Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, we are locked in a debate today over something that we don't have to be locked in a debate about.

Our friends on the other side know that everything that was in our proposal, you agreed with. There was nothing in that proposal that you were against. I hear you talked tonight about all the things that you are still in favor of. Those were the same things that we had in our bill the other day, but you voted against it.

We are now in the middle of a Schumer shutdown, not because of what the House didn't do, but because of what the Senate refuses to do. Dates have importance. We knew the government would shut down if we did not fund it yesterday.

We know that DACA has until March 5 to be addressed. Yet, today, we come here with this phony argument that somehow we are on the same page, we are trying to do the same things. But do you know what? We just can't vote that way to get there.

America is watching, and America is understanding right now that this is the Schumer shutdown. Let there be no question about who it is that has failed the American people.

Let there be no question that when it comes to CHIP and all of those bleeding hearts that say, ``You need to do this, you need to do this,'' and say, ``We did it for 5 years, now we want to do it for 6 years,'' you are still saying, ``Not quite good enough for me to vote on.''

And when you talk about our military and how much you admire what 1 percent does to protect the rest of the 99 percent of the country, and then you stand up here and say, ``I would have voted for it except for one thing, it doesn't include DACA.''

There is no legislation for DACA right now. It was never in jeopardy. We have until March 5 to get it straightened out. But we do not have any more time to sit here and not open up this government.

My friends, please, abandon the Gruber effect and tell the truth and know that America is watching, and America understands that this shutdown is based on Mr. Schumer's inability to get his people on board, people who aren't necessarily needed to be involved.

We know we can't do it with 51 votes. We need to do it with 60 votes. Please look in your civics book and find out how it works. Let's vote tonight. Let's walk out of here tonight united as an American House of the people.

My time may be expired, but do you know what? Americans' patience is getting more and more expired.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I think the interesting part of our conversation tonight is what we are talking about. We are talking about the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act; the born-alive abortion survivors. This is such a commonsense bill, it just protects our children.

I wonder what people think about this: in the case of an abortion or an attempted abortion that results in a child being born alive, any healthcare practitioner present must exercise professional care to preserve the life of the child. The child must be immediately transported and admitted to a hospital.

This bill is needed to protect our children. Americans have seen the horrifying videos of Planned Parenthood, and the Judiciary Committee has heard testimony from women who have survived and whose children have survived abortion.

But I think what is more chilling than anything, in the United States of America--the biggest defender of life, and liberty, and freedom in the world, that is our history--we have to pass a law that protects children who survive an attempted abortion. These are children that are born alive. It is incredible that we have to even have that discussion in the people's House, especially the United States of America.

Where have we become this depraved of what our moral constitution needs to be?

It is unbelievable that we have to come to this House and on this floor and defend those lives.

Now, it has been said oftentimes that 90 percent of life is showing up, because when you show up, people know you care. On Friday, hundreds of thousands of Americans from all over our country will come to Washington, D.C., in the March for Life. They have done this for 45 years. For 45 years, their passion has never diminished. For 45 years, they have made the trip to Washington, D.C., so that our country's leaders, political leaders, understand the sanctity of life. It is incredible that we have to go through this process.

The United States is only one of seven countries in the world that allows abortion after 5 months. I wish we would quit using the term 20 weeks--5 months. Who is included in that group? North Korea, Vietnam, and China. What a wonderful group to be part of.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman because he has fought this fight for so long. I ask Mr. Smith to just think of the last 45 years, the number of people who have come here, the number of people who have marched for life, and we talk about what it is that we are trying to get to.

Now, we know there has been 60 million abortions--60 million little boys and little girls who never got to live the full potential of their life. But through the efforts of the pro-life movement, what we can count are the numbers of expectant mothers who were going to have an abortion, but, through the efforts of people like Chris Smith, stopped and thought for a minute about what it was they were actually going to do, and that was end a life. We don't have those numbers, but I have to tell you, they have to be off the charts.

Another thing I think is so important, for those folks who did go through an abortion, it is time for them to know that there is forgiveness and there is mercy. There is always room in our hearts to embrace them and get them through that difficult period.

