Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues for the comments that have been made regarding this very important piece of legislation.

We all know that securing American energy independence is absolutely critical to the future prosperity of this Nation, and nuclear power plays a major role in that mission.

At the Vogtle plant in Georgia, thousands of engineers and craftsmen, many of whom live in my district, are hard at work putting the United States at the forefront of advanced nuclear technology. The Vogtle plant and its sister plant in South Carolina, V.C. Summer, have four new, state-of-the-art reactors under construction. The clean, low-cost, safe energy that is produced from both Vogtle and V.C. Summer will pave the way for future reactors and mark a new era for nuclear power in the United States.

H.R. 1551 makes relatively small changes to already established tax credits, but this legislation will have an enormous impact on ensuring nuclear power remains a viable source of energy.

So I, again, just want to thank my good friend, Mr. Rice, for introducing this sincerely important piece of legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues here to support H.R. 1551.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.'s Monroe-based manufacturing facility on its 20th Anniversary. It is with a great sense of pride that I rise to celebrate its achievements and the positive contributions it has made to Georgia's 10th Congressional District.

Built in 1996, the plant has undergone three expansions over the years and employs a myriad of Georgia workers in the manufacturing industry. In 2014, Hitachi continued its commitment to the citizens of Georgia by approving the latest expansion, which increased its size to include 520,000 square feet of manufacturing space and doubled its workforce to provide more than 600 jobs in the 10th District.

Monroe's Hitachi facility remains extremely competitive and was named the 2014 Manufacturer of the Year for the State of Georgia for its commitment to manufacturing in education, community service, and economic growth. These achievements are a result of the partnership of several organizations working together to improve Georgia's economy and workforce potential. I would further like to recognize Athens Technical College, which has joined with Hitachi Automotive Systems to create an internship program as part of Georgia's Quick Start program, providing customized training programs to fill vital skilled-labor positions necessary to employers like Hitachi.

For these reasons, it is my honor to recognize Hitachi's Monroe facility on the occasion of its 20th Anniversary as well as the partners that contribute to its continued success. Furthermore, I extend my personal appreciation to those who have joined in improving Georgia's workforce to ensure that we succeed today and in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Fermon Lewis Rachels, a World War II veteran and outstanding civil servant from my district who passed away in February of this year.

A member of the Greatest Generation, Mr. Rachels was born July 14, 1927 in Wrightsville, Georgia. He courageously put his life on the line during World War II, serving as a technician, fourth grade in the United States Army and was one of the last 12,000 WWII veterans alive in Georgia. After leaving the Army, he served as a Trade Craftsman Supervisor at the Georgia Department of Transportation, and at the time of his retirement, at age 84, he was the oldest active employee in Department of Transportation history. He was an active member of Brown Memorial Baptist Church and of the American Legion Post Number 44. Mr. Rachels was selected as Johnson County's Man of the Year in 1985.

Mr. Rachels is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Hazel Carroll Rachels, his son, Charles Lewis Rachels, his daughter, Sharon Rachels, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

On behalf of the 10th District of Georgia and the United States of America, I want to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Rachels and his family for his outstanding service to our nation and our community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is an honor to be here with you.

I think by this time most people are familiar, at least they have heard about the Johnson amendment. It came about in 1954, when Lyndon Johnson barely won a race for Senate because many people thought he was soft on communism. So one of the first things he did when he got here was, behind closed doors, without any vetting, without any debate, had inserted into the IRS Code a statement that basically says that nonprofits cannot address political issues, or they could potentially lose their tax-exempt status.

That now, for 60 years-plus, has become a target for pastors, for churches, for nonprofits using tax-exempt status as leverage to prevent them from speaking, addressing political issues. It is political correctness at its worst.

When our government becomes the gatekeeper of free speech, then we actually have no free speech at all. And in this process, they also are influencing what religious institutions can and cannot be.

Our Founders believed that our country should not establish a State church. They also believe that government should not dictate the religious practices of its citizens, or abridge the free speech of Houses of worship. That is what is taking place.

