Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of John Deeder, a valued member of the community in southwest Washington. John spent 48 years in education and announced his retirement earlier this year.

Throughout his life, John has been a coach, counselor, teacher, principal, superintendent, and more. More recently, he served as superintendent of the Evergreen Public Schools, the fifth largest in Washington State, for 11 years. His career in teaching exhibits how much he values educating students and setting them up to succeed. Those who have worked with John know that he has been dedicated to improving the learning experiences for kids in southwest Washington for just shy of 5 decades.

Under his innovative leadership, an incredible bioscience high school called the Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School was built. HeLa High School places an emphasis on workforce development in health sciences and biotechnology that is an investment in our future leaders. It took a decade to research, plan, and build this transformational school, but John remained committed to the vision of this school. Though John's formal career has ended, the legacy of his persistent leadership can be seen throughout HeLa High School and its students.

While John has extensive involvement in education, his community engagement also spans well beyond his career as superintendent. He has taken every opportunity to serve, and is a shining example of what makes this expansive and populated region feel like a tight-knit and caring community. He is an inspiration to all in southwest Washington, and I am confident he will continue working to improve education here and beyond.

I congratulate John on his retirement and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William ``Bill'' Morehouse. So many of us in the greater Vancouver community knew, or knew of, Bill. He was a member of the United States Army and the National Guard early in his life, and his lifelong service to not only his country but his local community are what helped defined him. Bill's military service spanned World War II, and then as a POW guard at the Fort Vancouver barracks in Washington state. Bill was a true patriot who cared about the safety of all Americans.

Later in his life, Bill became involved in countless volunteer organizations to continue serving those around him. He was a member of the global community service organization, the Lion's Club, as well as the American Legion. But it was his many years spent as a member and even president of the Moses Williams Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers by which most of us knew him. In that position, he led toy and food drives for underprivileged kids, and provided Honor Guard at various military ceremonies and parades.

In his free time, Bill enjoyed being with his child, grandchild, and great grandchildren and on behalf of Southwest Washington, I express to them my sincere condolences. He will be missed and always remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Darlene Johnson of Woodland, Washington, on being nominated for two Women in Transport Awards of 2017 by Transport News International. She was given these well-deserved awards for Best Woman-Owned Land Logistics Company in the Pacific Northwest, and Most Inspirational Woman in Land Transport in the Northwestern U.S.

Throughout her distinguished career, Darlene has done everything in her power to serve her community. She currently sits on the Woodland Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors where she advocates for stronger environment for businesses in southwest Washington. Darlene's tenacity and dedication motivate and inspire those around her, me included.

Not only does she advocate for local businesses, but she is a local businessowner herself. Darlene, along with her husband, Jim, operate Woodland Truck Line, Inc. It is fitting that she is receiving this award for successfully running a business in an industry that is commonly thought to be male dominated. Those who know Darlene, like I do, know that if Darlene were to start a business in any other industry, she would go over, under, or right through any obstacles in her way.

Darlene's service to our community does not go unnoticed. There is not an issue affecting the Woodland community with which she is not actively involved. She currently is deserving of this prestigious award on behalf of southwest Washington. I congratulate her and wish her the best in her future endeavors and continued success in transportation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to introduce my pastor and dear friend, Bob MacGregor, as our guest chaplain this morning.

Pastor Bob is the lead pastor of City Harvest Church in Vancouver, Washington, my home church. City Harvest is a thriving church that greatly impacts our community by caring for the needy and supporting mission work.

Pastor Bob and his wife, Sue, have four daughters and eight grandchildren. They have been married for 38 years and share a burden to help build marriages and families of ministers who face the demands of ministry life.

It is my great pleasure to welcome Pastor Bob and thank him as he has blessed us this morning with his prayer.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Foxx and the Committee on Education and the Workforce for their work on this important bill that will benefit small businesses and the families who work for them.

My amendment to the Small Business Health Fairness Act provides a straightforward clarification to ensure that existing association health plans can continue to operate and provide high-quality, affordable care to as many people as possible.

This amendment safeguards association health plans that have been successfully operating under State and Federal law--many of them for decades. We will be making certain that they would not inadvertently be disadvantaged by new Federal legislation or regulation or vulnerable to efforts to restrict access and limit choices.

Why do we need this amendment?

