Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, after more than 6 months of failing to pass any major legislative bills, House Republicans are becoming desperate for a win. So desperate, they decided to sneak in $1.6 billion into a funding bill to start construction on an unworkable wall along our border. While I support real border security, this stunt is a far cry from that.

I believe in investing our Federal dollars wisely. Instead of building a medieval solution that will not work, why don't we use those billions of dollars for a big, beautiful jobs package? Or big, beautiful bridges, roads, and infrastructure throughout this country? Or to ensure that our children can access higher education and job training, healthcare, and housing?

Instead, my Republican colleagues are attempting to distract us from their failures by passing this bill. You would think that with their back against a wall, they wouldn't be this eager to start building another one.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 332, providing for consideration of H.R. 3003, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I can't believe we are here today attempting to pass such a blatantly discriminatory bill. Under the guise of fighting fraud, Republicans are attempting to pass a bill that will put additional barriers to care for all Americans--all this in exchange for one Member's vote for TrumpCare, which guts healthcare for 23 million Americans, and the Republicans barely passed that bill out of the House.

This bill fails to recognize the diversity of American families; instead, it forces a single approach for all those who need financial help to get the care that they need.

I don't know if everyone on the other side of the aisle knows this, but there are already measures in place to prevent advanced premium tax credits from going to ineligible people. There is already a mechanism in place for Treasury to reconcile tax credits, and any undocumented individual found to have received a subsidy must repay them in full.

The other side will also try to make the argument that this measure will help fight fraud in the healthcare system, that there is somehow overwhelming amounts of evidence that immigrants are the main perpetrators of fraud. Beneficiaries struggling to access care are not the perpetrators of fraud. These are good people trying to do right by their families and by their country.

Of course, my colleagues over there are going to cite a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report, written by a Republican majority, that found, ``a half a million illegal immigrants received $750 million in healthcare subsidies.''

Well, I have that report right here in my hand, and nowhere does it say that 500,000 undocumented immigrants received millions of dollars in healthcare subsidies, as Mr. Barletta's press release claims. What the report says is 500,000 individuals, and not 500,000 undocumented individuals or any other term that Republicans like to use to disparage immigrants.

There is no evidence to suggest that immigrants without authorization to be here would take the risk of signing on to a government website to fraudulently get healthcare coverage.

So what are the unintended consequences of this bill?

I hate to break it to my colleagues, but the people most impacted are U.S. citizens who were born abroad or naturalized, not undocumented individuals.

This bill is yet another example that the Republican majority will do anything to demonize even the smallest subsection of immigrants in order to gut healthcare for Americans and get their billionaire buddies a big, fat tax break. Whether that means sowing fear in communities by raiding homes in order to hunt people down or denying access to care for legal immigrants who are entitled to care, no excuse is too ridiculous for Republicans to attack the immigrant community.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter signed by 226 organizations in opposition to H.R. 2581.

June 12, 2017.

Dear Member of Congress: As national, state, and local

organizations concerned about immigrant rights or access to

affordable health care, we are writing to strongly urge you

to VOTE NO on HR 2581, the ``Verify First'' Act. This bill is

an attack on people's ability to see a doctor and on

immigrants and people of color. It is not the ``common

sense'' taxpayer protection bill that its supporters would

have you believe.

HR 2581 is a dangerous bill that puts up roadblocks for

both citizens and immigrants to obtain timely, affordable

health insurance. It would strip away provisions that provide

for a person to obtain subsidies for enrollment in an

Affordable Care Act (or the contemplated American Health Care

Act) plan while they work with Department of Health and Human

Services to verify their U.S. citizenship or immigration

status. The people most impacted are U.S. citizens who were

born abroad or naturalized. The bill also affects many

immigrants, especially those newly arrived or certain victims

of domestic violence and trafficking survivors.

The fact is that when individuals are not able to

immediately verify their citizenship or immigration status on

an Affordable Care Act Marketplace, it begins an often months

long, strenuous process of sending in documents that must be

physically inspected. Health care assisters routinely say

these clients are the hardest cases they work on because the

process for verifying citizenship and immigration status is a

time-consuming exercise in dealing with inefficient

government processes.

Rather than protect American taxpayers, HR 2581 would strip

from American taxpayers important protections that are needed

to overcome deficiencies in federal government databases.

