Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I came to the floor to urge Members to vote against this ill-advised resolution to disallow the President's declaration for emergency funding on the border.

In 2006, I was in Congress, and Congress voted for the Secure Fence Act. With the Secure Fence Act, under President Bush, 400 miles of border fence was built. Under President Obama, an additional little over 100 miles was built. Now President Trump has asked for a little over 200 miles to be built to provide security for America.

Now, is it a national emergency? I will tell you, I had as my guest to the State of the Union someone who is referred to as an angel dad. This is an individual who went and put on the uniform and fought for his country in Iraq. While he was there, unfortunately, his wife got ill and died, and he came home. Now he is a single dad, and he is taking care of his only child, a daughter. That daughter, unfortunately, was hit by a car on the street that was driven by someone who did not have legal status to be in this country.

Several months later, Chris came to me and said: Congressman, I did my job. I put on the uniform. I went and defended my country. Mr. Congressman, I did my job, and if you had been doing yours, my daughter would be here today.

President Trump has taken that mantle very seriously. It is his goal, it is his requirement, to defend our country at the southern border, and the President will do just that.

If you read the history of emergency declarations in the past, you will find a number of them. Some, perhaps, you might agree with; some, perhaps, you might disagree with. But since the founding of our country, it has been recognized that it has been the purview under Article II powers for the President of the United States to be able to exercise that emergency declaration. It was codified in the 1970s in a law that is now the one that brings this forward today, that brings forward this resolution of disapproval.

If you don't like the law that allows the President to declare an emergency, change the law. You are the majority. You control the Rules Committee. Change the law.

What is interesting about this is, last night, in the Rules Committee, when we considered Mr. Castro's resolution, we didn't consider it. We didn't have a single witness. Mr. Castro, I felt like sending Capitol Police out to find him. There was no one there to testify in favor of his resolution. The Rules Committee seemed perfectly agreeable to accepting this without any debate whatsoever.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to vote against this ill-advised motion to disallow the President's declaration of an emergency. Allow the President to do the job he was elected to do and secure the southern border.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to my friend Texas State Senator Jane Nelson. On Tuesday, January 8, 2018, Senator Nelson gaveled in the first day of the Texas Senate, becoming the first woman to usher in the opening session.

Senator Nelson is a true trailblazer. First elected in 1993, she is the highest-ranking Republican in the Texas Senate. During her tenure, Senator Nelson has led efforts to promote fiscal responsibility, strengthen education, and care for Texas veterans. She made history in 2013 when she was appointed as the first woman to chair the Texas Senate Committee on Finance, and in this role continues to oversee the creation of the Texas budget.

Senator Nelson lives in Flower Mound and represents portions of Denton and Tarrant Counties. A former teacher and fellow University of North Texas alum, she previously served two terms on the State Board of Education. As a public servant and longtime North Texas fixture, Senator Nelson is deeply committed to our community. I am grateful for her many years of service, and I congratulate her on this groundbreaking achievement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the notable achievements of Denton ISD's Carroll McMath Middle School Tiger Jazz Band.

This past year, the McMath Jazz Band was named the top middle school jazz ensemble in the state by the Texas Music Educators Association. Recently, they had the honor of playing at the University of North Texas's Kenton Hall, home of the Grammy-nominated One O'Clock Lab Band. The McMath Tigers are the first middle school jazz ensemble to perform in this famed music venue alongside UNT's acclaimed faculty.

In recognition of the students' music proficiency, the McMath Jazz Band will perform at the Texas Music Educators Association's annual convention in San Antonio on February 14, 2019.

The ensemble musicians include: Eli Adams, Tajalli Baugher, Aaron Borges, Vahid Baugher, Jaydan Chavez, Evan Chuah, Nicole Cygan, Isaac Dean, Ethan Desjardins, Rowan Eshbaugh-Soha, Alexander Evangelopoulos, Lily Fosmire, Caleb Harold, Travis Harris III, Nicholas Iaia, Gerald Jones, Elliot Kensinger, Jake Meyering, Jesse Mumford, Kaien Oliver, Josiah Panter, Nicholas Salas, Amari Toney, Jonathan Weaver, Daniel Wen, Jeremiah Williams.

