Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the irreplaceable contributions that women have made to our Nation. As pioneers of industry and champions of human rights, women have played a critical role in the advancement of our society.

March is Women's History Month, so I want to take a moment to talk about just three of the many women from my community who have made the world a better place.

One of those women is Lydia Hamilton Smith from Lancaster County, an African-American woman, who became the partner and confidant of Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens during the Civil War and during the ensuing debate and passage of the 13th Amendment.

During the Battle of Gettysburg, Ms. Hamilton Smith hired a horse and wagon and went out to collect food and supplies from York, Adams, and Lancaster Counties. Once her wagon was full, she traveled to the makeshift hospitals tending to wounded soldiers from the battle.

The recent excavation of Lydia Hamilton Smith's and Thaddeus Stevens' houses in Lancaster uncovered a passageway that led to a tavern that is believed to have been used to shelter escaped slaves. The work Lydia contributed to the Underground Railroad and the abolition movement at large is reflective of the difficult, perilous, and humble work by women during that time period to end slavery.

The next woman I would like to recognize today is Rebecca Lukens of Chester County. I would like to read an excerpt from a May 2012 piece published in the Daily Local News:

``Imagine the year is 1825. You are a 31-year-old mother, pregnant with your sixth child. You've already lost two children in infancy. Your husband has struggled for a dozen years to build an iron-making business in the rolling backcountry of Chester County on the banks of Brandywine Creek. Suddenly he dies, leaving you alone. The ironworks employees are ready to leave, and your overbearing mother implores you to abandon the business.''

This is what Rebecca Lukens had to confront, but she didn't give up. Rebecca ran the household and the business, building it over the next few decades into a successful company that we know today as ArcelorMittal, the world's leading steel and mining company.

Women like Rebecca teach our sons and daughters that, if you work hard and dream big enough, you can break molds and you can achieve your goals.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Barbara Franklin. Born in Lancaster County and a graduate of Hempfield High School, she is perhaps best known for serving in President George H.W. Bush's Cabinet as the 29th Secretary of Commerce.

Following the student protests and massacre in Tiananmen Square in China, the United States imposed sanctions and a ban on governmental contacts. When President Bush sought to normalize relations with China, Barbara led that effort. She reconvened the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, opening new markets for American products. She says this is the most important thing that she did as Commerce Secretary.

Barbara was also one of the very first women to graduate from Harvard Business School. As the current president and CEO of Barbara Franklin Enterprises, she has a reputation for breaking down barriers and being a leading voice for women's equality and empowerment in the workplace.

Each of the three women I have highlighted today are successful in their own right. They have paved the way for current and future generations of young people who have the same entrepreneurial drive. Their leadership has inspired men and women, alike, and has set an example of what hard work, determination, and standing for what you believe in looks like.

I have to say I am quite proud to have such impressive role models come from my congressional district. It is women like Lydia, Rebecca, Barbara, and many others who are shining examples of the progress our country has made over the last two centuries, who give hope for the future and remind us of the important contributions of women.

Mr. Speaker, today I honor and remember one of Pennsylvania's sons, and a native of Philadelphia, United States Coast Guard Signalman Third Class Joseph Gerczak.

Working as an apprentice machinist making gun parts after graduating high school, Joseph enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard on September 26, 1942.

Following his training and early assignments, Joseph joined the crew of Landing Ship Tank 66, and was on board during the first assault against the Japanese-held Borgen Bay Area of New Britain on December 26, 1943.

Joseph's ship was in the bay while other vessels unloaded cargo onto the beach when seven Japanese dive bombers attacked his ship. He immediately manned his battle station and was the first crew member to return fire against the enemy.

Joseph opened fire, unloading his drums of ammunition into the dive bombers, blasting two from the sky while bombs fell from the planes, striking his ship. He continued his assault against the enemy planes until he was struck by a blast that fatally wounded him and destroyed his battle station.

The American assault at Borgen Bay was successful, due in part to Joseph's courage, perseverance, and unwavering strength in the face of tremendous odds. Joseph was recognized for his sacrifice, posthumously awarded the Silver Star, Purple Heart, and the Presidential Unit Commendation.

This weekend, on March 9th, 2018, the Coast Guard will commission a Fast Response Cutter in Honolulu, Hawaii. The cutter will be named USCGC Joseph Gerczak. Joseph's sister and only surviving sibling, 92- year-old Stella Gerczak, will be in attendance at the ship's commissioning. Stella lives in my community, and we owe her, Joseph, and their entire family a debt of gratitude we will never be able to fully repay.

The commissioning of the USCGC Joseph Gerczak is just one way we can show our heartfelt and lasting gratitude for a brave young man who gave his life in service to our great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Chris Smith for leading the Pro-Life Caucus and for organizing this evening's Special Order.