Immigrants who are not lawfully present are categorically

barred from enrollment in health insurance on the Affordable

Care Act marketplaces, and for the subsidies that make that

insurance affordable. Moreover, safeguards protecting

taxpayers are already built into the ACA; individuals whose

citizenship or immigration status cannot be verified already

are required to pay back all of their subsidies when they

file their taxes and ``reconcile'' their premium tax credits.

Supporters of this bill cite a sloppy Senate Homeland

Security and Government Affairs Committee report that arrived

at a made-up number of supposed ``fraud.'' It's just not

true. The committee assumed that every person who lost

coverage for failure to verify their citizenship and

immigration status was undocumented. In the experience of our

organizations and organizations we work with, this is false.

These reports describe the first year of the marketplaces,

and it is well documented that system outages and

understaffing, among other technical problems, contributed to

the federal Marketplace's failure to verify consumers' status

promptly. The Department of Health and Human Services

Inspector General reported in 2014 that a cause of the delay

in verification was the agency's lack of prioritization of

this issue.

Despite huge gains since then, problems still persist. The

Social Security database holding many citizens' information

may not reflect common changes, such as when a person marries

and changes their last name, or when someone naturalizes and

gains U.S. citizenship. People lose their coverage because

they receive notices in languages they cannot read.

Immigrants are required to submit documents multiple times,

or wait while the Department of Homeland Security finds paper

files, a result of deficiencies in their databases affecting

groups like asylum applicants and some survivors of domestic

violence. These are among the many issues consumers face.

Congress has already deprived undocumented immigrants from

the ability to buy coverage, even at full price, so they can

see a doctor when they are sick, but this bill would go a

step further to delay or put out of reach affordable health

insurance for many citizens and lawfully present immigrants.

Our organizations firmly believe that this would be

detrimental to the people we represent and to all of our

communities as a whole. We have seen that when health

insurance is unaffordable, people are effectively prevented

from obtaining access to the care they need to be healthy.

This bill is not just an attack on our health care system,

it is also an attack on immigrants and people of color, which

our organizations stand firmly against. In his statements

when introducing this bill, Rep. Lou Barletta focused the

bill as part of his effort to ``stop illegal immigration.''

Rep. Barletta has a long history of anti-immigrant rhetoric,

from trying to prevent immigrants from leasing a residence to

stating that they should be denied life-saving services in

hospital emergency rooms. This bill is simply a vehicle for

scapegoating immigrants and people of color and will keep

eligible people from accessing health care.

We the undersigned organizations urge you to vote NO on HR

2581 and the continued assault on immigrants and the health

of our communities.

Sincerely,

National

Advocates for Youth; African American Ministers In Action;

American Federation of Teachers (AFT); American Friends

Service

Committee; American Intercession; American Society on Aging;

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum; Asian

Americans Advancing Justice/AAJC; Asian Pacific Institute on

Gender-Based Violence; Asian Pacific Partners for

Empowerment, Advocacy & Leadership (APPEAL); Association of

Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO);

Autistic Self Advocacy Network; Black Alliance for Just

Immigration; Breast Cancer Action; Center for Law and Social

Policy (CLASP); Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc.; Child

Welfare League of America; Children's Advocacy Institute;

Children's Defense Fund; Church World Service (CWS);

Coalition on Human Needs; Columban Center for Advocacy and

Outreach; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good

Shepherd, US Provinces; Conscious Talk Radio; Detention Watch

Network; Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund;

Dominican Sisters; Dominicans of Sinsinawa; Family Equality

Council; Farmworker Justice; First Focus Campaign for

Children; Food Research & Action Center; Franciscan Sisters

of the Poor IJPC; Friends Committee on National Legislation;

Generations Inc.; GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT

Equality; Immigrant Legal Resource Center; Indivisible;

Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Interfaith

Worker Justice;

Irish Apostolate USA; Jobs With Justice; Justice in Aging;

Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Priests of the

Sacred Heart, US Province; Lambda Legal; Leadership Team of

the Felician Sisters of North America; League of United Latin

American Citizens (LULAC); Medical Mission Sisters; Mi

Familia Vota; MomsRising; NAACP; NAPAFASA; National Advocacy

Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; National Asian

Pacific American Women's Forum; National Association of

County and City Health Officials; National Association of

Social Workers; National Black Justice Coalition; National

Center for Transgender Equality; National Council of Asian

Pacific Americans (NCAPA); National Council of Churches;

