Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I don't know if this will be the last time I address this House, but I can think of no more appropriate subject for such an occasion than to honor those who have worked with me over the last 10 years serving the people of Georgia's 12th Congressional District.

Representing Georgia in the House of Representatives has been the honor of my life. I have met thousands of people, both in Georgia and Washington, I will count as friends and colleagues for the rest of my life.

But any Member of Congress can tell you that the key to a successful congressional office is to gather the best and brightest people to serve the people we represent. I am honored to have served with a staff who are known on Capitol Hill as among the hardest working and most effective.

My staff has worked under some very difficult circumstances, facing what many called insurmountable odds, and put in long hours to make sure the people of Georgia's 12th District had representation like they had never seen before. Thanks from this Congressman will never be enough, but my success in this position is because of their dedication to this office.

I would like to recognize the staff, some of whom have left, but many of whom are here until the end, who have made all this possible.

My chief of staff, Ashley Jones, has been the foundation of this operation. Ashley has been my most trusted adviser and assembled a team that has delivered such outstanding results over the last 10 years. Her loyalty, counsel, and friendship have meant the world to me, and she has been an invaluable asset to the 12th District.

Lynthia Ross Owens has served as my district director. Lynthia has been the most respected member of my staff in the district. For years, she has been my eyes and ears in Georgia when the congressional schedule has taken me away from the district.

Hill Thomas is by far the most knowledgeable legislative director on Capitol Hill. He has counseled me through numerous legislative wins and milestones in our time together, and folks in the 12th District know Hill as a tireless advocate on their behalf, and his service to them will never be forgotten.

These three are the foundation of one of the best staffs on Capitol Hill, but the rest of the 12th District staff deserves recognition, too.

My communications director for the last 3 years, Richard Carbo; Jonathan Arogeti, my senior legislative assistant; Jessie Andrews, our senior legislative correspondent and scheduler; Vanna Cure, who has served in the district and in Washington on a number of initiatives in our office; Asa Porter, our legislative correspondent; Francesca Amodeo, our staff assistant and intern; Demetrius McCoy, a dedicated advocate in the district on behalf of our veterans; Beverly Kay Herrington, who is dedicated to helping folks in the district get the benefits they are owed from the Federal Government; Troy Windham, who helped introduce us to many folks in the newest portions of the district and helped deal with the VA during a difficult time; Matthew Kleinsorge, a veteran himself and a loyal staffer to this district who has been my eyes and ears on all issues for veterans.

I would also like to thank those former staffers who have served over the years. They may have left the Barrow team, but they never went very far: Roman Levit, Brandon Webb, Peyton Bell, Jane Brodsky, Kristin Fulford, Luke Moses, Wes Devetger, Lauren Perry, Harper Lawson, Will Rooks, Aaron Schmidt, Mike Goodman, Chris Schepis, Chris Cashman, Doug Moore, Bennett Golder, Meredith Wise, Anne Scheer, Tharon Johnson, Vernisha Davis, Brandi Hebron, Kristie Gregory, Najhee Jackson, Kathryn Hyler, Anne Watson, Reggie Castleberry, Mike Little, Charles Renwick, David Bell, Adam Toledano, and Yvonne Davis.

Madam Speaker, it has been the honor of my life to have served alongside this team, and for all their hard work and dedication to me and to the people of Georgia's 12th District, I say thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a supporter and a sponsor of this resolution, and I appreciate my friend from Virginia (Mr. Rigell) for working with me on this bipartisan effort to hold the administration accountable. Under current law, the President is required to notify Congress prior to releasing any prisoners from Guantanamo Bay. Unfortunately, he failed to do that this summer when he transferred five high-priority detainees in exchange for Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl.

Although I am grateful that Sergeant Bergdahl has been reunited with his family, I strongly disagree with the President's decision to negotiate with terrorists, and I certainly don't agree with the President's decision to make this prisoner exchange without first consulting with Congress in the manner required by federal law.

