Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Master Sergeant Christopher B. Knight of the Indiana National Guard. Master Sergeant Knight is the recipient of the 2018 National Guard Military Person of the Year award for the state of Indiana. The award recognizes the very best personnel of Indiana National Guard. As 8th district commander Larry French stated, Master Sergeant Knight ``exemplifies what a member of the United States Military should be, both in and out of uniform''.

Master Sergeant Knight of Charlestown joined the Indiana National Guard in May of 2000, deploying as an Aircraft Maintenance Journeyman Apprentice at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. He is currently serving as a Crew Chief for the 123rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Additionally, Master Sergeant Knight has gallantly served our country both abroad in Iraq and at home during relief efforts after Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav.

I would like to congratulate Master Sergeant Knight on his award and thank him and all members of the Indiana National Guard for their service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize participants in the Run for the Fallen as they reach the conclusion of their nationwide event this weekend in Arlington. Run for the Fallen is an organization dedicated to honoring and remembering the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform by organizing run events across the nation. Since its inception in 2008, 50,000 participants have run over 200,000 miles across 26 states. I had the distinct privilege of participating in a Run for the Fallen run last year in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In honor of its tenth anniversary, participants will run one mile for every service member who has died as a result of the War on Terror, eclipsing nearly 20,000 miles. The race concludes on August 5th at Arlington National Cemetery.

I would like to congratulate all the runners and volunteers participating in the Run for the Fallen on another successful national run, and I look forward to many more successful events in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota, who has been the foremost leader in the House of Representatives for a very long time to permanently repeal the medical device tax.

Mr. Speaker, there are more than 7,000 medical device companies in the United States that contribute hundreds of billions of dollars to our economy every year. These companies employ over 400,000 Americans, while creating lifesaving technologies that benefit patients around the world.

Many of these manufacturers are located, as my colleague said, in my home district of northeast Indiana. In fact, Warsaw, Indiana, in my district, is known as the orthopedic capital of the world.

There is no doubt that this tax was incredibly destructive while it was in effect. Data from the U.S. Department of Commerce indicates that 29,000 jobs were lost in the industry between 2012 and 2015. Suspension of the tax has reduced some of the damage, but long-term investments and planning are impossible without full repeal.

Without permanent repeal, we will never be able to fully recover the jobs destroyed by ObamaCare, and patients will continue to be denied new, lifesaving products.

The Protect Medical Innovation Act will ensure that the medical device industry does not just survive but thrives, and this commonsense and bipartisan legislation would permanently repeal the medical device tax and, thereby, remove a mindless roadblock to economic growth and patient health.

I want to thank my friend again, Representative Paulsen, for his tireless efforts on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 184.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Chairwoman Brooks, for her attention to the positive effects of tax cuts on our Nation's economy, especially back home in Indiana.

Mr. Speaker, when this body was debating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we were told that 3 percent growth was impossible. We were told that the middle class and small businesses would not see any benefits. And we were told that manufacturing jobs would never come back.

Mr. Speaker, all of these so-called experts were dead wrong.

Since December, the U.S. economy has been growing at 2.9 percent and the Atlanta Federal Reserve bank estimates that growth this quarter will exceed 4 percent.

This is hardly the ``secular stagnation'' that so many on the left insisted was the inescapable future for the U.S. economy.

The bottom line is this: the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has unleashed record growth by lowering taxes on America's families and businesses.

When I am back home in northeast Indiana, I am constantly hearing good news as a result of tax reform.

In Bluffton, 20/20 Plastics is increasing annual wages by $1,200 and looking to invest in new manufacturing facilities in 2019.

In Fort Wayne, Quake Manufacturing is adding $1,000 bonuses and dental insurance for its employees.

Hoosiers across northeast Indiana have experienced the benefits just from turning on their lights, as Northern Indiana Public Service Company requested that customers' utility rates be lowered.

It is no secret why this is happening: Washington is taking a page out of Indiana's playbook.

During my time as a State senator, I was proud to work with Governors Mitch Daniels and Mike Pence to significantly lower taxes on individuals and businesses.

As a result, Indiana has one of the strongest economies in the country, with an unemployment rate of 3.2 percent and a labor force participation rate well above the national average.

Unemployment claims are at a historic low, and Indiana consistently ranks as one of the top States for business investment and economic growth.

For example, the annual report ``Rich States/Poor States'' ranks Indiana as having the country's third best economic outlook, while CNBC has consistently ranked the Hoosier state as one of the best places in the country to do business.

