Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the chairman and his extraordinary leadership on this important topic.

I rise today to urge support for this broad, bipartisan reform package which expands and modernizes the GI Bill to better serve our military families. The bill includes a bipartisan proposal that I have worked on with Congressman Mark Takano of California to help veteran students impacted by school closures, like ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges, based in our home States.

When ITT Tech abruptly closed its doors, 40,000 students nationwide, including 7,000 veterans, were left without a degree or path forward. Jason Nyikos, a U.S. Navy veteran from Greenfield, Indiana, in my district, had to start his degree completely from scratch after spending 2 years at ITT Tech. Not a single credit transferred, and his GI Bill is going to run out before he can get a new degree. He told my office: ``To spend 2 years of my life at a place with nothing to show for it is one of the biggest disappointments.''

Jason's story is, sadly, one of thousands. It is not fair to these veterans that they would lose their GI benefits through no fault of their own, and if we really care, we need to do something about it.

The Takano-Messer proposal restores GI Bill benefits to veterans who were attending ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges when they closed so they can earn their degrees elsewhere. It also helps veterans who may be impacted by a school closure in the future.

Our military men and women count on their GI Bill benefits to build a career and a life after they have served our country. This bill will make sure they get a chance.

Madam Speaker, I urge your support and again thank the chairman for his efforts on this important issue and all of the reforms in this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership.

Congress' most important job is to provide for the national defense of this country. Yet, during the past 6 years, America's military resources have been downsized and slashed.

Today, Congress is taking corrective action to rebuild our military, support our troops, and provide for a strong national defense. This Defense Authorization Act fulfills our promise to prioritize America's safety and protect our citizens from ongoing global threats, including radical Islamic terror.

This bipartisan bill increases resources for every branch of the U.S. military and ensures that our troops receive the compensation they deserve, with the largest pay increase in 5 years. It also supports a robust missile defense program, and it strengthens America's cyber warfare capabilities.

Simply put, this bill makes America safer, and I urge your support.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor, Dorotha White, who passed away on Monday, July 3, 2017 in Henry County.

Mrs. White was born in New Lisbon, Ohio on December 27, 1916. After graduating from New Lisbon High School in 1934, she attended Dayton Conservatory of Music where she studied piano, organ, and accordion. She graced others with her talent for music by providing private piano lessons in New Castle, Indiana and played various instruments well into her nineties. In addition to her musical pursuits, Mrs. White helped run a successful dairy farm with her husband in New Castle and was very involved within the community and politics. She had a profound impact on countless Hoosiers, and her life should be an inspiration to all.

Mrs. White was a life member of the New Lisbon Christian Church and Henry County Historical Society, a founding member of the Henry County Saddle Club, a member of the Live & Learn Club, Indiana Jersey Cattle Club, the Brown Road Club, the Lenba Club of Henry County, the P.E.O-- Chapter AD, and the Altruistic Literary Club.

She served as the Council President on the Henry County Council and was a member of the Henry County GOP Club. Her years spent as a dedicated public servant will always be remembered and appreciated by the community.

Mrs. White was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, Robert; her parents; a brother, Delbert (Virginia) Hoover; and a sister, Betty Ann (Donald) Moore. She is survived by her sons, Stephen (Sharon) White and David (Susanne) White; her grandchildren Bradley (Deena) White, John (Susan) White, Amy (Jim) Byrum, and Christina (David) Whitesell; ten great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren to whom I give my deepest sympathies.

Mr. Speaker, most Americans get it. Frankly, it is just common sense. We can't continue to reward folks who come to our country illegally while those who work hard and play by the rules struggle to get ahead.

It is way past time to fix our broken immigration policies in America.

Today, the House is considering two commonsense reforms to combat illegal immigration, restore rule of law, and protect public safety.

The No Sanctuary for Criminals Act defunds sanctuary cities and cracks down on dangerous sanctuary city policies that shield criminal investigations from Federal immigration enforcement and puts American citizens at risk.

Kate's Law increases penalties for deported felons who return to America and commit further crimes.

