Floor Statements

I thank Chairman Ryan for putting this resolution together. I also want to take time to recognize and thank Chairman Lucas. In his tone and tenacity in putting together a farm bill, I think he has served as an example in this House of how to be a chairman and bring together divergent groups. I was very

supportive of what we have done, but I am also very supportive of this resolution here today.

Implementing a 15-percentage point reduction in crop insurance for producers with an adjusted gross income exceeding $750,000, or $1.5 million for joint filers, just like the Senate amendment, seems to be common sense, in my mind. However, this resolution calls for the elimination of delayed implementation in the Senate amendment. The Senate amendment delays this. We are simply getting rid of the delay of this implementation. This means test proposal would save roughly $1 billion over 10 years, something I think is very worthy for this body to consider.

On average, taxpayers are covering about 62 percent of crop insurance premiums. This proposal would reduce that to be about 47 percent, roughly, for high-income producers. It is still a very generous deal for very profitable producers. We encourage profitability. We want them to be as prosperous as they possibly can be. That does not mean that we have an unlimited amount of money that we can continue, as taxpayers, to cover some of those risks.

This reduction impacts roughly the top 1 percent of producers. There are other government assistance programs, such as Pell Grants and food stamps and earned income tax credits, that have some sort of means test to them. The least we can do is implement a modest means test for crop insurance subsidies for those making more than $750,000 or, again, $1.5 million for joint filers.

To be clear, nobody is kicked out of this program. Nobody is eliminated from this program. Contrary to the opponents' claim, this will not harm the insurance poll by driving out low-risk producers. Even with a 15-percent point reduction, the subsidy would still be huge and would be a good deal for high-income producers, since about half of the premium would still be subsidized.

I encourage passage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated public servant and American hero who died tragically in the line of duty while protecting the city of Draper, Utah. In the early morning hours of September 1, 2013, 32-year-old police Sgt. Derek Johnson was ambushed while responding to a suspicious vehicle during the last few minutes of his graveyard shift. Never able to draw his own weapon or return fire, Sgt. Johnson died from multiple gunshot wounds shortly after the incident. We honor his lifelong commitment to the safety and security of his community.

Remembered as one of the hardest working officers in the Draper Police Department, Sgt. Johnson is a decorated officer who earned many awards for his efforts. Not only was he the 2012 Community Policing Officer of the Year, he also earned the Life Saving Award and Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding service. According to his family, he grew up wanting to be a police officer.

We honor the immeasurable personal sacrifice of Sgt. Johnson's family. He leaves behind his wife, Shante Sidwell Johnson and his six- year-old son Bensen Ray, who he called Little Buddy. His love for his family was obvious to all. We also recognize his mother, Laura, father, Randy, and four siblings: brothers Devin, Darin, and Dayson and his sister Desirae. The Johnson family has endured a terrible tragedy and made an extraordinary sacrifice to keep the community safe. We are forever thankful.

The streets of the United States of America stay safe because of the honorable and dedicated service of officers like Sgt. Derek Johnson. His loss will be keenly felt by all who knew him.

Today, I ask all Members of Congress to join me as we honor the life and legacy of Sgt. Derek Johnson, as well as each man and woman who risks life and limb to secure our communities. I also ask that we recognize the sacrifice and burdens their families endure in support of this great country. We owe them all our eternal gratitude.

Offered By: Mr. Chaffetz

Amendment No. 4: Page 23, line 24, after the dollar amount,

insert ``(reduced by $100,000,000)''.

Page 60, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert

``(increased by $100,000,000)''.

The gentleman from Utah is very correct, this is very different and not nearly as controversial, I assure you.

H.R. 253, the Y Mountain Access Enhancement Act, directs the Department of Agriculture to sell 80 acres of U.S. Forest Service land to Brigham Young University often referred to as BYU. This parcel of land includes the block Y on Y Mountain, a major landmark in the Provo area.

