Floor Statements

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding and for being such a great leader in helping those impacted by the devastating California wildfires.

The numbers are devastating. Nearly 2 million acres burned. Upwards of $3.5 billion in damage, 8,500 individual fires, 98 civilians killed, 6 firefighters killed, and over 11,000 homes destroyed.

With climate change only making things worse, we must help California rebuild because this is just the beginning. Rainstorms will now further ravage communities, causing mudslides and flooding.

The amendment I have offered with Representative Thompson begins that rebuilding process by increasing funding for the community development fund by $50 million, specifically for those communities that were hardest hit in the previous year.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for his work on this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me the customary 30 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, this rule represents many of the failures of the 115th Congress. To put it succinctly, the legislation before us is a bill which has absolutely no chance of passing into law and a bill that will add billions--billions--of dollars to our national debt.

I guess this is a Merry Christmas to those who hold our national debt, but this is not what our constituents sent us to do here. They sent us here to work together and find compromise in order to make our communities, their lives, better.

This rule makes in order the Senate amendment to H.R. 88, Shiloh National Military Park Boundary Adjustment and Parker's Crossroads Battlefield Designation Act.

But it is more accurate to say this is the GOP's second tax scam. Instead of taking this opportunity to use our remaining time here to actually accomplish something, our vote today on this rule will prove to be meaningless. The Senate is leaving town and has left us just a few items that we can accomplish, and this isn't one of them.

However, one item that is ready for passage is Savanna's Act.

Mr. Speaker, Native American women face a murder rate 10 times higher than the national average, with 84 percent experiencing some form of violence in their lifetime.

The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 and the Tribal Law and Order Act have helped bring attention to the high rates of violence against Native women. However, there is still no reliable way of knowing how many Native women go missing each year because the databases that hold statistics of these cases are extremely outdated and in need of reform.

Congress hasn't paid attention to the lives of Native American women. That is why I joined Senator Heitkamp in introducing Savanna's Act earlier this year, named after Savanna Greywind, a pregnant, 22-year- old North Dakota woman and member of the Spirit Lake Nation, who was murdered in 2017.

Savanna's Act would require the Department of Justice to finally keep a nationwide database of missing and murdered Native women.

This is common sense. It passed the Senate unanimously last month.

One Member--one Member of this body--has decided to prevent us from passing Savanna's Act, and the rest have capitulated, one Member standing in the way of finally doing the right thing for Native women, American women, women who are victims of crime. Shameful, and shame on this body for allowing this and not taking this last week of the 115th Congress to finally bring about some justice to these cases.

Now, one thing that this body, the 115th Congress, has been really good for in the face of tragedy has been moments of silence, and that is why, today, I want to take some time that we have left to have a moment of silence. Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleagues to join me in a moment of silence for Savanna.

Mr. Speaker, instead of taking action on Savanna's Act, we are asked to vote on this rule to pass a tax bill which has been crafted in secret and has no chance of becoming law, when we could be doing something for justice, for truth, for victims of crime.

This is the 115th Congress. Good riddance.

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

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, does the gentleman from Texas have any more speakers?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is just about time to finish up here and return home for the holidays, time to see our loved ones and give them a hug. But for Savanna's family and the countless other Native American families destroyed because of this violence, there will be no return home for them, and we will have failed these families by not passing Savanna's Act today.

Instead, we are here because of a wall--not the wall that you are assuming, not talking about our southern wall. I am talking about the wall of debt, a massive wall of debt that this Republican Congress has built, trillions--trillions--of dollars of debt towering over our children and grandchildren's future. This rule will build it even higher. That is why I urge my colleagues to oppose the previous question and the rule.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 140, the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act. No institution is more critical to our national defense and homeland security than the United States Coast Guard, and every day, the men and women of the Coast Guard carry out vital, life-saving missions, including drug interdiction and search and rescue. On November 9, I had the opportunity to tour the Coast Guard's District 11 facilities in Alameda, California. I was deeply impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the Coast Guard officials I met. However, I was also troubled by the state of some of Coast Guard's equipment. Resources for the Coast Guard are clearly needed, now more than ever, so it is deeply unfortunate that the Trump administration has sought to cut the Coast Guard's budget by as much as 14 percent and has transferred millions of dollars in Coast Guard funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Congress should not allow the Trump administration to raid the Coast Guard budget to implement its anti-immigrant policies. But today, I urge all my colleagues to support S. 140, and I applaud the Chairman and Ranking Member for their hard work bringing this important measure to the floor. Likewise, it is vitally important that, as negotiations regarding the Fiscal Year 2019 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act continue, Congress include sufficient funding for the Coast Guard so that it has the resources it needs to carry out its vital missions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize this week as Malnutrition Awareness Week.

