Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Warriors to Washington, a praiseworthy nonprofit organization from Erie County, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 2013, Warriors to Washington was created to honor veterans from the northwest Pennsylvania region who were deployed and served our Nation in the Armed Forces as a result of the attacks on 9/11 by taking them to historical and national sites in Washington, D.C.

Warriors to Washington raises money to fund an annual trip to Washington, D.C., by which post-9/11 veterans are treated to an all- expense-paid experience, which includes visits to Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Flight 93 Memorial Park, and many other sites of national significance.

Warriors to Washington focuses on camaraderie and connection, while providing all attendees with a rewarding experience. The founder and president of Warriors to Washington, Joe Pfadt, believes it is important to give this opportunity to those who enlist and risk everything for our freedom.

Joe Pfadt is a retired U.S. Army veteran himself, and has been invigorated by giving back to our most recent veterans. He stresses the significance of visiting our Nation's Capital and seeing the very documents that every service person swears to defend: the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Each year, the Warriors to Washington trip grows and evolves, continuously adapting to support the community and always striving to benefit as many veterans as possible. I am overjoyed to see members of my constituency stepping up to empower our veterans, and I am pleased to recognize the Warriors to Washington organization, which I am proud to say was founded in my district.

I ask my fellow colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in saluting the unwavering dedication of Warriors to Washington and all those who are involved in their admirable efforts to serve our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Gerald `Jerry' Eighmy, who passed away on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 after a lengthy illness. Jerry is survived by his wife of 56 years-- Mary, his sons Scott and Harry (both of Erie) and eight beloved grandchildren who will proudly carry on the legacy of their admirable grandfather.

Jerry was born on December 17, 1940 in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved to Conneaut early in life and has been a lifelong resident ever since. After graduating from Conneaut High School, Jerry worked on the ore boats for US Steel to gather up the money needed to go to college.

He attended Heidelberg College in Tiffin, OH getting a degree in chemistry. Shortly after graduating, Jerry started working for his father at the family machining company, the Eighmy Corporation in Conneaut. Over the years, Jerry was instrumental in growing and advancing the company.

In 1984, Jerry started American Turned Products in Erie, PA. American Turned Products has grown into a thriving manufacturing company, with two plants in Erie County that serve the automotive, appliance, military and hydraulics industries.

During his time in the machining industry, Jerry became very involved with the National Screw Machine Products Association, now called the Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA). PMPA is an international trade association that represents the interests of the precision machined products industry and provides programs and services to ensure members stay ahead of the curve and ready to compete on a global scale.

Jerry was actively involved in many PMPA committees over the years and also served on the PMPA's Finance, Executive, and Pension Committees. Jerry served a five year term as Association Treasurer before transitioning to Association Second Vice President, First Vice President, and eventually President elect. In order to acknowledge his service to the association and industry in general, Jerry was presented with the merit award, the association's highest honor.

Jerry continuously strived to make a difference and better the lives of those around him, which he did through a number of capacities. He was a board member and past President of the NWPA Manufacturers and business association and served on the board of Brown Memorial Hospital for 25 years until becoming the chairman. In addition, Jerry was instrumental in the creation of the sports complex for the Conneaut School System, where he was not only the major monetary donor for the project but also donated the land for the track and soccer field, which bears his name today.

In serving his family and community, Jerry was a leader in the truest sense of the word and a role model for those who were privileged to know him. He set a standard of excellence and generosity that is both admirable and praiseworthy. Furthermore, Jerry was a class act that will be remembered for his distinguished career and selfless personality.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the memory of Jerry Eighmy, a service-minded individual who leaves behind a legacy of compassion and integrity that will positively impact the Conneaut community for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Roskam so much for his time.

Madam Speaker, this opioid epidemic is killing 116 people of all ages every day, and it is horribly impacting western Pennsylvania's families and communities. There isn't a silver bullet to end the suffering. It is going to take communities working together to treat addiction and find lasting methods of prevention.

I am proud of the work that we have done in the people's House to put forward quality, bipartisan solutions to provide better alternatives and treatment for all Americans.

I want to thank Chairman Roskam for including my legislation, H.R. 5684, the Protecting Seniors from Opioid Abuse Act, into this package.

