Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute one of the hardest working and longest serving staff members in Congress, Jay Pierson.

More than any other, Jay's is the face that I associate with the House floor. He is the man who keeps the debate moving, who tells us where to go and when to vote, and teaches new Members the rules of the road.

No one knows the procedures of the House better. He has kept the clockwork of the American democracy ticking ahead with the precision of a symphony conductor, and he has done it all with a steady, patient grace that has earned him the friendship and respect of everyone on this floor.

I know everyone who works on or watches the House floor will miss Jay's daily presence. He is an institution and a source of procedural wisdom that few, if any, could hope to match. I'm honored to have served alongside of him and thankful for all the time that he has helped me to make it to the floor on time, catch the votes, deliver a speech, or just know when the gavel is coming down.

Like me, Jay is probably looking forward to spending some quality time with his family and away from the daily grind of the legislative business, and I wish him a long and happy retirement.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I'd just like to thank him for his long service and for being a reliable friend behind the scenes to so many Members of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in support of the motion to instruct offered by my good friend Mrs. Davis from California.

This measure would ensure that the Afghan Women and Girls Security Promotion Act, an important and bipartisan piece of legislation, will be included in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act. And it will require the Department of Defense to produce a detailed plan to promote the security of Afghan women and girls during the process of transferring security responsibility to Afghan forces.

For more than a decade now, the rights and security of Afghan women have been on the rise, thanks in part to the efforts and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform. I had the honor of witnessing this progress firsthand when I traveled to Afghanistan over Mother's Day a few years ago and got to see excited young girls attending school for the first time and accomplished women proudly serving in government office. Here in the United States, we often take liberties like this for granted. For an Afghan woman, however, they represent dramatic strides forward in basic human rights and equality.

Like my colleagues here today, I am deeply concerned that as we begin to transition out of Afghanistan we are at risk of losing those hard-fought gains. Tragic news stories like the recent brutal murder of a young girl in northern Afghanistan over a rejected marriage proposal still occur with frightening regularity.

I believe this piece of legislation provides an opportunity for us to do that by providing a credible path forward for promoting the continued safety and well-being of these girls and women. This is absolutely essential for the future peace, stability, and prosperity of Afghanistan. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this motion to instruct.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I begin this Special Order for those Members on this side of the aisle who are retiring or who are leaving at the end of 2012, so I rise today not to say goodbye, but to say thank you.

After 14 wonderful and productive years, I will be stepping away from this podium for the last time at the end of

the 112th Congress. Representing the people of the 13th District of Illinois has been the great honor of my lifetime. Words cannot express the depth of gratitude I feel to my friends, colleagues, supporters, and staff who have made this time in Washington so cheerful and fulfilling. I can recall the first time that I stepped out onto the House floor as a Member of this great body and said to myself, How did I end up in the U.S. Congress, surrounded by the legacies of so many great leaders?

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, I never expected to become a lawyer or a school board president, much less a Member of Congress. At the time, few women went to college, let alone law school. Today, I know the path here was often the same for all who have walked these Halls. We are just Americans who love our communities and our country and who found ourselves pursuing that love through service to others. Even among those who rarely see eye to eye, I know that we share a passion for creating a better future for the next generation and that there has always been enough to bridge any gap that divides us. Maybe that's why I've always been known as a moderate. I like to assume the best about people with whom I disagree, at least until they prove me wrong. Thankfully, I can say without question that I've rarely been wrong, which is why my faith in this country and its future has never been stronger.

But listening is the key. Lawmakers must listen to those around them as one American to another, as neighbors with shared values and without assuming that any difference of opinion is evidence of greed, ignorance, or malice. I was fortunate. I learned that lesson early. Maybe it was because I was the only female Republican in my freshman class here. All of my colleagues, chairmen and ranking members seemed eager to come and say hello, to welcome me with a smile and sage advice. Their advice served me well, and, in turn, it allowed me to serve my constituents better. My hope is that our incoming class of lawmakers follows a similar path and that they come to Washington ready to learn from those around them and to benefit from the diversity of backgrounds and experiences that can be found here in the Capitol.

