Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, President Obama's sequester will take effect tomorrow. Because of the President's irresponsibility of cutting just pennies of waste for every dollar Washington spends, the men and women of the 122nd Air National Guard in my district face furloughs. Across the globe, our national security will pay the price for Washington's failures.

How did this happen? It seems that during his Chicago-style campaigning, President Obama forgot that his primary responsibility is to serve as Commander in Chief. Today, instead of working to replace these security cuts with cuts to waste, President Obama and Harry Reid are trying to pass a tax hike in the Senate, a tax hike that the nonpartisan CBO says will increase our deficit for the next 2 years. It seems that instead of solving the problem, President Obama and his allies are only making it worse.

Mr. Speaker, it's time to get serious about the $3 billion we borrow every day and cut spending in a responsible way that saves the American Dream and keeps our national security strong.

Madam Speaker, this week, President Obama outlined his vision for America: job-killing tax hikes, a job-killing national energy tax, job-killing wage controls, and job-killing stimulus spending.

Equally telling were the items that the President did not mention. He offered no plan to pay off our $16 trillion of debt, no plan to replace the sequester cuts to national defense that he proposed, no plan to save our broken social safety nets, and no plan to restore the confidence of Americans in the real economy.

President Obama believes that every problem can be solved with big government and another tax hike. President Clinton once declared that the era of big government is over. Not this President. President Obama believes more government is the solution to all of our problems.

It's time to get this economy moving again, and my colleagues in the House are ready to work toward real solutions that encourage job growth, empower individuals, and break Washington's spending habits.

Mr. Speaker, growing up back home on the farm in Indiana, we all knew that ``if you don't work, you don't eat.'' Unfortunately, that doesn't hold true if you're the majority leader in the United States Senate.

It's been 4 years since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has brought a budget to the floor of the United States Senate. You could build the Pentagon three times in that timeframe. It's time to pass a budget out of the United States Senate, and Senator Reid should not be paid until it's done.

The House has acted responsibly. We've met our deadlines, and we have set our priorities. I was part of the House Budget Committee when we put together budgets that tried to get our out-of-control spending under control and rein in our $16 trillion of debt. The Senate has not acted one time in that timeframe.

It's time to make the hard choices and do the work necessary to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington. It's time for Senator Reid to pass a budget or withhold his paycheck.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the men and women who have worked tirelessly to make Indiana the best place to do business in the Midwest.

Coal produces the electricity that powers everything from manufacturing mainstays to small business startups. Mr. Speaker, coal- fired electric power plants provided 83 percent of Indiana's net electricity generation in 2011.

Rising energy prices are squeezing small businesses, entrepreneurs, and families. Unfortunately, President Obama's EPA has waged a war on coal. Unelected bureaucrats have proposed a series of sweeping regulations that would destroy jobs and decrease domestic energy production. As a result of Washington's overregulation, the Energy Information Administration expects the pace of coal-fired power plant shutdowns to increase fourfold in the next 5 years.

Today we have an opportunity to stand up for the American coal industry and the families and businesses that rely on the electricity it provides. We can ensure that regulations are sensible and not overbearing. We can make sure that coal keeps lighting homes, stores and factories in Indiana.

I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4057, as amended. This is a bipartisan bill that at its core will help our youngest group of veterans make more informed choices about how to use their VA education benefits. I think it's very appropriate today that as we remember 9/11 and those who died that day and those who have died since defending our Nation that we are discussing this bill on the floor. The post-9/11 GI Bill is a wonderful benefit that thousands of veterans are using or have used to advance their education and training.

H.R. 4057 will further assist these veterans in making decisions on how to best use their GI Bill benefits through new, innovative online tools and by providing greater transparency on certain data from educational institutions. By helping these veterans make more informed choices, we are not only putting them on the path to successful careers, but we are saving taxpayer dollars that may have been misused at a training program that didn't suit the veteran's needs.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I'm proud of the work that Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Braley, and the rest of the members of the subcommittee have done to improve this bill; and thanks to our colleagues on the Health Subcommittee for their provisions as well. I want to thank Chairman Miller and the ranking member for their support of this legislation. I ask my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and

for his leadership on the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

I rise in strong support for the Senate amendments to H.R. 1627. The bill is a product of many months of bipartisan work to improve the lives of our veterans and their families.