This bipartisan bill with my colleagues, Mr. Thompson, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, and Mr. Doyle, will help at-risk seniors manage their medications and avoid prescription drug abuse. This bill gives seniors who are at risk for prescription abuse access to the Medication Therapy Management Program. This successful program allows seniors to sit down with a pharmacist or other health professional and receive expert advice on how to best manage their prescriptions.

I think for most of us, when you go to pick up your prescriptions, oftentimes you are asked: Do you want us to sit down and go over this with you? Oftentimes, there is a line behind you. Or they say: You can just check the box here and go ahead and pick up your prescription. That is not the answer to what we are trying to do.

With the Medication Therapy Management Program, we actually sit down with the seniors and explain the interaction between some of the drugs that they are taking and some of the drugs that have been prescribed for them. So it is critical that they have access to this information.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has already confirmed that this approach works. To reduce opioid overuse and to avoid dangerous drug interactions, expanding access to medication therapy management for at-risk beneficiaries will ensure that these serious drugs are used properly before it is too late.

This epidemic is devastating our Nation's communities and our families. I hope that we continue to work together as a unified Congress to fight this deadly crisis. I appreciate the chairman's time, and I urge support of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a young lady from my congressional district, 16-year-old Grace Beal. Grace is the daughter of David and Corri Beal and the older sister of Eliza and Lucy Beal. Grace is a Sophomore in High School but has proven herself to be wise beyond her years and honorable in every sense of the word.

In 2009, when Grace was just 7 years old, her youngest sister Lucy died of a congenital heart disease. The loss of 11-month-old Lucy was an absolute tragedy that devastated the entire Beal family and led to a painful mourning period. However, in the midst of grief, Grace developed a sincere desire to honor Lucy's memory and make a difference for those who will unfortunately experience similar circumstances.

When Grace reflects on Lucy's journey she is reminded of the hardships but also recalls the kindness and compassion her family received from the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP). Even after all of these years, Grace is quick to praise the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and applaud their unwavering dedication to patients and families in need of support. Therefore, beginning in fourth grade, Grace decided to express her appreciation by organizing a book drive which resulted in a donation of 600 books to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Library. The following year, while in fifth grade, Grace came up with the fundraising idea ``Laps for Lucy'' through her swim team, which raised over $3,400 for Child Life at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Grace continued to create new initiatives and once again, in sixth grade, she hosted ``Lovies for Lucy'' by collecting over 150 blankets for the Children's Home of Pittsburgh, another facility that played an influential role in Lucy's journey.

By seventh grade, Grace created ``Layups for Lucy'' which initially began as a 3-on-3 basketball tournament but has developed into much more. Now an annual event, Layups for Lucy has raised over $70,000 and continues to evolve and prosper each year. Grace was invigorated by raising money and helping others, which led to her decision to create a Layups for Lucy fund and become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Grace is quick to attribute the success of the event to the involvement of her friends and family, Neshannock High School students and staff, and members of the New Castle community who have been actively involved and extremely generous.

In addition to her philanthropic involvement, Grace is a member of her high school volleyball and basketball teams, she serves as a student government representative, participates in various academic clubs and has been selected to National Honor Society. Grace's community involvement and exceptional volunteerism have caught the attention of many and inevitably led to several prestigious honors. Grace was a 2018 Distinguished Finalist for the Prudential Spirt of Community Award, a 2016 Jefferson Award finalist for the Most Outstanding Volunteer of the Year, the recipient of the Lancer Pride and Promise Award and she qualified to receive the prestigious President's Volunteer Service Award.

In sum, Grace displayed resilience in the face of adversity. She turned her pain into passion and created a commitment to helping others. Grace has demonstrated outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and has thrived as a leader, encouraging others to get involved and give back. Although she has already accomplished so much, Grace has no plans to slow down now. Grace is energized by helping others and she will continue to strive for greatness and uplift those in need, however necessary.

In serving her community, the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and the memory of her sister Lucy, Grace is an absolute inspiration. Her compassion and generosity have positively influenced the lives of many and will continue to do so for years to come. Therefore, on behalf of the Third Congressional District of Pennsylvania, I would like to express sincere gratitude and appreciation to Grace Beal, an admirable young lady, a selfless individual, and a true Community Champion.

Mr. Speaker, America is winning again. Earlier this week marked the 500th day of the Trump-Pence administration.