Mr. Speaker, I can't tell you how important this piece of legislation is. It is just so chilling. I am going to repeat it again: a law that allows children who are born alive in an attempted abortion have got to be protected by the people's House. Where in our hearts, as human beings, do we not understand the basic moral obligations and rights that we have?

It is just so hard to come here year after year to do this. But for 45 years--for 45 years--they have shown up in droves, millions and millions of Americans, talking about life and protecting life. We have another chance this Friday for all of us to show up and for all of us to be there. I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, 90 percent of life is showing up because people know you care.

I thank Mr. Smith of New Jersey so much for showing up for 45 years. We do know the gentleman cares, and we do know his compassion and his dedication to life.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, we need to ask ourselves, what does H.R. 4318 do,

the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act? It is going to make it easier for American manufacturers to compete globally.

As my friend, Mr. Pascrell, has just said to you, for so many years, we have put ourselves at the wrong end of the way things should work. We add tariffs, we add taxes on the people who manufacture.

This is a commonsense bill. In every measurable way, our country and our people are the beneficiaries of this bill.

Now, through this legislation, Congress will be able to reduce or totally suspend the tariffs, which are essentially a tax. At the end of the day, by giving tariff relief to U.S. businesses, this will reduce manufacturing costs, therefore, making products more competitive for U.S. consumers. It is a win-win for America's consumers and for American workers.

For decades, Congress has passed this type of legislation to boost the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing by lowering the cost of imported goods without unnecessarily harming U.S.-based companies that produce competing products.

Now, let me just take, for example, a company back in Pennsylvania, Lasko Products. Mr. Pascrell and I sat in a hearing and we listened to these folks as they talked about what makes them competitive, what takes them off the shelf where they can't compete, and too often it was their own country that was making it difficult. Lasko is an 11-year-old company. They employ 1,000 people.

Now, Mr. McCasey, who is the chief operating officer, came and talked to us. When you hear what goes on with Lasko--this is in his words, and I think this is where we have to really concentrate--Mr. McCasey says: We are in a business of pennies and can sometimes lose the sale of a fan to an overseas competitor due to a cost differential of 20 to 30 cents.

So what is it that Lasko makes? It makes fans. Seventy-two percent of their fans are portable fans. Why in the world would their own government make it harder for them to compete in a global economy? It makes absolutely no sense.

We have come together, both sides, in agreement that, if there is something that we can do, why wouldn't we do it? Why wouldn't we make it easier for our own companies to compete? Why wouldn't we make it easier not just for us to compete, why wouldn't we make it easier for us to win, and win in big ways?

This piece of legislation is so commonsense. There is nothing in it that both sides don't agree on. Quite frankly, and I agree with Mr. Pascrell, this is the first step, but we have got to go even further.

When we see what has happened in our country since last year, the Trump administration's policies and the numbers that we have seen rising and escalating at such an ascent that we didn't ever expect this to happen this quickly, when we see America winning again, we know that that means America's workers, every man and woman, everybody in America benefits through this legislation because we make ourselves competitive on the global stage.

There is no reason for America ever to take a backseat to anybody else in the world, and we do it through commonsense legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and Mr. Pascrell. It is good to be on the same team. It is good to be winning and keeping America winning as we go forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

When we are in this House, the people's House, I know sometimes the message goes back and forth. Unfortunately, this idea of identity politics is what we have to play all the time. Instead of talking to the American people, we talk past the American people,

and we try to make it so divisive that they can't see the facts.

I would just tell my friends on the other side, as a child growing up, I think all of us were the same. We would sit down about this time of year, and we would write a letter to Santa. We would ask Santa Claus for everything we wanted. Then we would mail it off to the North Pole.

Then we would come down on Christmas morning, and we would see that Christmas tree and all those gifts laid out. We never got everything we wanted, but we were sure thankful for everything we got.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is so critical. When we talk about debt, if I were to tell an investor: For every $1 that you invest, I can return $1.90 on it, they would be excited.

Let me just explain something when we talk about American families. It is not Republican families, by the way, not Democrat families, or Libertarian families. I am talking about American families. A typical family of four earning $73,000 a year will see a cut in their taxes of $2,059. A single parent with one child earning $41,000 a year will see a tax reduction of $1,304.