The freeing of terrorists poses a national security threat to Americans and our Armed Forces, and it complicates our current efforts to combat terrorism worldwide. Negotiating with terrorists will only weaken this Nation in the future and encourage other terrorists to kidnap Americans in an attempt to extort future prisoner exchanges.

Checks and balances aren't negotiable. It is unacceptable for this or any other administration to treat Congress as an afterthought or adversary, particularly with decisions impacting our national security and especially since, in this case, Congress could have helped the President get this decision right.

For all these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of our work to rebuild the Department of Veterans Affairs. Last week, the VA released the first-ever nationwide comprehensive audit of the VA health care system, and the findings were eye opening, though not surprising. More than 100,000 veterans have either waited more than 90 days to get an appointment, or they never received an appointment at all.

This week, Congressman Bill Cassidy and I introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to investigate the evidence disclosed in the course of the internal audit.

If, as the report states, managers at the VA told their subordinates to doctor the books to make wait times appear shorter, then any employees who falsified these Federal records should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The House has already voted to hold the guilty parties responsible and to give VA patients the right to go outside the VA to get the care they need, when they can't get it inside the VA, but these are just the first few steps in a long march to get them the care they have earned.

I urge my colleagues to support our resolution because we owe it to all those who gave us the best years of their lives.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, first, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their work on what is undoubtedly the most important bill we pass on an annual basis.

I rise in support of the bipartisan Barrow-Benishek amendment to H.R. 4870, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2015. This is a straightforward amendment that provides the certainty that our Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps needs to select, educate, train, and commission college students to be officers and leaders of character.

In the coming days, the Army is expected to initiate the closure of some ROTC programs. On that list could be any of the 275 ROTC host programs located in every State in the Union. Unfortunately, for thousands of cadets in these programs, the Army's timeline for closure is too short. According to the plans, the Army would close ROTC programs as early as next June. That is simply not fair for the students in these programs or their host universities.

This amendment would simply delay closure of these ROTC programs by 1 year. We would be doing everything we can to make sure that our ROTC programs and our cadets succeed. They are the next generation of Army leadership, and 1 year of delay would give all of us the certainty that we need to do so.

At this time, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Benishek), my partner in this measure.

Mr. Chairman, for all the reasons given, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bipartisan Barrow-Benishek amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, this is National Men's Health Week. Each year, for the last 20 years, we have used the week before Father's Day to encourage men of all ages to play an active role in living healthier lifestyles.

The important thing for men to remember, not just this week, but every day, is that many of the illnesses that affect us can be prevented or successfully treated. I am living proof of that. Thanks to early detection, I was able to beat prostate cancer, which used to be one of the worst diagnoses a guy could get.

This week, the members of the Congressional Men's Health Caucus are encouraging men, boys, and their families to develop positive habits, take preventive measures to combat illness, and do your best to lead healthy lifestyles.

I know all too well the importance of early prevention and early detection, and how they can mean the difference between life or death. As a leader of the Prostate Cancer Task Force, I encourage men of all ages to do the smart thing: know your number, know your condition, and stay healthy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his leadership on this issue.

I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill because it offers a way out for so many veterans who are stuck in the VA bureaucracy.

Over a year ago, I joined Chairman Miller at the VA in Atlanta when this problem first arose. Just this year, he was gracious enough to come to my district in Georgia, where we are encountering similar problems. The audit released yesterday underscores the necessity of this legislation.

In my district alone, 130 veterans who requested appointments have never been seen. Sadly, they are only a small portion of the 57,000 who have waited more than 90 days to see a physician. We can do better.

This bill addresses the immediate critical needs of our veterans, but for too long veterans have been denied access to the care we promised them, too often because of simple inefficiency and incompetence at the

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rebecca Martin, the principal of Screven County Elementary School, who is retiring after more than 30 years as an educator.

Educators are the unsung heros in the fight for a better life for all of us. Ms. Martin started her teaching career in 1981 and then went on to teach 18 years in the Screven County School System. Since becoming a principal in 1999, she has overseen a school system that has taught thousands of students who have received too many awards to be mentioned here, all as a direct result of her leadership and dedication to our children.