Last Friday's new jobs report by the Department of Labor was a reminder of just how positive these first 500 days of the Trump administration have been for America. This is not just good news; this is great news for all Americans.

A New York Times headline proclaimed: ``We Ran Out of Words to Describe How Good the Jobs Numbers Are.''

According to CNBC, the headline was: ``There are more jobs than people out of work, something the American economy has never experienced before.''

The front page of the New York Post was more succinct. It said: ``We're in the Money.''

Here are just a few snapshots:

The national unemployment rate, down to just 3.8 percent, is now matching its lowest rate since 1969;

More than 1 million new jobs have been created since President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December;

More than 3.4 million new jobs have been created since the President took office, including 322,000 new jobs in manufacturing;

More than 6.6 million job openings now exist throughout the United States. This is an all-time high.

In that same New York Post edition, let me read to you some stats that I think are just outstanding. Let's look at unemployment in 2010 versus 2018, look at it by gender and by race.

In 2010, 9.6 percent of men were on unemployment; in 2018, 3.5 percent.

In 2010, 8.6 percent of women were unemployed; today, 3.3 percent.

For Blacks, in 2010, 16.6 percent were unemployed; today, 5.9 percent are unemployed.

Hispanics, in 2010, 12.9 percent were unemployed; today, 4.9 percent.

For Asian Americans, in 2010, 8.6 percent were unemployed; today, 2.1 percent.

By age, in the 16 to 19 category, in 2010, 26.2 percent were unemployed; today, in 2018, 12.8 percent.

In the 20 to 24 range, in 2010, 17.2 percent were unemployed; today, 7.1 percent.

In the 25 to 54 range, 8.9 percent in 2010 were unemployed; today, 3.1 percent.

And if it is 55 and older that you are looking at, in 2010, 7.4 percent were unemployed; today, 2.8 percent.

Wages for American workers have also steadily grown almost 3 percent over the past year, and they continue to climb.

Furthermore, according to the IMD World Competitiveness Center's 2018 ranking, the United States has already overtaken Hong Kong as the number one most competitive economy in the world, `` . . . thanks to faster economic growth and a supportive atmosphere for scientific and technological innovation.''

According to the International Energy Agency, the United States will be the world's largest oil producer by 2023.

None of this good news was inevitable. None of our country's economic momentum is accidental. Nothing about this historically strong economy and its benefits for every single American are guaranteed to be permanent. All of this great news was made possible by the conservative progrowth policies of this administration and this Congress: from lowering taxes to cutting red tape, to expanding energy production.

As we embark on the next 500 days of this Presidency, the facts cannot be denied both at home and abroad: America is winning again.

Mr. Speaker, I think that sometimes when you sit and listen to the talk on

this floor, you would think that we are not all from a different universe; we are from different galaxies.

One side paints America as all gloom and doom and how horrible it is. The other side talks about opportunity, talks about job growth, talks about economic growth, and talks about how America is winning again.

I would ask my fellow Americans to remember this is the people's floor. It does not belong to Republicans, and it does not belong to Democrats. It belongs to the American people. We are winning again as a country, as both Republicans, Democrats, and independents. We are winning, and we will continue to win.

As I said earlier, nothing about this has been accidental, nothing about this has been casual, and none of this has happened by chance. It is pro-growth policy that continues to make sure that America wins again for every single American.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, first of all, I want to acknowledge Chairman Shuster's leadership on this, and thank the entire committee and all the staff. I sure appreciate all the hard work.

This amendment allows the Army Corps of Engineers to strongly consider the large number of recreational boats that use the locks on the Allegheny River in my district when prioritizing operation and maintenance projects.

River communities on the Allegheny, like Kittanning, Ford City, Freeport, East Brady, and others, rely on recreational boating for their economic well-being. In recent years, the Army Corps of Engineers and a local nonprofit, the Allegheny River Development Corporation, have developed a successful private-public partnership. Their partnership has resulted in private money being raised to keep the locks operational only on summer weekends and for recreational use. This amendment will allow the Army Corps of Engineers the flexibility it needs to help keep the locks open throughout the summer tourism months once again.

Speaking on this issue, a commissioner in Armstrong County once said to me: ``You know, Washington has taken away our coal jobs, now they're trying to take away our river.''

