Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent in the House Chamber for roll call votes 394, 395 on September 12, 2018.

Had I been present, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 394; yea on Roll Call No. 395; and yea on Roll Call No. 396.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor and remember a dedicated public servant in our community who just passed away 2 weeks ago today at the young age of 53--Willow Street Fire Chief Michael Reese.

Chief Reese's career as a firefighter, which spanned four decades and began when he was a teenager, stands out in our community as one of service, pride, and bravery. His loss is a tremendous loss to our community as well as his fellow firefighters. President Bob Kiesel said recently in a statement, and he said it best: ``Chief Reese's life was dedicated to helping others.''

In addition to his 39 years as a firefighter and EMT, Chief Reese spent 17 years as an emergency dispatcher and assistant supervisor with the Lancaster County-Wide Communications. Chief Reese focused his entire career on serving others, on making our community a safer place, and on saving the lives of those he was charged with protecting.

Michael served alongside his brother, David, who is the deputy fire chief in Willow Street. David and all the firefighters in Willow Street and across central Pennsylvania will carry Michael's spirit with them for the rest of their lives.

I am extraordinarily grateful for his service. We owe a debt of gratitude to Chief Reese, his wife, Susan, and to his entire family. His memory will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on a topic that should continue to be in the forefront of our agenda here in Congress: workforce training and development.

Before coming to Congress, I owned and operated a small construction company in Lancaster County, and when we worked to expand our footprint in central Pennsylvania and sought out new markets to expand the business, we faced a serious problem: Many times, there just simply were not workers available to fill the jobs that we needed to fill in order to expand. Qualified or trained workers were just simply unavailable.

Just recently, I met with half a dozen of the Nation's largest staffing agencies. They told me today that this has reached crisis proportions. They are seeing companies all across the country being faced with the same problem that I was faced with as a business owner, and companies now are making decisions on where to locate new facilities, where to expand based on the available workforce in that area. Sometimes, that is offshore rather than right here in America.

I have seen the skills gap firsthand. I have managed through it, understood the impacts of it, and so now, in Congress, I am working to try to fix it. One of the best ways that we can lift people up, improve their standard of living, and create more opportunity is to connect them with a good-paying, family-sustaining job. Let's be honest: the best antipoverty program is a job.

Right now, our economy is booming, consumer optimism is rising, and American manufacturing has risen in each of the last three quarters. We have sustained economic growth, and jobs are being created all across the country. In fact, there are roughly 6 million jobs available right now.

Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady said it best when he said, recently: ``We have gone from a nation that asks, `Where are the jobs?' to one that asks, `Where are the workers?' ''

One of my priorities in Congress has been to work to expand opportunities for work-based learning, where individuals get real experience from real professionals as they are learning.

I was very happy to see the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act just came back from the Senate. We will be, hopefully, passing that onto the President's desk this afternoon.

There is additional work that we can do; therefore, I have introduced additional legislation that will continue this effort. H.R. 5153, the USA Workforce Tax Credit Act, would address the urgent need to ensure that current and future American workers are prepared for the jobs available in today's 21st century economy.

By establishing a new Federal tax credit, this legislation would encourage donations for community-based apprenticeship programs, career and technical education, workforce development, and educational preparedness, and it would encourage partnerships with companies looking to sponsor these programs.

Encouraging investments in organizations and programs that are preparing our workforce for the jobs of today means that more people will be connected with a job. It means more families will be improving their standard of living. It means that people will thrive off the dignity that jobs provide.

But it is really more than just an investment in workforce training programs. It is an investment in the American people.

There are so many different paths to obtaining a good-paying job. I have my own experience of running my construction company during the day while I was taking college courses at night. I never did quite obtain that bachelor's degree, but I gained the skills necessary for my industry.

My experience isn't that different from so many people in this country. I know firsthand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to finding a good job or helping others get connected with one. We have to ensure that our educational system is preparing workers to succeed in the 21st century. We have to invest in our people. I believe that this legislation makes a down payment and puts us on the right path.