These young student musicians, under the leadership of Band Director Mr. Travis Harris and Assistant Band Director Mrs. Kelsey Gaskill, have worked as a team to reach their goals. I congratulate these North Texas students on their success, and wish each of them the best in their future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an exemplary public servant, Police Chief Tommy Payne, upon his retirement from the Aubrey, Texas Police Department. During his more than four decades in law enforcement, Chief Payne has endeavored to provide safety and security for those he has served.

Chief Payne's career began in his hometown of Dublin, Texas in 1977. He spent many years serving in various jurisdictions across Texas, including Stephenville, Llano, Brady, and Somervell County. He has been a Master Peace Officer since 1994, and was first named Police Chief in 2003 while serving the City of Brady.

Chief Payne began serving the citizens and businesses covered by the Aubrey Police Department in April of 2010. For the past nine years, he has been a well-respected leader by his peers and colleagues and beloved by his community.

After 42 years of dedicated service, Police Chief Tommy Payne has more than earned his retirement. He has put strangers' safety above his own, and we are indebted to him. I wish Chief Payne and his family all the best in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for yielding.

Let me just say, I spent the last several hours in a hearing in the Energy and Commerce Committee, a hearing called by the Democrats on the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. The hearing was evaluating the failures of the Trump administration on the child separation policy.

Let me just share with you some of the statements of the witnesses. These were pediatricians. These were ACLU lawyers. Statements like the Trump administration policy was intentionally hurtful, that it was an incredibly difficult position that people were in, that parents have a right to keep their children safe, and that this was nothing more than government-sanctioned child endangerment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to share a story with you. Just like Mr. Walker, I had a guest here at the State of the Union the other night when the President was here. My guest was Chris from Keller, Texas, and he sat up in the gallery right behind us here.

I met Chris probably a year and a half to 2 years ago. He came to see me one day, brought in, actually, by his mother. His mother was concerned because he had suffered an injustice in his life, and he was upset, and he couldn't get over it. He just needed to talk to someone, and a Member of Congress is the last person I can think of to talk to, but maybe it can help.

So Chris told me his story. I practiced medicine for 25 years, and I heard some sad stories. I have been in Congress for 15 years, and I have heard some sad stories. But I will tell you, this was the saddest story that I can recall ever having heard.

Chris was serving his country in Iraq. In fact, he was in Iraq in 2005 when they had the big election where everyone was going down the road with an ink-stained thumb, and he helped make that happen. He helped pull that off.

Chris continued his service in various forms and was in Iraq when he got word that his wife was ill. His wife was, as it turns out, very, very ill, and he had to come home. He cared for her for the last few months of her life before she succumbed to breast cancer.

He said he made her a promise right at the end of that illness that he would

always, always, always take care of their daughter. Now Chris is a single dad. He has got an only child. The child was 12, 13 years old, the light of his life. Everything in Chris's life was wrapped up in his daughter.

His daughter came home one day and said she wanted to go spend the night at a friend's house, and Chris said no.

She said: Please, Daddy, you never let me do anything. Please let me go.

After multiple entreaties, Chris agreed. She could go over to this friend's house and spend the night.

At some point during the evening, the girls went out to a convenience store that was across the street. She drops her cellphone, goes back to retrieve it, and she was hit by a car. There were a number of cars coming down the street at that point. One was going faster than the others. All of the other cars stopped, but the car that hit Chrishia inflicted substantial injury upon her.

The driver of that vehicle did stop, and the police were called. The driver of that vehicle was in the country without the benefit of citizenship. So the driver of that car was taken down to the police station. Drug and alcohol tests were administered. A search of the records revealed a previous infraction with Customs and Border Patrol or Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He had come into the country illegally before, so there was that. He had speeding tickets, and he had been arrested for driving without a license. In fact, this time the only citation that he received was driving without a license, and he was released after 35 minutes.

Chris came in to see me several months later, literally at the end of his rope. I will never forget as he told me this story and he looked at me with tears in his eyes.

He said: Congressman, I put on the uniform of my country. I served my country. I did my job. Mr. Congressman, if you had been doing your job, my daughter would be here today.

I have to tell you, as I was walking Chris back to where he could get a cab to his hotel after the State of the Union Address--we have actually corresponded on a fairly regular basis, and he is a very likeable individual--as we walked off the Hill to get to where he could catch a cab beyond the Capitol Police barrier, he said: I really have enjoyed meeting you, Congressman. You have been great to me.