Because of the hard work of people like Linda Hemmes and other community leaders, the river is still open to thousands of boaters who enjoy the Allegheny River on summer weekends. But even the weekend lock operations are still very much at risk, and it is my hope that this amendment will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize funding so the river remains passable all summer long for decades to come.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered the primary sponsor of H.R. 548, a bill originally introduced by Representative Dent of Pennsylvania, for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, who has been a longstanding and committed champion of life.

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the Trump administration proposed cutting title X funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood that perform abortions. Now, the proposed rule does not cut funds from the title X family planning program. Instead, the funds

are directed to community health centers like The Primary Health Network in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Countrywide, there are 20 times more community health centers than Planned Parenthoods. In fact, there are absolutely no Planned Parenthood offices in my district, but there are 37 federally funded health centers. Planned Parenthood receives $56 million a year in taxpayer dollars through title X.

One of the things I wanted to just talk about for a minute, if I can, today we again grieve at the loss of innocent life, and I just would ask people to look at the loss of innocent life that we see every day in the United States. There are approximately 3,000 abortions performed daily in the United States.

So as we grieve so much for the loss of innocent life, I think sometimes we forget about all of the other life that is being lost and we kind of push that aside because we say: The Supreme Court made a ruling that allows that to take place. Regardless, it still is a loss of innocent life, and we see this every day, but somehow as a nation, we have a deaf ear and a blind eye to that loss of innocent life.

To me, it just would seem that at some point we look at this and realize it for what it is. I can't tell the other gentleman how much I appreciate the battle that he has continued, and it shouldn't be a battle. We are all trying to do the same thing, and it is to make sure that innocent life is protected.

So this piece, it doesn't take any money at all away from the title X family planning program. It does take a look at Planned Parenthood and says, you cannot use this taxpayer-funded money, this $56 million to $60 million a year to provide abortions. I would just ask the country as a whole, and the Nation, and we, as a people, to please take a look at what is going on.

This loss of innocent life is so tragic and so unnecessary, and I say that because I know a lot of the pregnancies are unintended, but there are loving families waiting for children who are there, who are willing, and who are wanting to provide a loving home for children.

So I would like to see if we can somehow come to an agreement or come to an understanding about what is being lost every day--3,000 innocent lives a day.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate what the gentleman is doing. I know how hard it has been. It is so hard for some people to weigh in on it, but I just think there is a conscience that we all need to have, and preserving life is one of those.

Mr. Speaker, this type of language is not allowed in the people's House, directing it towards the Presidency.

Mr. Speaker, this morning, I would like to recognize one of my constituents in Pennsylvania's Third Congressional District, Mr. William ``Don'' Thomas, who will make history this evening when he becomes the oldest student to ever graduate from Butler County Community College, also known as BC3.

Mr. Thomas began taking classes at BC3 in the fall of 2010, and this evening, at 80 years old, he will proudly receive an associate of arts degree in history.

Furthermore, Mr. Thomas also represents the most senior graduate in the class of 2018 among our State's four other western institutions within the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.

Now, you have got to know something about Mr. Thomas. He is an Air Force veteran who honorably served our country as an Airman Second Class with the 17th Squadron.

I want you to think about something. This man, while serving in France from 1956 to 1959, enrolled in classes provided by the University of Maryland held outside the northeastern French town where he was stationed, and while there, he earned 28 credits.

All these years later, following a successful life and career, Mr. Thomas decided to enroll at BC3 in order to finish the degree he started in 1956.

Mr. Thomas credits much of his academic success to BC3, which has been rated the top community college in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in back-to-back surveys.

BC3 president, Dr. Nick Neupauer, is beyond proud of Mr. Thomas and believes his accomplishment is symbolic for the entire community college.

Now, additionally, Don Thomas receives an abundance of love and support and encouragement from his beloved wife, Nancy; their six children; their eight grandchildren; and their four great grandchildren.

Can you imagine tonight's graduation ceremony when he stands there with all those people and receives his degree?

Now, Mr. Thomas was not a traditional college student. He inevitably faced obstacles along the way, but regardless of the circumstances, he never abandoned his goal of earning his degree.

Mr. Thomas reminds all of us that, with faith, hard work, and determination, anything is possible. Mr. Thomas embodies the spirit of a lifelong learner and is a living testament to the saying: ``If there is a will, there is a way.''