As a result of this, my good friend, Whip Steve Scalise, and I introduced H.R. 781, the Free Speech Fairness Act, which creates a carve-out for 501(c)(3) organizations to address political discourse as long as it is within the normal course of business with de minimis associated expenses. I am pleased that the President has also been extremely vocal on this issue, but we really need this codified because the unfairness must stop.

I know our time is running short, but I urge our colleagues to support this, and I deeply appreciate the gentleman providing me the opportunity to speak on this Johnson amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 1083) to amend section 1214 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for stays during a period that the Merit Systems Protection Board lacks a quorum, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Taliaferro County Family Connection, a nonprofit organization that advocates for children and families in northeast Georgia. Under the leadership of Executive Director Jackie Butts, Taliaferro Family Connection, in collaboration with its community partners, has achieved remarkable results.

For example, they developed and implemented a plan to tackle teen pregnancy, which had previously been on the rise. Now the rate is 42 percent lower. When they strategized to reduce truancy, within three years, the number of students absent from school more than ten days declined by 23 percent. And as a result

of its welfare-to-work initiatives, traditional welfare rolls declined by more than 95 percent. But that's not all. More babies are being born healthy, more children are receiving immunizations, and fewer families are living in poverty.

These achievements are a result of the partnership of several organizations working together with families to address their community's needs. One such partner is the Taliaferro County Board of Commissioners and, in particular, Mrs. Jane Hubert. Commissioner Hubert has been faithful throughout the years, attending the monthly collaborative meetings and supporting its special events, including the bike rodeo, back to school bash, street dance, and more. According to Mrs. Butts, over the past 19 years, the Board of Commissioners ``has supported every aspect of everything'' Family Connection has ever done. ``Everything I've needed they've come through with all these years,'' she said.

For these reasons and on the occasion of its 19th Anniversary, it is my honor to acknowledge Taliaferro County Family Connection and the partners that contribute to its success. Furthermore, I extend my personal appreciation to the families who join hand-in-hand with this worthy organization to ensure that their children succeed in school and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding this time.

I agree with this great reporting bill. The American people have a right to at least have a reasonable expectation that the Federal Government knows what its employees are doing. Unfortunately, we all know that doesn't always happen, particularly when it comes to the practice of official time. It is amazing to me how little information there is, particularly as it relates to the reporting aspect, as to what is happening under official time.

For those who don't know what it is, Mr. Ross mentioned it well. Established under the Carter administration, official time allows Federal employee union members to conduct union activities during their work-hours of the agency for which they were hired even if the union activity has nothing to do with their job description. Surprisingly, the Federal agencies are not required to report to Congress the amount of time that employees are spending conducting union business.

Some of my colleagues may disagree about the value of official time. I get that. The gentleman from Virginia and I see differently on this. I certainly oppose the abuse of official time, so we see differently on this.

But I think we can all agree that the American people at least have the right to know the extent to which official time is being used. So, although we may disagree somewhat on policy, I think we can certainly find common ground to promote accountability and transparency within the Federal Government.

As Mr. Ross mentioned a while ago, the OPM has come out with a study: 3.5 million work-hours spent on official time. That is a lot if it was just dollars, but when you take 3.5 million work-hours multiplied by dollars involved, this is a significant issue that needs to be addressed.

This bill, H.R. 1293, grants the OPM the ability to get necessary information from Federal agencies so that we have a more comprehensive understanding of the official time usage. Currently, there are no standards for OPM to find that kind of information.

So this bill does not eliminate, nor does it restrict, official time usage; it simply shines light on the practice. Again, I believe we can find common ground that the American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent.

This is common sense. It is good governance. It is a bill that I believe we should all be able to get behind. I am pleased to support this bill. I am honored and pleased to do so in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. I urge all our colleagues to support it now.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to celebrate the life of Jon Richards, a Georgia treasure, a brilliant political journalist, a selfless mentor. He passed away this past Sunday after a battle with cancer. Our prayers go out and we grieve for the family and friends of Jon during this difficult time.