H.R. 253 requires BYU to pay fair market value for the land and requires BYU to cover administrative and appraisal costs associated with the sale. Proceeds of the land sale would be used to reduce the deficit.

H.R. 253 guarantees public access to the block Y and the Y Mountain trail after the sale. BYU has managed this parcel of land for 50 years and has always allowed public access.

BYU actually owned the entire trail at one point many years ago. H.R. 253 would restore ownership to Brigham Young University, but BYU would have to pay fair market value for the land.

Currently, one part of the trail is owned by BYU and the other is owned by the U.S. Forest Service. Split ownership of the trail complicates trail maintenance and long-term planning, which ultimately puts public access at risk.

Restoring this land to BYU would provide long-term certainty by removing any questions as to who owns the land and who is responsible for maintaining the trail.

Hiking up the Y is a popular pastime in the Provo area, and H.R. 253 ensures that the trail will be maintained for future hikers.

This bill was introduced in the 112th Congress as H.R. 4484 and passed the House on voice vote. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this particular piece of legislation, and I appreciate the bipartisan support and work on this piece.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member here for their consideration. This is a good, commonsense bill. It passed out of the Congress last time, and I appreciate the bipartisan nature, particularly the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), for his positive words in the passage of this piece of legislation.

H.R. 251, the South Utah Valley Electric Conveyance Act, transfers title on certain portions of the electric distribution system operated by the South Utah Valley Electric Service District, SESD, from the Bureau of Reclamation to SESD. Local users repaid all applicable construction costs to the Federal Government decades ago.

This bill, H.R. 251, is needed because in order to become more efficient and more effective, ownership needs to be transferred. The system is part of the larger Strawberry Valley Project, which began in 1906.

This title transfer benefits the Federal taxpayers and the local communities that use the system. The transfer of title will divest the Bureau of Reclamation of Federal liability while providing SESD greater autonomy and flexibility to manage facilities in a manner that best meets its needs.

H.R. 251 is consistent with existing Federal policy, and since 1996, as the chairman mentioned, there have been roughly 27 Bureau of Reclamation projects to local entities that have gone through this transfer type of process. An identical bill, H.R. 461, passed in the House in the 112th Congress by voice vote, passed this September 23 of 2011.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' I appreciate, again, the good work on both sides of the aisle to help pass this, and I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated soldier and American hero who died tragically while aiding a fellow soldier in Afghanistan. While responding to an injury from a roadside bomb, Army medic PFC Cody Towse was killed when a second roadside bomb detonated. Three other brave soldiers also lost their lives during the incident.

Only 21 years old, PFC Towse had recently earned an Army Combat Medic Ribbon for saving another life under fire. His family was not surprised to learn he died in an act of service, treating the injuries of another. We honor his service and sacrifice to our safety and security.

Known as the ``Candy Doctor'' by Afghan children in the Kandahar region, PFC Towse had earned a reputation for spreading joy in the form of candy. When he turned 21 on May 8, he asked his family to send over more candy for him to share.

A Class of 2010 graduate of Utah's Salem High School, Towse loved to help people, choosing to become an EMT the day he turned 18. He later became a firefighter, but ultimately joined the military, where he felt he could use his training and skills to save lives. He did save lives, even at the cost of losing his own. He dreamed of one day becoming a LifeFlight medic. Towse carried on a proud and honorable tradition as he comes from a military family dating back to World War II.

We honor the tremendous personal sacrifice of PFC Towse's family. He leaves behind his parents, Jim and Jamie Towse, two brothers, 20-year- old Will and 14-year-old Christian, and a sister Callan who is 17. The Towse family has endured a terrible tragedy and made an extraordinary sacrifice on behalf of all Americans and we are forever thankful.

Today, I ask all Members of Congress to join me as we honor the life and legacy of Army PFC Andy Towse, as well as each man and woman in our Armed Services. They put themselves in harm's way and toil daily to hold back the forces of terrorism. I also ask that we recognize the sacrifice and burdens these families bear on behalf of each of us. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the many men and women who have given their lives to preserve our freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I stand to honor Private First Class Cody Towse, whose life was lost in Afghanistan. America lost one of its best and Utah lost one of our best.