Because we face great challenges--the economy, immigration, the debt, Social Security, and Medicare--on these items and more we must find the answers soon if we hope to keep our country on a path to prosperity. Those solutions will only materialize if the Members of Congress take a chance, work together, and care more about results than sound bites or the next election. Equally important, they must be willing to take a walk a few hundred feet to the other side of the rotunda.

The House and the Senate are two sides of the same coin, and yet they have never seemed further apart. My proudest moments as a Member of Congress have all been as the result of collaboration. My work to keep homeless kids in school, to bar genetic discrimination, or to reform the Nation's Flood Insurance Program were all signed into law after extensive personal conversations with Members of the upper Chamber. We have great leaders here in the House, but they alone cannot maintain communications between the two greatest deliberative bodies in the world. It's up to all of us, and it will be to all of you.

So, Mr. Speaker, my advice is to work together across the aisle and across the Capitol. I urge my colleagues to stay close to their voters and true to their principles, but to never let ``compromise'' become a dirty word. That's what our constituents want; that's what America needs; and that's what has made these last 14 years the source of great joy in my life, none of which, I should add, would have been possible without my wonderful staff.

Before I close, I must give thanks to these individuals who have been with me for months or years and who have never let up in their service to the residents of the 13th Congressional District of Illinois. From casework, to flag requests, to building roads or to passing laws, my staff has taken every challenge in stride, has brought out the best in me, and has done it all without ever seeking recognition, praise, or a raise.

I also want to thank the great committee staff with Financial Services, with Education and the Workforce, and with Science, Space, and Technology, as well as the team at Ethics, with whom I worked for several years. Also, thank you to the unappreciated staff here on the House floor, who always keeps the debate moving forward.

Most of all, I would like to thank Kathy Lyndon, the best chief of staff and friend that a Member of Congress ever asked for. Without her, I would not be here; and without her, I would not have been able to assemble one of the smartest and most capable staffs in Washington.

So, thank you. Thank you to my colleagues, my staff, my friends, my family, my supporters, and even my critics who have helped me to grow, to learn, and to serve the people of Illinois. I have always viewed public service as a privilege, not a career, and you have all made this the fondest privilege of my life.

I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

And I thank you, the minority whip, so much for those comments. That really is very kind of you, and I appreciate it.

I yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).

I thank the gentleman. I will always think of you as the green man from Colorado.

Now I would like to yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Todd Platts, who is also retiring.

You know, I just would like to say how we have worked together, and I really appreciate all that you have done. And what's different is that you had this family. And that is the hardest thing to have, you know, the kids and a wife, but to have the kids that you're always worried about. You always want to be to their games. I know you were always rushing around to do that and driving home, and I appreciate that.

I have four children and a husband. Actually, we just celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary, which I can't believe, as time flies when you're having fun.

But my children, we raised them, I think, well, and we raised them to be independent. We didn't think that they would be so independent. One lives in London with her husband and three children, one lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children, one lives in Bethesda with her three children, and our son lives in New York City.

They're great places to visit, but you don't really have time, I think, when you're here as much as it was.

But to have the family that's there all the time I think it's wonderful, but it has also been really difficult.

I also thank you for the experiences we've had working together on the Education Committee and being the Bermuda Triangle that we always laughed about, sitting on our side with Tom Osborne. We made a nice triangle to put things like vouchers in there. They go away, but they wouldn't come back.

So thank you.

Yes, I will yield to the gentleman from California.

I really appreciate that. Thank you. You were great as chairman, great as ranking member, and I think education is where it all starts in this most important committee. Thank you.

I appreciate that. Thank you.

Thank you.

I yield 1 minute to Mr. Yoder.