I said: Chris, I would give anything if we had never met.

This is not a manufactured crisis. This is a real crisis affecting our citizens and our constituents. The people on the panel today were very concerned about the Trump administration's policy from last June. But this is not a new deal. There has been a problem on our Texas border, particularly in the lower Rio Grande sector for years. The previous administration had problems. The Clinton administration had problems. The Carter administration had problems. It is a difficult problem, and it does need to be solved.

President Trump has outlined a reasonable approach that, yes, includes sensors; yes, includes increased personnel; yes, includes all- weather roads in areas; and, yes, it does include a barrier. Without that, there cannot be success in securing our southern border, and as a consequence, our citizens cannot be safe and secure in their homes.

I thank the gentleman for providing the time tonight and leading this hour.

I hope Chris does get some measure of peace eventually, but, clearly, this is a problem that has affected a great many lives of people in our districts. I think we each can find someone in our district who has suffered from a similar loss.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lewisville High School student leaders who have traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to study our nation's government. These twelve high school seniors, under the leadership of Principal Jeffrey Kajs, have continued Lewisville High School's strong legacy of leadership and service.

More than 60 years ago, the Lewisville High School Class of 1958 traveled to the U.S. Capitol for its senior class trip. Led by Senior Class President R.L. Crawford, students met with North Texas Congressman Frank Ikard in April 1958.

Last summer, I had the privilege of joining Lewisville High School students past and present as members of the Class of 1958 presented a class photo with Congressman Ikard to their alma mater. More than six decades later, their service to the school is paying dividends, particularly as the Class of 2019 follows in its footsteps.

The Lewisville High School Student Body Officers of 2018-2019 include:

President--Braeden Kajs

Vice President--Jordan Jackman

Secretary--Brooke White

Treasurer--Matthew Jimenez

Parliamentarian--Cecil Ehirindu

Historian--Jackie Hernandez

Community Service Officer--Yesenia Regalado

LISD Liaison--Madison Jaegers

Multicultural Officer--Par Hniang

School Service Officer--Ariana Mata

School Service Officer--Danny Hair

Project Officer--Wesley Brewer

I appreciate these students' dedication to Lewisville High School and their North Texas neighbors, and wish them the best as they graduate this spring. Whether in six years or six decades, it is my hope that the Class of 2019 will return to Lewisville High School to continue this tradition for generations to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the exemplary career of Mrs. Charlotte Allen, who will retire from her position as Town Secretary of Double Oak, Texas on February 1, 2019. The town has benefited immensely from her 17 years of devoted service to its citizens and Town Council.

Before beginning her tenure in Double Oak on April 2, 2002, Mrs. Allen served in various public service roles, including Town Secretary for Copper Canyon and City Secretary for Denton. She is well known for her dedication, work ethic, and reliability by colleagues and those she has mentored. Thanks to her hard work, the town of Double Oak has operated efficiently and reliably--a significant benefit to its citizens.

I am grateful for Charlotte Allen's contributions to the town of Double Oak, and I wish her all the best in the chapters ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the achievements of Chief Perry Bynum of the Haltom City, Texas Fire Department. Chief Bynum recently retired after serving the citizens of Haltom City for nearly 30 years.

Throughout his career, Chief Bynum held many positions within the fire department, rising through its ranks to become Chief. He was a charter member of the department's Honor Guard and the Haltom City Firefighters Association Local 3562, and he also is a member of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, the Tarrant County Fire Chiefs Association, and the North East Fire Department Association.

During his tenure, Chief Bynum served as Haltom City's Emergency Management Coordinator and was instrumental in establishing and strengthening the city's Emergency Management Program. In 2007, he was recognized by his peers to receive the prestigious ``Excellence in Emergency Management Award'' from the Emergency Management Association of Texas. In addition, he has served as both a member and chairman of the North Texas Council of Government's Regional Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee and on the First Responder's Advisory Board.

Throughout his career, Chief Bynum dedicated nearly three decades of his life to public service. His expertise and leadership will be sorely missed not only by the citizens of Haltom City, but also by his colleagues across Texas and beyond. He has truly been an outstanding public servant, and on behalf of the 26th District, I wish him all the best in retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, who will receive the 2019 Dr. Bettye Myers Humanitarian Award on January 19, 2019 after more than 30 years of dedicated service to Denton County.