National Council of La Raza (NCLR); National Education

Association; National Employment Law Project; National Health

Law Program; National Hispanic Medical Association; National

Immigrant Justice Center; National Immigration Law Center;

National Justice for Our Neighbors; National Latina Institute

for Reproductive Health; National Network of Abortion Funds;

National Organization for Women; National Women's Health

Network; Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility

of United Church of Christ; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social

Justice; NMAC; OCA--Asian Pacific American Advocates; Our

Revolution; Peace and Justice Office of the Congregation of

Notre Dame; Physicians for Reproductive Health; PICO

National;

Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Poor People's

Economic Human Rights Campaign; Prevention Institute; Project

Inform; Racine Dominicans; Raising Women's Voices for the

Health Care We Need; Refuge Ministries; Sargent Shriver

National Center on Poverty Law; Service Employees

International Union; Sisters of Charity; Sisters of Charity

of Nazareth; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas--Institute

Justice Team; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC);

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; United

Sikhs; United We Dream; Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, U.S.

Province; We Belong Together; API Wellness;

State and Local

Academy of Medical & Public Health Services; Advocates for

Children and Youth; AgeOptions; Almost Home, Inc.; Anti-

Hunger & Nutrition Coalition; Arkansas Advocates for Children

and Families; Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing;

Asian Americans Advancing Justice--Los Angeles; Asian

Community Alliance--Cincinnati OH; Asian Law Alliance; Asian

Services In Action, Inc.; Baltimore Jewish Council;

California Health Professional Student Alliance; California

Immigrant Policy Center; California Latinas for Reproductive

Justice (CLRJ); California OneCare; California Pan-Ethnic

Health Network; California Partnership; California Physicians

Alliance; CASA;

Center for Southeast Asians; Chicago Hispanic Health

Coalition; Child Care Resources of Rockland; Children Now;

Children's Defense Fund-CA; Chinatown Service Center;

Chinese-American Planning Council; Coalition for Humane

Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Collaborative Center for Justice;

Colorado Center on Law and Policy; Colorado Center on Law and

Policy; Columbia Legal Services; Community Health Councils;

D. C. Hunger Solutions; DuPage Federation on Human Services

Reform; Empower Missouri; Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to

End Poverty in Contra Costa; Erie Benedictines for Peace;

Esperanza Health Centers; EverThrive Illinois; Farmworker

Association of Florida;

Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC); Give for a Smile;

Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness; Having Our

Say Coalition; Health Access California; Health Care for All-

WA; Health Law Advocates; Healthy House Within A MATCH

Coalition; Hmong Ohio of Tomorrow; Hunger Action Los Angeles;

IHM Sisters, Immaculata, PA; IL Hunger Coalition; Illinois

Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; Indivisible

Mountain Home, Idaho; Interfaith Movement for Human

Integrity; IRIS--Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services;

Islamic Civic Engagement Project; Jewish Family & Children's

Service; Kansas Appleseed; Kentucky Equal Justice Center;

Korean Community Services of Metropolitan NY; La Fe Policy

Research and Education Center;

La Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program; Legal Council for

Health Justice; Legal Services of Southern Piedmont; Maine

Consumers for Affordable Health Care; Make the Road New York;

Maryland CASH Campaign; Maryland Hunger Solutions;

Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

(MIRA); Massachusetts Law Reform Institute; Maternal and

Child Health Access; Maternity Care Coalition; National

Association of Social Workers, CT Chapter; National Tongan

American Society; Nationalities Service Center; NC Child; New

Mexico Center on Law and Poverty; New York Immigration

Coalition; New York Legal Assistance Group; NICOS Chinese

Health Coalition; NJ State Industrial Union Council; NOELA

Community Health Center; Northern NJ Chapter, National

Organization for Women;

Northwest Health Law Advocates; Northwest Immigrant Rights

Project; Office of the Health Care Advocate at Vermont Legal

Aid; OneAmerica; Pacific Islander Health Partnership; Pitkin

County Human Services; Public Justice Center; Puget Sound

Advocates for Retirement Action (PSARA); Rainbow Center;

Reformed Church of Highland Park; RESULTS-Santa Fe (NM);

Salaam Cleveland; Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education

Network (SIREN); Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word,

Houston; Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt, NY; Sisters of

the Most Precious Blood; Social Justice Committee St. Patrick

Church; South Asian Network; Southwest Women's Law Center;