It is my hope that Congress advances this legislation to change lives, support families, lift people up, and support our growing economy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the second annual National Day of Civility.

This day, July 12, was chosen to mark a verse in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 7, verse 12: ``So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.''

This, of course, is known as the Golden Rule. In fact, it was one of my mother's favorite Bible verses. She had her hands full, I am sure, raising 12 kids--I was number 10--and this was her favorite Bible verse that she would quote to us, the idea that everyone deserves your respect.

Each one of us in this Chamber has the opportunity to live this rule, as do our constituents. We are privileged to live in the United States of America, the greatest country in the history of the world, due in large part to our system of government. It is really an experiment. It is a system of government designed to encourage debate, respect, and resolve differences and rely on citizen input.

Today, there is an alarming decline in our public discourse. People can't even seem to talk to each other, can't come to the table, and can't hear each other out. We urgently need to reverse this trend.

At the beginning of last year, members of the freshman class drafted and signed a commitment to civility, laying out our effort to make the government work more efficiently and effectively, help build consensus and restore public trust, and serve as a positive influence on society at large.

On this National Day of Civility, let's renew our commitment to civility. Congress may not be able to change the state of public discourse, but we certainly can and should serve as an example to the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of the Lampeter-Strasburg High School women's softball team located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, that recently reached the pinnacle of its sport by winning the State championship. I am especially proud, Mr. Speaker, of this win because this is the school in my home school district where my family and I reside.

The Lampeter-Strasburg Pioneers beat West Allegheny on Thursday, June 14, to claim its first-ever PIAA 5A softball State championship. After losing by a slim margin 2 years ago, the Pioneers overcame adversity and returned to the State finals this year to win 6-2. The team's 14-3 win over Donegal--which won last year's 5A State championship title--in the Lancaster-Lebanon section 3 playoff is further evidence of its success during the postseason.

I spoke to Coach Gene Charles last night by phone. He credited the victory to the team's clutch hitting and key defensive stops later in the game. Coach Charles has coached at Lampeter-Strasburg for more than 20 years, building an extensive network of active alumni who frequently travel to games with his family.

We are lucky to have leaders and mentors in our district like Coach Charles who inspire our student athletes to strive for success and to learn from failure.

Junior Brynne Baker also pitched a noteworthy game, holding the opposing team to just one earned run. In her postgame interview, Baker said this was a huge win for the team, especially the graduating seniors, and a proud moment for the Lancaster-based community.

Congratulations to all the players, coaches, their families, and all those who made this championship for Lampeter-Strasburg possible. Your community is proud of you and will continue rooting for you season after season.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Lancaster Catholic High School baseball team today.

The Crusaders baseball team recently claimed its first baseball championship in school history. After a remarkable 20-5 season, the Crusaders won the Lancaster-Lebanon Section 4 and District 3 titles, setting themselves up for a run at the State championship.

Sure enough, the Crusaders defeated South Side 5-1 in the PIAA 3A Championship.

In addition to the Crusaders' great offense, the highlight of the game was senior Dillon Marsh's dominating pitching performance. Marsh, who has committed to playing at the University of Kentucky next year, pitched a complete game, striking out 11 batters without allowing a single walk.

This game continued his excellent postseason performance, during which he surpassed the 100 strikeout mark for the season and threw a no-hit shutout in the State semifinals.

In summarizing his victory and the celebration with his teammates, Marsh simply stated: ``It was just pure happiness.''

Congratulations to the Lancaster Crusaders baseball team, the coaches, the families, and everyone at the school and in the community who supported this team along the way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Manheim Township High School boys lacrosse team, who recently won the program's first-ever PIAA State title. The Blue Streaks defeated La Salle, 6 to 4, in the PIAA Class 3A championship game this past Saturday to bring the title to Lancaster County.