Because I fear what happened in my State will happen in others, where the insurance commissioner attempted to reject 42 out of about 60 association health plans. His office interpreted ObamaCare as giving him a mandate as justification for attempting to eliminate virtually all of these popular plans. By adopting my amendment, it will make crystal clear in the underlying bill that this won't be tolerated, and it will support both existing and future association health plans.

Talk to one of the nearly 400,000 individuals in my home State of Washington who get their care from an association plan, and you will find out why so many Washington businesses renew their plans every year.

Our State has been fortunate to have a robust AHP market that has become essential to providing cost-effective choices to small-business employers, thanks to bipartisan legislation enacted in the mid-1990s. In the case of one association plan operating in my State, roughly 40 percent of participating small-business employers did not previously offer health coverage.

My amendment is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In its letter to me, which I include in the Record, the U.S. Chamber indicated that it shares my interest in making sure that State-based association health plans that currently exist are able to continue operating in accordance with existing State and Federal law. My amendment is also supported by the Association of Washington Business.

Chamber of Commerce of the

United States of America,

Washington, DC, March 20, 2017.

Hon. Jaime Herrera Beutler,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Congresswoman Herrera Beutler: Thank you for your

attention to the concerns raised by the Association of

Washington Businesses regarding H.R. 1101, the ``Small

Business Health Fairness Act.'' The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

has several state chambers of commerce members that provide

state-based quality health care coverage to their member

companies. The Chamber shares your interest in making sure

that the state-based Association Health Plans that currently

exist are able to continue to operate in accordance with

existing state and federal law without being disadvantaged by

this new federal legislation.

The Chamber appreciates your commitment to small businesses

and to ensuring that current affordable coverage options

continue to be available alongside new options in a

nondiscriminatory and fair environment. Thank you for your

dedication and efforts, and we look forward to continuing to

work with you to advance the priorities and interest of

business.

Sincerely,

Randel K. Johnson.

Mr. Speaker, I am confident that the underlying legislation before us today will improve the ability of small businesses to access affordable, high-quality health coverage in every State across the country. However, first, this body should, as clearly as possible, ensure that those States that already have successfully operating association health plans are not disrupted, which is what my amendment would do.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I thank the chairwoman for her work on this.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that part of the reason this underlying bill is so critical is because we just don't believe one size fits all. When it comes to health coverage, we need to make sure that there are many different options for families, individuals, and businesses. We are clarifying basically a technical change here that allows continued existing plans to operate.

Who can be opposed to existing plans operating and offering more options and more plans?

This is exactly what Republicans are doing right now. We are fighting to make sure that the families and the people we represent have those options and their choices, that they can keep their doctor, that their health premiums will come down, that they can maybe get a plan through their work, or maybe they will be able to get into the individual market and self-insure--options--because one size does not fit all, which is why this bill is crucial and why my amendment to this bill makes it better. That is why we are going to move forward and make sure that more Americans have access to care--not just on paper--but care that gets them to in to the doctor, that gets them the care that they need, whether it is a specialist or a primary care doctor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I want to commend Dr. Wenstrup and the chairman and ranking member for their work on this bill.

Today I am offering this amendment that will help get to the root of one of the big problems within the VA that leads to high turnover by providers and compromises care for our veteran heroes. Specifically, my amendment strengthens anonymity protections for VA employees who fill out exit surveys and requires that this exit survey data be more localized so that the agency can better solve region-specific problems.

High staff turnover is an ongoing problem in our VA and it negatively affects our veterans. High turnover leads to staff shortages and results in veterans having to wait longer to see their doctor or their specialist, and it also means that there are issues with continuity of care for veterans.

Over the last few years, I have asked the VA why healthcare providers are leaving. The VA took some educated guesses as to why but could not provide hard data or facts.

Two years ago I inserted a directive into the MILCON VA approps bill requiring the VA to begin offering exit surveys to collect data on why healthcare providers are leaving. I also required that the VA develop a detailed plan to address the primary reasons these providers were leaving. While that report has provided some insights, we found that it is failing to take a few important steps that would make sure we are receiving honest feedback from these exiting providers.

For instance, the Portland VA employees who fill out the survey have to fill it out at a kiosk in the HR office where the HR staff can see them doing it. While the survey, itself, is anonymous, departing employees have to log into the kiosk with their employee identification number. The fear of being identified is a big deterrent for providers filling out this voluntary but critical survey. Only if VA providers are telling the honest truth about what they saw, heard, and experienced in their workplace can the VA then fix the problems that plague its facilities.

