Floor Statements

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise for the opportunity to speak about my amendment to the State and Foreign Operations division of H.R. 3354.

Mr. Chairman, we are facing some tough choices. Our Nation is nearly $20 trillion in debt. We are going to debate lifting the debt ceiling in the coming days. Simply put, we cannot afford to continue recklessly spending on duplicative and wasteful programs.

The United States Institute of Peace is a perfect example of a duplicative program that must be reexamined. The Institute's charter states that the organization was established to promote international peace and the resolution of conflict among the nations and peoples of the world without recourse to violence.

These are laudable and worthy goals, but it sounds a lot like the mission statement of another taxpayer-backed diplomatic organization, the United States Department of State.

The State Department's operational mission is to create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community. Why is Congress funding an independent think tank that supports the same mission as another Federal Government agency?

The U.S. Institute of Peace is far from the only organization on the ground working to foster peace across the globe. Since its inception, the U.S. Institute of Peace has awarded thousands of grants to other peace organizations. There are also more than 150 colleges and universities offering peace studies programs across the United States.

Why are we earmarking an additional $35.3 million in public funds to support a think tank that duplicates the State Department's mission, uses its public funds to support other peace-promoting organizations, and can raise millions of dollars in private funds to promote its own work?

For this reason, Members on both sides of the aisle have supported ending this program. In fact, this same amendment was offered by a Democratic member from New York to an appropriations bill in 2011. The amendment passed with a strong bipartisan vote.

The White House recently proposed eliminating Federal funding to the Institute noting that it duplicates not only other Federal programs but also nonprofit and private sector organizations.

In addition to the duplicative nature of its work, the Institute's authorization has expired. The underlying funding contained in the bill is not even allowed under House rules.

The authorization process is vital to ensuring that the American taxpayer is protected from waste. At the very least, we should withhold funding until the Institute is reauthorized.

Our kids and grandkids are relying on us to find a solution to this problem rather than continuing to dig the hole deeper. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to protect private property rights in Colorado.

This amendment would prevent the creation and expansion of a National Heritage Area in southeast Colorado. Heritage Areas open the door to new land use restrictions on privately held land that are strongly opposed in this part of my district.

I recently held multiple townhalls in southeast Colorado to hear the unique concerns of these rural communities. At the top of their list was a need to cut burdensome government red tape that hurts their businesses and threatens their way of life.

These small family farms and ranches should not be forced to follow new regulations that give control of their private lands to Washington, D.C. That is why this amendment is so important. It allows Coloradans to keep control of their land.

My amendment would only affect nine counties in Colorado and protect them from new, unwanted land use restrictions. This amendment passed last year by voice vote, and I urge my colleagues to again support the private property rights of these farmers and ranchers.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), the subcommittee chair.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment will protect private property rights in southeast Colorado. These families have worked for generations to maintain their land. They should not lose their livelihoods because of land use restrictions from Washington, D.C.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service and sacrifice of Sergeant Chris Redman, and to congratulate him for being inducted into the Honorary Rolls of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the ``Blackhorse Regiment.'' I believe that our nation's men and women in uniform are America's greatest assets. They have made incredible sacrifices for our country and deserve our utmost support and respect for their service.

Sergeant Redman has dedicated his life to protecting all Americans through his service as a sergeant in the United States Army and as a police officer. He received numerous recognitions while in the Army and has continued to serve the Blackhorse Regiment since his retirement. In addition to his selfless service to our country, Sergeant Redman has also been a great leader and supporter of the Blackhorse Regiment in his community, coordinating reunions and raising money for scholarship funds.

Our nation owes no greater debt of gratitude than the one we owe our veterans. They and their families should be commended. On behalf of the 4th Congressional District of Colorado, I extend my best wishes and deepest gratitude to Sergeant Redman.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Sergeant Chris Redman for his commitment to family, community, and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Douglas Harbour for his service in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and for his work to create the Tri-State 9/11 Tribute Foundation. This organization was established to instill in our nation's youth a sense of national pride by honoring those who have dedicated their lives to protecting all Americans. I believe that our nation's men and women in uniform are America's greatest assets. They have made incredible sacrifices for our country and deserve our utmost support and aid for their service.