Every 60 seconds, 10 hospitalized patients with malnutrition go undiagnosed, with the majority of these individuals being older adults. Malnutrition among seniors and older adults can lead to a greater risk of chronic disease, frailty, disability and increases in healthcare costs.

Malnutrition also disproportionately impacts minorities who are often managing comorbid chronic diseases. In my home district, 80 percent of the constituents I represent are of Hispanic background. It is of great concern to hear that malnutrition is more than twice as common among low-income older adult Latino households.

We cannot advance malnutrition care and promote improved patient recovery if we do not align the identification of and interventions for malnutrition with healthcare quality incentive programs.

The great news is that there are common-sense solutions that can close this gap in care now.

We can first begin by measuring the scope of the problem. Sadly, we currently don't know the full extent of the malnutrition problems plaguing our senior population. To change this, we can add screening measures for malnutrition to the national health surveys of older adults and implement national key health indicators and Healthy People 2030 goals for older Americans. Doing something as simple as adding malnutrition measures will help shape public health programs and better guide healthcare professionals as they address serious health conditions.

Another simple change we can make is adding older adult malnutrition to national dietary guidelines.

We cannot expect older adults and their families to take steps to address malnutrition if we do not give them the tools to identify the problem. We must meet older Americans half way so that families can make appropriate interventions for their unique conditions and circumstances. Therefore, I call on HHS and USDA to include dietary guidance for the prevention and treatment of older adult malnutrition and the closely aligned problem of age-related sarcopenia listed in the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Lastly, malnutrition should be interweaved into healthcare incentive programs. A patient's nutrition status is rarely evaluated and managed as individuals transition across care settings. I therefore urge the CMS to include malnutrition electronic clinical quality measures in Medicare quality programs as well as in measures related to malnutrition in care transition programs. This will help reduce hospital readmission rates and improve transitional care for seniors in the long run.

Increasing awareness of nutrition's role on patient recovery and implementing these measurable changes will help educate healthcare professionals and families which will result in helping seniors live healthy and independent lives.

Mr. Speaker, the GOP tax scam has been nothing but a giveaway to millionaires and corporations. This Republican majority is adding trillions--trillions--of dollars to our

national debt, debt that our children and grandchildren will have to pay for for years to come, trillions in debt that will put Medicare and Social Security at risk.

Already, we can't provide the minimum funding to the ACA, making it harder for our constituents to get health insurance and access to care.

Now, how are the Republicans trying to pay for this debt? By attacking--by attacking--the hardworking taxpayers like those that I represent in the great State of California. That is right, so millionaires and corporations can have a tax break. I call that welfare for the most affluent people and corporations in America at the cost of the hardworking taxpayers in California.

And let me say that again. Millions of Californians will see their taxes increase with this GOP tax scam.

Now, today, as if we haven't already done enough, the Republican majority is voting to make this tax increase permanent, a permanent tax increase to our hardworking taxpayers.

California is the fifth largest global economy.

Mr. Speaker, California is the fifth largest global economy and a donor State. We should be trying to make every other State more like the great State of California.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the gentleman for yielding me the customary 30 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, if you are having deja vu right now, it is because we have been here one too many times before. Our government is on the verge of yet another government shutdown this week. After yet another district work period, we return today to this rule to consider the bills it makes in order. We are left with just one last chance to do our work and one final opportunity to send President Trump a funding bill that reflects the true value of bipartisanship, one without poison pill riders which would put so many of our constituents out of work.