While I know the students and teachers of Screven County Elementary School will miss Ms. Martin's spirit and dedication and she will miss seeing them as much as she is used to, she can be sure that her teaching and leadership have had a profound impact upon her students and her fellow teachers wherever they go.

I congratulate Ms. Martin on her retirement. I wish her; her husband, Dr. Charles Martin; their two children; and their six grandchildren all the good things to come in the next step of their journey together.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue to call for action to address problems we face at VA clinics all across the country. This issue hits home for the folks I represent in Georgia, where three veterans have died and many more have seen their condition worsen because of inadequate health care.

This isn't going to go anywhere until we get serious about holding someone accountable. Regrettably, that should start with Secretary Eric Shinseki. General Shinseki has done a tremendous service for this country, and while he has tried to do some goods things at the VA during his time, other veterans aren't getting the most basic benefits they have earned.

Literally, months have passed, and to this day no one has been held responsible, no solution has been found, and getting information from the VA is like pulling teeth.

The folks I represent want answers, and Secretary Shinseki stepping down should be the start of a nationwide effort to rebuild the VA, because that is what our veterans deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Sam Davis as he celebrates his 30th anniversary as pastor of Beulah Grove Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia.

Dr. Davis was born in Barnwell, South Carolina, and is a graduate of Voorhees College, Morehouse School of Religion, and the Columbia Theological Seminary. Under Dr. Davis' leadership, Beulah Grove has greatly expanded its reach and increased its rank.

Beulah Grove is 100 years old, and Dr. Davis is only the ninth pastor in the church's history, but he has led that church for almost a third of that century. He has followed in the church's greatest traditions and led it into the 21st century as one of the most visionary communities of faith in the region.

To Dr. Davis, his wife, Beverly, and to the entire Beulah Grove Baptist community, I extend the heartiest of congratulations on this milestone, and I wish you all many, many more.

Mr. Speaker, almost 2 weeks ago, the administration announced yet another delay in approving the Keystone XL pipeline. I think they have it all wrong. Further delays in constructing this pipeline means that the U.S. will miss out on tens of thousands of jobs and continue to depend on foreign oil from hostile countries.

The Keystone XL pipeline will bring in 840,000 barrels of oil a day from our friend and neighbor, Canada. That can essentially replace the 900,000 barrels we have to get every day from Venezuela, one country we cannot count on. Add to that the roughly 20,000 jobs that will be created and the findings that the pipeline will have no net negative environmental impacts, you can see why there is broad, bipartisan support for the Keystone XL pipeline.

Mr. Speaker, this oil will be extracted, refined, and used by someone. The only question is who will get the jobs and who will be the first in line to use it. America needs the Keystone XL pipeline now, and I urge the administration to end the holdup.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kristin Fulford, a member of my 12th District staff for the past 9 years. Kristin has been an invaluable part of our team, handling thousands of casework issues for folks all over my district.

Kristin has made sure that folks received their Social Security and Medicare payments, helped high school students prepare to enter one of our Nation's military institutions, and has done almost everything else in between.

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the 12th District who doesn't know someone that Kristin has helped. She has been a team player who, for nearly a decade, has taken pride in helping the folks in our communities.

All of us in Congress know how hard our staffs work, and we know we wouldn't be here if it weren't for people like Kristin, who are our eyes, ears, and helping hands when we can't be home.

I wish Kristin, her husband, Edward, and their daughter, Wren, all the best as she begins her new journey, and I know the folks in my district will miss her as much as I will.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the elementary school students in my district in Georgia who are part of the inaugural class of Barrow's Bookworms.

Last fall, I challenged students in my district to read 20 books over the course of the semester. Upon completion, they would be recognized for their good work with a ceremony in the district.

For this first-ever Barrow's Bookworms program, more than 1,300 students in Georgia's 12th District accepted the challenge and completed the program, collectively reading more than 27,000 books.

