example and grateful for young Hoosiers like her. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending Grace our congratulations and best wishes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 40.

As part of our bold agenda for the American people, we are reining in the out-of-control bureaucracy in Washington. We are taking action to roll back 8 years of Obama administration overreach.

Today we are stopping an egregious violation that flies in the face of the Constitution. This regulation, finalized in the final days of the Obama Presidency, would deny certain Social Security recipients their Second Amendment rights without due process.

If you receive Social Security disability payments and someone helps you manage those payments, this regulation stops you from being able to purchase a firearm, your name gets added to a Federal database, and the burden is on you to prove it doesn't belong there. This is absolutely outrageous.

This regulation discriminates against individuals with disabilities by denying them their Second Amendment rights and violating their rights of due process. And it gives far too much power to bureaucrats at the Social Security Administration, who should be focused on making sure people get the benefits they deserve, not deciding who can own a gun.

This is why we are standing up for the Second Amendment rights of all disabled citizens. Being disabled doesn't make you a danger to society, and getting help managing your benefits doesn't mean you forfeit your constitutional rights.

Mr. Speaker, I want to absolutely thank Congressman Sam Johnson and Congressman Ralph Abraham for their leadership on this issue. I strongly support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record additional letters of support.

National Association of County Behavioral Health &

Development Disability Directors,

Washington, DC, February 1, 2017.

Re NACBHDD and NARMH Letter of Support for the CRA on the SSA

NICS Rule.

Hon. Paul Ryan,

Speaker of the House,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Office of the Democratic Leader,

Washington, DC.

Dear Speaker Ryan and Democratic Leader Pelosi: NACBHDD and

NARMH urge you to support a Congressional Review Act (CRA)

resolution to disapprove the Final Rule issued by the Social

Security Administration (SSA) on December 19, 2016,

``Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of

2007. This rule would require the Social Security

Administration to forward the names of all Social Security

Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income

(SSI) benefit recipients who use a representative payee to

help manage their benefits due to a mental impairment to the

National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

NACBHDD is a national organization that represents county

mental health, substance use, and developmental; disability

directors in Washington, DC. NARMH represents rural mental

health in the Capital.

Prior to the issuance of the Final Rule, NACBHDD and NARMH

conveyed our opposition to the rule through a letter to the

Obama Administration and through the public comment process.

We join many of our

mental health coalition members and advocates who--opposed

the rule for a number of reasons, including:

The damaging message that may be sent by a SSA policy

change, which focused on reporting individuals who receive

assistance from representative payees in managing their

benefits to the NICS gun database. The current public

dialogue is replete with inaccurate stereotyping of people

with mental disabilities as violent and dangerous, and there

is a real concern that the kind of policy change encompassed

by this rule will reinforce those unfounded assumptions.

The absence of any data suggesting that there is any

connection between the need for a representative payee to

manage one's Social Security disability benefits and a

propensity toward gun violence.

The absence of any meaningful due process protections prior

to the SSA's transmittal of names to the NICS database.

Although the NICS Improvements Act of 2007 allows agencies to

transmit the names of individuals who have been

``adjudicated'' to lack the capacity to manage their own

affairs, SSA's process does not constitute an adjudication

and does not include a finding that individuals are broadly

unable to manage their own affairs.

Based on similar concerns, the National Council on

Disability, an independent federal agency charged with

advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies

regarding disability policy, has urged Congress to use the

Congressional Review Act to repeal this rule.

We urge Congress to act, through the CRA process, to

disapprove this new rule and prevent the damage that it

inflicts on the disability community.

Sincerely yours,

Ron Manderscheid, PhD,

Executive Director.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Ben Russo. When Ben passed away one year ago today, Elkhart lost a devoted member of the community, and I lost a good friend.

Ben found great success in the private sector, working in various sales and management positions, including as vice president of E.J. Nagy and Associates. In retirement, Ben became quite active in the community, being elected to the Osolo Township Board and later becoming the Trustee of Osolo Township. He sat on the boards of The Boys and Girls Club of Elkhart, Council of Aging, and Riverview Adult Day Care Center. Finally, he was vice president of Elkhart Vintage Auto Club and president of Glenwood Park Civic Association, as well as an active member of Elkhart Trinity United Methodist Church.