Kate's Law was named after a young woman who was tragically gunned down by a five-time deported felon nearly 2 years ago to this day. It is outrageous.

The Federal Government's first duty is to protect its citizens. I urge my colleagues to support these much-needed reforms and then do more to stop illegal immigration in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's leadership on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, our veterans deserve high-quality healthcare. They have earned it. That is why I rise today to urge support of S. 1094, the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. This is landmark, bipartisan legislation to reform the VA and improve care for our veterans after years of poor performance and scandal.

My grandfather is a World War II veteran who regularly attends the VA in Indianapolis, so I know firsthand that the vast majority of employees at the VA are honest and hardworking public servants. Lack of accountability at the agency, though, has allowed a few bad actors to damage the VA and harm our vets, from manipulating wait lists to letting calls to the suicide hotline go unanswered, to theft and wrongful prescribing of opioids.

Our veterans deserve better.

The Veterans Accountability Act will hold bureaucrats accountable for wrongdoing, make it easier to dismiss bad employees, and strengthen protections for whistleblowers. These are commonsense reforms and long overdue.

Because our military men and women, our Hoosier heroes, fought to protect us, the least we can do is fight for them and ensure that they get high-quality care.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the bill.

Mr. Chairman, despite the rhetoric and whatever its intentions, since Dodd-Frank's passage, big bank profits are shattering records, and home ownership is down, way down, to the lowest level seen in over 20 years. Car loans and small-business loans are much harder to get, too. Simply put, Dodd-Frank has been great for Federal regulators and even big banks but very bad for Hoosier consumers.

The Financial CHOICE Act changes that. It ends too big to fail and enables Hoosier financial institutions to escape the one-size-fits-all regulatory regime of Dodd-Frank. That will help hardworking Hoosiers get more affordable loans.

The Financial CHOICE Act also includes my bill, the RIGHTS at the CFPB Act, which ensures that anyone pursued by this Federal agency will have their rights protected and get their day in court.

I urge support of the Financial CHOICE Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an often overlooked and sometimes underappreciated American hero: the American farmer.

The American farmer has been working the land since before the founding

of this country. Early settlers quickly discovered that America is endowed with abundant natural resources, rich soil, and temperate conditions that provide a solid foundation for a vibrant agrarian economy.

Fast-forward a few hundred years, and today the United States is the number one exporter of agricultural products in the world. In fact, farming accounts for over $163 billion each year. This production not only helps make our GDP the highest in the world, but it also helps feed billions worldwide, often in the most hard-to-reach places where food insecurity and malnutrition are chronic problems.

According to the most recent data from the USDA, family farms account for 99 percent of all farms in the U.S. and 89 percent of America's agricultural production. Ninety percent of the farms in the U.S. are considered small, and these small farms account for the vast majority of American farmers. This is equally true in Indiana, where, although we are the 38th largest State geographically, we rank in the top 10 in total agricultural sales.

Production in Indiana supports over 245,000 jobs, and corn, soybeans, hogs, poultry, and dairy have a combined $10 billion economic impact statewide. Simply put, ag is a really big deal in Indiana, and the Hoosier farmer does all of the heavy lifting.

Safe, affordable food is important to our national security, and a reliable, sustainable food source is crucial to safeguarding public health while preserving economic independence. That is why we should support our Nation's agricultural producers in every way that we can.

This includes supporting the U.S. crop insurance program, which provides an important safety net to farmers who assume major risks with each seed that they put in the ground. As recent natural disasters have made all too clear, widespread weather events can trigger huge losses for America's family farmers.

Without a national reinsurance pool, growers would have far fewer options available, many crops would be excluded, few could participate in the program, and growers would be forced to turn to Congress for assistance whenever disaster struck. That would be particularly true in areas where droughts and floods are common.

Through the crop insurance program, insurers can extend coverage to crops of all kind, providing farmers with the protections they need to do what they do best: grow food. This program is an example of the government partnering with industry to offer an exceptionally valuable service while maintaining a carefully limited Federal Government role. Frankly, it should be used as a model for other Federal reinsurance programs.