St. Francis St Vincent de Paul Society; Tennessee Justice

Center; Thai Health And Information Service;

The Children's Partnership; The Latino Health Insurance

Program, Inc.; Turning Points; United Way Bay Area; URI

Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America; Vermont

Affordable Housing Coalition; Virginia Poverty Law Center;

Voices for Vermont's Children; Voz Hispana Cambio

Comunitario; Washington Community Action Network; Washington

Healthcare Access Alliance; Washington State Labor Council,

AFL-CIO; West Chester Food Cupboard; West Side Campaign

Against Hunger; Westlake Chinese Culture Association;

Wisconsin Council of Churches; Wisconsin Faith Voices for

Justice; Women's Action Movement Washtenaw County MI;

Worksite Wellness LA; Xaverian Brothers; Young Women United;

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the majority that the IRS would be able to do their job if they didn't spend the last 8 years demonizing the IRS and cutting their budget year after year.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), my colleague on the Ways and Means Committee.

(Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I would just remind my colleagues that under the ACA, there is also a verification process for subsidies. But I would just raise the issue that for newborn children, most of whom don't have a Social Security number when they are newborn--and this includes children of our military members serving overseas--if they have a severe health problem, then delaying verification, which can be up to 6 weeks for them, can mean the difference between life and death. And I am talking about a situation such as that experienced by Jimmy Kimmel, if you take the time to see his response to what happened with his newborn.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), also a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu), a colleague from the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), my colleague on the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon.

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

My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are calling this bill and the two other healthcare bills on the floor this week ``fixes'' for TrumpCare. But what exactly is it that you are fixing?

This bill does nothing to address the more than 23 million individuals who will lose their coverage or the $800 billion cut to Medicaid under TrumpCare. Nothing in this bill will do anything to fix the waiver allowing insurers to discriminate against individuals with preexisting conditions by jacking up their rates, and nothing in this bill will do anything to roll back the massive tax cut that they are handing out to the top 400 households in America.

Instead of addressing the real issues with our healthcare system, you bring

a racist bill to the floor that you use to buy a vote, literally, for your TrumpCare bill.

Mr. Speaker, I was addressing a racist piece of legislation that was used to buy a vote for the TrumpCare bill. But the problem is that this bill doesn't do anything that it says it does. It is based on a blatantly partisan Senate report that doesn't even say what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle claim that it says.

It is baffling how many of my Republican colleagues believe that this report that they keep citing actually said anything about undocumented immigrants. Did you ``read'' this report in the same way that you ``read'' the AHCA and all of its amendments?

If you actually read the report, you would know that it does not state that these individuals were undocumented immigrants, but only that they did not complete the verification process. The hurdles might have been too big, it might have taken too much time or too much effort, and they dropped out of the verification process without completing it.

The report also doesn't say that hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants enrolled and received premium credits. The report states that ``as of September 30, 2015, CMS awarded approximately $750 million in advance premium tax credits to individuals enrolled through healthcare.gov who CMS later determined to be ineligible. . . .''

It is funny that the daughter of Mexican American immigrants is able to read and understand the distinctions made in this report better than some of my native-born colleagues can.

Mr. Speaker, I want to close by begging my Republican colleagues to prove to me that this bill isn't about shutting out immigrants from access to care: legal immigrants or children of those born overseas to our military or newborn children or victims of domestic violence or victims of human trafficking.

Prove to me that you care about the health and wellbeing of all Americans, regardless of the color of their skin or their economic circumstances.

I am actually in agreement with you that ineligible individuals should not see a single penny of the subsidies provided by both the ACA and the AHCA, but there are protections already in place where only citizens and people lawfully present in the United States can enroll in marketplace coverage and get subsidies to help them pay their premiums and cost-sharing charges.

This bill doesn't fix anything. It just seeks to further demonize immigrants as criminals and people with my last name out of the healthcare system.

Instead of wasting our time on a bill that is in search of a problem to solve, a problem that doesn't even exist, let's work together to make sure that other Americans are not caught up in the unintended consequences of this bill and aren't denied coverage when they are actually eligible for those subsidies and that coverage.

Let's actually work on a better way for the American people.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am opposed to the bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill.

If adopted, the Verify First Act will proceed to final passage as amended.

The Democratic motion to recommit simply amends the Verify First Act to ensure that our most vulnerable--newborns and infants--do not experience a delay in health coverage.