Therefore, we have to make this exit survey as easy and confidential to fill out as possible, and that is what my amendment requires. It requires these surveys to be conducted at a location that allows for privacy, not directly visible by another VA employee, and it does not require the departing employee to put in any personal, identifiable information. It also requires the exit survey data to be compiled at the regional level to identify and acknowledge local needs.

What needs to be changed in southwest Washington may not be the same as what is happening in Texas or Virginia or Florida, and this amendment will help the VA identify the right region-specific solutions.

With that, I urge Members to support my amendment so we can better serve and support our veterans by retaining their healthcare providers.

Mr. Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz).

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Regulatory Accountability Act. It is funny to me to stay here and listen to claims that the sky is going to fall if we just bring some common sense into how our Federal agencies promulgate rules. I want to ask, really?

Let me show you something. What I have in my hand is the Federal Register. It is not the Federal Register for the year or for a number of months. This is the Federal Register and the rules that have been promulgated just for this first week of January, just a week.

See, this first one here is for January 2. It is a little slim, but you know, they had just gotten back in the office.

This second one right here, this is for January 6, so I think they are making up for it.

This is just for the rest of the week. And believe it or not, that is actually a small stack compared to what happens when the juices really get flowing.

Now, here is the challenge with this stack. My challenge is, say I have a small business--and I do, actually. There are several small businesses in Lewis County, for example. It is a small area compared to the State of Washington, and they have got a lot of rural folks who work very hard, whether it is farms or family-owned businesses that they have been passing down.

Now, that small business in Centralia, they are responsible to know what is in this and the ones that come every single day after it for the entire year.

Mr. Chairman, we are not talking about big corporations with legal departments and government affairs folks who are hired to comb through this. We are talking about mom-and-pop shops. We are talking about 50 people or less. They have to dedicate a whole employee to knowing what is in here or they could be in violation of a Federal rule.

I have heard it said that you are 400 times more likely to come into contravention or violation of a Federal rule than a Federal law. So actually, it doesn't just apply to small businesses. It applies to all of us. We better know what is in here.

Or, time out: we could just create a little bit of space for some common sense, and that is exactly what this bill does.

This bill says, hey, Federal agencies, you just have to take a few extra things into account, like the impacts on the economy, like the impacts on the cost for taxpayers. Do you know we are talking about $1.86 trillion on the U.S. economy every year?

That is about $15,000 per every American household. That is real money. Fifteen, grand is a lot of money. That could provide a family of four in Castle Rock with groceries for 62 weeks.

Mr. Chairman, we are not trying to bring down this Federal bureaucracy, although some would appreciate it if we did. We are simply trying to bring some common sense into how they operate.

Look, the Regulatory Accountability Act delivers the reform that will make lives better for hardworking Americans and, hopefully, it will help them begin to recover a little bit of that $15,000 they are spending on unnecessary regulations. We can do this, Mr. Chairman.

I thank the gentleman.

I believe this is what people need to understand. The bill is very simple. It leaves intact and supports consumer protections and reasonable environmental impacts. It doesn't jeopardize the health of our kids.

Come on. Let's use some common sense. It simply makes it easier for that family of four. It really does try and connect the Federal regulations with real lives of real Americans, and that is why this act is so important.

That is why it is bipartisan, Mr. Speaker. This isn't some extreme idea. This is something that brings good government to the people. We are trying to serve the people, not be their masters, and I think this bill does just that.

Madam Speaker, for over 100 years, the Federal Government has made a promise to our rural schools and counties to actively manage our forests. However, due to Federal regulations and litigation, forest management has been dramatically reduced, and our communities have suffered--thousands of people have lost jobs; counties lack the resources to pay for basic services whether it is school or fire or police; and our forest has become increasingly susceptible to forest fires, disease, and devastation. This situation is a crisis, and we in Congress must address it.

I yield to the gentleman from Utah.

Oh, yes. I have heard from many of my local districts already, and layoff notices are being prepared because of the uncertainty and the status of the funding of Secure Rural Schools. Congress must make getting this legislation through both Houses and signed into law by the President a priority in the next year.

I would, actually, like to ask the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the majority leader, if he can give me any assurances that extending the Secure Rural Schools program will be one of his priorities early in the next Congress.

I yield to the leader.

I thank the leader for his comments and assurances.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in great admiration and a little bit of humility because I get to honor the life of a tremendous woman, a friend from southwest Washington who has made a lasting impact on our region. She passed away this week at the age of 97.

