Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I have a radical idea: let's let parents choose where to send their kids to school, let's make it easier for them to save for their children's education, let's give every kid in America access to a great school. Our current education system works for many, but it is failing too many others.

Today, I introduced a bill to change that. My bill, H.R. 5477, lets Federal education dollars follow students. It lets parents use 529 education savings accounts on pre-K to 12 education expenses. It eliminates the cap on contributions to Coverdell education savings accounts and allows those funds to be used for home schooling.

Some may say our current system is the best we can do. But deep down we all know we must do better.

Let's give all students a chance no matter where they live. Let's pass the Enhancing Educational Opportunities for All Students Act and make that dream a reality for every child.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Morrisson- Reeves Library on its 150th Anniversary.

The Morrisson-Reeves Library has been a landmark in Richmond, Indiana for a century and a half. The library provides invaluable resources and services and promotes a passion for learning and reading in the community. This exceptional institution has dedicated itself to service and education in Richmond and has been an asset to area residents of all ages.

The longevity of the library would not have been possible without the dedication, commitment and vision exhibited by the Morrisson-Reeves Library's members and staff throughout its history. I am extremely appreciative of the efforts these dedicated individuals have put forth to diligently serve for the good of the public and set an example for all Hoosiers to follow.

I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating the Morrisson-Reeves Library on its 150th Anniversary and thanking its employees for their continued service. I have no doubt that the extraordinary individuals who make up this great institution will be serving the people of Richmond, Indiana for many more years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of Bobby C. Keen, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Hancock Regional Hospital, in my congressional district.

Dr. Keen began his career at Hancock Regional Hospital in 1994 as its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Five months later Dr. Keen was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer, the position he held for the next twenty years.

Dr. Keen's professional awards and achievements are many and noteworthy. They include the Hancock County Mental Health Association's Time, Talents and Treasures Award, and the Indiana Hospital Association's Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Keen was also appointed by three former Governors to serve on the Executive Committee of the Indiana Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Board, as well as severing under two Governors on the Hospital Council of the Indiana State Department of Health.

Hancock Regional Hospital has been an outstanding example of premier health care success in Indiana by delivering top notch medical care and providing expertise to the community. Dr. Keen's steadfast dedication and continued leadership within the hospital has been vital to its success.

Dr. Keen retired from his duties heading this exemplary institution this past June. I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in thanking him for his long career and service to his hospital and community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Lions Club of Richmond Indiana on its 90th Anniversary.

Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization. These clubs provide invaluable services to people in communities across the county and around the globe. Lions Clubs help to fight blindness, protect the environment, feed the hungry, and assist seniors and people with disabilities. The Richmond Lions Club has been an asset to people in east-central Indiana, serving this community for nearly a century.

This outstanding achievement would not have been possible without the dedication, commitment and vision exhibited by today's club members and those over the past 90 years. These community leaders who diligently serve for the good of the public set an example for all Hoosiers to follow.

I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating the Lions Club of Richmond, Indiana on its 90th Anniversary and thanking them for their continued service. I have no doubt that the extraordinary individuals who make up this great institution will be serving the people of Richmond for many more years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Human Trafficking Prioritization Act, which will bolster America's efforts to prevent human trafficking.

I want to commend Chairman Royce and Representative Chris Smith for bringing this measure forward.

Despite international condemnation, trafficking in persons is still a prolific violation of human rights that affects people in every country, including the United States.

This transnational crime exploits the most vulnerable and often subjects the victims to mental and physical abuse.

The United States has responded to this widespread human rights violation by creating in the State Department the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, which focuses on the prevention and prosecution of human trafficking, and the protection of its victims.

This legislation would further strengthen U.S. anti-trafficking policies by designating this office as a bureau with direct access to the Secretary of State, all without expanding the role of the Federal government.

A vote for this legislation is a vote in favor of prioritizing the protection of human dignity.

I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

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, the President has taken the oath of office two times. Twice he has sworn to faithfully execute the laws. Twice he has sworn to protect and defend the Constitution. Yet he has unilaterally delayed the employer mandate of his own health care law twice. On topic after topic, this President has violated the law through overreaching executive action, often not even bothering to issue an executive order.

Our former constitutional law professor-turned President should know that it is Congress' job to make the laws, and it is his job to carry them out, not make them up.

That is why the House is asking the judicial branch to step in and referee this dispute. Champions of the President's choices today may regret when future Presidents are empowered to run roughshod over the people's representatives. Let's defend the Constitution and support the House lawsuit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, which will provide prospective students with better information to make more informed choices about pursuing their higher education.

I want to commend Chairman Kline and subcommittee Chairwoman Foxx for bringing this measure forward. And I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) for his leadership on this topic as well.

In modern life, few decisions are bigger than whether to attend college and which college to attend. The right choice can be a head start towards a strong financial future. The wrong choice can leave a student without a degree and in tens of thousands of dollars of debt.

There is no magic formula for finding the best fit, but having access to clear and relevant data can make the decision easier and less overwhelming. Unfortunately, when making this important choice, students and their families are often faced with a convoluted maze of statistics which don't allow them to make fully informed, cost- conscious decisions.

This legislation will ensure that students have the information they need to make good decisions for their future. Helping students more easily find the schools that are right for them will encourage their academic success, avoid unnecessary student debt, and enhance their professional prospects after graduation.

I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, each of us, as Americans, has a God-given right to defend ourselves. Those rights should apply to all people everywhere, including Israel.