Manheim Township of District 3 became the first school from outside Districts 1 or 12 to win the boys lacrosse title since the tournament began. This historic championship is a fitting end to an excellent season that also included a program best 26-1 record and both the Lancaster-Lebanon League and District 3 titles. These young men have put in countless hours of hard work to achieve this incredible result.

As I have said before, high school sports are about more than just winning. They are about teaching our children valuable skills such as teamwork, commitment, and perseverance. They build character and create memories that will last a lifetime. These young men have displayed these valuable skills throughout their entire season, and I am proud to represent them. I look forward to the team's future successes.

Congratulations to the Manheim Township High School boys lacrosse team, the coaches, their families, and the faculty, staff, and students who enabled this historic title.

Combating Opioid Epidemic

Mr. Speaker, I would like to address another topic this morning. I want to speak in support of the House's efforts to combat the opioid epidemic that has swept across Pennsylvania and across the Nation. This week, the House is voting on more than 30 opioid-related bills, with many more to come next week as well.

Sadly, you would be hard-pressed today to find someone who hasn't been impacted by this epidemic or who doesn't know someone who has. It transcends socioeconomic and geographic lines and makes no distinction between age, income, race, gender, or politics.

Hundreds of thousands of American lives have been cut short by drug abuse. In my region of Pennsylvania, prescription drugs, heroin, and fentanyl are the leading causes of death in several communities. In fact, our region has experienced a 23 percent increase in opioid- related deaths in 2018 as compared to the same time period in 2017.

Too many families feel broken and feel lost. Those whom we know personally--our neighbors, our family, and our friends--are working to save the lives of those whom they love.

Our constituents should know that we here in Congress have their backs. They should know that we are working to provide them with the resources necessary to prevent addiction, to treat abuse, and to help families and individuals recover.

This week and next, the House is passing legislation that changes the way opioids are prescribed and encourages alternative methods and medications to treat pain. We are cracking down on deadly synthetic drugs like fentanyl. We are giving law enforcement tools to get dangerous drugs off our streets and out of our communities, and we are improving data used to help at-risk patients, families, and those who are already struggling with addiction.

Our communities are coming together and standing side by side to help each other through this difficult time. Those struggling with addiction and their family and friends are getting some much-needed assistance from Congress. Both in Washington and in Pennsylvania, I will continue to work with my colleagues, community leaders, healthcare professionals, and law enforcement to prioritize an immediate and effective response to save the lives of those we love.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding, but, more importantly, for moving this bill through committee and allowing it to be brought up for a vote today on the floor.

I rise today as the lead sponsor of H.R. 2991, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area Act. I am glad the House is taking up this important bill with bipartisan support from the Pennsylvania delegation.

The concept of the bill is simple. It would make two counties in Pennsylvania, Lancaster and York Counties, both located in south central Pennsylvania, a national heritage area.

National heritage areas are a congressional designation where ``natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources form a cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from human activity shaped by geography,'' which describes this area very well. According to the National Park Service, there are currently 49 national heritage areas in 32 States.

I am very proud of the natural beauty that we find in our Pennsylvania communities, particularly in these two counties. We want to ensure we maintain that safe and clean environment into the future for residents and visitors.

The Susquehanna River and its surrounding landscape have played a starring role in American history. Our region's heritage reflects events and causes that exemplify the American experience, many flowing from the central historical role of the river.

Along the Susquehanna, a tradition of public and private collaboration has

helped our region prosper from heritage and outdoor tourism, and this national heritage area designation will attract more visitors, stimulate our local economy, and preserve natural resources and historical landmarks.

I want to thank the countless local officials and Members of Congress who have worked on this legislation for many years. Without their tireless work and the sustained input and support from the residents of York and Lancaster Counties, we would not be here right now. This was a bottom-up effort led by grassroots support from these communities.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a list of the dozens of local organizations that support this legislation.