Mr. Harbour created The Tri-State 9/11 Tribute Foundation in 2012 to honor our nation's First Responders and Military personnel both living and deceased. Since its founding, a memorial project has been initiated and the annual Tri-State 9/11 Tribute event is held each fall to recognize exemplary public servants. Mr. Harbour is the organization's sitting President and donates his time to ensure these men and women receive the utmost admiration and gratitude for their service. It is the heroic bravery and incredible sacrifices made by America's First Responders and men and women in uniform that have helped secure the freedoms we as Americans hold dear.

Our nation owes no greater debt of gratitude than the one we owe our First Responders and military men and women. They and their families should be commended. On behalf of the 4th Congressional District of Colorado, I extend my best wishes and gratitude to Mr. Harbour for his creation of the Tri-State 9/11 Tribute Foundation to honor America's great service men and women.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Mr. Harbour for his accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jonathan Feld for his hard work and dedication to the people of Colorado's Fourth District as an intern in my Washington, D.C. office for the Summer of 2017.

The work of this young man has been exemplary, and I know he has a bright future. He served as a tour guide, interacted with constituents, and learned a great deal about our nation's legislative process. I was glad to be able to offer this educational opportunity, and look forward to seeing him build his career in public service.

Jonathan plans to continue pursuing his degree at the end of this internship. I wish him the best as he pursues his career path. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Jonathan Feld for his service the last several months to the people of Colorado's 4th district.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tyler Wesley for his hard work and dedication to the people of Colorado's Fourth District as an intern in my Washington, D.C. office for the Summer of 2017.

The work of this young man has been exemplary, and I know he has a bright future. He served as a tour guide, interacted with constituents, and learned a great deal about our nation's legislative process. I was glad to be able to offer this educational opportunity, and look forward to seeing him build his career in public service.

Tyler plans to continue working as a public servant at the end of this internship. I wish him the best as he pursues his career path. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Tyler Wesley for his service the last several months to the people of Colorado's 4th district.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ethan Bond for his hard work and dedication to the people of Colorado's Fourth District as an intern in my Washington, D.C. office for the Summer of 2017.

The work of this young man has been exemplary, and I know he has a bright future. He served as a tour guide, interacted with constituents, and learned a great deal about our nation's legislative process. I was glad to be able to offer this educational opportunity, and look forward to seeing him build his career in public service.

Ethan plans to continue pursuing his degree at the end of this internship. I wish him the best as he pursues his career path. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Ethan Bond for his service the last several months to the people of Colorado's 4th district.

Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 468 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying resolution.

Congressional Review Act resolutions must follow a prescribed form according to law. This rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 111 in keeping with that form.

Madam Speaker, we are here today to prevent Federal overreach by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, also known as the CFPB. According to the D.C. Circuit Court, this unaccountable government agency has more unilateral authority than any single commissioner or board member in any other independent agency in the United States Government.

On July 10, 2017, the CFPB exercised that vast authority by issuing a 776-page final rule that restricts the ability of consumers to enter into arbitration agreements. The CFPB's misguided rule effectively eliminates arbitration clauses, instead forcing consumers into significantly more burdensome court proceedings. Eliminating this overbearing rule is a big win for consumers.

Arbitration is an alternative to the judicial system, and it often results in a better outcome for consumers. According to the CFPB's own study, arbitration can be up to 12 times faster than litigation. This study also found that a class action lawsuit's average payout was just $32 per person, not even close to the $5,389 awarded on average from arbitration.

Moreover, it costs less for consumers to file an arbitration complaint than it does to file a new complaint in Federal court, making the arbitration system more accessible to all Americans.

Arbitration allows parties to use an independent mediator, instead of hiring expensive lawyers, to settle a dispute. While the rule promulgated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a bad deal for consumers, it is a huge win for trial lawyers, who make an average of $1 million per case.

