Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Deane Bozeman School, a title I school, located in Bay County, Florida. Deane Bozeman School prides itself on developing boys and girls of character and as well- educated American citizens. The school's administration, faculty, staff, and parents join in investing and educating over 1,300 students, prekindergarten through 12th grade. The result is that Deane Bozeman School continues a tradition of academic excellence.

This year, Deane Bozeman School reaches yet another milestone in excellence by adding a fully chartered Army Junior ROTC program to its curriculum. As cadets, the ROTC program will develop middle and high school students into leaders whose characters are based on the fundamental values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, integrity, and personal courage.

Under the leadership of Chief Warrant Officer Retired Jeff Adkins, these students will certainly thrive.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Deane Bozeman School for taking such a bold step and enriching the lives of the students in this inaugural year of its Army ROTC program.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act, sponsored by my colleague and fellow physician, Representative Roe.

ObamaCare's establishment of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, is perhaps the most insidious part of the Affordable Care Act.

With IPAB, 15 unelected bureaucrats would be in power to make health coverage decisions for 55 million Americans who are Medicare beneficiaries. Care would be rationed, physicians like myself would be unable to pursue the course of treatment we think is appropriate for our patients, seniors would lose access to the best care, all without any input from Congress or any accountability to voters.

With all of the divisiveness that we see in Washington, the IPAB repeal bill we consider today is genuinely bipartisan. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to give an overwhelming bipartisan vote and show the country we are serious about keeping our promises to our seniors.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017. The National Forest System is governed by the principle of multiple use--conferring maximum sustainable benefits in the form of wildlife habitat, recreation, clean air and water, and timber harvests.

Sadly, government red tape and the constant threat of litigation has caused paralysis by analysis at the Forest Service leading to a decrease of public recreation activities and a reduction of timber output.

In the counties surrounding the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida's Second District--Franklin, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla--the lack of timber management not only means fewer jobs, but it also creates a smaller tax base which means fewer resources to provide basic services like law enforcement and good schools.

Under the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017, forest management will be driven by forest health and not by fear of litigation. This improves stewardship and strengthens communities. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2105, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Small Business Cybersecurity Act. This bipartisan legislation instructs the Director of NIST, in consultation with other Federal agencies, to disseminate guidance to help small businesses identify, assess, manage, and reduce their cybersecurity risks. As a small-business owner, I am honored to be a cosponsor of this bill.

We know the importance of keeping all records safe and secure from outside threats. With the recent hacking of Equifax and many others, there is clearly a growing risk of online hacking and cyber warfare in the world today. It is imperative that we ensure that the backbone of our economy, our small- and medium-size businesses, have the resources they need to stay safe.

I strongly believe that the businesses in Florida's Second District would benefit from this vital information, which will help them keep their data safe and secure. By increasing cybersecurity efforts, we are protecting both small businesses and their millions of customers across the country.

This bill doesn't cost the taxpayers anything, but it could potentially save small-business owners and consumers both their privacy and livelihoods.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 36, the Pain- Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

As a father of three, a grandfather of three, and as a man of faith, I firmly believe that life begins at conception. As a surgeon and a scientist, I know that unborn children feel pain at 20 weeks, at the very latest at 20 weeks.

Scientific studies have found that a baby's first sensory receptors for pain are developed in the first 7 weeks. By 20 weeks, an unborn baby is so developed that they can hear music and respond to sounds, but, most importantly, a substantial body of medical evidence shows that he or she can feel and respond to pain.

Let there be no mistake: late-term abortion practices are gruesome and painful. These babies are dismembered limb from limb, yet the United States is one of only seven nations in the world that allows for elective late-term abortions. We are joining nations like North Korea and China that allow for elective late-term abortions. It is shocking to the conscience.

By passing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and banning late-term abortions after 20 weeks, we stand up to protect the innocent and the defenseless.

The Psalm says: ``Children are a gift from the Lord.'' If we here today do not protect this gift, who will? If we do not shield unborn Americans from a death so painful and unimaginable, who will?

The responsibility falls to us. Let us embrace this solemn duty.

I spent my medical career doing everything I could to save the lives of the patients in my care. Now, as a legislator, I can help save people with my vote.

I invite the entire House to be a voice for unborn Americans and pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 27th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law that protects the rights of people with disabilities. The Act stands on the principle that no matter one's disability, whether it be visible or invisible, the Constitution and laws of the United States protect us all. Personally, I appreciate and support how this law protects the rights and opportunities for our wounded warriors. I welcome my colleagues to join me in marking the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its contributions to equal rights in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a prime example of how needless government regulation is wasting both taxpayers' time and money.