This Friday, our constituents from all across the country will arrive on the National Mall for the 45th annual March for Life. Last year's March for Life was one of the first events that I had participated in, here in Washington, after I took office in January of last year.

Hundreds of my constituents had marched down the National Mall. I had the opportunity to meet with them afterwards and hear from them about their hopes for the pro-life movement. They had just come back from hearing the Vice President speak. He had spoken about life is winning here in America. He said:

I've long believed that a society can be judged by how we

care for its most vulnerable, the aged, the infirm, the

disabled, and the unborn.

Since that day, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that this Chamber has taken steps to protect the lives of the unborn.

We passed the commonsense Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, banning abortion after 20 weeks, the point at which we know that an unborn child can feel pain.

We passed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, ending taxpayer subsidies of abortions, and codifying the Hyde amendment governmentwide.

I was very happy to be part of a body that passed both of these bills and, of course, voted for and supported those measures.

And this week, the House will vote on legislation--the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act--requiring medical care be given to any child who survives an attempted abortion,

with strict penalties for those who do not comply with the law.

Voting against this legislation would be unconscionable. A child, made in the image of our Creator and born into this world, should not need additional legal protections requiring medical care if they are born alive after an attempted abortion.

But here we are, continuing our fight for the rights of the unborn and the born. It is a fight worth fighting, and we aren't going to stop.

I look forward to joining my constituents on the National Mall on Friday to raise our voices for those who cannot yet speak. They have our commitment to continue to work in this Chamber to protect the lives of the unborn.

Mr. Speaker, this past Saturday I attended the 102nd Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show. It was great to speak to and see so many constituents there supporting and learning about our agriculture community.

The farm show is special to Pennsylvania. It is the Nation's largest indoor agricultural event. It showcases more than 12,000 competitive exhibits, more than half of which are animal exhibits. More than 1,000 exhibitors and competitors were from my congressional district, like Natalie Eberly, who was showing Polled Hereford beef cattle.

It is well known for its delicious food, which I enjoyed and which raises money for nonprofits that support our agriculture community. This farm show highlights just a sliver of the industry that employs nearly half a million people in Pennsylvania and contributes $185 billion to our economy each year.

Special thanks to Congressman G.T. Thompson, my colleague from Pennsylvania, who is vice chair of the ag committee who conducted a listening session with other members of the Pennsylvania delegation, as well as members of the ag committee. I was very pleased to welcome to Pennsylvania Roger Marshall from Kansas and Ranking Member Collin Peterson. It was a great session with many members of the ag community from across Pennsylvania.

I also would like to thank Farm Show Executive Director Sharon Altland for once again putting on a fantastic show. I also thank PA Ag Secretary Redding and U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Greg Ibach for attending and participating in the listening session as well.

Once again, fabulous show. I look forward to attending again next year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize some wonderful work being done for our students in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The Berks County Career Pathways Alliance is an initiative to create a countywide framework to engage K-12 students in career awareness, work- based learning opportunities, and financial literacy.

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken in this Chamber before about our work to prepare students for our 21st century economy, but today I get to stand up

here and share the work that is being done by the people on the ground fighting every day to make a difference in the lives of the students in their communities.

The Alliance brings together educators, school administrators, private business, and the local Chamber of Commerce, a cohesive group of diverse organizations, to make real progress toward improving the workforce pipeline in Berks County. Their goal is to have 18 school districts in Berks County adopt their framework and eventually make it a statewide initiative.

This initiative is being led by Dr. Jill Hackman, the executive director of the Berks County Intermediate Unit, and the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance. Thanks to their tireless efforts, and the efforts of many others involved, students will be exposed to new learning opportunities that can open the door to family sustaining careers.

I am very proud of the work being done in my district, and I look forward to seeing their initiative change the lives of some of the 70,000 K-12 students in Berks County.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Penn Manor field hockey team on their 2017 State championship victory.

It was a remarkable season for these young women. The State championship

victory capped off a perfect 28-0 season, and 23 of those victories were shutouts. Mr. Speaker, they scored 148 goals and only allowed 5. Leading scorers Gabby Bitts and Emma DeBerdine combined for 64 goals and 54 assists.

But what is also special about this team is their combined GPA. It is 3.63. It speaks volumes about the team, but also about their coaches and parents, because we know that success like this isn't achieved alone. I couldn't be prouder to represent these young women, and I look forward to the continued success of this program.

Congratulations to the Penn Manor field hockey team, the coaches, their families, and the faculty, staff, and students that helped make this championship possible.

Mr. Speaker, every day, our law enforcement officers and first responders place their lives at risk to protect our neighborhoods and our families. They deserve our respect, our admiration, and support.

That support can come in many different forms, but an important component to supporting our law enforcement officers is to provide them the resources they need for mental wellness.