The legislation being considered today would eliminate the CFPB's prohibition on an individual's right to enter into contracts that include arbitration agreements.

The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to eliminate a rule from the executive branch, and prevents a substantially similar rule from being proposed in its place.

Checks and balances between the three branches of government are the cornerstone of our Constitution. The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to exercise our Article I authority and stop executive overreach that was never intended by the original legislation.

The Congressional Review Act is a powerful tool because it only requires 51 votes to pass in the Senate. To date, Congress has passed 14 CRAs that have been signed by the President. One by one, we have eliminated Obama administration rules that harm Americans and small businesses across this country.

Despite the work we have ahead, these CRAs are important to bringing regulatory relief to millions of Americans. President Trump campaigned on a promise to end government overregulation that hurts Americans and small businesses. He turned those words into action by signing an executive order that requires two regulations be eliminated for every new regulation that is proposed.

President Trump has exceeded those expectations in his first 6 months. For every new proposed rule, he has eliminated 16 regulations.

Unfortunately, he has limited tools to rein in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, because it was designed to be unaccountable under Dodd-Frank. This is an agency that continues to be run by an unchecked Director. The structure of the bureau has even been ruled unconstitutional by the judicial branch.

A few weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed legislation to restructure the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, restoring congressional oversight duties and moving the agency back under the regular legislative appropriations process. I hope the Senate will consider this bill and bring accountability to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and the underlying bill, and eliminate the bad antiarbitration rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), the author of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer), the chairman of the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been a continuous example of Federal overreach. Once again, bureaucrats in Washington have created a rule that will hurt consumers and make their lives more difficult.

The last 8 years of overregulation have crippled our economy. Today, we have a chance to end this antiarbitration rule and empower consumers with an alternative to spending years in a courtroom.

We can't let concerns about the trial lawyer lobby impact the way we treat consumers. Trial lawyers love this rule enacted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because they will be the biggest beneficiaries. They will walk home with the big winnings, while the individuals who have been harmed walk away with little.

Arbitration allows harmed individuals to receive payouts on the merits of their case without enriching the pockets of trial lawyers at the same time. This legislation is for consumers. It is for the average American who relies on our financial system every day.

Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Sessions and Chairman Hensarling for bringing this bill to the floor. I urge my colleagues now to vote ``yes'' on the resolution, and then to vote ``yes'' on the underlying bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of America's heroic veterans, the Honor Flight Network conducts two annual Honor Flight ceremonies to Washington, D.C. to give our nation's heroes a day to visit and reflect at their war memorials. On May 7, 2017, Honor Flight Northern Colorado held its 18th Honor Flight that gave many of our courageous veterans this extraordinary opportunity. I am pleased to recognize the Honor Flight on May 7, 2017, honoring World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans of Northern Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, those who participated in this flight are as follows:

World War II: Cecil Carlisle, Richard Crum, Edgar Darrow, Charles Davis, Eugene Doering, Muriel Elijah, Armand Hansen, Nathan Stiewig, William Thousand, Willard Williams, Richard Zisch.

Korean War: Richard Anema, John Baker, Edwin Boggie, Robert Brethauer, George Browning, Ralph Crockett, Gary Crouch, Marvin Elwood, John Fickes, Harold Hogness, LaVern Hueske, Harry Kembel, Neville Kempkes, Harold Krug, Louis Lambdin, Robert Lebsack, Arthur Meyer, LeRoy Odell, Loren Postlewait, Frank Shipman, Wayne Sodman, Irvin Troudt, Wayne Wallis, Lois Wolfsong.

