Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cub Scout Family Pack 210, the first Sabbath Observant Kosher Family Cub Scout Pack in the nation.

Cub Scout Family Pack 210 was formed in conjunction with the Jewish War Veterans Post 210, the Grand Canyon Council and the National Jewish Committee on Scouting. The pack is open to Jewish boys and girls, and children of all faiths. Cubs will get to work on the values of good citizenship, character development and physical fitness.

I thank the leaders of Cub Scout Family Pack 210 for providing an inclusive space where children will experience enriching activities and grow into their best future selves. I look forward to the many future accomplishments of Cub Scout Family Pack 210 and the positive impact they will have on the community.

Mr. Speaker, every day, I hear from Arizonans who are sick and tired of the dysfunction in Washington. They know that the partisan fights and name-calling keeps Congress from delivering the results that Arizona families expect from their leaders.

Arizonans deserve leaders who come together and find solutions on issues that matter, like keeping our families safe, protecting our Nation, and honoring our commitment to veterans.

We can still get things done for Arizona families if we would stop the political games and work across the aisle. We have an opportunity to prove that today by passing three bipartisan bills that will make a difference for Arizonans.

I am lucky to have worked closely with my Republican colleagues on these three commonsense solutions that improve our ability to fight human trafficking, protect our country from weapons of mass destruction, and support Arizona veterans.

We have a moral obligation to fight human trafficking, stand up for victims, and bring traffickers to justice. That is why I cosponsored the Empowering Financial Institutions to Fight Human Trafficking Act with Congresswoman Wagner, Congresswoman Maloney, Congresswoman Love, and Congresswoman Tenney.

This legislation helps nonprofits share valuable intelligence and collaborate with institutions in real time. Nonprofits are frequently on the front lines of this fight, combating trafficking and supporting victims. They see what is happening on the ground,

and our bill ensures we can freeze money and stop those traffickers in their tracks. This is good policy that will protect families, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Keeping Arizonans safe is my top priority. We are also set to pass a bipartisan bill I introduced with Congressman Tipton to protect America from terrorists and rogue states like North Korea and Iran.

This week, the President has addressed the United Nations to call for action to stop weapons proliferation and other threats in Iran. In Congress, we are taking bipartisan action to combat these same threats.

Our bill, the Improving Strategies to Counter Weapons Proliferation Act, makes it harder for America's enemies to get their hands on the world's most deadly weapons by helping choke off the financing of terrorist activity. This bill makes our country safer and our communities safer, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Finally, we must always ensure that our support for veterans is worthy of their sacrifice, and that is why I worked across the aisle with Congressman Zeldin and Congresswoman Tenney to introduce and pass the Protect Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act. This bill fixes the law and protects veterans from higher costs to refinance their homes. Our actions help more Arizona veterans achieve the American Dream of homeownership, and, again, I would urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan fix that helps America's heroes.

These three bills show that we can get things done and deliver for everyday Arizonans if we just work together and find common ground, and I will continue to work across the aisle to keep Arizona families safe and ensure we honor our commitment to our veterans and military families.

In particular, I want to thank Congresswoman Wagner, Congressman Tipton, and Congresswoman Tenney for working together on these important bills, and I urge my colleagues to support these bipartisan bills.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of our country's veterans, who make great sacrifices to keep America safe.

When they return home from service, it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the care and support of a grateful Nation. For far too many veterans, that responsibility is not fulfilled. The government's failure has tragic consequences for those struggling with mental health illnesses.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Americans across the country take time to raise awareness about the tragedy of suicide. We lose an estimated 20 veterans to suicide each day, and that is unacceptable.

Every year since I have been in Congress, we have brought together Republicans and Democrats to draw attention to veteran suicide and send a clear message that this epidemic must end.

Honoring our commitment to veterans is not a partisan issue. We know the only way to achieve real, lasting change for our Nation's bravest men and women is to bring both parties together to solve this problem.

Today, Members from both sides of the aisle have joined me to bring awareness to veteran suicide and we are working together to find solutions. I know we can make bipartisan progress, because we have done it before. We have shown it is possible for both parties to work together to improve veterans' mental healthcare.

After hearing the tragic story of a young Arizona veteran who lost his life to suicide in 2013, my team worked across the aisle to pass a bill that improved lifesaving VA mental health services for veterans with classified experience. It took 3 years of hard work, but our bill is now law, and it helps veterans successfully transition to civilian life.

It is important progress, but there is still so much work left to do.