I'm very proud of sections 706 and 707, which contained provisions I introduced in H.R. 1657 and H.R. 2302 respectively. Section 706 would tighten the process to debar firms that willfully and intentionally misrepresent themselves as veteran or service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses by stipulating a 5-year debarment period from contracting with the VA for the company and its principals. Section 706 would also require VA to complete the debarment no later than 90 days after such finding.

Mr. Speaker, section 707 of the underlying bill would require VA to provide a quarterly report to Congress on the cost of the Department's conferences. Every year, VA spends millions of dollars on conferences. While I understand the need for such meetings, recent history is sufficient to demand an accounting so Congress can provide proper oversight of such spending. Section 707 would require VA to report on conferences costing $20,000 or more or on conferences attended by 50 or more people, including at least one VA employee. It would also require VA to estimate the cost of conferences to be held during the quarter in which the report is provided.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, for our veterans and their families, I urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendments to H.R. 1627.

I thank the gentleman from Texas as well as the gentleman from Missouri for their support today and for the committee supporting H.R. 3501. I would also like to thank each of the members of the Indiana delegation for their sponsorship of this bill as well.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3501, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 125 Kerr Avenue in Rome City, Indiana, as the SPC Nicholas Scott Hartge Post Office.

Growing up in Rome City, Indiana, Nicholas served his community with a smile. A Boy Scout, paperboy, wrestler, and member of the marching band, his cheerful manner and work ethic were contagious.

Nicholas decided to enlist in the Army during his junior year of high school. His loving mother, Lori, proudly tells the story of her patriotic son who was so eager to serve his country that a freight train couldn't stop him.

Only a week after graduating, Nicholas left for boot camp at Fort Benning, Georgia. Nicholas chose to serve in the infantry. In August of 2006, he and his unit, First Battalion, 26th Infantry, Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division, were deployed to Iraq.

Far from the safety of his Indiana home, Specialist Hartge patrolled the streets of Adhamiyah, a neighborhood in east-central Baghdad. Despite his age, Nicholas' determination and attitude set him apart.

Members of the 3rd Platoon in Charlie Company knew they could depend on him. In the midst of a war zone, Nicholas served with distinction and earned the respect of his fellow soldiers and commanders. His gifts and strengths were known to those he served with. With the goal of attending West Point, he worked with his commanding officer to prepare himself for the challenges ahead.

During a leave, Specialist Hartge came home and took the SAT test in preparation for West Point. Although he could have taken a different path, Nicholas' devotion to his unit led him to put his pursuit of the academy on hold until he finished his combat tour. Putting aside his own safety, he returned to Iraq to serve alongside his unit.

On May 14, 2007, his patrol came under heavy attack. While navigating through intense fire, his Humvee hit a roadside bomb. Specialist Hartge lost his life in that attack. Specialist Hartge was awarded the Bronze Star for his final act of heroism.

Hoosiers in Rome City and Americans across the country enjoy our freedoms because heroes like Nicholas and his family have paid the dearest price. We can never take that fact lightly.

Madam Speaker, Specialist Hartge lost his life serving the country he loved. Renaming the post office of the community that loves and remembers him is a small, but important, gesture to recognize this young man.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on May 18, 2012, Sergeant Jabraun Knox from Auburn, Indiana, died at the age of 23 of injuries sustained when his unit received indirect fire in Kunar Province in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Knox joined the Army in January 2009 and reported to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade in June 2009. Within a month, Sergeant Knox was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom until May 2010. His unit was then deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November 2011.

Sergeant Knox's awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge.

Sergeant Knox and his wife, Courtney, married on November 9, 2009 in the middle of his deployment to Iraq. Their first child, Braylon, was born October 17, 2011, just 2 weeks before Sergeant Knox was deployed to Afghanistan.

Sergeant Knox selflessly gave his life as a service to defend our country's freedom in support of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. My heart goes out to his family, and I want to express my gratitude to them both for the service they have made for our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, today's opening prayer was given by my good friend and mentor, Matthew Barnes, who serves as chaplain at the Indiana State House and also serves as State director for Capital Commission in Indiana.

Mr. Speaker, I am only a freshman in this body, but it doesn't take a seasoned veteran to know that our government is made up of human beings who need wisdom, discernment, and grounding in the truth of God's word.

A true servant-leader, Matt has made it his mission to serve, teach, and pray for those who are in positions of authority. In 2004, he was called to serve Indiana's elected officials. Matt ministers in love, knowing that he serves a God whose will is good and gracious and whose law is truth.

In my time in the State legislature, I saw Matt give comfort and counsel to so many of my colleagues. His heart for the members of that body is inescapably clear.

