Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in celebration of World War II Veteran Leslie Mast's 100th birthday on Saturday, October 5, 2013. Mr. Mast, a Machinist Mate First Class, is an extraordinary individual from Elkhart, Indiana. Throughout his life, Mr. Mast has demonstrated a deep-rooted courage and commitment to his family and our country.

At the age of 29, Mr. Mast enlisted in the United States Navy as a machinist. After training, Mr. Mast sailed to New York where he received his overseas assignment. He was sent to Arzew, Algeria where his crew spent three weeks training and preparing before they received orders to Bizerte, Tunisia. Mr. Mast spent one year in Bizerte maintaining and repairing a variety of different vessels. During his time in the Navy, Mr. Mast learned how to appreciate the little things in life. Thanks to the brave fighting spirit of servicemembers like Mr. Mast, freedom triumphed over the empires of tyranny.

Our country owes a great deal of respect and gratitude to incredible individuals like Mr. Mast who have devoted their lives to protect the United States of America at home and abroad. Thanks to the service and sacrifice of Hoosier war heroes, our country remains strong and free. Mr. Mast's commitment to defend liberty truly symbolizes the essence of American patriotism.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in celebration of Leslie Mast's 100th birthday and admirable service to this great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3232, the Support Our Armed Forces Act.

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I'm pleased to introduce this bill today with Congressman Cook of California. This commonsense piece of legislation makes sure that all employees of the Department of Defense work and get paid during the government shutdown.

Specifically, the Support Our Armed Forces Act extends pay to the National Guard, Reservists, dual service technicians, and all civilian Department of Defense employees and contractors during this period of time.

Indiana's Second District is home to Grissom Air Reserve Base in Miami County. Since October 1, reports state that over 600 full-time civilian employees and Air Force Reservists have been furloughed at Grissom Air Reserve Base.

I think it's unfair and unsafe for Congress to jeopardize employment for these very individuals who devote their lives to fight for the continued security of this country.

This bill provides essential support for hundreds of hardworking Hoosiers and Guardsmen in Miami County to guarantee the readiness of that base.

Congress has an obligation to protect this Nation, to support the men and women who wear the uniform bravely and work behind the scenes to provide equipment, training and essential support for the armed services.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Manufacturing Caucus, I am pleased to rise in support of National Manufacturing Day on October 4.

In northern Indiana, we have a great story to share. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Elkhart County was named number three on the U.S. Department of Commerce's list of counties with the fastest growing job growth. Much of this increase is attributed to the RV manufacturers and suppliers that provide products and create great jobs.

I'd like to highlight one recent accomplishment of Drew Industries in Elkhart. A parent company of Lippert Components and Kinro, this RV manufacturing supplier has strengthened our Hoosier economy. Together, they employ over 4,000 Hoosiers in Elkhart County. The Elkhart Truth reports that the company plans to add 800 more jobs in 2017, expanding operations in Elkhart and Goshen.

The manufacturing industry has pumped life back into northern Indiana, and once again Hoosiers are leading the way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support this rule, which would allow the House to vote on the Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act and the Honoring Our Promise to America's Veterans Act.

The Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act provides funding for the pay and allowances of military personnel in the Reserve component who are in inactive status.

Like most of us, my office has been flooded with phone calls and emails sharing real-life stories about how this government shutdown is negatively impacting the folks that we represent. This government shutdown is such a disappointment. In the meantime, there's no logical reason for members of the military, Reserves, veterans, and their families to go one more day without the support they deserve.

According to an article in the Indy Star, about 600 full-time civilian employees and Air Force Reservists have been furloughed at Grissom Air Reserve Base located in Miami County. This could affect the ability for Grissom Air Reserve Base to maintain their operational readiness.

The Peru Tribune, Miami County's hometown paper, stated:

Reservists were told to go home.

One thousand Indiana National Guard employees were furloughed on Tuesday. Indiana has the fourth largest National Guard in the country.

We're proud that our brave men and women so strongly represent the Guard and a steadfast commitment to our country.

This is so unfair to our Hoosier heroes who fight every day. Indiana's Second District is home to more than 53,000 veterans. One of them called my office yesterday expressing concern about losing access to VA health services.

The Honoring Our Promise to America's Veterans Act provides immediate funding to ensure the continuation of veterans' disability payments, the GI Bill, education training, and VA home loans. Passing these bills is the least we can do.