I would ask my friends, please do not be on the wrong side of history. You will have an opportunity today to do something that is great for America, to make America great again. We look at everything that is going on, and we decide that somehow, in this House, we must be divisive and not united. When we think that somehow giving people more of their own money back is the wrong policy, when we think that somehow giving tax relief to every single American is the wrong policy, when we think that the tone and tint of somebody's skin, the shape of their eye, where they worship, where they live, what they earn is the main issue, and we can divide them as a people, that is absolutely wrong. It is totally un-American.

What is truly pro-American is making sure that every single American gets to keep more of her or his money that they earn in a day, and they don't have to give it to the government. Nothing could be more simple. Nothing could be more easy.

I would ask all my friends to please, let's act in the best interest of America. Forget the identity politics. Look at what is good for those neighbors of yours, those friends of yours, and that family of yours, and let's decide where America is going to go.

We have seen a dramatic rise in our economy since the last election. This tax cuts bill, this jobs bill, will allow this economy to take off where all boats will rise. Not just red boats or blue boats, but red, white, and blue boats. It will happen at the best time of the year, a time when people look to this House to do the right thing for the right reason. Good things happen when we do that.

This is an incredible opportunity in the history of the country. The is an incredible opportunity to show the American people that we are not divided as a House. We are united. We are united in doing the right thing for them because it is the right thing, and good things will happen.

I would like to wish all my friends on both sides of the aisle and all those folks at home a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays. On Christmas morning, I guarantee you, you may not get everything that you wish for, but you are going to be so thankful for everything you got.

Let's pass this tax cut and jobs bill and make sure America moves forward. We have labored for too long behind the rest of the world. Individuals have more take-home pay, corporations will stay home. They will make investments in land, bricks, mortar, equipment, education, and in making our workers the best workers in the world and able to compete anywhere on any stage and win.

We will not only just participate, we will dominate, and that will trickle down to every single American, not just red, white, and blue; as I said earlier, not just Republicans or Democrats, but every single American. What a wonderful gift for Christmas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our football teams back home. These are the Ramblers from Erie Cathedral Prep. This is an outstanding football team.

Oftentimes, when we come here, we talk about things and we tend to go around what is going on in our district and things that we are proud of. I think in things like these types of championships that are won, while it happened last weekend, it is something that every single player will remember for the rest of his life, their parents will remember it, and the members of the community will remember it. So to be able to stand here today to talk about the Ramblers is really an opportunity for me and truly an honor.

This is the second straight Pennsylvania Quad A State Championship. Cathedral Prep beat Imhotep Charter last week by a score of 38-28. This year's championship makes the Ramblers back-to-back Pennsylvania State champions, and it is their fourth State football title overall. Led by Coach Mike Mischler, the Ramblers have now gone 42-2, appearing in the finals each year and racking up 28 consecutive wins over the last three seasons.

Now, achieving back-to-back State titles sets these Ramblers apart even in the storied history of western Pennsylvania high school football, and they deserve every bit of adulation that they have received. They are a great source of pride for not only the city of Erie, but all of northwestern Pennsylvania.

It is also worth mentioning that the Wilmington High School Greyhounds in Lawrence County gave it their all in a loss last week in Pennsylvania's PIAA Class 2A State title game at Hersheypark Stadium.

Now, this was the Greyhounds' third trip to the title game under legendary Coach Terry Verrelli, who announced his retirement after 40 years on the job right after the game. In those 40 years, Coach Verrelli amassed 314 wins, making him only the 15th high school football coach in Pennsylvania's esteemed football history to reach the 300-win plateau. More valuable than any of his victories on the field are the countless victories he helped his young players achieve in their lives off the field.

I think that sometimes we miss the really strong point about competition at the scholastic level or any level. I would tell you for both these teams, this Erie Prep team, for a lot of these young men, this mission started when they were playing little midget football or pee wee football, and it continued all through their lives. The same thing--their parents supporting them as they go along and their communities supporting them as they go along. These guys are always one moment, one thought, and one memory away from being right back on this field in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and winning the State title.