Commissioner Mitchell has served her fellow North Texans in a range of leadership roles since 1985, when she began her tenure on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. During the last three decades, she served on the Lewisville Planning and Zoning Commission, as Mayor Pro Tem, and on the Lewisville City Council. A resident of Lewisville since 1971, she led the city as its mayor from 1993 to 2000 before being elected as a Denton County Commissioner.

During her many years as a devoted public servant, Commissioner Mitchell undoubtably has made Lewisville a better place to work and live. In addition to her official service, she has had a significant impact on more than 30 nonprofit organizations in our community.

A longtime supporter of the United Way of Denton County, Commissioner Mitchell was a charter appointee to two of the organization's key initiatives: the Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership Team in 2016 and the Denton County Homelessness Leadership Team in 2017. She is the sixth recipient of the Dr. Bettye Myers Humanitarian Award, which was established by the board of directors and lifetime members of United Way of Denton County in 2014 to recognize outstanding community leadership, philanthropy, and impact.

On a personal note, I have had the good fortune of knowing Commissioner Mitchell since I began my medical practice in 1981. Throughout my medical career and my time in public service, whether solicited or not, she has never hesitated to provide wise counsel and guidance.

It is a privilege to recognize my friend, Commissioner Mitchell, for her dedication and commitment to her fellow North Texans, and I congratulate her on this well-earned honor.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Denton County Master Gardener Association as it celebrates 30 years of service to the people of Denton County.

The Denton County Master Gardener Association completes more than 40 horticultural projects each year, working with local organizations such as the Texas Master Naturalists, the Denton Historical Association, and local 4-H clubs.

Volunteers from the Denton County Master Gardener Association must work to earn the title of Master Gardener. These dedicated volunteers are required to undergo over 80 hours of training to achieve the coveted title of ``Texas Master Gardener.'' Master Gardeners volunteer on behalf of Texas A&M's AgriLife Extension, following Texas A&M University's research-based horticultural recommendations.

The Denton County Master Gardener Association utilizes their specialized training to brighten the community and pass along their horticultural knowledge to future generations. Through their award winning Science with Attitude program, Master Gardeners share information through elementary school teachers in their community and distribute over 3000 seedlings annually to elementary schools in the Denton Independent School District.

Additionally, this organization supports community gardens throughout Denton County and work in conjunction with the Community Garden for the Town of Flower Mound, the gardens of Fair Oaks Independent Living Center, the Good Samaritan Village, and the Lake Lewisville Environmental Learning Area.

On behalf of the constituents of Texas's 26th District, I would like to thank the Denton County Master Gardener Association for 30 years of dedicated service, which has made Denton County a better place to live and work.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Let's get one thing clear from the start: the majority should not be acting like they are doing something that

hasn't already been done. It is not something new. Nothing we do on title III of the rules package will change what the House has already voted on and how the court will receive it.

Title III of H. Res. 6 would authorize the Speaker of the House of Representatives to intervene or take any other legal actions in cases involving the Affordable Care Act, but in particular, the Texas v. United States case, where a court recently ruled that the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional due to the elimination of the individual mandate.

If this all sounds familiar to you, it should. Last week, at the start of the 116th Congress, the House voted on title I of the rules package that included the same provisions giving the Speaker the same authority to intervene in the same case.

Actually, the Speaker has already filed three motions to intervene in the Texas case the same day the rule was passed last week. The fact is, nothing has changed between last week and today, and the Speaker does not need to be given this authority again.

But what are the facts?

The facts are that this bill, the Affordable Care Act, was sold to the American people on a misrepresentation. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. You may remember that. If you like your insurance, you can keep your insurance. Your premium is going to be down by $2,500. And, of course, famously: We've got to pass the bill to find out what is in it.

As a practical matter, people are forced to buy insurance that they may not want; that they certainly cannot afford; and, in fact, that they are afraid to use because the deductible and the copay is so high.

So, again, I am not sure how the House is intervening in the judicial process to support a failing policy while millions of Americans are functionally uninsured. I don't understand how that helps us to deliver better access to care in north Texas and across the country.