His unwavering dedication, passion, and perseverance in pursuit of his dream is not only inspiring and amazing, it is quintessentially American. It is who we are as the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I am so blessed to be able to stand on the floor of the people's House today and congratulate Mr. Thomas on a job well done and count him as one of our district's finest constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I say to Mr. Thomas: Happy graduation day. Happy graduation day.

Mr. Speaker, last week was National Small Business Week. The end of the week brought, appropriately, not just good news, but great news:

Unemployment is now below 4 percent for the first time in nearly 20 years.

164,000 new jobs were created last month--24,000 new jobs in manufacturing and 17,000 new jobs in construction.

Nearly 3.2 million new jobs have been created since the election of November 2016;

We currently have 6.6 million job openings in the United States. This is an all-time high.

Wages for small business workers increased last month by 3\1/4\ percent. That is the strongest rate of increase in over 2 years.

All this, plus:

Female unemployment is at its lowest level since 2000;

Black unemployment is at its lowest level ever;

Hispanic unemployment is at its lowest level ever;

Consumer confidence is at its highest level since 2004;

Job market confidence is at its highest level ever; and

Small business confidence is at its highest level ever.

Because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, since February, 90 percent of American workers--that is nine out of 10 American workers--have been opening bigger, less-taxed paychecks. They have more take-home pay, which means that they get to keep more of their hard-earned money to spend the way they want to spend it, not the way Washington wants to spend it.

More than 530 companies, and counting, have reinvested billions and billions of dollars into their businesses and our Nation's economy. As a result, more than 4 million American workers, and counting, have received major bonuses and/or pay raises and/or benefit increases.

This includes employees at local companies in western Pennsylvania like Erie Insurance, who gave their workers a $1,000 bonus, and then another $1,000 to their retirement plan. NextTier Bank did the same thing, $1,000 to their workers. And PNC Bank, as well. There are a lot of good people who work for national companies, like Home Depot and Walmart. Walmart alone employs 4,000 people in western Pennsylvania.

Energy bills have gone down for more than 87 million of our fellow citizens in 48 States. That is an incredible lowering of their cost of living.

According to the International Energy Agency, the United States is on track to be the world's largest oil producer by 2023. The significance of this is that we no longer have to be held hostage by bad actors around the world when it comes to energy. We will be the biggest exporters of energy in the world. And when we ask other people not to buy from these folks because of their intentions of how to use that money, we can replace what they are not able to buy there with our own homegrown energy. That is an incredible advantage.

Thanks to the most recent National Defense Authorization Act--now, think about this--our sons and daughters who serve in uniform are going to be enjoying their largest pay increase in 8 years.

The facts are clear: America is winning again.

Speaker Ryan was addressing a group the other day, and I want to quote him, because I think this is so appropriate for where we are today: ``We are working on reforms to get more people out of poverty and into the workforce. We

need to make sure that workers have the right skills they need to get a job and a good career.''

I am talking about a family-sustaining career, a community-building career, a career that actually allows us to dream.

Right now, our economy is thriving. Americans are right to feel good about how things are going. We have not seen those kinds of optimistic statistics in such a long, long time.

So we are going to keep pushing. We are going to keep pushing to close the skills gap. We are going to close the opportunity gap. We are going to make sure that all these jobs that are being made available are being filled with workers who are getting great careers and good lives and going from poverty and welfare to work.

The dignity of being able to get up in the morning and go to work, to take care of your families, to take care of your community, to take care of your churches and schools, what an incredible lift that is for the American people.

Listen, our Better Way agenda is about one thing and one thing only: it is about building stronger families, about building stronger communities, about building a stronger America. It is what we are in the middle of executing and implementing right now. We are really excited to see the great economic news that comes as a result of all these things that we have been working on.

I want you to think about something, Mr. Speaker. Never, never in at least a decade has America been winning the way we are winning today in every way and every day. America is truly winning again, and we are making America great again.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and giving me some time.

Mr. Speaker, I just heard the phrase that ``I am appalled'' by what is taking place on the floor today. I will tell you, I join in those comments, and I really do believe that.

For a person whose family has been in the automobile business since 1953 and sold thousands and thousands of cars to people of any color, it doesn't matter the color of the person buying the car. Do we match them up with the transportation need that they were looking for, and were we able to arrange financing that was affordable to them? You cannot be in business for 65 years doing it the wrong way.