The same with the Greyhounds. When you talk about high school football history, people talk about Texas and they talk about Pennsylvania. But I got to tell you, the Friday Night Lights story started in Pennsylvania, so with all due respect to my friends from Texas, the Keystone State was the first when it came to Friday Night Lights and the great pride it brought to these communities.

The 2017 teams at Cathedral Prep and Wilmington High School in Pennsylvania's Third District, along with the championship-winning Pine-Richland Rams--which is just outside the Third District, and they won the State championship--again, they add to this really storied history of football in western Pennsylvania. More importantly, they add to the local lore and pride that strengthen communities like Erie and New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.

The hard work, perseverance, and hometown pride that allowed each of these teams to reach the championship is a reflection on the communities, the families, and the people who live in these towns.

So, again, I say to the Cathedral Prep Ramblers, to Wilmington High, and to the Pine-Richland Rams: On outstanding, history-making seasons, congratulations. Great job, guys.

Although I am a Golden Tornado from Butler, Pennsylvania, I am proud to say: Go Ramblers, Go Greyhounds, and Go Rams.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of my constituents, United States Marine Major Eric Burkett, from New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Major Burkett was deployed as a member of the 24th Expeditionary Force in Morocco as an Osprey pilot. On April 11, 2012, he was nearly killed in a plane crash, which took the lives of two of his brothers- in-arms.

After coming home to Walter Reed, he lost one of his legs and continues to recover from his numerous injuries to this day. His wife, Melissa, who also is a former marine, has been by his side from day 1, along with their loving six children.

Major Burkett may never fly again, but already with his recovery he soars high above most of us. It was his spirit of service and patriotism that led him to start a program at Fort Belvoir for adaptive archery for his fellow wounded warriors.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem penned by Albert Carey Caswell in his honor and in celebration of his new adaptive home, built thanks to the Gary Sinise Foundation.

At this time, I will read an excerpt from this poem:

As his two brothers, angels now up to Heaven would rise . . .

Coming back home with only his family upon which to rely . .

.

So all by his side . . .

His fine wife, Melissa, and children giving him the strength

to try . . .

As he knew it was time . . .

Time to rebuild his life . . .

Armed with his heart of the strength and iron will . . .

Giving him the power and courage to nourish him to instill .

. .

The strength to rebuild . . .

Who against all odds our wounded warriors into that dark

night move onward still . . .

Mr. Speaker, it is people like Major Burkett, whom we celebrate. It is the people who put themselves in danger and harm's way in order to protect the rest of us. I am so proud and humble today to be able to submit this poem in honor of Major Burkett.

Osprey De Corps

(By Albert Carey Caswell)

Osprey

Osprey De Corps

What a magnificent presence oh for sure

And oh what a Osprey De Force

As straight as an arrow heading for

Truer than true into that face of war

To serve and protect

His Country Tis of Thee he'll not neglect

To reek havoc upon the enemy a shear train wreck

All in those magnificent shades of green

Such Strength In Honor seen

Soaring to new his courage convenes

With such impact this United States Marine.