We must serve our bravest men and women, just as they have served us.

We challenge the VA, the Department of Defense, and our fellow lawmakers to join us in confronting the tragedy of veteran suicide. We must do more to honor our commitment to American's veterans.

Today and every day, we stand with military families who have lost a loved one to the tragedy of suicide, and we say to you, your family's sacrifice will not be forgotten. We will not stop until every veteran receives the care that he or she needs.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), my friend and colleague, and I am grateful to be joined this afternoon in this Special Order for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, for many veterans, the return to civilian life can feel overwhelming. Ensuring enough community support and mental health resources are available is essential.

We recently heard from Andrew, who lives in Chandler, Arizona. He joined the Marine Corps at 17 years old when he said he was ``full of motivation and excitement'' to serve. ``I wanted to do my part to protect America,'' Andrew said.

As an antitank assaultman, Andrew fought beside incredible marines in Iraq, and when he finally returned

home, he said he returned with memories of death. Andrew leaned on loved ones and his faith to pull him out of his darkness.

Ever since, he has continued his healing journey by serving his fellow veterans. He presses forward with the values instilled on him by the Marine Corps: honor, courage, and commitment.

Responsibility to care for our veterans belongs to all of us. That is why we are working with those who interact with veterans each and every day: letter carriers, librarians, grocery store clerks, and academic advisers. We are giving community members the tools they need to support veterans every day right where they live and work. We are also working to increase the number of peer supports available to veterans.

There are veterans like Andrew who used their experiences, struggles, and accomplishments to help fellow veterans successfully navigate the transition to civilian live.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have a colleague and friend of mine joining us in this Special Order this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), my friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mast), my friend and colleague. I thank the Congressman so much for the work that he has done to join us today. I appreciate it.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to thank my colleague and friend, Congressman Mast. While he spoke very eloquently about his fellow veterans, and commitment to service, and leaving no man behind, he is very humble, and didn't share all of his own experiences.

Congressman Mast served as a staff sergeant in the United States Army and has earned a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and many other awards for his bravery during battle. And when Congressman Mast joined Congress, I will never forget the first time we had a few moments to spend together, and I asked him about his own experiences in the military and since then, and the change that happened in his life after he was injured in battle defending our country.

I will never forget Congressman Mast's response, which is one of such strength and character, and, I believe, provides such inspiration to other men and women in our country, both those in uniform and those who have returned to civilian life as veterans.

I want to thank him for his service and for his incredible dedication to helping his fellow men and women who have returned home from battle as well.

Earlier in our Special Order, I mentioned the story of a young veteran in my district. His name was Sergeant Daniel Somers. Sergeant Somers was an Army veteran of two tours in Iraq. He served on Task Force Lightning, an intelligence unit. He ran over 400 combat missions as a machine gunner in the turret of a Humvee. Part of his role required him to interrogate dozens of terror suspects. His work was deemed classified.

Like many veterans, Daniel was haunted by the war when he returned home. He suffered from flashbacks, nightmares, depression, and additional symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, made worse by a traumatic brain injury. Daniel needed help.

He and his family asked for help, but, unfortunately, the VA enrolled Sergeant Somers in group therapy sessions, which he could not attend for fear of disclosing classified information.

Despite requests for individualized counseling, or some other reasonable accommodation to allow Sergeant Somers to receive appropriate care for his PTSD, the VA delayed providing Sergeant Somers with support and appropriate care.

Like many, Sergeant Somers' isolation got worse when he transitioned to civilian life. He tried to provide for his family, but he was unable to work due to his disability.

Sergeant Somers struggled with the VA bureaucracy. His disability appeal had been pending for more than 2 years in the system without resolution. Sergeant Somers did not get the help he needed in time.

On June 10, 2013, Sergeant Somers wrote a letter to his family. I share a part of his letter every year here on the floor, in memory of Daniel's pain and in love for his family. In this letter, Daniel said: ``I am not getting better, I am not going to get better, and I will most certainly deteriorate further as time goes on.''

He goes on to say: ``I am left with basically nothing. Too trapped in a war to be at peace, too damaged to be at war. Abandoned by those who would take the easy route, and a liability to those who stick it out-- and thus deserve better. So you see, not only am I better off dead, but the world is better without me in it.

``This is what brought me to my actual final mission.''

No one who returns home from serving our country should ever feel like he or she has nowhere to turn, which is why I am committed to continuing to work on both sides of the aisle to ensure that no veteran ever feels trapped like Sergeant Somers did and that all of our veterans have access to appropriate mental healthcare.