Law enforcement officers have stressful jobs. They are exposed to higher levels of violence and death than the average American.

One in five officers has PTSD. One in four officers have thought about suicide at one point during their career, and the suicide rate for police officers is four times higher than the rate for firefighters.

We can do more, Mr. Speaker. That is why I am glad the House passed the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act earlier this week.

This legislation will provide law enforcement's agencies with the resources they need to address mental health issues faced by officers. It will make grants available to departments across the country and it will study the effectiveness of regular mental health checks and crisis hotlines.

I have had numerous conversations with law enforcement leaders and police officers in my district, and this is a priority for them. It is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the National Association of Police Officers.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the House is working to improve the mental health of those who are charged with protecting us. I thank the men and women who put on the blue uniform each day to keep us safe.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act.

I have heard from employers across my district in many industries-- agriculture, higher ed, staffing agencies, hospitality, and construction--about this issue. Under the flawed NLRB standard, not only employers are confused, but employees, as well, have little certainty as to their status with multiple employers.

Mr. Speaker, for 25 years, I owned and operated a construction company in Lancaster County, and we were operated as subcontractors. Back then, the employer-employee relationship was clear. There was no question about which employer was responsible for each employee.

The Browning-Ferris decision creates confusion about who works for whom, discouraging many larger contractors from giving small subcontractors a job for fear of increased liability. Mr. Speaker, had that existed when I was growing a company, it would have made it more difficult to expand our business and create more jobs in our community.

The Browning-Ferris decision was politically motivated and upended a decades-old standard that worked very well among employers and employees. According to the HR Policy Association, litigation regarding the joint employer standard is at a record high. This decision, Mr. Speaker, has been a jackpot for trial lawyers.

It is time Congress takes action to provide clarity for the thousands of businesses, both large and small, who are ready to expand and create jobs. The Save Local Business Act will provide this clarity, and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

I thank my friend from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell) for hosting this Special Order on the College Transparency Act.

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken on the floor a number of times about the House's work to improve education in the country. I have been proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Education and the Workforce Committee to improve career and technical education, and I have also spoken about my own experience with higher education as a nontraditional student taking classes at night while I ran a construction company during the day.

Tonight, I am happy to be here to talk about ensuring that students, parents, guidance counselors, and legislators like us have access to information that can help students make informed decisions about what college to attend so that policymakers have access to research and data that will better inform our work on higher education policy.

Today, colleges and universities report data to the U.S. Department of Education that has been collected by a voluntary survey available only to a limited group of graduates. The survey is not offered to any student who is attending college part-time, who is not seeking a degree, who has transferred from another college, or who doesn't have Federal loans.

In today's economy, we are trying to make higher education more available and accessible to nontraditional students, yet we omit a large group of nontraditional students from this data. That is just one of the reasons why we need to pass the College Transparency Act.

This bipartisan legislation seeks to modernize higher education reporting so that students and families can make responsible choices about what college or university to attend. It will help empower students and families to determine how much they need to take out in student loans and which programs at different schools provide the best paths toward their dream job or a career.

Too many students today are graduating with massive amounts of debt. Too many students graduate with majors offering too few opportunities. At the very least, students need to have this data available to them to make informed decisions.

This bill, as has been pointed out by Mr. Mitchell, is endorsed by more than 80 education and business organizations, including Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education, organizations that represent great schools like Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in my district.

This bill has bipartisan support in our committee, in the Senate, and the House, and it is essential for transforming our higher education system to meet the needs of a 21st century economy. So, again, I am happy to rise to speak in support of this act.

I would like to thank my friend from Michigan for hosting this Special Order this evening, and I urge my colleagues to consider supporting this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Arizona (Mr. Biggs) for hosting tonight's Special Order. I also thank Mr. Fitzpatrick, as well, for his leadership in this bill. I am really glad to be part of this effort.

We could stand here tonight and talk about the FDA's process for approving drugs. We could talk about the countless patients across the country who struggle to get accepted into a clinical trial for a drug that could save their life. We could even stand up here tonight and share with you one of the uplifting stories of a patient who received a lifesaving drug because of a State's right-to-try law. But we have heard this, and we know all of this.

We know the FDA's approval process takes years. We know there are too few spots in clinical trials for patients in dire need of help. We know that right-to-try laws give families hope and can save lives. What I would like to talk about tonight is the moral imperative we face on this right-to-try legislation.

America is home to the world's greatest doctors and medical experts. It is home to the world's greatest medical schools and hospitals. We have cured diseases that were once a death sentence. We have directed our national resources to fight epidemics that have saved lives here at home and overseas. We don't give up.

What we do here in this Chamber, Mr. Speaker, speaks volumes. What we do here shows the Nation and the world where our priorities are.