Matt and his wife, Miriam, have three wonderful children: Sarah, Micah, and Emma. Their work and sacrifice have made Indiana a better place.

I'm honored that my friend has been able to join us today.

Madam Chairman, I rise today to participate in a debate that Americans deserve but, unfortunately, Democrats want to avoid.

Madam Chairman, the Senate has refused to pass a budget in over 1,000 days; but as Washington races down the road of debt and decline, hardworking taxpayers deserve an honest debate and a real choice. That's why we've come to the floor today.

This budget, the Path to Prosperity, gives the American people a choice between two futures: a future of deficit spending and taxes; or they can choose to set priorities, cut government spending, and keep Medicare solvent for future generations.

Madam Chairman, as I sit here on the floor today and listen to debate, I hear a lot of talk about a balanced approach, about shared sacrifice. Well, Madam Chairman, I believe what Americans are looking for is leadership. They're looking for people who they can trust.

I want to say thank you to the chairman of the Budget Committee, Mr. Paul Ryan, for leading the Budget Committee in a team effort to bring forward a pathway that shows real solutions to the problems that we face.

Americans are asking themselves who can they trust in Washington. Well, the solution we always hear from the other side of the aisle is let's just raise tax taxes, raise taxes on the rich, let's eliminate loopholes. Well, you know what? I agree. We should eliminate the loopholes, get rid of the credits, the incentives, and make a fairer, flatter Tax Code. But until Washington is truly determined to fix the spending problems that we have, to save Medicare, to make sure that Social Security is around for future generations, I don't think we should seriously look at any tax increases.

We can talk about tax reform, but Americans want us to address what we can control, and that is spending. We can talk about raising taxes or we can talk about tax restructuring. I believe tax restructuring would be a solution where we could find bipartisanship.

I believe that we can deal with the problems that we face in spending without raising taxes, and that we can truly address tax reform in a bipartisan fashion.

I ask that this body seriously consider the Path to Prosperity and support it.

Mr. Speaker, Hoosiers across northeast Indiana paid $3.85 for a gallon of gasoline this morning. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and people in my district are looking for long-term solutions.

Unfortunately, for the past 3 years, President Obama has rejected serious efforts to promote American energy security. By failing to put forward a responsible energy policy, this administration is making things worse at the pump.

In 2008, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, ``Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.''

Well, if something doesn't change, Hoosiers could see those prices soon.

In January, President Obama rejected the bipartisan Keystone XL pipeline and blocked the flow of over 800,000 barrels of oil each day. The President's decision does nothing to lower prices or protect us from uncertainty in the Middle East. It's a serious blow to Hoosier families already struggling in the real economy.

Hoosiers deserve a true all-of-the-above approach. The House has already passed five energy bills that are being held up in the Senate. It's time to promote real energy security.

It's a privilege to be here to stand on the House floor with my colleagues this evening and discuss an issue that is facing Americans today that really we should not be standing here talking about. We face tough economic times, but instead we have to be dealing with the administration's rule that he is implementing that came out of the health care bill passed several years ago. This is a freedom-of- religion issue. This issue is not about birth control. This issue is about government control.

I'd like to share a couple of lines from our founding documents that I think are very important. I think one thing that has happened over the past couple of years is that Americans have become more familiar with our Constitution, because I believe the Constitution has the answers for the problems that we face today.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to share this particular line that actually influenced the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment:

All men are equally entitled to the free exercise of

religion, according to the dictates of conscience.

That is found in the Virginia Declaration of Rights. The First Amendment says this:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of

religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or

abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the

right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition

the government for a redress of grievances.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today and I believe that this is a threat to our freedoms. I stand here as a Baptist, along with my colleagues from many denominations who believe that this is a threat to our freedom of religion. Can you imagine the outcry if the President told journalists what stories they could write? This is no less appalling. The President's decision to force individuals of faith to violate their conscience is a blatant assault on the First Amendment.

One of the things that is so foundational here in America is that we are a people of strong convictions. We are a people of faith. What this rule does is it puts the real American safety net at risk. We have so many faith-based organizations, charities, people that organize to help those who are in need. They are the backbone of the social safety net of this country. I believe that this rule interferes with those core beliefs and that HHS has jeopardized the mission that so many Americans have to help people across this country.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to share this quote by one of our famous and well-respected Founders and Forefathers of our country, and it is Daniel Webster, who said this in addressing Americans about preserving the principles of the Constitution. He said:

It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was

made to guard the people against the dangers of good

intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern

well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good

masters, but they mean to be masters.