Congratulating Kansas House Speaker Michael O'Neal

We have no other Members that are here so I would just like to say, again, thanks so much to my colleagues, and particularly my family. Some have been with me these entire 14 years and some have arrived after the start of the 14 years. To my friends and my supporters who have helped me really to grow and to learn and to serve the people of Illinois, it's been a real honor and a privilege. Public service is something that is such a privilege and honor, and I think that this has been the greatest privilege of my life, to have been a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to applaud a true hometown hero--Nicholas Dominguez of Lockport, Illinois--for saving a woman who nearly drowned in Lake Michigan.

Earlier this year, Nicholas was enjoying time with his mother on a beach on the Indiana shore when he noticed an empty raft and swimmers in distress. Thanks to his quick thinking and selfless instincts, Nicholas was able to rescue Evelyn Hernandez, pulling her safely to a sandbar.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of nominating Nicholas to the U.S. Naval Academy, and I was pleased to congratulate him on his recent graduation. Today, as a second lieutenant in the Marines, he has already put on full

display his commitment and dedication as a U.S. officer. His actions in Lake Michigan reflect the marine motto ``Semper Fi''--or ``always faithful.'' I applaud Lieutenant Dominguez for making his country and his Corps proud.

Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, for your kind words, but also for what you have done for this country as far as trade and how you have really worked so hard to make sure that all of the Members of Congress realize the impact that trade has for our economy and for our place in the world. Either bilateral agreements, multilateral commitments, you were always there to make to sure that we moved forward on that, and I really thank you.

I do rise in support today of this rule and H.R. 6156, to grant permanent normal trade relations to Russia. This important legislation is a small step toward a big reward. Without it, the United States exporters and service providers will continue to lose business to our foreign competitors that already have trade relationships with Russia. And once we lose those markets, our competitors will only become stronger and better-positioned to surpass the U.S. in a critical marketplace of the 21st-century global economy.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, Russia imported over $500 billion in goods last year; and of that total, only 5 percent came from U.S. exports.

This bill will lift outdated policies that restrict American access to Russian markets. As a result, studies show that U.S. producers can expect to achieve double-digit increases over the next decade in exports of heavy machinery, agricultural machinery, chemicals and services. This is particularly critical for my home State of Illinois, where we have fallen behind Japan and Korea in these export categories.

Most importantly, granting Russia permanent normal trade relations gives the U.S. a level playing field on which we can compete from a position of strength in terms of intellectual property and agricultural exports, and it will provide a reliable forum for trade dispute resolution.

I would urge my colleagues to vote for the rule and the bill, to grow American exports and create good jobs here in the United States by supporting this rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Northwestern College, which is celebrating its 110th year of preparing America's students for success.

Since 1902, Northwestern College has honored the goals of its founder, J.F. Fish, to create employment opportunities by providing career-focused education. This distinguished institution is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as well as several programmatic agencies, and it operates three outstanding campuses in the greater Chicago area, serving more than 2,100 students.

Offering Associate degrees in health sciences, legal studies, commerce and technology, and nursing--Northwestern College prepares students for a rewarding career in their chosen fields.

I am pleased to congratulate Northwestern College on its 110th Anniversary, and for its ongoing commitment to educating students in Chicago and around the country.

Mr. Chair, I inadvertently voted ``no'' on rollcall 592. I would like to be recorded as voting ``aye.''

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6361) to exclude from consideration as income under the United States Housing Act of 1937 payments of pension made under section 1521 of title 38, United States Code, to veterans who are in need of regular aid and attendance, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous material on this bill.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H.R. 6361, the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2012. I strongly urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Put simply, this legislation will ensure that we don't punish low- income disabled veterans who are seeking or receiving housing assistance simply because of their disability benefits.

Currently, if a veteran gets help with in-home care for their disability, that help is incorrectly calculated as income, which increases their housing costs.