Is our priority the bureaucracy of this city that too often misses opportunities simply because of its inability to act, or is our priority the patients and families whom we represent to consult with a doctor and decide for themselves how they choose to fight against illnesses for which we continue to search for a cure?

For me, the choice is clear, Mr. Speaker. I choose my constituents. I choose life, and I urge every single Member of this body to do the same. We cannot afford the cost of inaction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the head coach of the Lancaster Catholic High School football team, Bruce Harbach, who has recently announced his retirement.

Coach Harbach has been coaching for a remarkable 41 years and has spent the last 16 years of that career leading the Crusaders. His accomplishments at Lancaster Catholic are too many to mention, but let me provide just a few highlights: two State championships, eight section championships, nine district playoff appearances, six district championship appearances, and a perfect 16-0 season in 2011.

In fact, I was glad to host Coach Harbach and the team at the Pennsylvania State Capitol following their State championships in 2009, and then again in 2011. Our coaches for our youth, it is not only about the scores and about their winning, but they are responsible as a role model--their players look up to them--and the most successful coaches also practice what they preach. We want our coaches to instill integrity in our kids and to show them the value of teamwork, commitment, and perseverance.

That is exactly what Coach Harbach has done for these many years. I know the Crusader community joins me in thanking Coach Harbach for his 16 years leading their team from the sidelines.

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico this past Saturday with a bipartisan group of legislators. We traveled there with Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon, who has been an absolutely outstanding advocate for Puerto Rico during this difficult time. I have a few takeaways from that:

One, it was a sobering experience to see how widespread the devastation is on the island. Every single aspect of the island of Puerto Rico was affected.

Secondly, the full commitment of the Department of Defense, of FEMA, of every Federal Government agency and the effort to recover that is being conducted in conjunction with the Governor and folks on the ground in Puerto Rico is great to see. It is an effective initial recovery effort that has saved and has sustained lives. Millions of meals and millions of bottles of water have been distributed.

A third takeaway is this will require a sustained active and effective effort.

I want to thank the chairman for introducing this bill today, which is absolutely necessary to bring back the economy on the island of Puerto Rico. The top priority now is to rebuild the grid, which is absolutely essential to getting the economy in Puerto Rico moving. That is why we need this aid package. It is an important step along the long road to recovery for our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, as well as for all of those impacted by hurricanes in the South and those out West battling wildfires.

One thing I saw as well: the American people come to the assistance of other citizens in need, and that is true whether it is in Houston, Florida, or in Puerto Rico.

Again, I would like to thank the chair for introducing this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Chairman, the national debt is a staggering $20 trillion. We are handcuffing future generations with what--if we don't take action--will become an unsurmountable fiscal crisis. This budget resolution before us today is a step toward putting our Nation back on a sustainable fiscal path. But even more, it will lead to greater prosperity and opportunity for American families and generations to come.

My own experience as a 17-year-old, I had the good fortune to be able to buy a small construction company from my older brother for $1,000 when I was fresh out of high school. Through a lot of hard work and a dedicated team of individuals, we were able to grow that company, employing over 150 people with family-sustaining jobs, family- sustaining wages.

That is what we call the American Dream. There are countless stories like that: the idea that we can begin with little or nothing, work hard, play by the rules, and achieve our dreams.

Unfortunately, in today's economic environment, for many, the American Dream seems out of reach.

Mr. Chair, that is why this budget is so important. Not only will it put us on a sustainable fiscal path, but it lays out the path forward for tax reform that will give American families the opportunity to improve their lives.

Consider a constituent that I spoke to this week. This particular constituent is a single father of 5 in Lancaster County. He asked me if our tax plan means more money in his paycheck. Now, he makes it work today, but it is difficult for him, and he could use some help. This is exactly the kind of hardworking American we are trying to help with our reforms.

Americans deserve this budget because it lets us pass tax reform to help families like the one I just described. They deserve it because too many Americans today do everything right but still struggle to make ends meet. Americans deserve it because they should have a more honest Federal Tax Code and a simplified filing process that allows them to spend more time with their family, to save for their children's college fund, or to plan for their retirement.

Passing this budget helps to make these things possible, and I strongly urge my colleagues in this Chamber to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 547.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Susquehanna Valley Emergency Medical Services, a first responder organization in my district, for receiving the American Heart Association's Gold Plus Award. Only 1 percent of organizations nationwide achieve this designation.

The designation recognizes the great length that Susquehanna EMS has taken to improve the treatment of patients suffering from severe heart attacks.

Last year, Susquehanna EMS personnel provided lifesaving treatment to 94 percent of patients within the critical 90-minute time period prescribed by the American Heart Association.

These remarkable individuals who serve have taken incredible pride in their work that has had real lifesaving results in our community.

To the dedicated men and women of Susquehanna Valley EMS, I and your community thank you.