Vietnam War: Jose Abeyta, Tony Abeyta, Timothy Ahern, Daniel Alires, Nelson Bachus, James Barnett, John Barslund, Stephen Bartels, Les Bates, Bernard Bay, David Beard, David Becker, Gary Becker, Mark Becker, Stephen Bernardo, Howard Bostrom, William Bradford, Darrell Brasier, Robert Brevig, Timothy Camps, Thomas Chagolla, Eric Christensen, Marvin Clark, Norris Clark, Richard Conley, David Cowan, Wesley Craig, Lorraine Davison, Gary Dorsey, Christopher Erickson, Stanley Fisher, Jerome Folse, Patricia Folse, Douglas Frost, Aurthur Gallegos, Theodore Gilbert, Leroy Gonzales, Raymond Gonzales, Albert Guse, Lowell Hill, Richard Istas, Timothy Jachowski, Joseph Kolicko Jr, Robert Krasznai, James Kuehl, Gary LaCrosse, Patrick Lennon, Gary Littlefield, Robert Loos, Malcom Macaulay, Robert Maciel, Ronald Martinez, Jonathan Mason, Douglas Mayeda, Joseph McKeon, Lee McCain, Donald McKinley, Michael McPheron, Lawrence Montoya, Tobias Morales, Marjorie Morningstar, Warren Morrow, John Niehoff, Everett Noble Jr., Jeffrey Nuce, Danny Oppie, Robert Ortega, William Pierson, William Post Jr., Anthony Quintana, Jimmy Rahm, Rudolph Ramirez, Constantino Ramos, Ronald Ray, Abel Razo, James Rose, Stephen Ryan, William Sheahan, Jimmie Shipp, William Springsteel, John Swens, Rolland Trauernicht, Vernon Turner, Daniel Valdez, Dwight Van Beber, William Weaver, Warren Wienke, Richard Wyatt.

It is my distinct pleasure as the U.S. Representative of the 4th District of Colorado to recognize the honor, courage, and sacrifice of these heroes, along with all members of America's Armed Forces. I thank them for their dedication and service to this nation.

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

I thank Chairman Thornberry for the opportunity to speak about my amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018.

Our military is the greatest fighting force in the world. I applaud the Department of Defense's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. However, with our limited resources, we must ensure that these resources are being put to use in the best possible way.

Every penny spent by the Department of Defense must be used to advance our military's mission and support our troops. Incorporating higher cost fuel sources into the Department's energy acquisition process is money lost to repair planes, buy ammunition, and defeat the enemy.

Moreover, Congress must ensure that we are being good stewards of the American people's money. With our debt soaring towards $20 trillion, it is irresponsible to ask American families to subsidize with their tax dollars fuel sources that have not yet been proven cost-effective.

Of course, the Department of Defense would still be allowed to research alternative sources of energy. My amendment ensures that the Department of

Defense can conduct research on alternative fuels to ensure these energy sources can be cost-competitive in the future.

My commonsense amendment is simple. It provides a framework for ensuring the Department of Defense is engaging in responsible energy acquisition practices. It prohibits renewable energy mandates placed on the Department of Defense and ensures that every unit of energy our military purchases is the most cost-effective option available while still maintaining the ability to research new sources of energy.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I don't believe that asking the Department of Defense to make a cost-effective decision in any purchase is an unnecessary burden.

Mr. Chair, I disagree with my colleagues, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, the United States military is the greatest fighting force in the world. Our troops need to be focused on the mission at hand and have every tool at their disposal to complete that mission.

My amendment ensures that we practice fiscal discipline in the Department of Defense's energy acquisition process by ensuring that we are buying the most cost-effective source of energy.

I thank the chairman. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Grant May for his hard work and dedication to the people of Colorado's Fourth District as an intern in my Washington, D.C. office for the Summer of 2017.

The work of this young man has been exemplary, and I know he has a bright future. He served as a tour guide, interacted with constituents, and learned a great deal about our nation's legislative process. I was glad to be able to offer this educational opportunity, and look forward to seeing him build his career in public service.

Grant plans to continue pursuing his degree at the end of this internship. I wish him the best as he pursues his career path. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Grant May for his service the last several months to the people of Colorado's 4th district.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Trinidad Benham Corporation on their 100th Anniversary. This is truly a remarkable milestone which has been reached through

the hard work and innovation of their founders and employees.