I urge my colleagues to put politics aside. Be fair to the individuals and the families who have sacrificed everything for the continued defense of this Nation.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize and congratulate Mr. James Holifield of New Carlisle, Indiana, who has been named Indiana's Middle School Principal of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principals. This well-deserved honor reaffirms Mr. Holifield's exceptional work in the field of education.

Mr. Holifield has served as principal at New Prairie Middle School since 2002. Since that time, he has spearheaded the creation of the Alternative to Suspension/Expulsion (ATSE) Program. This innovative program requires students to complete daily physical activity and community service projects and provides students with one-on-one tutoring and counseling services in lieu of suspension or expulsion. This unique approach to discipline has resulted in a decrease in expulsions and a lower rate of recidivism.

In addition, Mr. Holifield's passion for intercultural communication led him to create a Mandarin language program at New Prairie Middle School. This program resulted in a partnership with ``sister schools'' in Liaoning Province, China that includes faculty and student exchange visits and regular Chinese guest teachers at New Prairie Middle School. Mr. Holifield's innovative program has provided many students with marketable skills that can be used in our ever-evolving global economy. These two achievements are only a sampling of Mr. Holifield's contributions to New Prairie Middle School.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. James Holifield for his exemplary work and impressive accomplishments in the field of education. Thanks to educators like Mr. Holifield who take the time to invest in their students, our children face a brighter future filled with greater opportunity. Mr. Holifield's work serves as an example not only to his colleagues but to all Hoosiers, and the Second District of Indiana is grateful for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the House plan to hold a vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government and defund ObamaCare. This straightforward approach achieves two objectives: it keeps the lights on for the Federal Government while halting an unworkable law.

The list of problems with ObamaCare gets longer every day. This law was passed in 2010. But since just last week, I would like to share three examples that negatively impact my district and the State of Indiana.

Yesterday, just 12 days before the full implementation, the White House warned Americans of ``massive fraud'' triggered by ObamaCare, causing identity theft and cybersecurity leaks. Last week, Indiana University reported they're laying off 50 workers and sending them to a temp agency because of ObamaCare. This includes graduate students who are having their hours cut to stay under the 30-hour threshold. The Indy Star reported that over 200,000 Hoosiers are impacted by higher insurance rates under ObamaCare.

The list is getting longer, and the problems are getting worse.

The House plan is similar to legislation penned by my colleague, Mr. Tom Graves, which has already been cosponsored by 79 Members of Congress. I'm confident the House will work its will to pass this legislation to reflect the wishes of the American people. Next it's time for the Senate to step up and do the same.

Mr. Speaker, when I was back in the district this week in Indiana, Hoosier requests were pretty simple. They said: work on reforms, create more jobs, and jump-start the economy. In addition they said, We don't trust our government.

They're tired of Big Government policies that are intruding on the lives of American citizens and increasing government abuse. That's why I'm proud today to cosponsor and support bills that rein in Washington, refocus on the priorities to create jobs, and protect our citizens.

Every week we hear chilling reports about the Internal Revenue Service exercising poor judgment, intentionally going after American citizens. So I'm cosponsoring the STOP IRS Act.

While IRS employees are under investigation or forced to take administrative leaves, they continue to receive salaries funded by our taxpayer dollars. So I'm cosponsoring the Government Employee Accountability Act to freeze pay and demand accountability.

It's been reported that the IRS spent $15 million between 2010 and 2012 to hold lavish, indulgent conferences. So I'm cosponsoring the Stop Playing on Citizens' Cash Act to stop wasting our tax dollars.

These same individuals are set to lead a commanding role implementing and enforcing ObamaCare. So I'm cosponsoring the Keep the IRS Off Our Health Care Act to prevent this agency from getting their hands on our health care.

Washington needs a strong dose of Hoosier common sense. I'm proud to stand with the thousands of letters and phone calls from Hoosiers and put the brakes on this reckless government.

Offered By: Mrs. Walorski

Amendment No. 3: Page 71, line 22, after the dollar amount,

insert ``(increased by $7,500,000)''.

Page 80, line 4, after the dollar amount, insert

``(increased by $7,500,000).

Page 136, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert

``(reduced by $7,500,000)''.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, in May, the President declared a renewed intention to transfer detainees from Guantanamo. He also announced he was lifting his self-imposed suspension on the transfers of detainees to Yemen. I believe it's a dangerous policy, both for our troops fighting terror overseas and for our citizens living in the homeland.