But Sergeant Somers' story is too familiar to many military families. His parents, Howard and Jean, were devastated by the loss of their son, but they bravely shared Sergeant Somers' story and created a mission of their own.

Their mission is to ensure that their son's memory brought to light America's deadliest war: the 20 veterans that we lose every day to suicide.

Many of my colleagues here in Washington have met with Howard and Jean. They are working with Congress and the VA to share their experiences with the VA healthcare system and find ways to improve care for veterans and their families.

We worked very closely with Howard and Jean to develop and sign into law the Sergeant Daniel Somers Classified Veterans Access to Care Act. This is a law that ensures that veterans like Daniel, who have had classified or sensitive experiences, can access appropriate mental health services at the VA.

Our law directs the Secretary of the VA to establish standards and procedures to ensure that any veteran who participated in classified missions or served in a sensitive setting may access mental healthcare that fully accommodates his or her obligation to not improperly disclose classified information.

The law also directs the Secretary to disseminate guidance to employees of the Veterans Health Administration, including mental health professionals, on standards and procedures about how to best engage veterans during the course of mental health treatment with respect to classified information.

Finally, our law directs the Secretary to allow veterans with classified experiences to self-identify, so they can quickly receive care in an appropriate setting.

But that victory is just one small step forward. We still have so much work left to do.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for joining us this evening to talk about the scourge of veteran suicide. This is our sixth year of hosting this Special Order in a bipartisan way together. I look forward to the year when we do not need this Special Order because we have ended the crisis of veteran suicide in our country.

Until such time, I pledge to continue working with my colleagues to not just tell the stories of veterans who are struggling, veterans who have made it, or veterans we have lost, but to celebrate our victory of overcoming this crisis and ending this scourge.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), my friend, who is going to share some of his thoughts and close out our Special Order hour. I thank Congressman Hill for joining us this evening.

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

Mr. Speaker, thank you to Mr. Hill for organizing this tribute.

Last week, Arizonans said goodbye to our senator, our patriot, and our hero, John McCain. Thousands of us took. I time off work, school, and or daily lives to pay our respects.

We honored Senator McCain because he was first and foremost an American patriot. He represented the very best about our country. He was loyal above all else to our core values as Americans. Before he left us, he wrote us a parting letter. One part of that letter spoke to me, and should be a daily reminder for us all:

``[W]e have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. If only we remember that and give each other the benefit of the presumption that we all love our country, we'll get through these challenging times . . . believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.''

John lived those values in the halls of the U.S. Senate, at home in Arizona, and around the world as a beacon of light and hope.

The memory of John McCain will never fade, but it's up to us to carry on his legacy. We must strive to find common ground and stand taller than the divisive and toxic politics of the moment. Some days, some will fall short of the expectations we set for ourselves, but we must wake up each day determined to do better and do right by the American people. No matter our party, we should all aspire to live up to his measure and always try to do what's best for our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Toby Roberta Stahl who passed away on August 19, 2018 at the age of 80. Mrs. Stahl was an activist who fought for human rights and worked toward equality and justice for all in Arizona. Our state will miss her dearly.

When Mrs. Stahl retired from her career as a computer programmer in 2000, she dedicated her time and efforts to fighting for education, healthcare, protecting families and human rights. She worked tirelessly for the Democratic party as a volunteer, serving as Precinct Committeeman and member of the Arizona State Democratic Committee. Mrs. Stahl also served as the president of Democracy for America-Maricopa County for many years.

Outside of politics, Mrs. Stahl worked to preserve Arizona's natural history, was a devout Diamondbacks fan, and spent time with her four grandsons. She also served as the auxiliary president of Pueblo Grande Museum in Phoenix for three years.

Mrs. Stahl is survived by her three children, Barry, Fran, and Carrie, her son-in-law, Lewis Dickson, daughter-in-law, Patricia Angelucci, and her four grandsons, Jonas, Kai, Rei and Ari. Please join me in honoring her memory.

Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 346.

Amendment No. 44 Offered by Mr. Mullin

Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 362.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the JOBS and Investor Confidence Act of 2018. This is a true bipartisan compromise, and I thank Chairman Hensarling and Ranking Member Waters for their leadership and willingness to work across the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, every day I hear from Arizonans who are sick and tired of the dysfunction in Washington. Arizonans want Congress focused on job creation and national security, which is why this package includes three bills I helped introduce that create good-paying jobs and fight drug cartels that threaten the safety of our border communities.