Trinidad Benham is a thriving, nationwide corporation, originally founded in Colorado, with a bean and rice processing and packing facility in the 4th Congressional District. Over the last 100 years, this company has grown from a small family-owned bean and elevator business to the prosperous company it is today. They have created many jobs and made notable contributions to improve the communities near their operations as well as their employees' livelihoods.

Trinidad Benham is an excellent example of what enterprising and forward thinking businesses can accomplish in America's great economy. They should be commended for their effort to offer consumers a great product, employee ownership model, commitment to sustainability, and innovative spirit. Their inspiring success over the last century confirms that the American Dream is alive and thriving in Colorado and the United States.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize the Trinidad Benham Corporation for celebrating their 100th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 382 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), my friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation.

House Resolution 382 will ultimately drive down healthcare costs and make care more affordable to millions of Americans across the country.

In 2017, we have had a conversation in America about how health insurance costs have drastically increased in the past 7 years. We need to fix our health insurance market, a task that House Members and Senators have been working hard on for the past few months, but if we are truly going to address out-of-control health insurance costs, we need to start looking at the cost of supplying care itself. That is where H.R. 1215, the Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017, plays a vital role. H.R. 1215 focuses on lowering the cost of care by placing checks and balances on the excessive and frivolous lawsuits faced by doctors and other healthcare providers.

A GAO report found that rising litigation awards are responsible for skyrocketing medical professional liability premiums. Unfortunately, these premium costs are passed on to the patient and, in many cases, are passed on to American taxpayers. The reforms in H.R. 1215 will make care more affordable for patients and will improve access to care, especially for rural America.

Over time, unending and excessive lawsuits have limited the amount of doctors nationwide, particularly in States that have not instituted their own reforms. With a string of frivolous lawsuits levied against our medical community, many Americans who would become doctors and practice in certain parts of the Nation simply decided against it.

The reforms in H.R. 1215 will especially help rural and underserved urban communities, where quality healthcare can be difficult to access. Incentivizing medical professionals to serve in communities that might otherwise be overlooked should be one goal of our healthcare reform efforts.

I know the healthcare challenges faced by so many in eastern Colorado, where access to quality care is sometimes limited. We need doctors who are willing to invest in these communities, but we need to empower these doctors by freeing them of frivolous and excessive lawsuits.

Beyond just access to care, the growth of frivolous malpractice lawsuits has led to a change in the way care is provided. Many providers are forced to practice defensive medicine. In doing so, doctors order unnecessary, excessive diagnostics not because the patient needs them, but because the doctor attempts to avoid a frivolous lawsuit. The practice of defensive medicine increases costs for the patient without providing any discernible benefit.

The legislation we are considering is key to increasing the affordability of care and the access to care for all Americans.

This bill is supported by the American Hospital Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians. The American Medical Association has also voiced their support.

But let me be clear: The bill before the House today does not limit access to justice for legitimately wronged or injured patients. It does not hamper a wronged patient from recovering damages for their injuries.

The bill simply imposes a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages, a provision that has worked well in California, where this legislation has already been successfully implemented and modeled for decades. But there is no cap on economic damages that a patient may incur in a malpractice situation, and the bill's cap does not preempt any State law that otherwise caps any form of damages at amounts either higher or lower than the cap in H.R. 1215.

The legislation also limits the contingency fees that lawyers can charge when bringing a malpractice case on behalf of a client. In other words, we don't want to incentivize lawyers to push forward with illegitimate cases. We want patients who have been wronged to have access to a fair trial, where they walk home with the winnings in their own pocket, not their lawyer's.

H.R. 1215 builds on the successes of medical malpractice reforms in States like California and Texas. In these States, similar laws have increased access to affordable medical care. They have created an environment where doctors can focus on helping patients rather than spending time in endless litigation and dealing with threats from the trial bar.

The legislation before us, while creating a uniform national playing field, protects State laws by allowing flexible reforms to be used at the discretion of States. State courts will still hear medical lawsuits as always.