This is a young soldier who had dedicated his life to helping save others. At the age of 18, he went to become an EMT and then a firefighter, and later joined the Army. He had recently won the Army Combat Medic Ribbon for saving another life under fire. As a bomb went off near Kandahar, he went to rush to the person who was injured, when a second bomb went off that took his life.

Today, I stand to honor him and all the men and women who serve and sacrifice for this country, for the United States of America. May God bless them, and may God bless the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts and prayers go out to those in Boston and Massachusetts and all the States where people came from to participate in the marathon.

I, in particular, Mr. Speaker, wanted to stand and thank those first responders. They're firemen and they're police officers and they're paramedics and they're doctors and nurses, and sometimes they're just somebody who never expected to be in that situation at that time. And yet, our fellow countrymen respond; they're there.

And right now we have people responding in the Senate. They've put themselves out there. They've run to the challenges. It is the American spirit. They touch the heart of all of us.

And, Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to say God bless them, and God bless the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Issa for his unyielding support in pursuit of good government. And I thank him for his support of this piece of legislation moved forward.

I also thank Ranking Member Cummings, in working with him and his staff, and certainly with Representative Speier, who also shares his passion of making sure that contractors are held responsible for their actions.

Mr. Speaker, today, tens of millions of individuals and corporations all across America will file their Federal tax returns and pay back any money they owe the Federal Government.

However, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, there will be some who fail to meet this obligation and simply refuse to pay the taxes they owe.

This legislation, H.R. 882, the Contracting and Tax Accountability Act, has a very simple purpose: to prohibit companies with serious delinquent Federal tax debts from doing business with the Federal Government and receiving new Federal contracts. Since Federal contractors draw compensation and funding from taxpayer dollars, we must ensure that they are complying with existing laws and paying their own taxes.

Mr. Speaker, just last month this legislation passed through the Oversight and Government Reform Committee by voice vote, and it is identical to legislation that also unanimously passed the committee last Congress.

Going back a little further, Mr. Speaker, in both the 110th and the 111th Congress, former Congressman Brad Ellsworth of Indiana introduced very similar versions of this bill. And in the 110th Congress, the legislation passed the House again by voice vote.

It begs the question what's happening over there in the United States Senate, but we will continue to pursue this to make sure this legislation passes.

Also back in the 110th Congress, then-Senator Barack Obama sponsored the Senate companion, Contractor and Tax Accountability Act, to Congressman Ellsworth's legislation but, unfortunately, the legislation did not progress in either Chamber then.

As President, Mr. Obama has continued to fight for the contractors to be held accountable. I concur with the President on this issue. This is bipartisan.

We're going to lead and spearhead this effort here in the House of Representatives and make sure that it becomes law, but the United States Senate is going to actually have to step up and do something at some point in life, Mr. Speaker.

This is a good piece of legislation. H.R. 882 establishes the process through which persons with serious delinquent Federal tax debts may be prohibited from receiving Federal contracts and grants. The legislation is designed to mandate that tax compliance be a prerequisite for receiving a Federal contract or a grant.

As the chairman knows, the Federal Acquisition Regulation, known as the FAR, was revised in 2008 to require contractors to certify they do not have delinquent tax debt to the Federal Government. Under the FAR revision, if a contractor is delinquent, then the standard Government- wide suspension and debarment process occurs in order to hold the contractor accountable.

H.R. 882 would, in essence, codify that regulation and provide a means to verify the contractor's certification. The legislation also provides broad exceptions for debts being paid in a timely manner, and debts to which a due process hearing has been requested or is pending.

Like the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act, to be considered next, this legislation is meant to affect those thumbing their nose at Uncle Sam and the United States of America.

The Government Accountability Office, the GAO, has reported that government contractors owe over $5 billion in unpaid Federal taxes. Many of the contractors have repeatedly failed to fulfill their tax obligations and have delinquencies that have extended over multiple tax periods.