Oh to be a United States Marine

Who in Strength In Honor are seen

Soaring to new heights to intervene

To fight the fight

What a Osprey De Force awesome sight

Who for all us out on his course took flight

Marines with wings,

one of the most impressive of all things

A sheer work of art this human being

Swooping down upon the enemy for the Nation he so loves

A bulls eye,

hitting his mark all in his battle cry

To vanquish an enemy straight into the heart of he flies

Going from vertical to horizontal as he

will not be denied

In and out of places others dare not to try

Making those boots on the ground realize

That he's got their backs up on high

Who bleeds Marine green all the time

And loves Marines so much he married a Marine this guy

One of the baddest of the bad upon which this Nation relies

Who leads with his heart as he sets

his sights on high

Finding his mark

An Osprey De Corps all in his part

Oh what a force

All out on his most heroic course

A United States Marine burning bright,

this force

When, out on a mission crashed as death was at his side

As his two brothers,

angels now up to Heaven would rise

Coming back home with only his family upon which to rely

So all by his side

His fine wife Melissa and children giving him the strength to

try

As he knew it was time

Time to rebuild his life

Armed with his heart of the strength and iron will

Giving him the power and courage to nourish him to instill

The strength to rebuild

Who against all odds our wounded warriors into that dark

night move onward

still

As he won the battle but lose his leg

Realizing he'd never fly again on that day

When, he looked at his target and then his options weighted

So setting his sights high out on his way

A Osprey De Corps on his way to recovery with tear in eye

seemed as he prayed

Bulls eye hitting the mark

As soon he was up and out the door

Leaving behind a town called pity for sure

When, to new heights his heart so soared

To Teach Us

To Reach Us

To Beseech Us All The More

Creating his own Hunger Games,

with his great appetite for recovery he hungered for

And the last time I saw Major Burkett,

I had to look up

Because, with his fine heart way above me he so soars

His wife Melissa he married up for sure

With four beautiful children he's thinks he is the luckiest

guy and can't ask for

more

Because, the families are the unsung heroes whenever Johnny

goes off to war

Who are the ones who must wait and worry all the more

And when they come home give them such comfort for their

recovery to insure

And where would all these heroes be if it were not but for

all of these?

The families are our unsung heroes each day our Lord so sees

Leading the way to recovery

Major Burkett all in those shades of green

Is one magnificent Osprey De Force seen

The pride of Pennsylvania for what he's done and where he's

been

Its courageous men like him off to war our Nation sends

Who help win all those wars upon whom we depend

For all that we hold sacred and so love and adore

A one fine Osprey De Corps

Ooo Rah!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Greenville Junior-Senior High School in Greenville, Pennsylvania which was recently honored by the Department of Education as a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School. This award, given to only 342 schools in America this year, is based on a school's overall academic performance as well as its progress in closing achievement gaps among its students.

In her message of congratulations, Secretary DeVos commended the ``visionaries, innovators and leaders'' who are ``preparing every child for a bright future.'' I am proud to join her in congratulating the teachers and administrators of Greenville, as well as the families of these students for the love and support they provide. Most of all, I congratulate the students themselves for a job well done. They are truly a credit to Pennsylvania's Third District, and to our country. It is an honor to represent them in the People's House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Laurel Junior-Senior High School in New Castle, Pennsylvania, which was recently honored by the Department of Education as a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School. This award, given to only 342 schools in America this year, is based on a school's overall academic performance as well as its progress in closing achievement gaps among its students.

In her message of congratulations, Secretary DeVos commended the ``visionaries, innovators and leaders'' who are ``preparing every child for a bright future.'' I am proud to join her in congratulating the teachers and administrators of Laurel, as well as the families of these students for the love and support they provide. Most of all, I congratulate the students themselves for a job well done. They are truly a credit to Pennsylvania's Third District, and to our country. It is an honor to represent them in the People's House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Greenville Junior/Senior High School in Greenville, Pennsylvania, and Laurel Junior/Senior High School in New Castle, Pennsylvania, which were recently honored by the Department of Education as 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

This award, given to only 342 schools in America this year, is based on a school's overall academic performance as well as its progress in closing achievement gaps among its students.

In her message of congratulations, Secretary DeVos commended the visionaries, innovators, and leaders who are preparing every child for a bright future. I am proud to join her in congratulating the teachers and administrators of Greenville and Laurel, as well as the families of these students, for the love and support they provide.

Most of all, I want to congratulate the students themselves for a job well done. They are truly a credit to Pennsylvania's Third District and to our country. It is an honor to represent them in the people's House.

Mr. Speaker, I wasn't going to speak tonight because I was just trying to figure out what it is that we are trying to get here and if it is always going to be the same thing as if it is not our bill, just not the bill we want.

When we talk about a rush to judgment, for 31 years, we have postponed the inevitable. We no longer can compete globally because of our corporate tax rates and the regulations.

Our people--and I don't care if they are Republican voters or Democratic voters or people that don't vote at all--isn't it time to give them a little bit more money in their take-home pay? Isn't it time to let them get up in the morning with an idea that ``I can actually be better at the end of the day than when I started''? Isn't it time for us to talk about bringing millions of jobs back to the United States as opposed to sitting here and trying to battle back and forth about something that politically doesn't make any sense?