The reforms at hand today deal with care that was provided or subsidized by the Federal Government, including through a tax benefit.

We must pass this legislation for the American taxpayer. The taxpayer doesn't deserve to have their hard-earned dollars simply end up in the pockets of trial lawyers due to frivolous lawsuits. That is why H.R. 1215 is a critically needed reform.

Unlimited and opportunistic lawsuits help no one except trial lawyers. Consequently, our doctors have to increase their costs and practice expensive defensive medicine, costing patients and taxpayers. And when our physicians are impacted, so are we.

Trial lawyers too often stand between patients and their doctors. With the looming threat of excessive, unending lawsuits, healthcare providers have to worry more about the trial lawyer at their door than the patient in their office. H.R. 1215 places important limits on these lawsuits so that the truly wronged are compensated without enriching trial lawyers at the same time.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Proudly, no.

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

Mr. Speaker, I know my friend from Colorado did not mean to insult me when he referred to me as a lawyer, but I want to make a quick distinction.

I spent 25 years as a prosecutor, not a lawyer. Prosecutors put people in prison and make the world safe for all of us; lawyers get people out of prison and make the world less safe for all of us. I want to make that distinction.

I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.

Reclaiming my time, do not tell prosecutors that they are merely lawyers. To be a prosecutor is a higher standard.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to make one point.

I have heard a number of times now that this bill is a solution searching for a problem or it does nothing to help our underlying cost.

The Congressional Budget Office, the very office that my friend relies on for the most recent estimate of those that will decide not to seek insurance under the Senate healthcare bill, has estimated that this bill will save taxpayers $50 billion over 10 years and reduce medical malpractice insurance premiums by 25 percent to 30 percent.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I will remind my friend from Colorado that the very $250,000 cap that we are talking about in this bill is the same cap that has been adopted by the Colorado State Legislature.

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my friend again that the States that have adopted any cap--it could be $250,000, it could be $500,000, it could be $1 million in non-economic damage caps--will not be affected by this bill. This bill only affects those States that have no caps, and it is Federal money that is being used to pay for these.

Mr. Speaker, I want to inquire of my friend from Colorado, he mentioned when he was introducing the gentleman from Virginia that there are schools that are closing because gym roofs are falling in. I know a number of very generous individuals that would like to contribute.

Does the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) have the names of any of those schools for us?

I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my friend's newfound sense of bipartisanship. The Affordable Care Act was passed without a single Republican vote in the House, without a single Republican vote in the Senate, and without any concern of Republican thoughts about how healthcare should be run in this country. Now that the Affordable Care Act is, in fact, failing; now that we have over 90 counties in America that have zero health insurers to choose from in the individual market; and now that we see the Affordable Care Act in a death spiral, all of a sudden, we are concerned about the bipartisanship and how to fix the problem.

We have heard zero amendments in the past 6 years to the Affordable Care Act that would have, in fact, improved the Affordable Care Act from the other side of the aisle while they had the President in the White House, and now, all of a sudden, we are looking for bipartisanship and solutions. We will find that bipartisanship and those solutions in the future.

Mr. Speaker, if we truly want affordable healthcare in this country, then we need to address the cost of supplying care. H.R. 1215 strikes at the heart of skyrocketing medical care. By limiting frivolous and unending lawsuits, doctors can focus less on the courtroom and more on the patient in the operating room.

The reforms made by H.R. 1215 will be especially important for rural America and underserved urban America. Doctors will be able to afford to live and practice in these communities, providing the attentive and responsive care that all Americans deserve, not just Americans who live a few miles from a major hospital.

I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation. I know Democrats and Republicans have different policy approaches to reforming our healthcare system, but this legislation has already been implemented by Democrats in the State of California, where it has proven successful. Now we have the chance to apply this approach more broadly, in a way that will help millions of Americans. This effort has been bipartisan in the past and should be bipartisan today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsor of this bill, Representative Steve King.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the resolution, and I urge a ``yes'' vote on the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.