GAO even identified instances in which companies that are delinquent in their taxes have won contracts by submitting lower offers than companies that comply with their tax obligations, giving them an undue advantage.

Those who consciously ignore the channels in place to fulfill their tax obligations must be held accountable, and they must play on the same even playing field. This legislation will do just that.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation. I again thank Chairman Issa for his support, as well as Ranking Member Cummings.

I thank Chairman Issa, Speaker Boehner, and Leader Cantor for their support in allowing us to bring this piece of legislation, a piece of legislation that has come before this body before. This is not a new topic. This is not something that just sprung up with us in the last 10 days here.

Mr. Speaker, on tax day, 2013, I want to impress upon my colleagues that Federal employees who consciously ignore the channels and processes in place to fulfill their tax obligations must be held accountable. The Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act addresses noncompliance with our tax laws by prohibiting individuals with serious delinquent tax debt from Federal civilian employment.

Most taxpayers file accurate tax returns and pay them on time. Most Federal workers do that--the overwhelming majority of them do it. In fact, statistically, more than 96 percent of our Federal employees do the right thing and they do it on time. But, unfortunately, there are a few bad apples out there. There are a few people out there that, despite all the processes, all the appeals, all the things out there, Mr. Speaker, they still choose to thumb their nose at the rest of us. Unfortunately, there are 107,000 Federal workers who don't pay their taxes. It accounts for about $1 billion in uncollected taxes.

In 2011--the most recent year for which the IRS data is available-- they tell us that 107,658 civilian Federal employees owed more than $1 billion. Now, the statistics say they have a greater compliance than the rest of the public. But let's remember, when you're unemployed, you're probably going to have a hard time complying. Employment for those that are Federal workers is 100 percent. They have a job. They have a responsibility to pay their taxes.

As the chairman indicated, the intent of the bill is simple: if you're a Federal employee or applicant, you should be making a good faith effort to pay your taxes or to dispute them, as the taxpayers have a right to do.

Under H.R. 249, individuals having seriously delinquent tax debts are ineligible for Federal civilian employment in the executive and legislative branch, including congressional staff. ``Seriously tax delinquent'' is defined as an outstanding Federal tax debt for which a notice of lien has been publicly filed.

And there are exemptions. If you're being paid in accordance with an installment agreement, perhaps you're having your wages garnished, you have an offer of compromise, or wage garnishment, you're exempted; it's not going to affect you.

The IRS has already told us on the record when they testified in a hearing that the overwhelming majority of the 107,000 people fall within that category. They testified to the body in the last Congress that roughly 12 percent of the 100,000 people would fall into this category that we're here talking about today. We've had a hearing about this. We did ask the IRS about this.

I also want to note, Mr. Speaker, on page 4 of the legislation at (c)(3):

An employee may continue to serve, in a situation involving

financial hardship, if the continued service of such employee

is in the best interests of the United States, as determined

on a case-by-case basis.

There's an opportunity to have the person who's in charge to make a determination: Do you know what? I have looked at this, and I grant this person an exemption.

But, as I did when I spoke to a group of HR professionals who work within the Federal Government, I told them about this and said, You need some tools to take care of the bad apples. I could see every one of their heads shaking, yes, please, give us this tool.

The bill requires individuals applying for Federal jobs to certify they are not seriously tax delinquent. Agencies will also conduct periodic reviews of public records for tax liens. Individuals with serious delinquent tax debt may avail themselves to existing due process rights, including going before the Merit Systems Protection Board.

In fact, in the last Congress, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Lynch, who's as passionate on this issue as you can possibly find, offered some amendments. And let me read from the record when we accepted the amendment offered by Mr. Lynch of Massachusetts:

Mr. Lynch. With that refinement here, a friendly amendment,

I certainly would vote for the bill if the amendment were

included.

The amendment was included. We did this in a bipartisan way. That's why it sailed through the House of Representatives last time and why it should sail through again.