For the folks who are sitting at home, do they realize how far we are getting away from what we pledged we would do for them: a dynamic and robust economy that allows for more take-home pay, a dynamic and robust economy that allows corporations to flourish and not flounder, and a tax plan that absolutely puts America back where it so deservedly belongs?

With all the assets that we are blessed with, with all the talent that we are blessed with, and with all the opportunity that we are blessed with, can we really think that tonight is the night to turn this into a political battle, to make one side look good and one side look bad?

Is it always going to be the war on the wealthy? Is it always going to be the war on some entity? Does it have to be some type of identity before we can actually back away and say: Tonight we are going to do something for every single hardworking American?

Please, refrain from using the term ``middle class.'' There is nothing, I think, that flies more in the face of who we aren't as a society than classifying people: ``Oh, they are middle class''; ``Oh, they are upper class,'' which leads people to think: ``Oh, there must be a lower class.''

I am asking, tonight, not for either side of the aisle, but for America to look at what is going on and say: It is not time for us to get back in the game.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Brady and all the members of the Ways and Means staff who have worked tirelessly in order to bring this bill forward.

I can't tell you how excited I am to be here today. My friend, Mr. Larson, I notice he wears a pin with a picture of John Kennedy, one of my favorite Presidents of all time.

Let me just read from a speech that President Kennedy gave on December 14, 1962. This is 55 years ago, and he gave it in an address to the Economic Club of New York.

``Our true choice is not between tax reduction, on the one hand, and the avoidance of large Federal deficits on the other. It is increasingly clear that no matter what party is in power, so long as our national security needs keep rising, an economy hampered by restrictive tax rates will never produce enough revenues to balance our budget--just as it will never produce enough jobs or enough profits.

`` . . . only full employment can balance the budget, and tax reduction can pave the way to that employment. The purpose of cutting taxes now is not to incur a budget deficit, but to achieve the more prosperous, expanding economy, which can bring a budget surplus.''

Keeping that in mind--and I hear the debate going back and forth--I would just encourage all of our Members: you are going to have a choice today to take your voting card, and you are going to put it in the voting machine, and you can push a green button that says ``go,'' putting this Nation back on track, making America the greatest economic power in the world; or you can push the red button and say: you know what, just not something I can vote for today because it is just not exactly what I want.

Next week, 50 million Americans will travel because they want to come home; they want to come home for the holidays; they want to come home for Thanksgiving. This bill is a Thanksgiving bill. This is a jobs bill because what we are telling corporate America is we want you to come home. We want to make this a more favorable environment for you to live, to work, to succeed, because we know that true success in business is only a sustainable business model.

So when you tax people at the highest rate in the industrialized world, when you regulate people that puts them in an uncompetitive advantage on the shelf, they can't exist, and so where do they go? They have to leave home to go overseas to find that answer.

Now, I just want to go over some things that really are important. A friend of mine by the name of George Abraham, who is a basketball coach--George and I were talking one day, and we were talking about the value of winning. And George said to me: You know what, Mike, the only position you want to be in is the number one position.

And I said: Really?

He goes: Yes. Because anything other than finishing first is you finish with the rest.

If you were to take a survey, and Forbes did, and they said: If you were starting a business today, where would you start that business?

And right away, I would say: Are you kidding me? It is the United States of America because of who we are, our greatness.

And no, there are 22 other countries that people say I would rather go someplace else than do it right here in America. That is incredible. And when we talk about where we are as a people--where we are as a people--listen to these figures. These are not my figures, by the way. This is the Tax Foundation:

Cuts for Americans at every economic level;

Reduces taxes by almost $1,200 for every average-size middle-income American family;

Reduces taxes by almost $2,000 for every average-size middle-income family in Pennsylvania's Third District;

Grows national GDP by 3.5 percent;

Increases American wages by 2.7 percent;

Increases after-tax income for every taxpayer by 3.8 percent in the long run;

Increases after-tax incomes for median families in Pennsylvania by over $2,300;

Creates almost 900,000 new American jobs; and

Creates, in my State of Pennsylvania, over 36,000 new jobs.

So I say, this is a jobs bill. This is a revenue raiser for us. This is about bringing people back home. This is about more take-home pay for every hardworking American guy and gal who is out there who gets up every day and gets up to do one thing, and that is, to protect their families and work in the interest of their country.