Americans should see this for what it is: a facade of the Democrats who want to revive the individual mandate under the guise of protecting Americans with preexisting conditions. I think the House can be more effective in delivering on the promises of the American people. That should be the goal of this House. It is not the goal of the House today, unfortunately.

I urge my fellow Members to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I would just ask a simple question: What has happened to your insurance premium since the passage of the Affordable Care Act? They have gone up. They have gone up a lot.

What has happened to the cost of prescription drugs since the passage of the Affordable Care Act? They have gone up. They have gone up a lot.

All I would suggest is there was a better way to go about this. Republicans have offered ideas. It really, really would behoove us to work on behalf of the American people to solve these problems rather than to continue to push this bill that has been so unfavorable in the eyes of so many Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Medicaid Extenders Act of 2019, a bipartisan Medicaid package that moves forward House priorities with responsible offsets.

The Energy and Commerce Committee worked to draft this critical legislation before us today. This language passed in the House of Representatives in the last Congress as part of the IMPROVE Act, but in the other body they failed to send the bill to the President's desk. I urge my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to support this important bill.

The package extends funding for the Money Follows the Person demonstration, an effort led by Representatives Brett Guthrie and Debbie Dingell. This Medicaid demonstration, which was established in 2005, has enabled eligible individuals in States across the Nation to receive long-term care services in their homes or other community settings, rather than in institutions or nursing homes. Not only does this increase the comfort and the quality of life for many Medicaid beneficiaries, but it has reduced hospital readmissions and saved money within the Medicaid program.

The funding for this program has already expired, and a funding extension is already long overdue. While we would like to have extended the funding for longer, it was essential to get an extension across the floor, even if it is just for a small period of time.

A 3-month extension for the protection for Medicaid recipients of home- and community-based services against spousal impoverishment is also included. This effort was championed by Representatives Fred Upton and Debbie Dingell. Our seniors are among our most vulnerable citizens, and it is programs like this one that help protect them from financial ruin.

This program specifically protects married individuals requiring Medicaid-covered long-term services and supports to ensure that they do not have to deplete their financial resources or bankrupt themselves in order to become or remain Medicaid eligible to receive such services.

In an effort to be fiscally responsible, this legislation includes several offsets that make this package on net a saver.

One of those offsets will require States to come into compliance with the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008 regarding Medicaid asset verification programs. This 2008 law required States to implement asset verification programs in order to determine or redetermine eligibility, and the Affordable Care Act required such programs to be filed electronically.

Currently, only 33 States have operational programs. This provision will bring the remaining States up to speed by levying a penalty on States that do not have a program in place by 2020. This package contains must-pass provisions that the Energy and Commerce Committee has long fought to pass. The provisions included in this legislation will improve access for Medicaid beneficiaries, which is laudable and an important goal. Not only are these provisions imperative, but they are responsibly offset.

I particularly thank the Energy and Commerce Committee staffer, Caleb Graff, who has spent countless hours negotiating and getting this package to the floor. I support this legislation and urge Members of the House and Senate to do so as well.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), the primary sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers. We did pass this bill in this House in December. I urge all Members to support the bill as it goes forward today.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

We often hear it said that life is a multiple of threes, and here we are, the third time, passing this important legislation.

One hundred years ago, this country was in the midst of the worst pandemic in its history, claiming the lives of almost 700,000 Americans and killing more than 50 million people worldwide.

As we discuss the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019, it is paramount that we remember the significance of the centennial anniversary of the 1918 influenza pandemic.

I must also note, again, the third time the House has passed this legislation. We have clearly done our work, and it is time for the other body to do their work and send this bill to the President's desk.

The creation of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response under the original legislation in 2006 has helped us to make monumental strides in preparedness, coordination, and response.

Close collaboration and efforts between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and our State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health partners have been vital in making this progress.

Like politics, much of public health is local and executed on the ground by our hospitals, by our health departments and our emergency responders, who are our front lines in addressing infectious diseases, disasters, and threats.