We know that the citizenship of newborns can't be verified electronically because they don't have Social Security numbers yet when they are born. In order to verify their child's status, parents have to send a copy of their child's birth certificate, which can take anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks to obtain, depending on the State, and that is the best-case scenario if the parents throw a perfect game in documenting and planning for the arrival of their newborn. Just like any perfect game, a little luck is involved in that.

That luck includes having the Social Security Administration process your child's Social Security number as soon as they receive it, that the Administration doesn't make a mistake in the spelling of your child's name, and that you have the financial resources and education to know exactly what steps you need to take to ensure that your newborn has coverage the moment they come out of your womb.

When most people are anticipating the birth of a child, that is not what they are thinking about. The birth of a child is one of life's most precious moments. The joy you feel when you hold your child for the first time should be the only feeling going through your mind. Filling the paperwork out to ensure that your child is covered shouldn't even be something that you should have to worry about.

But the Verify First Act, as currently drafted, would give you another thing to worry about and add an unnecessary barrier for newborns to receive the care they need. God forbid if your child needs extra care after they are born but doesn't have coverage because your plan is waiting to verify your child's status.

A child's life should not hang in the balance because of paperwork and red tape. For all the claims that Republicans are the pro-life party, they sure know how to make life difficult for a newborn as soon as they are out of the womb. They claim to protect the lives of the unborn and crusade against lifesaving institutions such as Planned Parenthood. But where are their morals and love of life after the child is born? It somehow magically disappears, and they will throw every obstacle up to ensure that newborns don't receive the care that they need and that they are entitled to.

Whether it is through the unintended consequences of a poorly drafted bill such as this one, or gutting the program that covers half the births in the U.S., Republicans will do everything to gut access to care or place obstacles in struggling people's paths. That's right, by cutting over $800 billion out of Medicaid, Republicans are endangering the health and welfare of all newborn children.

Earlier I asked my Republican colleagues to prove to me that they care about the health and well-being of all Americans regardless of the color of their skin or their economic circumstances. Well, I am asking them now to prove to me that they care about the well-being of newborn children.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for the Democratic motion to recommit, and let us write a bill that will actually help all U.S. citizens get the coverage that they need and are entitled to.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the lifelong service and success of Gail Baxter, the Superintendent of South Whittier School District, in my Congressional District in California.

The description of Mrs. Baxter you'd hear from those who know her best is that of a humble visionary whose inspirational leadership has empowered the students she serves to achieve beyond their dreams. She has been the catalyst for a 21st century transformation for South Whittier. Throughout her twenty-seven year career serving as an elementary school principal, Director of Special Education Programs, Associate Superintendent of Educational Services, and eventually Superintendent, Mrs. Baxter led the effort to incorporate new technologies into every district classroom to prepare students for the future they face. Always pushing the envelope, Mrs. Baxter intertwined a core curriculum with the changing technologies of the day.

Mrs. Baxter is the type of public servant we need in education, someone who promotes strong collaboration between educators and parents to inspire students to achieve. It is in that spirit that, on behalf of all the families who've benefitted from her service, I wish Gail a happy retirement and thank her for inspiring generations of students in the South Whittier School District.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Mrs. Cecilia Laidemitt, the Associate Superintendent of Personnel and Administrative Services for the South Whittier School District. After a dedicated and impactful 52 years with the district, Mrs. Laidemitt is retiring at the end of this school year.

Mrs. Laidemitt is appreciated and admired by many in this community, and has set a high bar for those to follow her. From a young age, Mrs. Laidemitt knew teaching was her dream. She attended Whittier College, and later received her teaching credentials and began her career at Los Altos Elementary School.

Over the years she has served in a number of roles including teacher, principal, and Director of Curriculum. In each position she has brought her inspiring attitude and passion for learning. Mrs. Laidemitt often stated how she ``loved seeing the light go on for students.'' And it's this passion that has made her successful and cherished.

Her dedication and hard work has not gone unnoticed in the community; she is beloved by all she encounters. A truly admirable public servant, I wish Mrs. Laidemitt a happy and well-deserved retirement. You are an inspiration to us all, and your wisdom and kindness will be greatly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to a question of the privileges of the House and offer a resolution previously noticed.