A lifelong resident of Clark County, Margaret Colf Hepola could recount the history of southwest Washington in a way that was more complete and exponentially more colorful than any history book. Her great grandparents moved to the Lewis River Valley before Washington had even claimed statehood, and more than 140 years later, Margaret's family still calls our region home.

There are people who live in a community, and then there are people who define what ``community'' means. Margaret was the latter. She made it one of her life ambitions to share the history of the community she loved and to preserve the memories of those who came before her. Through the Colf family's generous philanthropy, Margaret saved historical landmarks, supported museums, and founded the La Center Library.

Margaret's wit, her grit, and her compassion made her one of the most celebrated women in our entire region. Twice-widowed and a mother of five, Margaret did not let tragedy or the responsibilities of motherhood deter her from giving back to the community that she cared about so deeply. By the time she had reached the ninth decade of her life, Margaret Colf Hepola had become a household name in southwest Washington.

I will conclude today by honoring her legacy, one of a passionate historical preservationist who herself has earned a place in southwest Washington's history books.

Thank you so much.

Mr. Speaker, it is fun to get to come down here and honor my friend and colleague, Chairman Doc Hastings from central Washington. It has been a privilege to get to be right adjacent to Doc.

Cathy, we have been on either side.

In being the younger member of the delegation, the newest member of the delegation, I think your time and your effort and your willingness to bring us along--to bring me along--is invaluable. It is impossible to overstate the influence that Doc has had on this body over the last 20 years. He has been a constant advocate, fighting for the people of his home and our State--and our region, really--and the rest of Washington.

You have been doing it since I was in high school, studying U.S. history.

Unlike a lot of politicians, Doc doesn't seek credit or run to the microphone or brag about his accomplishments. He truly lives by one of his favorite quotes: ``It is amazing what you can accomplish if you are not worried about who gets the credit.''

I joined the Washington delegation 4 years ago, and from the beginning, Doc has been incredibly generous to me with his time and his wisdom and even with his dinner invites. Like so many in this body, I truly value his friendship.

During my time here, I have had the privilege--I don't even want to say ``of working alongside''--of following along with some of the issues that are incredibly important to my district and of things that Doc has championed. Trust me. Whether it is joining him out at Hanford Nuclear Reservation or teaming up with him to try and advance our Nation's forest policies and best practices, it is plain to see how passionate Doc is about serving the people in central Washington and throughout Washington State.

In this day and age when we hear mostly about a polarized Congress and politicians that no one likes and about people who can't work together, it is important to remember and to focus on those Members who are the opposite--people like Doc--who are always looking to find the common ground, who are looking for solutions, and who are wanting to confront the biggest challenges facing our region. I hope and believe it is how Doc is going to be remembered--as a statesman who always did the right thing by the people at home.

Doc's retirement is certainly a loss for Washington, but I am happy that the pull of being home--the pull of family--has finally won out after having to balance that life on both coasts for so long. When I had my baby girl last year--it feels like 1,000 years ago--Doc was one of the first to ask how we were, how we were doing, what he could do, and to share in the joy of our miracle, and I am truly grateful.

I know, for me, when I am trying to work an issue and I need advice, I am going to miss being able to say, ``Well, what do you think?'' ``How would we do this?'' or ``What coalition would we build?'' ``What is the strategy?'' That is one of the biggest things I remembered. I shouldn't say ``remembered.'' He is still with us. One of the biggest things I think of when I think of Doc is that his approach is always: let's lay out the strategy to get to our solutions, and let's try this and talk to this person and do it this way and remember this.

It is that intimate knowledge of how this institution works that we are going to be at a loss for, not just here, but even in the Washington delegation. It is having that institutional knowledge and the relationships, because this place, like anything else, is funneled by relationships. His intimate understanding of that and the way he has worked so carefully with people to advance ideas, we are going to miss it. We are going to feel the loss.

We look forward to hearing from you and watching you enjoy your time at home with your kids and your grandkids. Tell us about how great it is from time to time. We are going to miss you.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 520 I am not recorded because my flight from Southwest Washington experienced significant delays. I was not yet in Washington, DC at the time of the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, Gail Shaw, a visionary, a scientist, a community leader, and a 64 year-long resident of Chehalis, Washington, died peacefully in his sleep on June 6, 2014.

His six decade stay in his adopted hometown was not part of his original career plan, but before long he decided to make Chehalis home.