Mr. Speaker, I'd submit to you today that this administration, past Congresses, has good intentions; but they are beginning to control and to rule

the people in ways that violate our constitutional freedoms and our liberties.

So I want to thank the gentleman for organizing this Special Order because I believe that the people must know that this is a rule that will infringe on their First Amendment rights.

The last quote I'd like to read tonight is a quote from Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson says:

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good

conscience to remain silent.

I ask the American people to voice their opinion, to voice their freedom, and to let their Member of Congress know what this ruling does to the freedom of religion.

I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank him for his service and his fight on this particular issue. And it is a privilege to stand here today with so many other colleagues on this important matter.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here before you today as a father of two young boys that I'm very proud of, Payton and Preston.

In this day of technology, it is amazing what we can now see in the womb.

Today I brought with me a picture of my niece that my brother sent to me and it is on my BlackBerry. If you could see the picture, it is a picture of a little girl with a pudgy nose, pudgy cheeks and a lot of hair. The doctor tells my brother and my sister-in-law that she talks a lot and it doesn't surprise me for a Stutzman.

It is amazing to see a color picture like this of a little baby girl 27 months old in the womb and to see this picture and to realize the life that is inside the womb is truly amazing and remarkable. I believe that is what is going to be a big part in leading the battle in overturning Roe v. Wade or reversing this tragic decision that has led to so many lost lives here in America.

As I served in the Indiana legislature for so many years, we fought this issue year after year. And I applaud the Indiana legislature, especially last year, in passing legislation and preventing the subsidization of abortions with State and Federal tax dollars. At the same time, I want to bring to the floor the important matter that we have to continue to push back on the Federal Government because the Federal Government has threatened to withhold other health care dollars from the State of Indiana for this decision.

Indiana has actually been most recently named the most improved over 2011 by Americans United for Life and now ranks as the number 10 State in the Nation for defense of the unborn. Planned Parenthood received over $487.4 million in government funding. That is an astounding $1.34 million per day. By their own count, they performed 329,445 abortions in that same time. That is over 900 abortions a day.

Mr. Speaker, today is the day that we stop a tragedy that is going to be a blight on this country. I believe that the young people across America that marched today here in Washington, D.C., are going to be the generation that puts an end to this tragedy.

I rise today to express my extreme disappointment with the recent HHS decision to deny Indiana's sensible waiver request that would have allowed our State to ease into the new rule that requires insurers selling policies to individuals to dedicate 80 percent of premiums they collect to medical care. This decision was made on the basis that insurers doing business in Indiana were deemed ``profitable enough.'' CMS claimed that no provider would be forced to leave because of the denial of such a waiver. However, it was the very specter of uncertainty surrounding the President's health care law that resulted in five providers leaving the Indiana market this summer. Invariably, the departure of providers from our State and the denial of this waiver will limit competition and push prices higher.

Let this serve as a warning to other States. Creative and consumer- driven solutions to meet our citizens' medical needs will be disproportionately harmed under the President's denial of these waivers.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

It is a great privilege and honor to stand here today. In listening to this crucial and very timely debate on the floor, it is one that I believe Americans have been expecting for quite some time because Americans are looking to Washington to see if leadership is going to come forward and do what American families do every day, what small businesses do every day--make sure that they don't spend more money than they have.

When our national debt tops $15 trillion, it's clear that we're broke. When the Senate refuses to pass any budget at all, something clearly is wrong. When each child born today inherits nearly $48,000 worth of debt, something must be changed.

My wife, Christy, and I have two young sons--Payton and Preston, who are 10 years old and 5 years old--and their lives are entirely in front of them. What we do today on this floor will determine the outcome for them and their families and for their children and their grandchildren.

This has not been a problem that has happened just under the control of the Democrats and Barack Obama. This has happened over the last 30 years under the control of both the Republicans and Democrats. That is why this amendment is so important.

Now, we'd all like to stand here and say, We just need to do the right thing--and I agree with that. Yet the problem is, over the last 30 years, Washington has not done the right thing. We have accumulated $15 trillion of debt. Debt is a disease which threatens to kill us.

Today, we must act decisively, and we must act permanently and let the American people vote on our Constitution, allowing them to say to Washington, Enough is enough. Small businesses and families are waiting and watching to see if Washington is going to increase the takings on top of an enormous and convoluted Tax Code.

I support this resolution, and I ask my colleagues to support it as well.