I do, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, under clause 1 of rule IX, questions of the privileges of the House are those affecting the rights of the House collectively, its safety, dignity, and the integrity of its proceedings. I believe that the dignity of this institution is at risk each day that passes without this body exercising its statutory authority and constitutional duty to operate as a coequal branch of government.

The legislative branch of government has the responsibility and authority to keep a proper check on the executive branch under section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code. Specifically, three committees have jurisdiction to request tax returns: the Committee on Ways and Means, the Senate Finance Committee, and the Joint Committee on Taxation. This provision has been part of our Federal Tax Code since 1924 to facilitate full and complete investigations into scandals that rise to the level of national importance.

Nothing could rise to the level of national importance like the possible financial entanglements our President may have with Russian entities and individuals. This situation is truly unprecedented. It is our sworn duty to uphold the integrity of this institution and examine all the relevant details related to this issue.

Each week we see yet another fact in the growing case of entanglements between our President, his campaign and closest advisers, and Russian officials. The most recent troubling report occurred just last week when we learned that the President himself reportedly made statements directly to Russian officials during an Oval Office meeting regarding the FBI investigation into his campaign ties with Russia. This is the same meeting where the President took it upon himself to reveal highly classified information to Russian officials.

How long can this body allow these types of actions to go unchecked?

I understand, Mr. Speaker. I promise that they relate to the question at issue.

Mr. Speaker, further, the American people deserve to know if President Trump has exploited the Federal Tax Code for improper personal gain.

The personal business endeavors of the leader of the free world should be exercised to the highest possible standard. Specifically, the President's business dealings around the world make him more prone to potential conflicts of interest than any President in history. However, the President did not take adequate steps to mitigate any potential issues. He was advised by the Office of Government Ethics to divest himself of his business entanglements. The President chose to ignore this sound advice.

It is now the duty of this body to restore integrity to the oversight process. Our democracy should be an example to the world. Today we have the opportunity to ensure that it is achieved through taking up this overdue investigation. It is only then we can restore the dignity and integrity of the House through exercise of our constitutional duty.

For these reasons, this resolution raises a question of the privileges of the House and should be allowed a vote.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the Chair.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I rise to give notice of my intent to raise a question of the privileges of the House.

The form of the resolution is as follows:

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President shall immediately release his tax return information to Congress and the American people.

Whereas, in the United States' system of checks and balances, Congress has a responsibility to hold the executive branch of government to a fair and equal standard of transparency ensuring the public interest is placed first;

Whereas, according to the Tax History Project, every President since Gerald Ford has disclosed their tax return information to the public;

Whereas, tax returns provide an important baseline of reasonable information including whether the President paid taxes, ownership interests, charitable donations made, and whether tax deductions have been exploited;

Whereas, disclosure of the President's tax returns could help those investigating Russian influence in the 2016 election understand the President's financial ties to the Russian Federation and Russian citizens, including debts owed and whether he shares any partnership interests, equity interests, joint ventures, licensing agreements with Russia or Russians;

Whereas, the President recently fired Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, under whose leadership the FBI was investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election;

Whereas, President Trump reportedly stated to Russian officials during a White House meeting that he fired Director Comey to ease pressure on the ongoing investigation of Russia's influence in the 2016 election;

Whereas, Senate Russia investigators have requested information from the Treasury Department's criminal investigation division, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, which handles cases of money laundering, for information related to President Trump, his top officials, and campaign aides. FinCEN has been investigating allegations of foreign money-laundering through purchases of U.S. real estate;

Whereas, the President's tax returns would show us whether he has foreign bank accounts and how much profit he receives from his ownership in myriad partnerships;

Whereas, Donald Trump, Jr., said The Trump Organization saw money ``pouring in from Russia'' and that ``Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets'';

Whereas, the White House will not confirm whether the President has filed a 2016 tax return;

Whereas, Congress gave itself the authority to review an individual's tax returns to investigate and reveal possible conflicts of interest of executive branch officials involved dating back to the Teapot Dome scandal;

Whereas, it has been reported that federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas to associates of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn seeking business records as part of the ongoing probe into Russian involvement in the 2016 election;

Whereas, according to his 2016 candidate filing with the Federal Election Commission, the President has 564 financial positions in companies located in the United States and around the world;

Whereas, against the advice of ethics attorneys and the Office of Government Ethics, the President has refused to divest his ownership stake in his businesses and can still withdraw funds at any time from the trust of which he is the sole beneficiary;