I visited Israel last year and saw, firsthand, the life-and-death reality ordinary Israelis face every day. Prime Minister Netanyahu impressed upon us the very real possibility that Israel could cease to exist if it failed to respond forcefully to violence and threats from those that seek its destruction.

That is why I rise today to share my support for Israel's efforts to defend itself from the existential threat it faces from Hamas. History has shown that Israel has been America's most steadfast ally in a very dangerous part of the world.

Let's pray for peace and for the innocent lives lost on both sides of this conflict. But let's never waver from supporting our friend and ally, Israel, in its fight for freedom.

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, there is a loving family in my congressional district who has a safe home for a little boy who needs a lot of love and care.

The Rieglers, who live in Muncie, adopted their son, Chiza, last August. This adorable little boy is stuck in the Congo for political reasons that have nothing to do with his specific situation or his health.

As a Nation, we should refuse to accept the continued separation of Congolese children from their adoptive American parents, especially children like Chiza with urgent medical needs.

All children, regardless of where or the circumstances into which they are born, deserve loving families. I will continue working to make that dream a reality for Chiza and the Rieglers and other families like them who simply want to love and care for their adoptive children who desperately need both.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, which will help get people back to work in higher-wage jobs.

I want to commend Chairman Kline and Subcommittee Chairwoman Foxx for their dedication and commitment to improving our nation's workforce training programs.

Our nation's current job training system is overly complex and failing hard-working Americans. Believe it or not, millions of jobs go unfilled simply because prospective employees lack the necessary knowledge and training. This bill will help address that challenge by bridging the gap between the skills workers have and those employers need, preparing workers to find good paying jobs.

This bill will also ensure hard-working taxpayers get more bang for their buck by demanding accountability and results from workforce training programs.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, which shows we can come together and move America forward when we set our partisan differences aside.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishment of the Wapahani High School boys baseball team.

The Wapahani baseball team recently made school history by capturing its first ever baseball state championship. The Raiders won the Indiana Class 2A State Baseball Championship 2-0 over Evansville Mater Dei at Victory

Field in Indianapolis. This victory is Wapahani High School's fourth state championship. The state championship victory marked the team's 17th straight win. They finished the season with a record of 30-4.

I want to congratulate this team for performing with extraordinary dedication and teamwork for the entirety of their season and throughout the State Championship. I also want to commend the team for representing themselves with class throughout the season, the tournament, and the remainder of the year.

Congratulations on the achievement go to team members Drew Brant, Zack Thompson, Luke Snider, Bret Lawson, Talon Craycraft, Kyzer York, Collin Hoots, Jacob Walters, Grant Thompson, Hunter Stanley, Taylor McKee, Austin White, Jourdan Hill, Hayden Castor, Austin Martin, Jared Coats, and Alex Summers. In addition, senior team member Collin Hoots was named the winner of the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award for Class 2A Boys Baseball for his demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability.

For the continued leadership of this championship team, congratulations and accolades go to the head coach, Brian Dudley, who led the team through their most successful season yet.

I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating the Wapahani High School varsity baseball team for their dedication, execution, and excellence this season.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important bipartisan resolution to encourage the Democratic Republic of the Congo to resume issuing exit permits so that families can bring their adoptive children home to the United States.

I want to commend my colleague, Representative Collin Peterson, for bringing this measure forward. It makes clear that we condemn the use of children as political pawns and support the unification of these families that have been separated due to arbitrary, bureaucratic, red tape.

As the father of three, I can imagine nothing worse than being separated from my children and not being able to love and care for them. Unfortunately, this has been a reality for hundreds of American families, including two in my district.

The Riegler's, a family from Muncie, legally adopted their son Chiza on August 27, 2013. Almost a year later, he is not home, despite having medical needs that can only be properly treated in the United States. The Riegler's are not alone in this harrowing experience, other families throughout the country are in the same senseless limbo.

The Department of State must put pressure on the Democratic Republic of the Congo to issue exit permits for children that have legally been adopted. As exit permits are provided for children deemed medically fragile, the State Department must then expeditiously process the paperwork to ensure these children are in their parents' arms as soon as possible.

All children have a right to be in a loving family that can provide the support they need to become healthy adults. We should not accept having to wait years to bring an adopted child home to the United States as the best we can do for these children and their parents.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4631, the Autism CARES Act, which reauthorizes the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act. I want to commend my colleague, Representative Chris Smith, for bringing this measure forward.

Our understanding of autism remains an unsolved puzzle. More children than ever are being diagnosed with communication and behavior disorders that lead to a diagnosis of autism.

Though our understanding of autism is limited, what we do know is that autism affects too many children, strains families, costs too much, and puts those it afflicts at an educational, professional, and social disadvantage compared to their peers.

Families with autistic children do everything they can to help their kids maximize their God-given abilities whatever those may be. But it's not always easy especially in a world where many don't understand the unique challenges autism presents. Helping these families better navigate this treacherous world would make a huge difference.

The Autism CARES Act provides federal support for critical autism research by reauthorizing research programs at the National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill will help better coordinate federal autism research and ensure more focused efforts to maximize the benefits of the resources we invest in such research.

This bill also will begin efforts to determine how best to meet the needs of young adults with autism as they face the new challenges that come with being an adult.

These investments are extremely important because autism imposes tremendous emotional and financial costs on families and economic impact on the health care system. The investments called for by this bill will pale in comparison to the personal and financial benefits they will yield in the future.

Families struggling with autism face challenges many of us can't imagine. They need and deserve our help. It is time to commit ourselves to solving this puzzle today so autism can be prevented, treated, and cured tomorrow.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan measure.