The following local organizations support the Susquehanna

National Heritage Area Act:

Amishview Inn & Suites/Miller's Smorgasbord/Plain & Fancy

Farm; Borough of Columbia; Bube's Brewery; Colony Packaging &

Machine; Downtown Inc.; Discover Lancaster; Farm & Natural

Lands Trust of York County; Historic Preservation Trust of

Lancaster County; Historic York, Inc.; Lancaster Chamber of

Commerce & Industry; Lancaster County Board of Commissioners;

Lancaster County Conservancy; Lancaster County Parks &

Recreation; Lancaster County Planning Commission; Lancaster

Farmland Trust; Landis Valley Museum.

LancasterHistory.org; Long Level Marina; Northern York

County Historical & Preservation Society; PPL Corporation;

Pennsylvania State Grange; Preservation Pennsylvania;

Rivertownes PA USA; Shank's Mare Outfitters; Susquehanna

Glass; Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce; York County

Board of Commissioners; York County Convention & Visitors

Bureau; York County Department of Parks & Recreation; York

County Economic Alliance; York County History Center.

Again, I urge passage of H.R. 2991.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to support the National Defense Authorization Act and thank the chairman of the committee for this bipartisan legislation which supports our troops, enhances military readiness, and provides for the defense of our Nation.

I also encourage my colleagues to support my amendments, Nos. 43 and 48, to the NDAA. My amendments seek to improve the mental health services provided by the Department of Defense so our troops receive only the best treatment.

It comes as no surprise that the high levels of violence and trauma our servicemembers experience is cause for negative impacts on their mental health. Our soldiers suffer from major depression at a rate five times higher than the civilian population rate. Additionally, their diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder was approximately 15 times greater than the general population.

Congress can help. Currently, there is a serious shortage of mental health providers at the DOD. Our troops are paying the price, but they don't have to. One of my amendments would help identify the scope of the workforce problem at DOD and ensure that an effective strategy is in place so our Nation's troops have full access to qualified mental health providers.

My other amendment would require the DOD to establish a monitoring program carried out by each branch of the armed services to conduct periodic reviews of the medication prescribing practices of its own providers to treat PTSD. This monitoring program will help ensure that every military branch is regularly monitoring the medications prescribed to treat PTSD to ensure that our troops are getting the proper treatment.

Some of the greatest wounds inflicted upon our brave servicemen and - women are unseen. We should be doing everything possible to ensure that we are treating these wounds as we would any other.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendments on behalf of the servicemembers and military families that we represent.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his tireless work on behalf of our veterans to improve their lives and the lives of their families.

I rise today in support of my bipartisan legislation to relieve veterans of financial burdens caused by delays at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Over the past decade, Federal oversight of the VA has uncovered cases where the VA delivered delayed or inaccurate bills to our Nation's veterans, causing financial stress and debt for military families--some bills going back as far as 5 years. In fact, last August, the VA Inspector General published a report that said the VA issued 1.7 million improper bills to veterans in 2015.

What exactly does that mean?

It means that the VA collected nearly $14 million from improper bills sent to veterans for their service-related care. That is simply unacceptable. Our servicemen and -women should not have to pay for errors or delays caused by the VA. Many veterans live on fixed incomes and may not have the resources to cover unexpected costs caused by mistakes of Washington bureaucrats.

That is why I introduced the VA Billing Accountability Act with my colleagues from Minnesota, Mr. Emmer and Mr. Peterson.

My district is home to more than 38,000 veterans. Each one of them, and all those across the country, deserve the highest quality medical care and assurances that they will be billed in a timely and appropriate manner.

This bipartisan legislation gives the VA the authority to waive a veteran's copayment if the veteran received a bill more than 180 days after they received their care at the VA or 18 months after they received care at a non-VA facility.

This bill is supported by AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of American, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign War, and the Association of the United States Navy.