I am just asking you today to look at this card and know that you have within the power of your vote to unleash the greatest economy in the world, to unshackle it from a Tax Code that makes it impossible to compete globally, that overregulates it and forces it offshore, and then blames them for leaving.

This is a ``come on back home.'' This is a ``don't leave home; stay here; we are on your side; we are going to work with you; and we are going to get there.''

I ask my friends on both sides of the aisle: Let's do what is right for America. If it is right for America, it is right for Republicans, it is right for Democrats, it is right for Independents, it is right for Libertarians, it is right for America.

This is the right time to do the right thing. My friends, we cannot stay where we are. A standpat hand is a nonwinning hand. The ability to move forward, the ability to absolutely not just participate in a global economy but dominate a global economy and give every single American the faith and a future and restore the faith they need to have in this body that we are doing the best thing in their interest every single day that we come here.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong support of the rule and the underlying legislation.

Sometimes, in order to understand what is going on in the present and then what could happen in the future, you need to go to the past.

Let me read something from a true Irish-American President who said:

``Our true choice is not between tax reduction, on the one hand, and the avoidance of large Federal deficits on the other. It is increasingly clear that no matter what party is in power, so long as our national security needs keep rising, an economy hampered by restrictive tax rates will never produce enough revenues to balance our budget--just as it will never produce enough jobs or enough profits. . . . ''

`` . . . only full employment can balance the budget, and tax reduction can pave the way to that employment. The purpose of cutting taxes now is not to incur a budget deficit, but to achieve the more prosperous, expanding economy which can bring a budget surplus.''

I understand that there are differences of opinion on what we are trying to do, but, please, let's talk about the facts. Let's talk about a piece of legislation that is a rising tide that will lift all boats.

We are going to cut taxes for every American at every income level. We are going to reduce taxes by almost $1,200 for every average-sized, middle-income American family. This puts more money in the pockets of our families. I don't care how they vote or how they registered. They are Americans.

It reduces by almost $2,000 for every average-sized, middle-income family in Pennsylvania's Third District. That is a $2,000 reduction for them.

It will grow our national GDP by 3.6 percent.

It will increase average American wages by 3.1 percent.

In the long run, it will increase after-tax incomes for American taxpayers by 4.4 percent.

I also want you to think about what we talk about back home where I am from. We talk about take-home pay. ``This is my take-home pay.'' In Pennsylvania, Pennsylvanians--Republican Pennsylvanians, Democrat Pennsylvanians, Independents, Libertarians--are going to have about $2,700 more in their pockets after this legislation goes through.

Let's talk about jobs. Nobody spoke better about jobs than President Reagan when he said: It is about jobs, jobs, jobs, and more jobs. What is good for the American worker is good for America.

This will create 1 million new American jobs.

I want you to think about this: In the United States of America, we are now currently rated as the 23rd best country to do business in. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will change that. I want you to think about that.

I am a hometown guy; I am a home team guy. It is hard for me to sit back and say that we have allowed ourselves to fall that far in the world when people think: Where should I start that business? Twenty- third, are you kidding me? With all of the assets that we have been given by the Lord? And to sit here today and have an argument over something else other than that doesn't make any sense at all.

What we are trying to do with our tax plan is make sure that the United States just doesn't participate in a global economy, it dominates a global economy, it leads the way in a global economy, it makes American workers stronger, it makes American families stronger, and it allows us to rebuild our military and our infrastructure. It allows everything good to happen.

We cannot stay with the status quo. There is so much good in this bill for every single American. I did not say every single Republican, I said every single American. You can bat that one back and forth and try to make it a political story, but it is not. It is truly an American story. America has never dodged that responsibility.

Now, let me read you one other quote, again, from an Irish-American President, who I hold in such great esteem, and one of the greatest people I have ever listened to. Let me read this to you. It says:

``I do not underestimate the obstacles which the Congress will face in enacting such legislation. No one will be satisfied. Everyone will have his own approach, his own bill, his own reductions. A high order of restraint and determination will be required if the `possible' is not to wait on the `perfect.' But a nation capable of marshaling these qualities in any dramatic threat to our security is surely capable, as a great free society, of meeting a slower and more complex threat to our economic vitality. This Nation can afford to reduce taxes, we can afford a temporary deficit, but we cannot afford to do nothing. For on the strength of our free economy rests the hope of all free nations. We shall not fail that hope, for free men and free nations must prosper and they must prevail.''