In my district in Florida, on the beautiful Gulf Coast, we are susceptible to hurricanes with damaging winds and flooding. Sometimes roads get washed out.

Back in November of 2014, Panama City Beach applied for a Federal grant from FEMA to improve drainage and alleviate flooding of Front Beach Road. The project involves the installation of just two culverts under the road for storm runoff. This is not building the pyramids.

Three years later, local officials have submitted more than 900 pages of paperwork and spent countless hours working on this application. All this is for a project that will take just 1 week to construct and involves a grant of only $170,000.

Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the kind of crushing red tape that our constituents face on a regular basis, and this is what we are working to fix.

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

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

Mr. Chair, throughout the country, there are remote areas where the men and women of our armed services prepare for war in order to protect the peace.

Although these places are often overlooked, our investments in military test and training ranges are returned

to the Nation many times over in the projection of American military supremacy around the globe protecting the homeland and preserving international order.

In the Southeast, the Joint Gulf Range Complex facilities are for testing and training of supersonic and hypersonic weapons systems, including combat training and live-fire exercises of the frontline fighters like the F-22 and F-35.

The 325th Fighter Wing and the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group at Tyndall Air Force Base, the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, and the Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field make extensive use of the Joint Gulf Range Complex.

There is no comparable area in the United States near an established base with instrumentation infrastructure that can support advanced testing and joint training exercises like this. However, deployment of the instrumentation necessary to collect the data during the training on these fifth- and sixth-generation weapons systems is not in keeping with the U.S. Air Force needs. Instrumentation limitations have restricted the F-35 and F-22 training missions to the northernmost portion of the range. According to a study by the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, this limitation causes congestion and has obstructed at least 80 missions per year.

This amendment, which I am offering with my Florida colleagues, Mr. Tom Rooney, Mr. Matt Gaetz, and Mr. Francis Rooney, will accelerate investments approved by Congress to deploy new infrastructure along the Joint Gulf Range Complex. The amendment will maximize the utility of this vast range, which is a true national treasure for combat training and advanced testing and evaluation.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz), my colleague and friend.

Mr. Chair, I have no further comments or remarks; however, I would like to encourage my colleagues to support this amendment to enhance military readiness and national security.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Captain Phillip Dawson on his retirement from the United States Navy. On Friday, Captain Dawson will complete a nearly 4-year tour as the commanding officer of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, Florida.

A 1988 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Captain Dawson first served on the USS Tattnall as the antisubmarine warfare officer and, later, on the USS Harry E. Yarnell as the fire control officer.

Captain Dawson assumed command of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in 2013, where he led the center in a wide array of missions, including littoral warfare, coastal defense, and special missions. This base is also home to the U.S. Navy Dive School, where all of the divers from all of our services are trained.

Captain Dawson's selfless sacrifice to this country and dedication to our Navy is truly inspiring. Madam Speaker, please join me in thanking Captain Dawson, his wife, Belinda, and their three children for their years of service and sacrifice, and wish them luck as they enjoy a new chapter in life.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2781 is a commonsense solution to a complicated problem. I am proud to sponsor it with my good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta).

Over the last 10 years, Congress gave veteran and veteran service- disabled veteran-owned small businesses the highest preference to compete for VA contracts. Last year, the Supreme Court ruled in the Kingdomware case that this preference applies in all situations, even when VA uses contracts awarded by other agencies. A loophole has emerged in a group of contracts called the Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative run by the General Services Administration.

Currently, the VA uses the GSA to connect them with suppliers of certain goods and services that they need to purchase. All too often, the GSA is not connecting the VA with enough small businesses that are owned by veterans and service-disabled veterans. The law requires that the VA look for these companies and buy from them when it can, if they are competitive; but when the veteran businesses are not on the GSA list, the VA can't find them or use them.

Because of the loophole, well-qualified veteran-owned companies are being passed over. In some cases, VA disregards the GSA contracts and finds veteran-owned companies elsewhere on their own, but this wastes resources by creating contracts similar to what the GSA already has in place.

This bill simply directs the VA Secretary to determine whether veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses are sufficiently represented on the contracts for VA to follow the law. If not, the VA must consult with the GSA to increase the representation on all the contracts and their subcategories. Should this not be possible on a particular contract or subcategory, the VA must stop using it.

I am honored that this bill has earned the support of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the National Veteran Small Business Coalition. We need to hold the VA accountable to the veterans it serves, including our veteran and service-disabled small business owners. It is the right thing to do, and I urge all Members to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Marion Walsingham, a pillar of the Bay County, Florida community who recently passed away at the age of 94.