Always looking to give back to the community that he loved, Ben became a household name in Elkhart as someone who would do his best to help those in need. In the Trustee's office, he worked tirelessly on behalf of Osolo Township residents, and was determined to treat everyone with respect. Even when out with his beloved family, he would find people he knew and could help, and he would drop everything to see that their needs were met.

As a recognition of his service to the community, Ben was honored with the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the State of Indiana. Despite his distinguished career and place in the community, Ben was a humble and kind man. Today Elkhart is better for his public service, and his legacy of hard work and giving back to the community will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the life of Ben Russo and his service to the northern Indiana community. His passion for helping others strengthened Elkhart and improved the lives of everyone he knew. I am honored to ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating his life and recognizing his outstanding public service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to because we made a promise to the American people, and we are going to keep it.

ObamaCare is an unpopular and failed law collapsing under its own weight. Polls have shown it; rising premiums have proven it; and, in November, the voters said it loud and clear. It is time to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with more choices, lower costs, and real protections for patients. Already, we are working to end this damaging law and take control away from Federal bureaucrats and give it back to the people of this country.

One year ago, we sent an ObamaCare repeal bill to the President's desk; but, not surprisingly, he vetoed it. In a few weeks, this Congress will again send a repeal bill to the President's desk. This time, we will have a President who will sign it.

Mr. Speaker, healthcare decisions should be made by patients and their doctors. American families should have access to health insurance they can actually afford. That is why we will repeal ObamaCare and replace it with real reforms.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate and honor a young student from my district who has achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. Ms. Korinna Brown of Bunker Hill has just been named one of the top honorees in Indiana by the 2015 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor bestowed upon the most impressive student volunteers in every state, including the District of Columbia.

Ms. Brown is being recognized for her passion of volunteer service that began with her diagnosis of primary immune deficiency at age six. Since that time, she has raised $150,000 through organizing Relay for Life teams and creating the iroK Foundation in 2009 to help support children diagnosed with cancer and blood diseases.

Given the challenges we face today, it is vital that we encourage and recognize the kind of selfless contributions that these young citizens have made. Young volunteers like Ms. Brown are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.

The program that brought this young role model to our attention--The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995. It is used to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critical and highly valued, and inspire other young people to follow their example. Over the past 20 years, the program has become the nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, and has honored more than 100,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.

Ms. Brown should be extremely proud to have been singled out from the thousands of dedicated volunteers who participated in this year's program. I heartily applaud Ms. Brown for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can--and do--play important roles in our communities, and continue to hold tremendous promise for our future.

Mr. Speaker, on February 12, 2015, I missed two votes because I had the honor to be at the White House for the bill signing ceremony of H.R. 203, the Clay Hunt SAV Act. I missed recorded votes No. 77-78. I would like the Record to reflect how I would have voted if I were present. On rollcall No. 77, I would have voted ``yea,'' on rollcall No. 78, I would have voted ``yea.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today after listening to the stories of veterans and their families. It is very apparent the VA is not doing enough to help victims overcome the physical and psychological pain of military sexual trauma.

This week, I introduced H.R. 642, a bill that would make victims of military sexual trauma eligible for VA travel benefits. Those who fight for our freedom have faced enough challenges along the way. Expecting them to pay for their own travel to receive care or treatment for the sexual trauma they endured by serving our country is unfair.

I am grateful today to work with Representative Kuster, Representative Coffman, and Representative Ruiz on this important legislation, and I am hopeful it is a step in the right direction by helping veterans access much-needed care.

I encourage support for H.R. 642.

Mr. Speaker, on February 2, 2015, I missed several votes due to weather. I missed recorded votes #51-53.

I would like to reflect how I would have voted if I were present.

On Roll Call #51, I would have voted YEA.

On Roll Call #52, I would have voted YEA.