Our Nation's veterans and their families have sacrificed so much in defense of our Nation. We should be doing all that we can to make their transition to civilian life as easy as possible, and that starts with making sure the VA not only delivers high-quality care, but also issues timely bills that our veterans and their families can count on. Ultimately, this bill will help bring more stability and financial security to their post-military lives.

I am proud to have introduced this legislation on behalf of the veterans and military families that I represent, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get it signed into law.

Mr. Speaker, 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 National Nurses Week, a celebration of our dedicated healthcare professionals throughout our country.

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, which is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, widely considered the founder of modern nursing.

National Nurses Week was first celebrated in 1954, in honor of the centennial anniversary of Ms. Nightingale's renowned humanitarian mission during the Crimean War.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation officially proclaiming May 6 as the national day of recognition for nurses.

During my time in Congress, Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege to meet with nurses and nursing associations from central Pennsylvania and to hear from them about their critical work around the Commonwealth. The tremendous impact that these nurses have on our entire medical system through their passionate work never ceases to amaze me.

I am extraordinarily grateful that Pennsylvania ranks fourth among all States in the number of professionally active nurses, with nearly 220,000 currently serving our great Commonwealth. Hospitals and medical clinics certainly couldn't operate without them. Their tireless dedication to the well-being of our children, parents, spouses, and friends supports and strengthens our local communities every single day.

I would also like to thank the families, educators, and medical facilities that have allowed these wonderful healthcare professionals to flourish in their selfless vocation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Chairman Goodlatte's balanced budget amendment.

Clearly, the status quo here in Congress is failing the American people, and real change is needed. Our budget process is broken, and a balanced budget amendment is exactly the mechanism we need to force the decisions to get our fiscal house in order.

Congress has passed more than 100 continuing resolutions just in the last 20 years. We move from one continuing resolution and one omnibus to the next.

I knew when I came to Congress that the Federal budget process wasn't working as intended. From the outside, it doesn't look good. Now having served on the Budget Committee for more than a year, I can say it doesn't look any better from the inside.

The latest omnibus supported a number of provisions, like funding our military, fighting the opioid epidemic, agricultural reform, school safety measures, measures that I support, but these priorities can and must be achieved in a fiscally responsible manner that doesn't grow the size of the Federal Government.

How do I know we can achieve that? Because we took steps in that direction on the Budget Committee. Last year, the committee passed a budget that would balance in 10 years. It was a fiscally responsible path towards funding critical government programs, but that budget isn't enforceable and no one is accountable.

So I think the first step is to pass this balanced budget amendment here in the House. It is long past time that Congress finally put an end to irresponsible spending, saddling our children and grandchildren with an insurmountable debt.

This amendment would make balancing the budget the norm rather than the exception. It would codify Congress' responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

There are numerous proposals to reform our Federal budget process, some that I have introduced myself, but I believe this amendment would be the most meaningful budget and spending reform that we could enact. It works for the States, it works in Pennsylvania, and it will work for Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Goodlatte for his leadership. Every Congress since 2007, he has introduced this amendment to balance our Federal Government. It is an important effort and one that he has led.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to welcome the guest chaplain to the House floor. He is a leader in our community in Pennsylvania's 16th District, as well as my oldest brother.

Mr. Speaker, five other brothers of ours are in the gallery with us here today on what I learned was a very appropriate day, as this is National Siblings Day. I am so very pleased to host my brothers, who are enjoying the sites here in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Speaker, we have five sisters as well, but I guess that will be another day.

My oldest brother, Sam, was born into an Amish home and was really used by God. Sam leads a congregation called the Worship Center in Lancaster County. They have 4,000 members. He also leads a ministers' fellowship impacting 100 other fellowships, and has traveled to 40 countries in missionary endeavors across the world.

Mr. Speaker, we are proud of Sam. He has had an impact not only on our community, but across the world as well, and certainly is a spiritual leader for our family, and we welcome him here today.