The amendment I am offering prohibits any funds in the defense bill from being used to transfer Gitmo detainees to Yemen. This amendment is similar to an amendment I offered in this House past during consideration of the FY14 NDAA.

I believe this amendment is needed because detainees at Guantanamo Bay represent some of the most dangerous terrorists in the world. After Yemen was the starting point for the foiled airline bombing over Detroit, the Obama administration correctly decided not to transfer these terrorists back to this troubled nation.

Detainees at Gitmo pose a real threat to our national security. In addition, transfers to Yemen should be prohibited because the country has become a hotbed for terrorist activities. The Director of National Intelligence testified in 2011 that AQAP remains the affiliate most likely to conduct a transnational attack. AQAP remains resolute on killing as many Americans as they can if we don't stop them first.

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. The Christmas day Detroit bombing attempt, the ink cartridge bomb plot, the radicalization of the Fort Hood shooter all can be traced back to Yemen.

Lastly, we should not transfer detainees to Yemen because of their poor track record of securing its prisons. Let's look at the facts. A Yemeni citizen, the convicted mastermind of the USS Cole bombing who took the lives of 17 American sailors, was being held by Yemeni authorities when he escaped from prison in 2003. Luckily, he was recaptured, but he was able to escape again from Yemeni custody in 2006 with 22 other terrorists. Why would we risk another jailbreak by people who intend to do us harm?

Just this morning I woke up to headlines describing how 500 prisoners escaped from an Iraqi prison after their comrades launched a military- style assault to free them. Many of these prisoners were senior members of al Qaeda who were convicted and received death sentences. Unfortunately, it's an example of what happens when the U.S. delegates its national security interests to other countries. This is a commonsense amendment with the purpose of protecting Americans.

I believe it's prudent that this Congress receive the Department of Defense's report on factors that contribute to re-engagement so that informed choices about future transfers can be made. That report is mandated by law and is still currently overdue.

In 2012, the DIA reported that the combined suspected and confirmed re-engagement rate of former Gitmo detainees has risen to almost 30 percent. I ask my colleagues to consider the national security implications of transferring detainees to Yemen and join me in support of this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

May I inquire of the balance of my time, Mr. Chair?

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my good friend from the State of Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine).

Mr. Chairman, could I inquire on the balance of my time?

With all due respect to my esteemed colleague from Indiana as well, this amendment isn't about whether Gitmo stays open or Gitmo closes. This amendment is specifically about not allowing transfers of highly dangerous terrorists to the country of Yemen because Yemen has proved it is not capable of holding these terrorists.

The job of this Congress and what we're talking about with this amendment is protecting the American people, which is what we're charged with.

I would respectfully ask our body to approve and support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

The administration proved what local employers have been telling me for months--ObamaCare is bad policy.

Even after 3 years of preparation, this law is far from ready for implementation and has proven to be unaffordable. Just today, we learned that we have already paid an additional $1 billion in new taxes on the medical device tax alone. If there is a delay enacted for businesses, then there needs to be a Hoosier delay for hardworking taxpayers as well. After all, the American people are the building blocks for our companies. These individuals include parents, young people, single moms, veterans, and seasoned employees. Together, they form our Nation's workforce.

In our district in northern Indiana, I have heard from schools, restaurants, manufacturers, and small business owners who strongly oppose this mandate. At the very least, news of this delay is a relief, but the future is still clouded with uncertainty as long as this law exists. Hoosiers know that a 1-year delay of the employer mandate, and even of the individual mandate, is no more than a Band-Aid.

ObamaCare is a roadblock for American companies. According to small businesses in the Second District, this law is the number one job killer. That's why I ask for the President to permanently delay the health care law.

Mr. Speaker, when I go to the grocery store at home on Saturday mornings, I talk to Hoosier moms and dads concerned with high prices at the pump and the checkout line.

According to reports last month, gas prices in the five Midwestern States ranked in the top nine States nationally, with some folks in Indiana, motorists, paying $4 per gallon.

A Starke County constituent wrote to me on the Fourth of July and said he canceled his holiday plans because he needed to save money for a tank of gas. He wondered what is Congress doing about it.

How can we help hardworking Americans keep more money in their wallets and pay less for gas and groceries?

The House passed two bills to address high energy prices, to create more jobs, and move our country closer toward energy independence. I supported these commonsense measures for single parents, for families, college students, senior citizens struggling to make ends meet during these tough economic times.