Whereas, the Emoluments Clause was included in the U.S. Constitution for the express purpose of preventing federal officials from accepting any ``present, Emolument, Office, or Title . . . from any King, Prince, or foreign state'';

Whereas, the Chairmen of the Ways and Means Committee, Joint Committee on Taxation and Senate Finance Committee have the authority to request the President's tax returns under section 6103 of the tax code;

Whereas, the Joint Committee on Taxation reviewed the tax returns of President Richard Nixon in 1974 and made the information public;

Whereas, the Ways and Means Committee used IRC 6103 authority in 2014 to make public the confidential tax information of 51 taxpayers;

Whereas, Director Comey has testified that tax returns are a common tool in investigations because they can show income and motives;

Whereas, the American people have the right to know whether or not their President is operating under conflicts of interest related to international affairs, tax reform, government contracts, or otherwise:

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the House of Representatives shall, one, immediately request the tax return information of Donald J. Trump for tax years 2006 through 2015 for review in closed executive session by the Committee on Ways and Means, as provided under section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code and vote to report the information therein to the full House of Representatives;

Two, support transparency in government and the longstanding tradition of Presidents and candidates disclosing their tax returns.

Mr. Speaker, does the Chair have a designated time for the debate on the resolution?

Mr. Speaker, I can't believe we are here again to vote, or not, on the Republicans so-called healthcare bill.

Let me remind my colleagues that we are finally here only after Republicans failed to even hold a vote on March 24, and then offered extreme, multiple amendments to appease the furthest right of their party.

But I have to give it to them: it takes real cojones to stand here and vote on a bill that they know provides nearly zero healthcare benefits for the American people. It takes real fortitude and conviction to stand up for a bill that cuts coverage for 24 million Americans, guts Medicaid, reduces the solvency of Medicare, and segregates the sickest.

The truth is, Republicans lack the bravery to call this bill what it really is: a massive tax cut for the rich on the backs of working moms and dads and the sick. They lack the integrity to do the hard work that it takes to craft an actual healthcare bill that would build upon current law and improve the health of Americans.

I implore my colleagues to come to their senses, vote against this terrible bill, and work with us to continue to improve health care in this country for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition H.R. 1180, a bill that would rob workers of pay they've earned.

This proposal guts overtime protections and forces working men and women to make the false choice between time with their loved ones and a fair wage. Instead of offering ``flexibility'' to working families, employers should be following the letter of the law and pay workers fairly for the hours they work. Employers shouldn't be able to put their workers' well-being at risk under the guise of giving workers a choice.

If Republicans truly wanted to help working families, they would guarantee paid sick days and paid family leave instead of offering the ``flexibility'' for employers to choose how workers live their lives. This bill is a bait and switch that amounts to nothing more than another attack on worker's rights. I strongly oppose this bill and urge my colleagues to vote no.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 219, On Motion to Table Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

I was also unavoidably detained for rollcall No. 220, H.R. 1304, the Self-Insurance Protection Act and missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Republican's so-called healthcare bill.

It pains me to even call it a healthcare bill because it is actually a massive tax cut for insurance CEOs that provides nearly zero healthcare benefits for the American people.

In fact, TrumpCare ensures that 24 million Americans will lose their health insurance coverage. Seniors will be charged more, and insurance companies will once again dictate the health of the American people. On the very day that the majority tax cuts for the rich come into effect, on January 1, 2018, at least 40,000 of my own constituents would immediately lose their health care.

But that is not all. The Republican idea of health coverage will leave millions of Americans without the basic health services that they expect and that they deserve. That means that the monthly premium you pay won't cover all of the services you will need to get better if you get sick. The Republican healthcare plan won't cover your emergency room visit, the X-rays, or even the prescription drugs you need to recover.

Heaven forbid if you need prenatal or pediatric care, too. Basically, under this plan, one illness is enough to bankrupt a family for a lifetime. If you asked anyone on the street, no one in America would call this health insurance. Yet, my Republican colleagues hail this as choice--the choice to go bankrupt if you get sick or, God forbid, have an accident.

So, Mr. Speaker, I have to ask: How many Republicans are left who actually support the bill? Who wants to kick thousands of people off of Medicaid, reduce care for the disabled, and strip children of their health care because that is exactly what you are going to do if you vote for this bill. It does the exact opposite of what you, your party, and President Trump have promised the American people.