For purposes of section 8 and public housing assistance, H.R. 6361 would exempt from a veteran's income his or her service-related disability benefits as well as expenses for in-home aid and care. It also reforms how section 8 and other housing programs calculate utility subsidies, and it awards grants to rehabilitate and modify homes for our disabled and low-income veterans.

As part of our effort to eliminate homelessness among veterans and help low-income veterans, our Financial Services Committee has closely examined the housing barriers facing disabled and low-income veterans. As recently as last week, we heard from veterans like Cassondra Flanagan of Philadelphia, who asked us specifically

to fix how government programs treat disability benefits in their financial assessments. H.R. 6361 would address her request by helping veterans overcome one of the key bureaucratic hassles that make it harder to find a secure and stable place to call home. That's why our legislation has broad, bipartisan support.

On September 12, 2012, the Financial Services Committee passed H.R. 6361 by a unanimous vote. In February, the Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee also gave its approval to similar legislation as part of the Affordable Housing and Self-Sufficiency Improvement Act of 2012, a broader proposal to reform HUD's section 8 and public housing programs.

I'm also pleased that we were able to include in today's bill the language authored by Mr. Green of Texas so that additional assistance can be provided to those veterans who need home renovations to accommodate their disability.

While we can never repay our veterans for the selfless sacrifices they've made to defend the liberties we enjoy, we can work to ensure that they have a place to call home. We also can work to ensure that our severely disabled veterans have adequate facilities and living conditions within the comfort of their homes.

Mr. Speaker, our veterans have paid a high price to protect the American Dream, and they should have the opportunity to experience the blessings that dream represents.

I commend my colleague from Nevada (Mr. Heck) for introducing this bill. He's put a lot of work into this. I'd also like to recognize my colleague from Texas (Mr. Green) for his tremendous bipartisan work and his contribution to this bill. I also thank Chairman Bachus for his hard work on this important measure.

Finally, I also would like to thank the American Legion, VetsFirst- United Spinal Association, Easter Seals, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars for their support of provisions in the bill.

With that, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6361, and I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Heck), the author of this bill, for such time as he may consume.

I have no further speakers, either, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6186) to require a study of voluntary community-based flood insurance options and how such options could be incorporated into the national flood insurance program, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6186, introduced by my friend and colleague on the Financial Services Committee, Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

H.R. 6816 would require the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, the agency which administers the National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP, to conduct a study on the advantages and disadvantages of providing voluntary community-based flood insurance through NFIP and report its recommendations for implementation to Congress within 18 months. H.R. 6186 also requires the Government Accountability Office, GAO, to analyze FEMA's report and submit its comments or recommendations on it to Congress within 6 months.

Community-based flood insurance is an insurance technique where a risk assessment is made for all the buildings in a community, and then premiums to cover that risk are paid collectively by that community rather than the current practice of assessing each building individually and having each individual owner pay a premium. This innovative tool may represent a new and better way for some communities at risk of flooding to take the necessary steps to protect their citizens.

In fact, FEMA has stated in congressional testimony that voluntary community-based flood insurance could help the NFIP better account for the full cost of flood risk, as well as provide incentives to encourage communities to implement greater flood mitigation measures. Thus, we think it's appropriate to commission this study of the community-based flood insurance concept so that FEMA can understand how it could be put to the greatest benefit.

Congresswoman Moore's community-based flood insurance study provision was originally introduced as part of H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011, the bipartisan, long-term NFIP reauthorization measure that passed the House with over 400 votes

last summer. During the previous year, Congresswoman Moore's study language was also included as part of long-term NFIP reauthorization efforts that passed the House three additional times as part of other bills.

Unfortunately, Congresswoman Moore's text, which is now H.R. 6186, was not included in the bipartisan Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act that was signed into law on July 6. However, the Financial Services Committee remains committed to enacting this provision, and I want to commend Congresswoman Moore for all her hard work on this measure, and I am a cosponsor.