Madam Speaker, Jon grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later moved to Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he became active in various Gwinnett County civic, social, and political organizations.

He was well respected on both sides of the political aisle, serving with endless passion as editor-in-chief of georgiapol.com. Most notably, however, was his devotion to mentoring high school and college students who were interested in politics, and he left a lasting impression.

Madam Speaker, Jon was known by the Gwinnett community as someone who lived life to its fullest and made the most of every day. His leadership was unmatched and cannot be overstated.

I am grateful to know that, through Christ, we will be able to meet again.

Madam Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to stand and join with me for a moment of silence to honor the life and legacy of Jon Richards, who will be sorely missed by many.

Mr. Speaker, I take great pleasure that we may come to the floor today to celebrate and recognize the remarkable legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. King is characterized by modeling his life after Jesus Christ in order to live a life dedicated to the service of others, whether that be preaching the Gospel to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church, or to the pursuit of justice and equality.

Mr. Speaker, my home state of Georgia has the great honor of preserving King's legacy at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. And today we have the opportunity under the leadership of my friend and fellow Georgian, John Lewis, to pass H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, to re-designate the site as a National Historic Park.

I strongly believe that this site meets and exceeds the requirements for re-designation as a National Historic Park and fully support my friend in his effort. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Congressman Lewis for leading this legislation. As a cosponsor of this bill, a member of the Committee on Natural Resources, and as a fellow Georgian, I offer my strongest support and encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Baldwin County Family Connection, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children across the great State of Georgia. This organization has done outstanding work to revitalize a county hit hard by the Great Recession.

In 2011, Baldwin County faced an unemployment rate of 16.5 percent and Harrisburg, one of its communities, suffered an unemployment rate of 25 percent. However, through a community of partners who were willing to work together and share their resources, the Baldwin County Family Connection was able to secure funding for a community garden, a walking trail, and a pavilion, providing places for families to gather and thrive.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have an outstanding organization that restores health and vibrancy to the local community in my home district. It is my honor to congratulate and applaud the Baldwin County Family Connection for its commitment to serving children and families in the Tenth District of Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Quentin Moses, a 10th District native, a star athlete, and a dedicated coach who tragically passed away in a house fire this past Sunday morning.

I pray and grieve for the family and friends of Quentin, as well as the family of Andria Godard and her daughter, Jasmine, who also lost their lives.

Mr. Speaker, Quentin Moses grew up in my home district in Athens, Georgia. He attended Cedar Shoals High School, starting his career as a defensive standout. He went on to play for the University of Georgia, was named first-team All-SEC on the Bulldogs' 2005 SEC Championship team. Following that, he spent 4 years in the NFL as a linebacker. He returned to our community in 2012, where he started coaching student- athletes at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, Quentin's positive impact on the community was evident by the outpouring of love and condolences by coaches, players, and fans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to rise and join me for a moment of silence to honor the lives of Quentin Moses and Andria and Jasmine Godard--precious lives lost too soon.

I thank my friend and colleague for leading this Special Order and for taking the leadership on this very important issue.

Mr. Speaker, I am here to try to implore our leadership to bring H.J. Res. 27 to the floor and, hopefully, to enable us, the Members of the people's House, to strike down this deeply flawed and deceptively written Death with Dignity Act that has been passed in the District of Columbia.

This is not a bill about the elderly. It is not a bill about the sick and dying, as has been stated here. This is a bill that legalizes suicide. It actually attempts to normalize euthanasia. As you know, Mr. Speaker, this bill applies to individuals with ``a terminal disease.'' We all know that could be applied to almost anyone. We could have someone with diabetes, for example, who is able to live a perfectly normal life, in spite of the fact of having an insulin dependency, but without the insulin, it could be terminal--they would be. So this bill applies to individuals who also may have been misdiagnosed.