To impugn the integrity of the automobile people is absolutely beyond reproach. If you run out of facts, I guess the next thing you have to go to is discrimination. When we talk this way, it is so divisive, but that is the platform: Let's divide them, let's try to separate them-- the color of the skin, the shape of their eye, their gender. Let's make sure that we can make every statement possible to show that there are bad people out there doing things to other folks and it is only by discrimination that these things get done.

I will tell you, I am greatly offended as a member of the automobile industry and as someone who has served thousands of people.

If you think the dealers are that bad, please go to your hometown and look at the Little League fence and find out whose name is out there. Look at your high school programs and see who it is that is funding all these things. Go to any charity and see who is on the list of who takes care of people.

To sit here today and have to listen to that somehow this is discriminatory just adds to the fact that when you are out of facts, when you don't know what you are talking about and what you have never done--not one of your people have ever been on the floor and--not this floor. I am talking about the automobile floor. You know an awful lot about laptops, but you know nothing about blacktop. You get on that floor, you get on that lot, and you work with people to make sure they can have affordable transportation--affordable transportation.

Rather than this person trying to arrange financing by himself or herself, we rely on a dealer, who has great, great heft within the financial community and to talk to lenders and say, ``We have a great customer here who is looking to buy a car. We need you to work with us to get them in this transportation.'' How in the world can you reduce this down to discrimination?

We are doing the same thing every day that you are doing. We are trying to make sure that we are making America great every day in every way. The best way to do that is to stop talking about discrimination and start talking about the Nation. We are coming together as a people in spite of what you say.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5443) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require electronic filing of the annual returns of exempt organizations and provide for making such returns available for public inspection, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5443, currently under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5443. This bill, in short, would ensure that all nonprofits file their tax forms electronically so that the charitable community can better assist those in need.

First, I want to thank Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy today for cosponsoring this important legislation with me.

This provision is identical to one that my colleague on the Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Blumenauer, and I introduced in a larger tax package, the CHARITY Act, along with Senators Thune and Casey on the Senate Finance Committee in 2017.

Before I discuss this bill in greater detail, I want to look across the room to my great friend, Mr. John Lewis. It was in 2015 that Mr. Lewis and I crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It was at that time that Mr. Lewis stopped and spent some time with my grandson George. And as we were walking across the bridge, George, who was 8 at the time, said: ``Grandpa, we are actually going to do this. We are going to go across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with Mr. Lewis.''

I said: ``That's right, George, we are.''

He said: ``Well, Grandpa, this is the 50th anniversary.''

I said: ``Yes, George, it is.''

He said: ``Well, can we come back for the 100th anniversary?''

I said: ``George, we will do that together. You and I will come across the bridge at the 100th anniversary.''

He said: ``Grandpa, how old are you right now?''

I said: ``Well, George, I am 65.''

He said: ``Grandpa, it may be hard for you to get across that bridge.''

I said: ``Georgie, don't worry. If I can't walk, you can push me across.''

That was a great weekend for George. And for Mr. Lewis, I have always felt he is such an iconic figure in this House for people who stood up for civil rights. That weekend was one of the most gracious weekends and best weekends with my son my grandson had. So I can't tell you how much I appreciate being with you on the floor today.

When it comes to charity, the American people are truly unique. In fact, Americans are the most generous in the world according to the new Almanac of American Philanthropy. In a first-of-its-kind survey, the almanac found that Americans out-donate Britain and Canada 2-to-1 and nations like Italy and Germany 20-to-1. What is more, more than half of almost every single income level in America donates to charity. That is remarkable, and it makes me proud to be an American and proud of our Nation's history of philanthropy.

In its earliest form, the word ``philanthropy'' comes from the Greek term ``philanthropia,'' which simply meant ``love of mankind.'' The meaning has evolved over time, but, from the earliest days of human civilization, we have depended upon kindness directed towards strangers and others. We define ``philanthropy'' today as the practice of organized, systematic giving to improve the quality of human life through the promotion of welfare and social change.

Throughout every age, American philanthropists have demonstrated the power of giving to create great and meaningful change. In my own congressional district in western Pennsylvania, we have many wonderful organizations that demonstrate the power of giving each and every day. In Erie, Pennsylvania, we have The Erie Community Foundation, the United Way of Erie, and the Black Family Foundation.