Finally, Indiana continues to be a manufacturing powerhouse, with 536,000 Hoosiers employed in the industry, and this number will only grow thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Monthly manufacturing job gains have more than doubled under Republican control, with over two-thirds of manufacturers creating new jobs to fill.

Even more impressive, 86 percent of manufacturing firms plan to increase capital investments thanks to the tax cuts passed by Republicans.

As the district with the most manufacturing workers in the country, this is great news for Hoosiers as companies across northeast Indiana are hiring more employees and increasing wages.

Additionally, 47 percent of U.S. small businesses plan to use their tax savings to increase business investments.

We know from the data that there is a 99 percent correlation between business investment and wages, and there is no question that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has spurred business investment.

This was the largest increase of wages since mid-2009.

Mr. Speaker, some have said the good news has amounted to crumbs and have promised to undo all of the gains we have seen from tax reform.

We owe it to the American people to make sure that that does not happen, but instead, we need to make these tax cuts permanent.

Mr. Speaker, due to inclement weather on June 19, 2018, my flight into Washington, DC, was delayed and caused my absence during the vote series that began at 6:30 p.m. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 269, ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 270, and ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 271.

personal explanation

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would fully repeal the poster child of government overreach from the Obama administration, the 2015 waters of the United States rule.

This rule gave unelected bureaucrats at the EPA the power to broadly interpret what is a navigable waterway and has led to mass confusion for farmers in my district and across the country.

The Obama-era WOTUS rule, which has been delayed thanks to the Trump administration, is confusing, overreaching, and broad. Under this rule, a navigable waterway could be interpreted in such a way that even a puddle in a farm's drainage ditch could be subjected to Federal regulation.

Mr. Chairman, it is vitally important that the definition of a navigable waterway be carefully and clearly determined. The encroachment of the Federal Government upon farmers and landowners has been severe.

We in Congress have a responsibility to call a spade a spade and remove this onerous regulation and go back to the drawing board with input from all stakeholders.

Mr. Chairman, unelected bureaucrats sitting behind a desk in Washington should not implement these overreaching Federal regulations on local farmers in northeast Indiana. Congress should work together with local and

State officials and experts to determine an appropriate solution and remove the detrimental and excessive approach attempted by the Obama administration.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar), the chairman of the Western Caucus, who has been instrumental in developing this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Johnson), my fellow freshman colleague and a great defender of private property rights.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time for closing.

Mr. Chairman, in closing, this amendment isn't just important to farmers; it is important to all landowners in our country. It is a big step forward in protecting our private property rights. I applaud President Trump for delaying the rule as he had, but this is our opportunity to repeal it once and for all.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, as we debate the farm bill this week,

the House has an opportunity to permanently eliminate one of the worst examples of runaway government and unaccountable bureaucracy by the Obama administration.

The 2015 waters of the United States rule, better known as WOTUS, is harmful to farmers and agricultural producers in Indiana and across the country. This rule gives unelected bureaucrats at the EPA the power to broadly interpret what is a navigable waterway. This rule can be interpreted in a way that even a puddle can be considered a navigable waterway subject to Federal regulation.

I am proud to represent nearly 12,000 farms in northeast Indiana, and each and every one of these operations could be subject to this overreaching rule. At a time of falling commodity prices, the last thing that Hoosier farmers need is an ambiguous, broad, and costly government decree that seeks to regulate nearly every aspect of their operation.

I applaud efforts by the Trump administration to delay this damaging rule, but it is time to permanently repeal WOTUS. I urge my colleagues to support its elimination as Congress considers the farm bill this week.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Embassy Theater in Fort Wayne, Indiana. For 90 years, the Embassy Theatre has been a treasured cultural and performing arts center in downtown Fort Wayne. The Embassy Theater opened its doors on May 14, 1928 as a movie palace and vaudeville house. During its 90-year history, the theater has hosted numerous notable acts, including Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong.

Sadly, the theater fell on hard times in the 1960's and was closed in 1971. The community of Fort Wayne banded together to save the Embassy, and the Embassy Theater Foundation was founded in 1972. The intent of this organization is to preserve this historic landmark for future generations in northeast Indiana. The foundation sponsored a major renovation of the property in 1995 and continues to support the theater today.

The Embassy Theater is a cherished cultural landmark in Fort Wayne, and we celebrate its 90th anniversary. Congratulations to everyone associated with the Embassy Theater on reaching this important milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish my mom a happy 60th birthday. I couldn't ask for a better mom. Most likely her favorite son, I have known each and every day of my life that my mom loves me and she is proud of me.