Marion and her husband, Alvin, opened ``Alvin's 5 and Dime'' in St. Andrews in 1950. The store later became ``Alvin's Island Stores,'' with locations on Panama City Beach, Destin, Fort Walton, Pensacola Beach, Orange Beach, Alabama, and Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Marion was an active member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church, the founding member of the Panama City Beach Women's Club, and a member of the first Library Committee to bring a Public Library to Panama City Beach. She was instrumental in starting the first Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Panama City Beach, working her way through the leadership within the Chapter, and eventually serving as the Chairman of the Cancer Fund from 2009 to 2010.

Aside from her work in the community, Marion enjoyed spending time traveling with her grandchildren and supporting her great-grandchildren at local events.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring a life well-lived. Marion Walsingham dedicated her life to the Bay County community and we will forever be grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate an exceptional member of the United States Navy on the event of his retirement, Commander Doug Huggan.

On Friday, July 14, Commander Huggan completed his tour as the commanding officer of the Naval Support Activity Florida. This caps a long and distinguished career.

His service to the Navy started as an E-6 airborne command pilot and has taken him around the world, from the European Command to Japan, and finally to Panama City.

While at NSA Panama City, Commander Huggan led over 3,000 Active-Duty and civilian personnel in performing critical missions, including surface warfare training, explosive ordnance disposal, salvage training, and experimental diving.

His leadership over the last 2 years in the Second District is a testament to the core values instilled upon all those who serve in the Navy.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in saying thank you to Commander Huggan and his family for their years of service and sacrifice, and wish them luck as they move on to enjoy a new chapter in their life.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2210) to designate the community living center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Butler Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, as the ``Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community Living Center''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2210, a bill to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Living Center in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, as the Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community Living Center.

Sergeant Kusick, a native of Bruin, Pennsylvania, served in the United States Special Forces during the Vietnam war. During a combat mission, deep in hostile territory, on November 8, 1967, Sergeant Kusick was seriously wounded during an ambush by enemy forces.

Wounded, yet refusing aid and initial evacuation, he remained in the midst of battle to help secure emergency extraction for his fellow soldiers. The helicopter that Sergeant Kusick finally boarded was shot down by Viet Cong fire and Sergeant Kusick's life was lost. He was just 22 years old.

Sergeant Kusick was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for `` . . . gallantry in action, at the cost of his life . . . in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.''

It is only fitting and appropriate that we honor Sergeant Kusick's service and sacrifice by naming the VA Butler Healthcare's Community Living Center after him.

H.R. 2210 is sponsored by Congressman Mike Kelly, from Pennsylvania, and I am grateful to him for introducing it and allowing us to honor and forever remember this great American hero. This legislation satisfies all of the committee's naming criteria and, as such, is supported by the entire Pennsylvania congressional delegation, as well as by many veterans service organizations.

Once again, I thank Congressman Kelly for sponsoring this legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman--our colleagues--for his kind comments, and also especially Representative Kelly for bringing forward this outstanding bill. I encourage all Members to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge a tragic incident that occurred today in the Second District.

Early this morning, a man drove his truck into the side of the Bay County Government Center and caused a fire that resulted in his death. My district office has an office in that building. Thankfully, no workers or visitors were injured in the incident, and all of the district staff are safe.

It is a sad day to witness someone so troubled take such an action and, ultimately, their own life. While there is still much to learn about this person's motivations and the reasons behind this attack on a public building, we should all remember that, no matter how inflamed our passions, violence is never the answer.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking the first responders and the law enforcement officers who are addressing this incident, and please join me in a prayer for the Bay County community as they come together to respond to this tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the bravery and the ingenuity of more than 80 beachgoers in Panama City Beach last weekend. As many were enjoying the crystal blue waters of the Gulf, a family of six and four others became caught up in a riptide. Losing strength to fight their way back to shore, the swimmers screamed for help and faced a tragic fate.

Thankfully, ordinary citizens did something extraordinary. One of them was Jessica Simmons, who noticed the struggling swimmers from a nearby sandbar. She said to herself: ``Those people are not drowning today.'' Jessica helped coordinate dozens of others to form a human chain from the shore

all the way out to the distressed swimmers, ultimately bringing all of them to shore and saving their lives.

It is a testament to the generosity of the human spirit to see complete strangers quite literally join hands to help those in need.

On behalf of the Second District, I thank Jessica Simmons and all who fought the churning currents of Panama City Beach on Saturday. May we all learn from their example.