As a businessman and leader in the energy sector, Pat Black and his family started a small, private foundation in 1993. Here is one individual who took it upon himself to create a charitable organization to give back to his community. And we have many other good corporate citizens in Erie, as well, such as Erie Insurance. More than half a century ago, Erie Insurance's founder, H.O. Hirt, had a lifelong concern for others who were less fortunate, and

today Erie Insurance and its employees follow Mr. Hirt's example and continue this tradition of giving of food and clothing and other drives that help out in the community.

And since it is tax filing week, all these charitable organizations must file their tax forms, called 990s, which brings us back to why we are here today on the floor considering H.R. 5443. Our bill would make it mandatory that 990s be filed electronically going forward. Electronic filing, or e-filing, is not only more efficient; it costs taxpayers less and the IRS less to administer. This requirement will boost transparency in the tax-exempt sector by requiring all nonprofits to file their returns electronically.

Today, approximately 60 percent of all 990s are filed electronically, but the remaining 40 percent are still paper filed and not released as open data. In addition to requiring e-filing of the 990 form be mandatory for tax-exempt organizations, the bill would make such returns available to the public in a machine-readable format.

So why is this important? Better 990 information, when searchable and available to the public, allows for better scrutiny and better transparency. Jacob Harold, president of GuideStar, which collects and disseminates information from nonprofits' returns, says: ``The more easily people can access that data, the better.''

A readable, searchable format that will help improve efficiency and accuracy and reduce fraud, e-filing has served as a highly effective tool in exposing scam charities, and it will make it easier to catch these few bad actors who are using tax donations for personal gain only.

For example, in 2015, the Federal Trade Commission, the District of Columbia, and all 50 States filed a lawsuit against four scam cancer charities calling themselves the Cancer Fund. Their owners had used over 95 percent of the $187 million in charitable donations for their own personal benefit. This lawsuit took almost 4 years because of the difficulty of analyzing thousands and thousands of pages of data that were filed on paper.

Our bill will correct that. Hundreds of millions of dollars from generous Americans were wasted because their donations were going to a fraudster and not helping researchers to find a cure for cancer. To take money away from cancer patients is just plain wrong and immoral. Our bill wants to make sure this doesn't happen in the future.

Now, how would that happen? Changes could be brought sooner against these scam charities, in less than 1 year instead of 4, if the return information had been available electronically. There are countless examples that prove that this can be the case. The State of Michigan is a great model for just how valuable access to machine-readable data is. To date, Michigan has shut down the most number of scam nonprofits out of all 50 States. This is because of the Michigan attorney general's ability to manipulate and analyze researchable data.

This bipartisan bill would help expose these shams nationally by ensuring nonprofits are e-filing annual returns. Therefore, I urge my colleagues on both sides to support this important good-government, antifraud bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, having no other speakers, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Yes, it is true, Americans are a charitable group. In fact, we are the most generous people in the world. Our Nation's history of philanthropy, charities, and loving people are the envy of the world. In 2016 alone, Americans gave $390 billion, with 63 million Americans, 25 percent of the adult population, volunteering their time, their talent, their energy, and their dollars to make a difference.

As a recent commentator noted, Americans have it in their DNA to be philanthropic. Of all the countries, we are the most generous. Because I know my colleagues have it in their DNA to support our Nation's unique philanthropic history and charitable community, I urge them to vote in favor of this important legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, today it is my distinct honor to recognize the dedicated career and community service of my constituent and dear friend, Ginny Steese Richardson of Mercer County, upon her retirement as the Treasurer of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Ginny served the residents of Mercer County as Treasurer for 23 years, from 1994 until 2017.

Ginny has lived a lifetime of service to others. Her volunteer service and commitment to improving Mercer County and the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania began as a young girl growing up on a farm in Grove City, where she learned the value of a hard day's work and the importance of keeping one's word. Over the year's Ginny has been a member of the Mercer County Pomona Grange, the London Grange #1492, the Grove City Sportsmen's Club, the Grove City Kiwanis, the Grove City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

One of Ginny's most valuable contributions to the Mercer County community has been her and her family's lifelong commitment to the Mercer County Grange Fair, where she has served as the secretary of the Fair Board for the last 30 years and has also served as the past chairman. Ginny has also served as the treasurer of the Mercer County Farm Tour.