I urge the Senate and the President to join the House and pass this legislation to open more offshore areas for the development of natural resources.

A trip to the grocery store or a stop at the gas station should not be breaking the bank of Americans. Let's show the American people Congress can work together on basic solutions to make their daily lives a bit easier.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1864) to amend title 10, United States Code, to require an Inspector General investigation of allegations of retaliatory personnel actions taken in response to making protected communications regarding sexual assault.

Madam Speaker, I ask that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Sexual assault in the military is maiming our troops. These aren't my words. They are the words of General Raymond Odierno, the Chief of Staff of the Army. He likened military sexual assault to other serious threats that our troops face downrange.

The threat of sexual assault in the military is real. The wounds it inflicts on our servicemembers are also just as real.

I introduced H.R. 1864 with my colleague and tireless advocate Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. The bill on the floor today is the product of a lot of time and hard work.

I remember sitting in the House Armed Services Committee hearing and becoming shocked as I learned firsthand about the widespread abuse at Lackland Air Force base. I remember thinking that our brave servicemembers deserve so much better and that those in charge deserve to be held accountable. After that hearing, I went to work.

The bill we are debating today is a true bipartisan and bicameral reform that gets to the heart of this issue. It does so by addressing the challenges of sexual assault underreporting that has become too common in the military. The Pentagon estimates that there were approximately 26,000 victims of sexual assault last year. However, only roughly 3,600 victims actually filed reports.

Many individuals don't come forward because they don't have confidence in the military justice system. Others don't come forward because they fear reprisal or they believe reporting another servicemember will negatively impact their own career. This lack of reporting, for whatever reason, demonstrates that we have a real problem.

Before we can truly understand the scope of sexual assault in the military and how to best confront it, we have to find a way to encourage more victims to come forward. We have to find a way to empower the victims and restore their faith in the military justice system. That's what this bill does.

H.R. 1864 strengthens existing military whistleblower protections and seeks to remove many of the fears and stigmas that deter reporting. The bill requires an inspector general investigation into suspected retaliation in response to allegations of sexual assault. This bill also seeks to help create an environment in the military where victims feel safe to come out of the darkness and to report these crimes of sexual violence.

It is reported that 62 percent of the servicemembers who experienced unwanted sexual contact felt as if they were being retaliated against in one form or another. This is completely unacceptable. Troops who have sacrificed so much for the cause of liberty should not be subject to reprisal after having just been subject to the emotional and physical pain of a sexual crime.

H.R. 1864 is good policy, and the urgency of this issue demands that this Congress act today. Let's be a voice for the countless victims who have already come forward and for the countless more who are still unknown. Let's send a clear and resounding message to the Department of Defense and to those preying on our troops, which is that this type of behavior will no longer be tolerated.

I ask my colleagues to do the right thing and join me in supporting this much-needed measure.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, a member of the Committee on Armed Services, the gentlelady from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlelady from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my freshman friend and colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to my friend and colleague, the gentlelady from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my good friend and colleague, the gentlelady from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

I'm prepared to close.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

In closing, I would like to say that H.R. 1864 is a long overdue solution. It's the place to start, a foundation on which to build.

I'm grateful to my colleague, Loretta Sanchez, for partnering with me, for her multiyear commitment to this issue. We worked closely with the HASC staff and the Department of Defense to craft this legislation. The bill was included along with many other good provisions addressing military sexual assault in the House-passed NDAA a few weeks ago. With over 110 bipartisan cosponsors, the House has shown that it can come together on serious issues and get things done.

Senator Klobuchar has also introduced companion legislation in the Senate. Too many victims have already suffered. These assaults are happening every day. There's no reason to wait even longer for the NDAA to become law when we have a solution today.

Congress must act with a sense of urgency to approve thoughtful reforms combating sexual assault in the military. I'm hopeful that this measure passes, the Senate quickly takes it up, and we can send it to the President for his signature. I'm asking my colleagues to act today and pass this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, in recognition of the 50th Annual National Small Business Week, I rise today to celebrate the Hoosier small businesses that have been serving our communities for decades.

Growing up in South Bend, my parents owned a small appliance repair shop in town, and I learned the value of hard work firsthand. Many of our small businesses were started in Hoosier families and passed on to the next generation.