We hear each and every year of the dangers of the influenza as flu season wreaks havoc on communities across the country. Last year, in north Texas, some schools had to close in order to contain the spread of the flu. This bill includes an important provisio dedicated to preparing for pandemic influenza to protect our Nation against the terror of a pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, I would just parenthetically add that if anyone has not yet had their influenza immunization this year, it is still a good idea to avail yourself of that protective measure. The flu vaccine not only can prevent the flu, but if someone gets the flu after having had the flu vaccine, their clinical course is likely to be more benign.

This reauthorization includes an important provision, the MISSION ZERO Act. The MISSION ZERO Act seeks to connect American patients with battle-tested trauma care through the craft of military trauma care providers.

The bill provides grants to integrate military trauma care providers and teams into the Nation's leading trauma centers and systems. This will also ensure that our military can maintain battlefield-ready trauma care providers in between periods of active engagement. The need for top-notch trauma care extends across our Nation, far removed from the battlefield.

We must also remember that infectious diseases are a much more serious threat in the global community, and we must continue to ensure that we are prepared and ready to respond. Frontline facilities and responders in Dallas, Texas, experienced this firsthand in 2014 when a patient presented with Ebola in a DFW emergency department.

Today, currently, right now, there is an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that has been deemed the second worst on record, with more than 600 cases. This legislation equips our Nation with the tools to respond in a timely and effective manner when the public health and safety are at risk, such as if Ebola were to hit the United States again.

Additionally, this bill will also help to bring domestic biologic surveillance systems up to date so that they are operating with the most efficient capabilities and technologies.

We must also look for innovative ways to continue to advance medical countermeasures, ensuring that Americans can access medications that will provide critical protection in the future.

Another portion of this legislation would modernize the regulation of over-the-counter medicines. To date, consumers have access to more than 300,000 nonprescription items, from cough to cold medicines to antiperspirants, antacids, and sunscreens. Pharmacy aisles and medicine cabinets are filled with over-the-counter products, and American consumers rely on these each and every day.

This bill would make the over-the-counter regulatory framework more science-based and responsive to public health concerns, and it would encourage the development of more innovative products and provide resources to the Food and Drug Administration to bolster the agency's ability to review over-the-counter applications and to regulate this sector in a consistent manner.

This Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness reauthorization is critical to protecting the lives of all Americans and providing the necessary tools and infrastructure are in place when disaster strikes.

I want to thank Representatives Susan Brooks and Anna Eshoo for their work and Representatives Bob Latta and Diana DeGette for their work on the over-the-counter monograph reform.

I strongly support this legislation, urge Members to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), the principal author of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie).

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill before us today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Honorable David Garcia, Judge of Denton County Criminal Court No. 3, for his service to Denton County and to the many combat veterans he has impacted through his work with the Denton County Veterans Treatment Court Program (VTCP).

Judge Garcia was appointed to the Denton County Criminal Court No. 3 on September 1, 1997 and will conclude his tenure at the end of December after 21 years of service to our community. Since 2012, he has presided over the Veterans Court. After his appointment to the Court, Judge Garcia not only completed a backlog of cases, but he also built a new model for veterans courts that prioritizes improving the quality of mental health care available to justice-involved veterans. Under his guidance, the veterans court provided evaluation and treatment for certain veterans' combat-related mental illnesses. In his role, Judge Garcia shifted the focus in sentencing from the pursuit of judicial compliance and reduced recidivism toward a regimen that allows combat veterans suffering from the impact of PTSD and MST to graduate from the VTCP program and return to their families and communities with charges dismissed.

As a Member of Congress, one of my greatest privileges is to support veterans in North Texas and around the country. During his two decades of service, Judge Garcia has advocated for broader veteran health care access by supporting the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 and the VA MISSION Act of 2018, legislation that improves care for those who have sacrificed and served for our country. On behalf of the 26th District of Texas, I extend my sincere appreciation to Judge Garcia for the contributions he has made to the Denton County community and to our region's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7328) to reauthorize certain programs under the Public Health Service Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to public health security and all-hazards preparedness and response, to clarify the regulatory framework with respect to certain nonprescription drugs that are marketed without an approved drug application, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 7328 includes both the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and the Over-the-Counter Monograph reform language. Both of these bills have passed this House separately, and this today in front of us includes bipartisan, bicameral agreements on these programs. Passage of this bill is critical to our national security; and on this 100-year anniversary of the Spanish flu, I can think of no more appropriate piece of legislation to be considering.

I urge all Members to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.