With that, I would urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6186, and I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4264) to help ensure the fiscal solvency of the FHA mortgage insurance programs of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous material on this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4264, the FHA Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act of 2012, will provide the tools necessary to ensure the financial soundness of the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA. Right now, FHA is well below its mandatory 2 percent capital reserve with only .24 percent to cover losses.

The administration's fiscal year 2013 budget recently admitted that the FHA

may need a $688 million taxpayer bailout because of the depleted capital reserve fund. Last Friday, September 7, HUD issued its FHA quarterly report, which said that it anticipates increased foreclosures, claim activity, and related expenditures.

The FHA has had an abysmal fiscal track record and, to top it off, recent data furnished by the GAO confirmed that the FHA represents about 75 percent of the insured mortgage market. FHA is a government program that has put taxpayers at significant risk and flies in the face of private capital returning to the housing financial market.

The FHA Emergency Fiscal Solvency Act will provide FHA with the tools that it needs to shore up the program, lower the program's risk, and reduce taxpayers' liabilities.

The bill would establish for the first time a minimum annual premium of 55 basis points and allow FHA to charge up to 2.05 percent. It would strengthen FHA's ability to recoup losses from lenders for fraudulent, misrepresented and early delinquent loans, and it would allow FHA on a nationwide basis to terminate bad lenders. It also codifies the position of FHA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Risk and establishes a chief risk officer for Ginnie Mae.

These are commonsense targeted changes that would ensure accountability and financial stability within the FHA. On March 27, the Financial Services Committee unanimously passed this bill, and I would urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4264.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2446) to clarify the treatment of homeowner warranties under current law, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous material on this bill.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 2446, the RESPA Home Warranty Clarification Act, and urge my colleagues to support the bill. H.R. 2446 is a bipartisan bill that Mr. Clay of Missouri and I introduced last year. The bill has 40 cosponsors, including 13 Democrats and 27 Republicans, and I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott) for managing this bill.

On March 27, the Financial Services Committee reported out the bill by voice vote. The RESPA Home Warranty Clarification Act would amend the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974, or RESPA, to clarify that, as long as a consumer or borrower receives specific disclosures about it, a fee paid to a real estate broker or agent related to the sale of a home warranty is not a RESPA violation.

When Congress passed RESPA in 1974, it intended for the law to provide consumers or borrowers with timely disclosures related to the cost of real estate settlement services. Title insurance, a flood elevation certificate and homeowners insurance are a few examples of services required at a mortgage settlement. Unlike these settlement services, a home warranty is not a required service. For a borrower or a consumer, the purchase of a home warranty is optional. It is a service contract under which a home warranty company provides repair or replacement coverage for a home's system components and/or appliances. A real estate broker or agent typically acts as a representative for the home warranty company that offers the home warranty, and the real estate broker or agent receives a commission from the home warranty company for presenting the home warranty to the home buyer if the homeowner chooses to purchase the warranty.

Congress originally delegated RESPA rulemaking and enforcement authority to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD. For nearly 20 years, from 1974 to 1992, HUD issued no rules or guidance related to the sale of a home warranty by a real estate broker or agent.

In 1992, HUD issued regulations adding homeowners warranties as a settlement service, but was silent on the matter until recent years. Citing evidence to demonstrate a problem with home warranty-related sale practices, commission arrangements, disclosures, or the product itself between 2008 and 2010, HUD issued an unofficial staff interpretive rule and the subsequent guidance. In short, after 34 years, with no apparent problem with a product that is not required for closing, HUD determined that, under RESPA, it is a violation for a real estate broker or an agent to be compensated by a home warranty company for offering a home warranty to a borrower in connection with the real estate transaction.

Mr. Speaker, HUD clearly is seeking to create a solution where there simply is no problem. HUD's unfounded interpretation doesn't follow the letter of the law as intended by Congress. According to witness testimony received by the Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity, this misinterpretation of law has resulted in unnecessarily disrupting longstanding business practices that could increase the costs and decrease the availability of home warranties to consumers, as well as unintentionally harm small businesses. H.R. 2446 would clarify longstanding law and practice while restoring certainty related to home warranties in the real estate marketplace.