It is a success story, and even if you are not a farmer, you have benefited from its existence. It has helped you receive more affordable food and helped America maintain its agricultural preeminence. That is a great result for virtually every American.

Mr. Speaker, as Congress begins working on the next farm bill, I hope my colleagues recognize the value of our Federal crop insurance program and the important role that it plays in supporting the American farmer while he or she supports the American consumer.

Mr. Speaker, on the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem and on behalf of Hoosiers from Indiana's Sixth Congressional District, I rise today to send my prayers and best wishes to the Jewish state.

It is our hope that the special relationship between America and Israel continues to be strengthened and to grow. Israel is our most important friend in that region of the world and among America's strongest allies anywhere in the world. On this anniversary, let it be reaffirmed that Indiana and America stand with Israel.

The Holy City is a place of prayer for all people, and this day provides us with an opportunity to pray for the Jewish state. May it remain a beacon of light, representing democracy and freedom, and may peace and prosperity reign for its people.

The eternal capital of the State of Israel, Jerusalem, is also a seat of parliament; and from one representative body to another, we say ``Shalom'' and ``God bless.'' Our prayers are with Israel today, tomorrow, and always.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1973, which aims to strengthen protections against child victims of sexual abuse.

I am a parent. In fact, today, with me, I have my son, Hudson, and one of my daughters, Ava.

Sadly, over the course of the past couple of years, countless stories of young athletes being abused, including in Indiana, have revealed glaring inadequacies in our law. These stories, many about coaches and doctors and trainers and other adults who have abused their positions of authority and trust to exploit young athletes, are appalling and, as a parent, gut wrenching. Every one of these kids deserved better.

This bill aims to ensure that acts of suspected child abuse are promptly reported to an organization's national governing body to make sure that these cases are immediately disclosed to local or Federal law enforcement authorities. Short of this requirement being codified into law, predatory individuals can continue perpetrating horrific crimes against young athletes with relative impunity.

In addition, this bill requires national governing bodies to develop specific policies and procedures for reporting sexual abuse cases to law enforcement and to keep track of individuals who leave one facility due to complaints and then go to another facility to repeat that abuse elsewhere.

I want to thank my colleague from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) for her important work on this legislation--she is my kids' second favorite Member of Congress--and for her hard work on this important bill to protect kids all across America from abuse.

I encourage my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, May is an important month for Hoosiers. We celebrate Indiana's great racing tradition, the Indianapolis 500, and our longstanding military tradition on Memorial Day and during Military Appreciation Month.

There are almost half a million veterans living in Indiana today in addition to the 30,000 Hoosiers currently serving in the armed services, Reserve, and the Guard. We are proud of our military men and women in Indiana. These honorable Hoosiers are our fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, neighbors, and friends. Service and patriotic duty is the Hoosier way. Actually, both of my grandfathers, my Grandpa Lathery and my Grandpa Rotzien, served our Nation in the armed services.

This May, as we gather together to celebrate our great Hoosier traditions, let's remember the reason that we get to celebrate. It is all thanks to the men and women who have put their lives on the line so that each of us can be free. On Memorial Day, we, of course, remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, but every day we can remember that we owe our military families and our vets a debt that can never be repaid. Let's all do everything we can to ensure they are honored every day.

Mr. Speaker, as we approach the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of Taiwan's President, Tsai Ing-wen, I would like to offer my congratulations to her and the people of Taiwan.

For 38 years the United States has shared a mutually beneficial relationship with Taiwan, beginning with the Taiwan Relations Act and continuing through our shared beliefs in democratic government, human rights, free markets, and the rule of law.

This relationship has only grown further under President Tsai Ing- Wen. Last year, Taiwan was the United States' 10th largest trading partner overall and continues to be an important export market for almost every major sector. Additionally, Taiwan and the United States share cultural relations through hundreds of thousands of tourists, business travelers, and students from Taiwan that visit the U.S. each year.

As we reflect on this special occasion of President Tsai's first anniversary in office, I look forward to many more years of this successful relationship.

Mr. Speaker, despite the rhetoric on the other side of the aisle, today is an exciting day for those of us who have been working and fighting to end ObamaCare's reign over this country.