As part of this program, students were also asked to create a bookmark that would be distributed to all of the participants. Bekah McCord, an outstanding third grade student at Southwest Laurens Elementary School in Dublin, successfully completed the Barrow's Bookworms reading program and was selected as the winner of our first bookmark design contest. Bekah is an exceptional student and a great example to peers.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Bekah and all of the students who participated this year, and I look forward to next year's Barrow's Bookworms challenge.

I thank the gentleman.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Murphy, for gathering us all here to talk about this important issue. This is an issue that affects folks in every part of this country, and in my view, is one of the most important issues facing seniors in our communities today.

I applaud all of my colleagues gathered here for taking a leadership role in our efforts to fight proposed reductions to the Medicare Advantage program.

Nearly 15 million seniors across the country are enrolled in Medicare Advantage, including more than 300,000 in my home State of Georgia. This program serves our seniors well, particularly those with high rates of chronic disease. Nearly 30 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries turn to Medicare Advantage to cover their health care costs.

By focusing on prevention and disease management, Medicare Advantage plans reduce the need for hospitalization, and that, in turn, reduces health care costs. It is a proven program that folks in my district have come to rely on.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently proposed a 5.9 percent cut to this program, which could result in a reduction of benefits and increased premiums on Medicare beneficiaries by $35 to $75 a month. That is an added cost that many seniors simply cannot afford to pay every single month.

My colleague from the other side of the aisle, Dr. Bill Cassidy, and I have been leading the charge to urge the Federal Government to take any and all steps necessary to preserve this program. Just last month, more than 200 Members of Congress from this House joined us in our effort to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to preserve the standard of care that seniors are currently getting. I, for one, do not want to put our seniors, men and women who have worked their entire lives, in the financial trouble these reductions would cause.

I have urged the administration to take a long, hard look at how these cuts would affect everyday lives of our seniors. If the goal here is to save money, there are better, more suitable ways to do it than on the backs of our seniors.

Again, I would like to thank my colleague for getting folks together to talk about how we can work together to make sure Medicare Advantage isn't jeopardized. It is an issue that isn't for Democrats or Republicans, but one that we all need to address. I have been proud to work on this issue in a bipartisan fashion with Dr. Cassidy, and it is my hope that all of our colleagues will get on board and help us preserve Medicare Advantage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed some light on a very serious issue facing more than 15 million Medicare Advantage recipients across the country, including more than 300,000 seniors in my home State of Georgia.

Medicare Advantage provides care and support to the constituents of every Member of this body. It reduces the need for hospitalization and reduces health care costs by focusing on prevention and disease management. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently proposed a 5.9 percent cut to this program which will reduce benefits and increase premiums by $35 to $75 per month for beneficiaries all across the country.

This month, my colleague from the other side of the aisle, Dr. Bill Cassidy, and I led an effort with over 200 Members of this body to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to prevent these devastating cuts to this program.

I urge this body and our friends in the Senate to do all we can to preserve this critical program. We simply cannot place the country's financial burdens on the back of seniors by undermining Medicare Advantage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Department of Energy's recent loan guarantee for Plant Vogtle in Burke County, Georgia. Plant Vogtle is the first nuclear power plant built in the United

States in almost 3 decades, and I am proud to represent the district where our Nation's nuclear renaissance has begun.

Throughout my time in Congress, I have supported the expanded use of nuclear power as part of a comprehensive energy policy. Plant Vogtle will not only provide safe, reliable energy for Georgians, but it will also create the kind of good-paying jobs that we need.

The expansion of Plant Vogtle will create 5,000 jobs at the height of construction and 800 permanent jobs after construction is complete.

The Federal Government's guarantee is expected to save Georgia electric customers nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in interest expense--a direct dollar-for-dollar savings for Georgia customers, Georgia workers, and Georgia businesses.

This is exactly the sort of investment the Federal Government should be making. At virtually no risk to the Federal taxpayer, we save money for Georgia taxpayers as they pay for the infrastructure that will create good-paying jobs that support the lifestyles of virtually everyone else in the Georgia economy.

I commend all of the stakeholders for coming to this agreement, and I look forward to all of the good things that it will lead to.