First, I introduced the Fostering Innovation Act to deliver regulatory relief to cutting-edge biotech companies like HTG Molecular Diagnostics in Tucson that are hiring Arizonans into good-paying jobs. Our bill cuts red tape to ensure HTG and other innovative biotech companies can expand their high-wage workforces and develop lifesaving medical breakthroughs.

I am also a cosponsor of the HALOS Act to help turn good Arizona ideas into successful Arizona startups. ASU's SkySong Innovation Center is a startup incubator that helps these ideas and visions turn into companies and careers, and the HALOS Act cuts red tape to help Arizona startups access the capital they need to thrive. That means more good- paying jobs all over our State.

To protect Arizonans from violent drug cartels, I am an original cosponsor of the National Strategy to Combat the Financing of Transnational Criminal Organizations Act. This bill requires the administration to take a tough but smart step to combat drug and human trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and other issues that these criminals bring to our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to work with anyone willing to get things done and deliver for Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, my voting card didn't register. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 274.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2147, the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018.

Madam Speaker, it is our responsibility as Americans to help our bravest men and women heal from both the physical and mental wounds of war.

Veteran treatment courts are important, effective tools to help heal the invisible injuries many of our veterans sustained defending our country.

Retired Brigadier General Gregg Maxon, an Arizona veterans court advocate, told me these courts and their employees ``make all the difference in how these veterans engage in their treatment programs.''

We worked across the aisle on this bill to ensure that lifesaving courts have the resources to serve any Arizona veteran who needs support.

Madam Speaker, too many Arizona families continue to struggle with addiction. In the past year alone, more than 8,000 Arizonans overdosed on opioids. Over 1,200 of those lives couldn't be saved.

Leaders in Congress have attempted to cut programs like Medicaid, known as AHCCCS in Arizona, which ensures treatment and recovery services for many hardworking Arizonans struggling with addiction. But instead of attacking this program that works for everyday people across our State, we should reach across the aisle and work together to find solutions that help families get ahead and build better lives.

This week, we are working across the aisle and I am proud to see our progress. We are passing bills to help reduce foreign shipments of illegal synthetic opioids from places like China that enter our country through the mail system; passing bills to provide additional targeted services for individuals and families struggling with addiction; and passing bills to give law enforcement additional tools to keep synthetic drugs off the streets and out of our communities.

More work remains, and I look forward to working across the aisle to deliver results for everyday Arizonans.

Mr. Chair, the machine did not register my no vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 252.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 5515, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. This bipartisan bill gives our troops a well-deserved pay raise and makes important investments in our national defense that will keep our country safe and strong.

I thank Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership on this important legislation, and for their support in including all four of my amendments, as part of the en bloc amendments, in this bipartisan bill.

Terrorists like Islamic State present a clear threat to our country and to our allies. As ISIS loses territory in Iraq and Syria, its strategies to obtain funding and spread violence evolve. My first amendment ensures we develop strategies to counter ISIS financing as the terrorist group, its affiliates, and their sources of revenue change. It requires the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Treasury to provide a joint report to Congress on the current and future funding mechanisms of the Islamic State and its affiliates, and what the U.S. is doing to stop them. I thank Congressman Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Congressman Budd of North Carolina for working across the aisle with me on this commonsense solution. The safety and security of Arizona families continues to be my top priority.

My second amendment is the latest in a series of actions I've taken to ensure Arizona has the resources it needs for wildfire season. My amendment formally acknowledges the dangers that wildfires pose to our security and requires the Department of Defense to consider how their assets--including air support--could complement the efforts of federal firefighting agencies in tackling the toughest, most dangerous fires. Arizonans know that when a wildfire is out of control, it's all hands on deck. My amendment directs government to do the same.

We owe a great debt to the men and woman who serve in our military, and it is critical that we support their transitions from military to civilian life. My third amendment helps servicemembers transition successfully to civilian life by ensuring they receive quality financial literacy training prior to separation. When servicemembers go through the Transition Assistance Program, they learn about their earned benefits and ways to obtain jobs, healthcare, education, and housing. Financial literacy training will enable servicemembers to better utilize these benefits and the educational and career training available to them now and into the future. I thank Congressman Hollingsworth of Indiana for working with me to ensure our troops are prepared to succeed in civilian life and achieve the American Dream.