In addition, individuals have 6 months to demonstrate that their tax debt is not seriously delinquent--something that Mr. Lynch asked for, something we agreed with, something that we move forward with.

For many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, this legislation should sound familiar because we did pass it.

Actually, at this time, what I would like to do is yield back and respond based on the other comments.

I thank the chairman.

Mr. Speaker, only in Washington, DC, can we say that this is not a serious issue. We're talking about 107,000 people and a billion dollars in uncollected taxes when the very Americans that are paying their paychecks are writing out their checks.

I would also look at the companion piece of legislation, which is $5 billion, that deals with the contractors. What we're saying to the employees of the Federal Government--the men and women who are patriotic, who are doing their job; they're doing the right thing; they work hard; they love this country; they're the first ones to run and respond--we're going to take care of you; we've got your back. Because every once in a while there is a bad apple, there is somebody that works in that department, there is somebody that works in that agency who doesn't play by the rules like everybody else does. They give this country and they give their counterparts and their employees a bad name. We're going to stand up for them by giving that head of that department in the agency the opportunity to fire somebody if they don't comply.

Pay your Federal taxes, you're in good shape; don't pay your Federal taxes, don't put yourself in place, then we're going to give you an opportunity to be let go.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to harken back to the comments of President Obama on January 20, 2010.

Make no mistake; the President was talking about delinquent contractors, not specifically about Federal workers. But I want you, as you listen to the President, in his own words, to wonder why should-- these, too, are families. Contractors are families; they're Americans; they're people. Some of them are bad apples. Most of them do a good job.

But listen to the President as he's talking about contractors, and say: Should the same be true for Federal workers?

Quote, from President Obama:

All across this country, there are people who meet their

obligation each and every day. You do your jobs; you support

your families; you pay taxes you owe because it's a

fundamental responsibility of citizenship. And yet, somehow,

it's become standard practice in Washington to give contracts

to companies that don't pay their taxes.

Later on, the President said:

The status quo, then, is inefficiency, and it's wasteful by

the larger and more fundamental point that it is wrong. It is

simply wrong for companies to take taxpayer dollars and not

be taxpayers themselves. So we need to insist on the same

sense of responsibility in Washington that so many of you

strive to uphold in your own lives, in your own families and

your own businesses.

The same should be true for Federal workers. And when those Federal workers are giving out those Federal contracts by the hundreds of billions of dollars, let them be able to look people in the face and say, We hold ourselves to that same high standard. We're not having a separate standard for contractors and for you. Those of us that do work for the Federal Government are honest in our dealings. We pay our taxes. You know what? If we don't around here, they eventually fire us.

That seems to me to be common sense and the right approach.

This bill doesn't threaten the Federal employees. It only threatens the Federal employees who don't pay their Federal taxes. You pay your taxes because you get your income from the taxpayers. It doesn't affect you.

What I hear continually, Mr. Speaker, is, Oh, no problem here. Don't worry about it.

It's $1 billion in uncollected taxes. For far too long, this Congress has ignored this. They keep giving contractors contracts up to the tune of $5 billion a year. I introduced that bill as well.

So to suggest, Mr. Speaker, that this bill is unfair, it's unwarranted, it's going to harm Federal employees---it's going to protect Federal employees, because the ones who are doing the right job, that are patriotic, are protected under this bill. Only those who thumb their noses and won't pay their taxes are the ones who should be scared of this bill.

Will the gentleman yield?

There are 107,000 people who haven't paid about $1 billion in taxes. To suggest there isn't a problem is, I think, factually without merit.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the bipartisan support that we've had in the passage of this legislation and urge its support.

H.R. 254 is a win for Federal taxpayers, the environment, and energy users. This bill allows for the development of 50 megawatts of clean, renewable hydropower on the Diamond Fork System in Utah and will generate $600,000 per year for the Federal Government. In Utah, we are one of the fastest-growing areas in the Nation and we need this power.

Under current law, hydropower will not be developed on the Diamond Fork System due to a requirement that energy developers pay $106 million to recover sunk costs that were incurred several years ago.