My mom hasn't always had it easy. She has worked hard all of her life, both as a cook in a nursing home for nearly 40 years and by holding it all together at home as she cared for my dad, my two brothers, and me.

What we need now more than ever is more moms like my mom, and as we celebrate Mother's Day this weekend, we honor our moms and say thank you for their tireless work and sacrifices.

Motherhood is a full-time job and a lifetime commitment, but the impact that mothers make in the lives of their children is profound.

I am grateful for all of the moms in my life, including my extraordinary wife, Amanda, who is raising three extraordinary little girls.

Mr. Speaker, I wish my mom a happy birthday and wish all the mothers in northeast Indiana and across our country a happy Mother's Day on Sunday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's veterans.

Over the last 16 months, this Congress and President have made tremendous progress for the men and women who have served our country in uniform. Congress passed and the President signed into law the largest expansion of GI benefits since World War II: appeals reform, the Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, and several other important bills.

As a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have been proud to author legislation and contribute to these initiatives on behalf of Hoosier veterans. But there is still so much more to do for our veterans and to address many of the longstanding issues within the VA, which is why it is absolutely vital that our next VA Secretary has the experience and commitment needed to build upon the progress that we have already made.

Our veterans have made tremendous sacrifices to keep our Nation free and secure, and they deserve the highest quality of people serving at the VA. Today, I urge the Trump administration to nominate a VA Secretary committed to making important reforms and serving our Nation's heroes who have served us so well.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Shuster and my colleagues for their work on this underlying legislation.

My amendment is simple. It would designate the hangar at Smith Airfield in Ft. Wayne, in my district, as the National Airmail Museum. Currently, there is no such museum with this particular designation. I want to also make clear that my amendment prohibits any Federal funding to support this important initiative for the community. It is a zero- cost amendment.

The significance of hangar number 2, which is the only example of Clark W. Smith's patented carousel design, makes it a fine fit for this designation. In 1911, the United States Postal Service began airmail delivery, and in 1930,

commercial airmail service came to Smith Airfield.

Mr. Chairman, this recognition would be a great addition to my community and a vital tool to educate the American people on the significant role airmail played in the evolution of aviation. Furthermore, such recognition would propel the ongoing initiative to preserve and share the history of airmail.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the en bloc amendment and support the preservation of airmail history.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of changes to title X family planning funds.

Currently, abortion providers like Planned Parenthood are eligible to receive these title X funds, but abortion is not family planning; it is family ending. It ends the lives of innocent children. It is an affront to the very definition of family.

Title X is Planned Parenthood's second largest funding stream, providing around $80 million a year. America's largest abortion provider, which ends over 321,000 lives each year, should never receive a single dime of taxpayer dollars.

I strongly support efforts to turn off the title X funding stream for Planned Parenthood, and urge the Department of Health and Human Services to issue new regulations for the title X program that will stop funding for programs that include abortion.

Mr. Speaker, there are much better and life-affirming options than allowing Planned Parenthood access to taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a balanced budget amendment which should be one of several steps that we take in Congress to control spending.

As a State senator, I worked with Governors Mitch Daniels and Mike Pence to balance Indiana's budget every single year, while lowering taxes and investing in key priorities. Today, Indiana has a $1.8 billion rainy-day fund and a AAA credit rating. Sadly, Washington, D.C., has not followed Indiana's example.

According to the latest estimates from the CBO, the Federal Government is set to run $82 trillion in deficits over the next 30 years. This is simply unsustainable. We cannot allow this crippling debt that will burden our children and grandchildren to continue growing.

In the short term, I applaud the Trump administration's decision to use the rescission tool to rein in Federal spending. The legislation that we are considering today, which would force Congress to balance the budget, should be part of a comprehensive effort to address spending and get America's finances back in order.

This amendment will ensure Congress has no excuses and reforms the broken congressional budget process. Hoosier families know how to live within their means and follow a budget, and Washington ought to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Northeast Indiana Base Community Council and its annual Race for the Warrior. Across eleven counties in northeast Indiana, the NIBCC is working with over 30 community groups, making my district one of America's most engaged regions when it comes to supporting our military.

The Race for the Warrior is the hallmark for the NIBCC. In its fourth year, proceeds from the event raise funds for the NIBCC Military Support Fund. This fund provides one-time grants to local military members for emergency relief, as well as other military and veterans support programs.

I am proud of the work the NIBCC does on behalf of our active duty servicemembers, veterans, and their families in my district.