It is race month in Indiana, and I want to remind my colleagues that, as exciting as today is, today's vote is a green flag, not a checkered flag. It is the beginning of the race, not the end.

Today, the House will vote to move legislation forward that will repeal ObamaCare and replace it with something far better. The bill will surely undergo more changes as we continue this process in the Senate, but it is on its way to the finish line.

There are some really strong policies in this bill. It cut taxes by a trillion dollars on the American people, and government spending by hundreds of billions, too. Despite the rhetoric, it keeps preexisting condition prohibitions. No one with a preexisting condition will be denied coverage because of the policies in this bill. Insurance companies cannot raise premiums on individuals with preexisting conditions as long as they maintain coverage.

The bill will also make sure 26-year-olds continue to stay on their parents' healthcare plans as they enter the workforce. Most importantly, though, the bill unshackles American families from the mandates, taxes, and penalties that are costing these families thousands of dollars each year.

Though ObamaCare helped some, we have to remember that ObamaCare made things worse for millions of America, and that is where the national anger has come from. I have heard from countless Hoosiers who tell me the stories of their premiums going from $500 a month to $1,500 a month, with deductibles that are through the roof, at $10,000-plus a month. They have to spend $30,000 out of pocket before they even get to their insurance. For a middle class family, that means they have no meaningful insurance at all.

We can do better, and we will. That starts today.

Mr. Speaker, for generations our Nation has celebrated the American Dream. I call it the American promise, the simple idea that if you work hard, you will be rewarded.

The American promise means that, if you show up for work every morning and play by the rules, you will be able to take care of your family and, over time, your life will improve. Unfortunately, for many Americans, that promise no longer rings true today.

Before the election of Donald Trump, more than 50 percent of Americans saw our economic conditions worsening, and 50 percent of millennials think the American Dream is dead. When it comes to economic security for low- and middle-income workers, we flatlined: paychecks have frozen, and American families are having a harder and harder time making ends meet. As an uncle of mine used to say: When it came to the end of the month, it seems like you got more month than money to pay your bills.

We need a renewed focus on improving the lives of everyday working Americans. That is why the Republican Policy Committee, which I chair, launched a task force for the American worker, and our first hearing is today.

It is time to start delivering for the American worker and restoring the American promise.

Mr. Speaker, Congress is leaving for Easter break with work undone. For 7 years, we have told the American people that we would repeal ObamaCare and replace it with something better, and we have legislation that provides that opportunity. It is not a perfect bill--no bill is. But President Trump has said this is our best and only chance to get this done.

The bill cuts taxes by hundreds of billions of dollars and reduces government by hundreds of billions, too. It keeps preexisting condition prohibitions and lets 26-year-olds stay on their parents' health care. But most importantly, it unshackles American families from government- forced mandates costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Simply put, it is an enormous improvement over the status quo.

My hope is we will be back next week before Easter. I know many of my colleagues are ready for the holidays, but we need to do what we said we would do: repeal ObamaCare and replace it with something better.

Mr. Speaker, in Indiana, we keep life simple. We love God, country, family, and basketball. And, this time of year, during March Madness, not necessarily in that order. Certain principles are sacred, like you do what you said you were going to do. Some want to make today's debate complicated, but the truth is it's pretty simple. For seven years we've told the American people we would repeal Obamacare. Today we have an opportunity to do that. It's not a perfect bill--no bill is. But President Trump has said this is our best and only chance to get this done.

There is some strong policy in this bill. It cuts taxes by hundreds of billions of dollars and government by hundreds of billions. It keeps pre-existing condition prohibitions and lets 26-year-olds stay on their parents' health plans. Most importantly, however, it unshackles American families from a government forced mandate costing them thousands of dollars each year. This bill represents an enormous change away from an era of taxes, mandates, penalties, and government bureaucrats defining what health insurance plan you are allowed to purchase, and into an era where the patient, the consumer, is back in charge.

Despite today's rhetoric, the choice is clear: you can vote to keep Obamacare or vote to end it. It's really that simple. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, keep your promise, and do what you said you would do.