My fourth amendment helps address a technological vulnerability for both the public and private sectors. Government-owned mobile devices, including those owned by the Department of Defense, are targets for data breaches and hacking. It is important that we develop technologies that secure these types of devices and protect our information. My amendment requires the Department of Defense to brief Congress on certain threats to mobile devices and what actions the Department will take to prevent mobile device data breaches and hacks. I thank my fellow Arizonans, Congressmen Biggs and Gallego for working with me to safeguard our national security.

Mr. Speaker, due to horrible weather, I was unavoidably detained from votes. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 181; YEA on Roll Call No. 182; and YEA on Roll Call No. 183.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Greg King and the Arizona Medical Eye Unit. The Arizona Medical Eye Unit (AMEU) was established in 1976 to deliver free, high quality medical eye care to underserved and rural communities across Arizona that have little to no access to eye care professionals. Ophthalmologists in Arizona volunteer to staff the clinic and give back to the local community. The AMEU works with community health centers, local schools, rural hospitals, elderly homes, and tribal communities throughout Arizona to reduce the burden of eye disease and improve quality of life throughout Arizona.

Mr. King has served as the Director of the AMEU since 1978. He dedicated his career to ensuring all Arizonans have access to eye care and he travelled to nearly every corner of our great state to achieve his goals. In the process, he developed unique knowledge of the eye- care needs of communities all over Arizona. By leading by example and inspiring others to give back, he always has a trained professional willing to staff the AMEU and provide services. Mr. King has been essential to the success of the program and changed the lives of countless Arizonans.

I thank Mr. King for his years of dedicated service and the AMEU team that works to serve Arizonans across the state.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Rodney Lewis who passed away on April 10, 2018 at the age of 77. Mr. Lewis was an Arizona native and a member of the Gila River Indian Community. He became a trailblazer in water policy, tribal sovereignty, and Indian law. Our state will miss him dearly.

In 1980, Mr. Lewis was the first Native American attorney to appear before the Supreme Court. As the lead attorney for the Gila River community, Mr. Lewis won part of the largest tribal water settlement in U.S. history. He also was the founding chair of Arizona Bar's Indian Law section. In 2017, he was appointed to the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board. The board helps to manage the Central Arizona Project, where Mr. Lewis was able to represent tribal interests.

Mr. Lewis served in the United States Army from 1962 to 1965 where he served as a Ranger and achieved the rank of First Lieutenant. He received his bachelor's of science from Trinity University in 1962, a master's in history from Arizona State University in 1969, and a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1972.

Mr. Lewis is survived by his wife, Wiilardene, daughter Katherine Elizabeth, sons Stephen Roe and John Blaine, and a host of grandchildren. His son, Stephen, currently serves as Governor of the Gila River Indian Community. Please join me in honoring his memory.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5192, the Protecting Children from Identity Theft Act.

Mr. Speaker, most of us assume our children are safe from identity theft. Most children don't have credit cards, and many don't have bank accounts, so why would they be targeted? Unfortunately, there is a new type of crime on the rise known as synthetic identity theft. This crime targets children and accounts for billions of dollars in credit card fraud.

Synthetic identity theft is happening right now, and it is hurting real people. In Arizona, a 17-year-old girl discovered she had accumulated over $275,000 in debt because her Social Security number was linked to eight scammers and 42 accounts, including mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards.

To pull off this fraud, criminals obtain a Social Security number with no prior credit history, and they use it to apply for a credit card under a fake name. While the first fraudulent credit card application is usually denied, the failed attempt creates a ``synthetic identity'' with credit bureaus. This allows thieves to apply for credit cards, other lines of credit, cell phones, and other activities that require a credit check. Over time, thieves are able to rack up mountains of debt and ruin kids' credit before they have a chance to build their futures.

Every day, Arizona families shouldn't have to worry about their kids being targets of financial fraud and identity theft. Because financial criminals constantly use new tricks to steal children's identities, we must modernize and strengthen ID verification for everyday financial activities.

Our bill, the Protecting Children from Identity Theft Act, fights back and gives Arizonans peace of mind. By directing the Social Security Administration to modernize its ID verification system to allow for more transactions to be screened and verified, we are taking a commonsense step to ensure people are who they say they are. Our commonsense bill closes a key security gap, helping to stop synthetic identity theft in its tracks.

Thank you to Chairman Brady and special thanks to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Curbelo), my friend, for working together to protect our children and crack down on fraudsters. Arizonans value their privacy, and they want us to work together to protect it. I am happy to work across the aisle to bring financial criminals to justice and help hardworking Arizona families get ahead.