In addition to her commitment to the business and agricultural communities of Mercer County, Ginny has served as the past secretary of the Mercer County Republican Party and is currently serving as the party Chairman. In this capacity, Ginny has helped many candidates on their path to victory with wise words of counsel.

While serving as the Mercer County Treasurer, Ginny was very active in the Pennsylvania State Treasurer's Association and was chosen by her peers to serve as the president of this organization. During her tenure she also served on the Dog Law Advisory Board.

I wish Ginny great success and happiness in her well-deserved retirement. I join her entire community in thanking her for her years of service.

Mr. Speaker, tonight I will have the privilege of hearing the State of the Union Address that I have been waiting to hear since I first came to Congress 7 years ago.

Tonight our entire country will hear a confident message of undeniable good news for all Americans--not based on fantasy and hope, but on facts and undeniable success.

Tonight the President of the United States will come to the people's House and speak to a nation that is far better off today than we were just 1 year ago in every measurable way.

Now, this success did not come by accident. Over the past year, by working with a unified Congress, President Trump was able to begin implementing his agenda to Make America Great Again.

Let's revisit what he has done when it comes to accomplishments.

The signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act marked the first time our Tax Code was updated in over 31 years. It lowered tax rates for all taxpayers across the board, and it cut the corporate tax rate down from 35 percent to 21 percent which allows us to compete globally. It permanently repealed ObamaCare's individual mandate. It opened up ANWR for drilling and brand new energy exploration.

When it comes to deregulation, he signed 15 CRA bills into law in less than a year, imposed a groundbreaking rule on the Federal bureaucracy to kill two regulations for every new regulation written, and has rolled back more job-killing red tape than every President before him combined.

When it comes to the courts, by appointing conservatives like Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and a historic number to the appellate courts, he is restoring constitutionalism and common sense to our judiciary system. These appointments will reverberate for generations to come.

Now, when it comes to the outcomes, the entire stock market is at an all-time high. Contrary to what some people will speak, this affects the pensions of all Americans. Female unemployment is at its lowest level since 2001. Black and Hispanic unemployment are at their lowest levels ever. For 13 different States, overall unemployment is at its lowest rate since we first began recording it.

New manufacturing orders are increasing at their fastest pace in 14 years. Quarterly GDP is exceeding expectations and is on track for a 3 percent annual growth rate for the first time in 13 years. Consumer confidence is at its highest level since 2000. Job market confidence is at its highest level ever, and because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act alone, more than 3 million American workers--and counting--are receiving $1,000 bonuses, or more, wage increases, and/or benefit increases. Now, in my own city that I live in, NexTier Bank gave over 250 of its associates a $1,000 bonus. Those are hardly crumbs when it comes to hardworking American taxpayers.

Abroad, the Islamic State--once thought to be unstoppable--is now shattered. Military morale, recently at rock bottom, is now soaring. Our troops are currently receiving their largest pay raise in 8 years.

When it comes to liberty and conscience issues, we ended the war on religious liberty. We tore up the so-called HHS contraceptive mandate; no more nuns fighting for their survival in the Supreme Court; and we reinstated the Mexico City policy the first weekend in office.

When it comes to energy, we ended the war on coal, we stopped the EPA's so-called Clean Power Plan, we approved both the Keystone XL and Dakota pipelines, and we have plans in place to dramatically expand offshore drilling.

When it comes to American leadership, we pulled out of the Paris climate accord, we ended the Cuba appeasement, we condemned and decertified the Iran deal, and Guantanamo Bay is still open with no threat of closing.

By changing the rules of engagement, trusting our generals, and unleashing our military might, he has overseen the total destruction of the ISIS caliphate. The entire world is safer because of American leadership. Through his words and deeds--most recently with Jerusalem-- the world sees America leading with moral clarity and confidence again.

Mr. Speaker, tonight I will have the privilege of hearing the State of the Union that I have been waiting to hear for 7 years. Tonight we will look at an economy and a State of the Union that is as strong as Pittsburgh steel.

Our economy is roaring, and America's optimism is soaring. Our citizens are becoming more prosperous. Our law enforcement is becoming empowered and not undermined. Our military is growing stronger by the day. Our international credibility is being restored. Our friends, once again, trust us; and our enemies, once again, fear us. The whole world knows that we will also put America first.

But this is just the start. There is still much work left to be done. But as of today, the facts say it all: America is winning again.