I'd like to thank my colleague, Mr. Clay, for working with me on this bill, and I'd like to thank the gentleman from Georgia for managing this bill. I'd also like to thank the bill's 40 bipartisan cosponsors from across the country.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2446, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time if the gentleman is ready to close.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding, and I commend him for his hard work on this important bill.

I rise in support of the bill, H.R. 3187, the March of Dimes Commemorative Coin Act of 2011.

This legislation recognizes the tremendous achievements of the March of Dimes in protecting the health of infants and mothers across the United States.

Founded by President Franklin Roosevelt, as was noted, in 1938, the March of Dimes was instrumental in eradicating polio. The organization then turned its sights on birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

For decades, the March of Dimes has been on the forefront of medical research. It educates parents and medical professionals about healthy pregnancies and has helped significantly expand access to neonatal intensive care for premature and sick infants.

H.R. 3187 recognizes the accomplishments of this great American success story of goodwill and public service, and it celebrates the 75th anniversary

of the March of Dimes through a commemorative coin.

I'm pleased to have been an original cosponsor of this important bill, and I urge my colleagues to join us in paying a fitting tribute to an organization known as the ``champion for all babies.''

Mr. Speaker, massive tax increases loom on our horizon. If Congress doesn't act before January 1, middle class families will see a return of the marriage penalty, the AMT, higher rates on capital gains, dividends, estates, and painful tax hikes on incomes. According to a new study, the President's tax plan would cost us more than 700,000 American jobs.

Mr. Speaker, we all hear from our neighborhood businesses back home who say Congress can't raise taxes during a recession and expect the economy to generate new jobs. Yet some of my colleagues seem content to tax anyone who might have enough revenue to hire and then hope the voters blame someone else when it hurts the middle class.

Well, I don't care about the blame game. I care about jobs and the economy. Let's stop the tax hikes, extend current rates, and work immediately on effective reforms to lower rates, close loopholes, and promote growth.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Marsha Giesler, an Illinois native and a recipient of the 2012 National Fire Protection Association's Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year award.

Marsha serves as the Downers Grove Fire Department public information officer, and in that role she coordinates with emergency service personnel to provide Downers Grove residents with valuable, lifesaving information and safety-related materials. She is also assistant to the chief and a juvenile fire interventionist. To help others promote safety within their own communities, she published a 400-page reference book, ``Fire and Life Safety Educator,'' the most easily accessible reference book of its kind.

Madam Speaker, Marsha Giesler's more than 20 years of excellent public service have demonstrated her commitment to keeping our community safe, and I want to commend Marsha for her leadership, her dedication, and her hard work.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for H.R. 6079, to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Whether it's dropped coverage, higher costs or lost jobs, the unintended consequences of this legislation continue to add up. And now that the Supreme Court has declared the individual mandate to be a tax, we know that this law contains over 20 distinct tax increases.

We cannot continue to ignore the impact of this law on jobs while millions of Americans remain out of work. Nor should we cut $500 billion from Medicare or leave in place new rules that the CBO estimates will eliminate employer-sponsored insurance for millions of Americans.

Instead of tinkering with broken pieces, we should take the cleaner route, repeal the law, and end policies that are raising costs. In their place, we can enact consensus-driven, bipartisan solutions that Democrat leaders have ignored in the past. At the same time, there's no reason we can't maintain coverage for preexisting conditions and young adults.

Let's give the Americans what they want: lower costs, access to quality care, and more choice. We can do that through the association health plans for small businesses, by allowing consumers to buy insurance across State lines, and by extending health savings accounts. And we must move forward on commonsense legislation to curb junk lawsuits that drive up costs and force doctors to practice expensive defensive medicine.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in repealing this regrettable law. Then we can put our focus back on effective reforms that will deliver lower costs without putting the government between patients and their doctors.