On Roll Call #53, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. Speaker, I unfortunately missed votes on January 27, 2015. I missed recorded votes # 46-48. I would like to

reflect how I would have voted if I were present.

On Roll Call #46, I would have voted YEA (Adoption of H. Res. 48--The rule providing for consideration of H.R. 351--LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act).

On Roll Call #47, I would have voted YEA (Passage of H.R. 469, Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act).

On Roll Call #48, I would have voted YEA (Passage of H.R. 246, To improve the response to victims of child sex trafficking).

Madam Speaker, I rise today because I believe all human life is worth protecting. Each one is worth saving and deserves respect and protection.

For years now, pro-life Americans have been forced to watch as their tax dollars subsidize abortion procedures that they are morally opposed to. The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion legislation prohibits taxpayer funding of elective abortions no matter where in

the Federal system these may occur. This principle is supported by a majority of Americans. In fact, 56 percent of Americans are opposed to taxpayer funding of abortions.

Later today, I will join half a million people who believe that life is a gift at the annual March for Life rally, the largest ongoing march in American history. We have a responsibility, as the elected body representing our constituents, to protect the most vulnerable among us and ensure that women facing unwanted pregnancies do not face judgment or condemnation but have positive support structures and access to health care to help them through their pregnancies. This bill is an important step in the right direction to protecting life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation I introduced last week as a companion piece to a bill offered by Senator Kelly Ayotte to protect the safety of the United States and its allies and restrict the transfers of detainees from Guantanamo Bay.

Since mid-November, the President and his administration have ramped up an effort to make good on a campaign promise to increase the number of Guantanamo detainee transfers. Last night during his State of the Union Address, the President reaffirmed his commitment to close this facility once and for all, and he is releasing prisoners at an alarming rate. Twenty-one terrorists have been released just in November alone to foreign countries. This comes at the expense of our own national security.

H.R. 401, the Detaining Terrorists to Protect America Act of 2015, would suspend the transfer of high- and medium-risk detainees and prohibit any detainee transfers to Yemen as well as increase transparency regarding the remaining Guantanamo detainees.

Detainees at GTMO pose a real threat to our national security. When I speak with folks at home, my constituents, moms and dads, and they ask me how safe we really are, this rate of reengagement comes to mind. The U.S. intelligence community reports that the number of former GTMO detainees who reengage in terrorism has steadily increased since 2002.

According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, they reported the combined and suspected confirmed reengagement rate of former GTMO detainees has risen to more than an alarming 30 percent. Before we proceed with any more additional transfers, we must ensure the transfer process is further examined and improved.

In order to protect our fellow Americans, we must stop releasing some of the world's most dangerous terrorists, especially given the fact that they are already reengaging in hostilities against the United States and our allies.

This measure would repeal current law that has allowed the administration to transfer prisoners to foreign countries and reduce the population at GTMO down to 127. The bill also would prohibit transfers of terror suspects to a foreign country if there has been a confirmed case where an individual was transferred from GTMO and engaged in any other terrorist activity.

The bill would also prohibit the transfer of terror suspects considered to be high or medium risk. Some of the most recent transfer detainees fell into those categories.

In addition, this bill would stop the transfer of detainees to Yemen because the country has become a hotbed for terrorist activities. It makes no sense to send terrorists to a country where there is an active al Qaeda network that we know has been engaged in targeting the U.S.

Most importantly, Yemen's branch of al Qaeda, commonly known as AQAP, was founded by former GTMO detainees. Counterterrorism experts have declared AQAP to be al Qaeda's most effective affiliate, posing the greatest danger to the American homeland.

We cannot risk trusting the world's most dangerous terrorists to its most dangerous places, nor should we simply cut them loose in rich, stable countries with no security safeguards in place. We have to ask ourselves today: How much are we really willing to risk with our own national security in our American homeland?

I want to thank Senator Ayotte for working with me, and I look forward to working with her to advance this legislation. I look forward to continuing our partnership to prevent the release of dangerous terrorists who seek to reengage in terrorism against the U.S. and our allies. This bill ensures our homeland remains safe from those terrorist attacks.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.