I appreciate Mr. Rothfus mentioning Jeanette Hall. What a powerful story that is--someone who actually voted for this bill in Oregon, and then a few years later comes to find out that she herself has cancer. She tries to have her doctor help her end her life. The doctor urges her to fight to have treatment. She does so, and now 16 years later, she is alive and healthy.

There is no reason for us to have this bill. If you look at the suicide rate in Oregon since that bill was passed in that State in 1997, they have 42 percent above the national average of suicide in that State.

I appreciate Dr. Wenstrup, too. Just the flaws that he identified that this bill has are alarming. The fact that it, more than likely, will--certainly, the potential is there--lead to elder abuse. The bill has no requirement that the death certificate lists the real cause of death. It will just be required to say ``natural causes'' when, in fact, there was a lethal drug injected. The drug itself is not required to be disclosed. The bill does not require a medical professional to be present to administer the lethal drug.

Furthermore, as was alluded to a moment ago, the bill bars law enforcement and, arguably, courts from reviewing medical records at the Department of Health, effectively potentially preventing them from doing their jobs in cases where there may have been foul play.

Mr. Speaker, please know that this does not simply apply to D.C. residents but to those who reside in D.C., which would include everyone in this House.

I urge my colleagues to join in cosponsoring H.J. Res. 27. I urge our leadership to bring this to the floor for a vote. I thank the gentleman for giving me the opportunity to speak.

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Wyoming.

Madam Speaker, regardless of attempts from the other side to distract and derail what we are discussing, the vote today is on the permanent application of the Hyde amendment, which would ban taxpayer dollars from being used for abortion.

The truth is that taxpayers get up and go to work every day. They work by the sweat of their brow. The majority of them find the practice of abortion to be a serious violation of their personal beliefs. Under that situation and scenario, it is unconscionable that this body would even consider taking the money of those hardworking taxpayers and using their money to fund abortion.

The Hyde amendment has traditionally maintained bipartisan support. It has been signed into law by both Democratic and Republican Presidents since 1976. In addition to that, the Supreme Court has upheld the law, doing so in 1980, ruling that, regardless of the freedom recognized in Roe v. Wade to terminate a pregnancy, there is not a constitutional entitlement to use taxpayer money to finance such an act.

The Hyde amendment has saved the lives of roughly 300,000 unborn children annually. It is bipartisan, it has been upheld by the Supreme Court, and it protects taxpayers who have a conscientious objection. So I strongly encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 7 when it comes before the full House for a vote today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my good friend, Chris Smith, for his leadership for so many years on this issue of life. He is deeply loved and appreciated, and I am grateful to be able to share this time with him as well.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure it has been said this evening already many times over that since the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973, we have lost over 50 million lives. That is such a staggering number, but within that number, of course, are mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, all of them lost to abortion.

This decision of Roe v. Wade, at the crux of the matter, is one that has the question: When does life begin?

And with that question, I was reminded of the opinion of the Supreme Court Justice Blackmun. During that period of time when Roe v. Wade came into law, Blackmun made the decision and wrote in his opinion. He said: ``We, the Court, need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary,'' he said, ``at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer.''

What a startling statement that was made. But here we are at this time, this body, at this point of our Nation's history, we have no need as to speculate on this question any longer. There is clear science that, without question, tells us when life begins. And life begins at conception. There is no question about this.

We know inside the womb is a human life. And we know with that life, based on what we know of God and what we in our own country know from our own Declaration of Independence, the very first inalienable right protected is that of life.

So I just believe it is time that we correct this wrongheaded decision that was made by the Court some 44 years ago. Even just recently, a couple of days ago, I introduced H.R. 586, the Sanctity of Human Life Act, which makes clear that life begins at conception. I certainly would ask my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this bill.

I just dream of the time, 44 years from now, that we could be celebrating the right to life rather than 44 years from now looking back and mourning over yet another 50 million American babies who have been lost to the horrible stain of abortion. So, again, I thank you for your leadership, and I deeply appreciate the opportunity to join you in this Special Order.