Think of who it is that we are. This is America's house. Yes, this is a GOP tax plan, but it helps every single American. It is not a blue plan or a red plan; it is a red, white, and blue plan.

I will challenge you to go home next week for Thanksgiving and tell people all of the positives about this, and say: I am so sorry. I could have voted for that.

It is time now for America to rise to the challenge. As I said earlier, we exist in a global economy. I am tired of being somebody who happened to participate, when we have the opportunity to dominate. Never before, in our history, have we had the chance to change the future for every single American.

Mr. Speaker, today I am very pleased to recognize my constituent, Vernon L. Wise, Jr. of Butler County, for his reception of the Pennsylvania News Media Association's 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Vernon is the former publisher and chairman of the board of the Butler Eagle. The paper's current publisher and general manager, Ron Vodenichar, nominated Vernon for this prestigious award, emphasizing the technological innovations he made as well as his commitment to the newspaper and printing company's family ownership.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes ``outstanding service and accomplishment spanning a career in journalism.'' It could not have gone to a more fitting recipient. Vernon is a member of the third generation (out of five generations in his family) to be involved in publishing the Butler Eagle. He began his career as a carrier, and continued working at the newspaper during high school and college. After attending Princeton University and serving in the United States Army during the Korean War, he returned to the paper, becoming president and general manager in 1968 after the death of his father, Vernon L. Wise, Sr.

In the course of his long career at the Butler Eagle, Vernon published the newspaper, chaired the board, and founded Butler Color Press, which prints advertising circulars. In addition to his extensive involvement in newspaper publishing, Vernon has held leadership positions in the Butler County Chapter of the Salvation Army and the Community Development Corporation of Butler County.

Vernon exemplifies the best qualities of a devoted newsman and an engaged citizen. He is a credit to Pennsylvania's third congressional district. I am very happy for him and Sarah, his wife of 64 years. I congratulate them and thank them for their contributions to the Butler region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule and the underlying legislation.

We come here today, of course, as Members of Congress, but as we look at what happened in our country the last several weeks, one of the things that has been lauded very much is first responders, those who are rushing to the scene to help people who have been affected, who are going through pain and suffering.

I would like you to consider today's legislation and the rule, as we are first responders. We stand for life. We stand for the ability, as a people, and there is no other nation in the world like the American people who respond when other people are in trouble, when they are suffering, when they are in pain, when their lives are in danger. And yet we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to what we are doing to these children. These are little boys and little girls waiting to be born.

If we do not stand for them, who will stand for them?

If we are not the first responders, who will be the first responders?

If it is not us in the people's House who go beyond the hypocrisy of a political statement and go about the reason we are here--it is the people's House because we defend those people--let us be the first responders when it comes to pain and suffering. Let us pass this bill and stop this inhuman activity that we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church of Meadville, Pennsylvania, and the important contributions it has made to the Meadville area for over 160 years. Since its foundation in 1849 by the Reverend Jacob Parmer, Bethel AME has advanced a vision of outreach and engagement through its vibrant faith community.

The church's present location was constructed in Meadville. This site, according to Gary DeSantis writing in the Meadville Tribune on September 2, 2016, was once used by a former slave from Maryland named Richard Henderson to ``provide shelter for 500 or more slaves escaping the Southern slave holders.'' This stop on the Underground Railroad gave refuge to escapees traveling through the northern states on their way to Canada.

As the challenges facing our country and our local communities have shifted over time, Bethel AME has been a constant presence in Meadville. Today its community outreach includes youth drama productions, a women's ministry, outreach to senior citizens, and many other valuable programs and ministries in Meadville.

I am proud to represent the clergy and parishioners of Bethel AME in the House of Representatives. Their history and their present contributions to the community are a credit to the City of Meadville, to Crawford County, and to Pennsylvania's Third District.