This $106 million payment requirement renders the hydropower project economically unfeasible. According to the Congressional Budget Office doing an assessment on H.R. 254:

Among the reasons that CBO expects the site will probably

not be developed over the next 10 years under current law is

a requirement that project sponsors pay the Treasury for a

portion of the Federal Government's previous investments in

the water project.

H.R. 254 would waive the repayment requirement, making the project economically feasible. In addition, the developer would pay the Federal Government a $600,000 per year fee, unrelated to the sunk cost, once the project is completed.

Massive amounts of energy are generated in the Diamond Fork unit as water flows downhill from Strawberry Reservoir to the Utah and Salt Lake Valleys. Energy dissipators are scattered throughout the pipeline to slow the flow and disperse the energy. Under H.R. 254, the operators would be able to replace those dissipators with turbines, allowing the currently wasted energy to be converted into electricity.

With or without this bill, the Federal Government will not recover the $106 million under any realistic scenario, and developers will not create 50 megawatts of renewable hydropower unless the sunk cost repayment requirement is waived. Additionally, the Federal Government will receive $600,000 per year once the project is completed if the repayment requirement is waived.

This has had a number of hearings within the Natural Resources Committee. We appreciate the bipartisan support and spirit of this moving forward. I would urge passage by my colleagues. We need the energy. This is the best, clean way we can do it.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 74 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Dan Jones, Utah's most prominent political pollster, on his impressive career and service to our State. Over a 50-year period, Dr. Jones has become synonymous with Utah politics in his roles as professor, pollster, consultant, mentor, and political expert.

As President and CEO of Dan Jones & Associates, which he founded in 1980, Dr. Jones has presided over one of the Intermountain West's most highly regarded market and political research firms. Conducting polls, focus groups and surveys for a wide range of organizations, the firm's data is routinely used by Salt Lake City's print and broadcast media organizations. Dr. Jones also has a long and distinguished history of consulting on Utah's highest profile political campaigns ranging from Utah Governors Matheson, Bangerter and Leavitt to Senators Hatch, Bennett and Garn.

In addition to his work in the private sector, Dr. Jones has taught tens of thousands of Utah students over a career that has spanned five decades. He taught at both Utah State University in Logan, Utah and most recently at the University of Utah's famed Hinckley Institute of Politics. His teaching has frequently been singled out for accolades, including the Distinguished University Teaching Award in 2002, Adjunct Professor of the Year in 1999, and Students Choice for Professor of the Year in 1997.

Dr. Jones' distinguished career began after earning a Bachelor's degree at Idaho State University. Dr. Jones enlisted in the military, where he remained in Active Duty in the United States Army from 1957- 1959, and was commissioned a Captain in the U.S.A.R. where he served until 1968.

Following his military service, Dr. Jones furthered his education by earning a master's degree in 1962 and doctorate degree in 1968 at the University of Utah. Following his graduate studies, Jones taught for twelve years at Utah State University and rose to the rank of full professor. After founding Dan Jones & Associates in 1980, Dr. Jones joined the faculty at the University of Utah where he was named a Hinckley Fellow in 2008. He eventually served as Interim Director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics from 2003-2005. Dr. Jones has also served for 12 years as a co-director of the Huntsman Seminar in Constitutional Government for Teachers.

I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating the accomplishments of this incredible man.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 6364) to establish a commission to ensure a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, to provide for the designation of memorials to the

service of members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I, and for other purposes.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Madam Speaker, at this time, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the original sponsor of this bill, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would like to again thank Representative Poe from the State of Texas for introducing this legislation and his tenacious pursuit of making this happen.

The bill is bipartisan in its approach. It creates a means for properly commemorating the centennial of the Great War in honoring those who gallantly fought. I would encourage my colleagues to vote in concurrence with the Senate amendment to H.R. 6364 and remind people that no taxpayer dollars will be used to carry out this act.

I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this, and I yield back the balance my time.