When he first moved to the thick forests surrounding Lewis County in 1950, the accomplished chemist still had his sights set on an

urban life up North in Seattle. That changed when a fire burned one of the largest local employers--the Chehalis Perma Products plant--to the ground.

Instead of fleeing from the fire's widespread destruction, Shaw stayed in Chehalis and helped rebuild the factory and the city from the plant's ashes.

With a focus on what Shaw termed ``social capital'' or what he described in one newspaper interview as a ``matter of people getting together and learning how to include your neighbor instead of excluding,'' Shaw collaborated with fellow Chehalis residents to strengthen the collaborative and economic framework of the city.

Shaw joined efforts with--and later became chairman of--what became known as the Industrial Commission, and together the group brought development, industry, jobs, and new energy to the small logging town.

Even though Gail Shaw disliked public recognition for his accomplishments; he will always be remembered for the lasting legacy he left in his community. His unyielding commitment to making Lewis County a better place to live will continue to be an inspiration for generations after him. I considered Gail a friend and am incredibly proud to say I knew him.

Gail is survived by his wife, Carolyn; son, Lawrence; daughters, Cynthia, Rebecca and Catherine; nine grandchildren; and one great- grandson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Southwest Washington native, Steve Stinson. After battling an advanced form of Leiomyosarcoma for more than two years, Steve passed away at the age of 52 on July 17, 2014.

As a family man, small forest owner, and friend to countless people across our state, Steve encompassed the very essence of Southwest Washington. Alongside his father, Doug, Steve ran the Cowlitz Ridge Tree Farm in Toledo providing for multiple generations of the Stinson family. As President of the Family Farm Forestry Association, he was a tireless advocate for living off the land and preserving the beauty and history of natural resources. While his tenure was certainly not short of challenges Steve approached each of them with the positive attitude and vibrant personality so many of us admired.

Mr. Speaker, I have been lucky enough to work with Steve throughout my time in Congress, and my deepest sympathies and prayers are with Steve's wife, Lou Jean and all of his loved ones. While hundreds of folks in Southwest Washington are sad to see another angel depart for heaven, we can take some comfort in knowing the lasting effect Steve Stinson had on so many lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Alexa Efraimson and the Camas High School girls' track and field team for their success at the Washington state track and field championships.

Two weeks ago, Alexa won the 1,600-meter race for the second year in a row and won her second 800-meter race on Saturday, May 31. She not only won the Washington state title in the 1,600-meter, but she broke the national high school record. Right now, no high school woman in this country is faster than she is at the 1,600-meter race; she is second to none.

I am also very proud to congratulate the girls' track and field team from my hometown of Camas for placing second at the state meet. Their success stands as evidence that each individual athlete has the ability, the desire, the determination, and the commitment to stay the course and excel in achieving their goals.

Today, I ask all Members of Congress to join me as we honor Alexa and the Camas High School girls' track and field team on a job well done at Washington State's track and field state championship.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Preeclampsia Awareness Month and the importance of addressing maternal and infant health.

Preeclampsia is a serious and far too common complication of pregnancy and is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths, illness, and premature birth. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, the disease affects approximately 1 in 12 women, and if untreated can lead to seizure, stroke, organ failure or death. The good news is that early diagnosis is possible through simple screenings and good prenatal care can predict or delay many adverse outcomes of preeclampsia.

However, too many people are unaware of this potentially fatal condition. The main indicator of preeclampsia is high blood pressure. Additional symptoms of preeclampsia are common to pregnancy such as headaches, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, vomiting, confusion, heightened state of anxiety or visual disturbances such as oversensitivity to light or blurred vision. That is why I support the Preeclampsia Foundation's efforts to educate women and their families to know the symptoms, respond to warning signs, and seek prenatal care.

So much more needs to be understood about this condition--why it occurs, how to cure it, and its long-term effect on a woman and her child's health. Research has demonstrated a possible direct link to the placenta. I understand that starting this year, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at NIH will embark on a new effort to understand diseases and conditions related to the placenta, and it is my hope that it leads to new discovery for preeclampsia and other conditions of pregnancy.

Together we must do all we can to eliminate preventable maternal and infant death and disability. I am hopeful for the promise of our research efforts, and I am grateful for the work of clinicians around this country and organizations like the Preeclampsia Foundation who work so hard tirelessly to advance maternal and infant health and well- being.