This bill doesn't provide better, cheaper health care for everyone. And guess what? Everybody knows that. By voting for this bill, you will literally force millions of Americans to pay more for less and jeopardize the health of our country for generations.

So if you vote to break all of the promises you made to the American people, then you are going to own it, and you are going to be responsible for whatever happens. Vote down this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National School Counseling Week, and to honor a treasured member of my community and school counselor at Santa Fe High School, Cheryl Redgate. Ms. Redgate has been a counselor at Santa Fe High School for 35 years and is an inclusive and caring support system for her students. She has dedicated her life to empowering students and instilling in them the values of selflessness and giving, and she has made a tremendous impact on the lives of every student she meets.

In addition to her position as counselor, Ms. Redgate serves in many leadership roles at Santa Fe High School. She has been the leading representative for the school's anti-drunk driving program ``Every 15 Minutes,'' leading parent debriefs for the parents of those who participated. She designed Parent Education Day and the Service Learning Program, which acknowledges students for their participation in community service and reinforces her dedication to teaching the values of selflessness and giving.

Ms. Redgate has devoted her life to helping others. She founded the Christmas Family Program to provide gifts for those in need during the holidays, and the Serenity Center which acts as a safe zone on campus where licensed clinical social workers are available for students.

Santa Fe High School is a special place because of dedicated professionals like Ms. Redgate, and I couldn't be more proud to honor her today. If more people were like Ms. Redgate, the world would be a much nicer place. In honor of National School Counseling Week, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking all the school counselors who are making a positive impact in the lives of our students.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and the passing of a special person from Montebello, California. Mr. Michael Minasian was an irreplaceable member of the Armenian-American community, who was born to survivors of the Armenian genocide in 1931. Mr. Minasian's success wasn't handed to him; for five years he and his family lived in a camp for displaced persons after World War II. When Mr. Minasian and his family immigrated to the United States, he attended night school to learn English while helping his parents support the family.

From 1953 to 1955, Mr. Minasian served in the U.S. Armed Forces in West Germany, and became a citizen in 1954. He returned to the Los Angeles area where he produced the bilingual ``Armenian Radio Hour'' and put his entrepreneurial spirit to work, first through owning the International Music Center in East Los Angeles, and later by building a successful insurance agency. More recently, Mr. Minasian reinvented himself as a land developer, building tracts of single family homes. Through his businesses, Mr. Minasian helped develop the City of Montebello and much of Eastern Los Angeles County bears his mark.

Mr. Minasian's contributions to the economy of our community were rivaled only by his civic leadership. A champion of the Armenian- American community, he spearheaded efforts to build the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument, which towers over Montebello's Bicknell Park. As founder of the Armenian Assembly, he paid his success forward to young Armenians by creating a Washington, DC internship placement program. Mr. Minasian has even made a difference right here in the United States Congress, where he successfully led the fight for passage of Armenian-genocide resolutions in 1975, 1984, and 1985.

Countless organizations in Montebello have benefitted from Mr. Minasian's leadership. He served as President of the Montebello Junior Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Montebello Citizens Advisory Committee on Park Planning and Design. He has also served on the boards of directors of the Montebello Chamber of Commerce and the Armenian Educational Foundation. His contributions to the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Montebello American Legion, and as Human Services Commissioner for the City of Montebello will not be forgotten.

Mr. Minasian's life embodies the spirit of our hardworking immigrant community. His legacy will serve as a shining example, not only to the Armenian-American community but for all future generations, of the difference that one man or woman can make in his or her community. I hope my colleagues will join me in sending my condolences to his widow, Lydia, and their four children and six grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 7, the misnamed No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.

Just 2 days ago, our Nation celebrated the 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, affirming that a woman has a constitutional right to make the decision of what is best for herself and her family. However, Republicans have been relentless in their pursuit to deny women this constitutional right, and H.R. 7 is just another reckless example.

H.R. 7 will have devastating consequences on every single woman in America. The bill would deny women, families, and small businesses tax credits if they elect an insurance plan that covers abortions. The IRS would be inserted into one of the most important and private decisions a woman can make and one that should be solely between her and her doctor. That is the most egregious and offensive example of government overreach that I can think of.

Madam Speaker, women are responsible. Women are smart. Women know what is best for them, and women can make their own choices. Allow them to do that and vote against H.R. 7.