One such place sits right in Elkhart at Bullard's Farm Market. Owned by Kevin Bullard and his wife, Cindy Reardon, Bullard's was started by his father, a sweet corn grower. It began as eight rows of corn and has grown to cover many acres, including a bakery, greenhouse, and antiques. Bullard's provides fresh, healthy food and local products to Hoosier families. It creates jobs and contributes to our economic engine. Awarded Business of the Year by the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, Bullard's is a shining example of a Hoosier business.

On Small Business Saturday, I look forward to visiting Bullard's and hope you'll join me in supporting all small businesses to make sure their doors stay open for generations to come.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment--to prevent the Christmas tree tax from taking effect. This amendment prevents President Obama's proposed Christmas tree tax from being implemented.

The administration already tried to enforce this tax right before the Christmas season in 2011. In response to a resounding outcry from the American people, the tax was put on hold.

When I'm at home in Indiana, I hear from Hoosier families firsthand about their daily struggles due to the sluggish economy--moms and dads and single parents who are struggling to make ends meet to pay their monthly bills and to pay their mortgages and still have enough left in their budgets to put food on the tables and fill up the gas tanks.

Americans are seeking commonsense solutions from Washington to jump- start the economy, to provide more jobs, and to ensure that our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities that we enjoy in this great Nation. Now, as we focus on passing a comprehensive 5-year farm bill, some of my colleagues are looking to revive this unnecessary tax.

There is no justification to impose another tax on the American people. There is certainly no justification to impose a tax on a commodity that symbolizes an historic Christmas tradition to many American families. The administration has denied that this is a ``tax,'' but I think most Americans would agree that, when the Federal Government forces us to pay something, it's a tax--a tax imposed on every American family the next time one goes to pick out a Christmas tree.

Christmas tree growers opposed to this tax cannot opt out. This tax will be charged to the grower, passed on to the consumer, adding to the cost printed at the bottom of your receipt, and increasing the amount of your hard-earned dollars owed to the Federal Government. Supporters of this tax will call it ``nominal'' and will argue that it's only 15 to 20 cents, but with around 33 million fresh cut Christmas trees sold in the U.S. each year, this little tax adds up to millions of dollars in tax revenues.

Our families save up for months to provide gifts for their families, to donate to charities, or to purchase a flight home to spend the holidays with their loved ones. This is not the time to raise taxes on our hardworking families, especially during the Christmas season. The President and Congress should, instead, focus on reducing government spending and finding commonsense solutions to lower taxes to provide relief for Americans.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment in order to make sure that our Christmas trees remain a symbol of Christmas and of the holiday spirit, not a symbol of more Big Government taxation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to the remaining time?

With all due respect to the gentleman and his point on all these ``checkoffs,'' this is a tax that the American people themselves resoundingly in 2011 have said, absolutely not. In fact, the American people put so much pressure on President

Obama, he actually backed off and rescinded this and moved it into a different time slot, which is what we're looking at today.

The people in my district are hardworking Americans. They're double- income households, single moms with kids under the age of 18 that are trying to raise up households, they're trying to pay for their bills, they're trying to pay their mortgage and they're trying to put gas in their car. And I think that we have a government and a Washington that is out of control when it comes to taxation. We don't need another tax coming out of Washington. We need help for American families.

With that, I would again urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, again I would just like to add, as I close, that this is a time--and I agree with the gentleman in one sense. This is a time for us to be talking here about things like jobs and a struggling, sluggish economy. Because of that, the hardworking people in my district, the last thing they expect to see, the last thing they want to see--and Americans did resoundingly cry out in 2011 to not send another tax their way.

This is a tax. When the Federal Government says to Americans you must pay ``X,'' that's a tax. In my district, it's hardworking Hoosiers that have resoundingly said, No more taxes from this government. They are taxed enough, and they don't want to be taxed at the Christmas season.

I again urge my colleagues to stand in support of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

I rise today to address the importance of protecting life.

While I am home in Indiana, spending time in our communities, the importance of strong values and Hoosier common sense continues to rule the foundations of our families.

I believe it is critical for Congress to act today to protect human life and to treat women and the unborn children with the protection they deserve from the dangers of late-term abortions. We are talking about the next generation of moms and grandmothers, of aunts and sisters and of our loved ones. There is not a price that can be put on the value of an innocent human life. I have been a strong supporter of life and of defending the unborn, and I feel that it's our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable who cannot protect themselves.

I urge my colleagues to join me in the support of H.R. 1797 for the sake of protecting the unborn from late-term abortions.