This rule makes in order H.R. 6157, the DOD, HHS, and Education omnibus bill; and H. Res. 1071, which is a rebuke on some localities expanding voting opportunities to immigrants.

While some of my colleagues may wish to speak about H. Res. 1071, I will focus on the good work that we are accomplishing today, not a meaningless political game House Republican leadership is choosing to waste our time with to further divide this House and instead of focusing on preventing a shutdown.

H.R. 6157, the second minibus to keep the government open in fiscal year 2019, is an example of how this body can still work together to reach a bipartisan consensus when we take politics out of the picture.

Perhaps more important than what is included in the minibus is what is not included. This minibus rejects the proposed cuts to healthcare programs, job training, education, and access to healthcare that were in President Trump's budget proposal.

This minibus also rejects President Trump's efforts to expand family separation at our Nation's border. While many children remain separated from their parents, at least this minibus agreement does not include House Republican language that would have overridden the Flores settlement and authorized the indefinite detention of immigrant children. This is a very small victory, but an important one. This minibus is a fundamental statement of our values, and the United States Congress should not condone the President's inhumane practice of family separation.

In addition, let me make this clear: nothing in this legislation will pay for one foot of the President's border wall. I hope President Trump joins this Congress and listens to the majority of the American people who don't want to fund this wall. This Congress has repeatedly rejected funding for his misguided wall, and it is about time the President gave up on such a foolish waste of taxpayer dollars while our bridges, freeways, and streets are crumbling beneath us. That does not do anything to keep America safe.

Let's talk about the good things that this bill brings to our constituents. I am happy to report that this legislation provides a 2.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers who continue to serve our Nation around the world. As a

mother of a veteran, I celebrate that even more. It is wonderful to hear that our servicemembers are finally being acknowledged for the hard work that they do keeping our Nation safe at home and abroad.

In addition to paying our servicemembers more, this agreement will protect our men and women in uniform from one of the most common harms they encounter: shamelessly stated as sexual assault. The $5 million in additional funding we will provide will fully implement and expand the Sexual Assault Special Victims Counsel Program. The Counsel Program provides representation for survivors navigating the complicated military justice process. Hopefully, victims of sexual abuse will not have to wait years to report this crime.

The conference report also provides a $35 million increase, for a total of $270 million, to construct, renovate, repair, or expand elementary and secondary public schools on military installations, giving military families an opportunity to thrive and educate their young. In other words, this increase means that we are not only helping our servicemembers, but the families that support them and who provide invaluable moral support for our soldiers.

Another bipartisan achievement included in this legislation is an increase for environmental restoration by more than $13 million. One of the shortfalls of this Congress has been a failure to address the water crises we have seen ravaging our communities. In California alone, dozens of communities have experienced recent rates of childhood poisoning that surpass those in Flint, Michigan, with one locale showing rates nearly three times higher.

It is unacceptable that in the richest Nation in the world, our children are being poisoned because we refuse to take the necessary actions to provide the infrastructure to deliver clean water to our communities. Securing this funding is a real step to helping invest in communities and the health of our children.

That is why we included yet another investment into our communities' health by increasing funding for the National Institutes of Health by $2 billion. This rejects the cuts proposed by the President in his administration and instead supports research into cures for life- threatening diseases like Alzheimer's, cancer, HIV/AIDS, influenza, and diabetes.

Additionally, we are providing $4.4 billion to combat the nationwide opioid crisis. This means more prevention programs, better treatment, and training for the workforce to ensure our healthcare professionals aren't making problems worse.

Finally, the last part of this agreement that I would like to highlight is what we are doing for our workforce programs. This bill invests in students, the future of America, those looking for workforce training and working families.

Included is:

$10.1 billion for Head Start, which provides literacy programs to young children in working families;

$5.3 billion for childcare and development block grants to provide childcare assistance to low-income families. We celebrate that mothers will finally have the support that they need to work and deliver for their families;

$160 million for apprenticeship grants to connect businesses to workers;

$1.3 billion for career and technical education; and,

An increase to the maximum Pell grant to help our students keep pace with the rising cost of college.

This is a good bill. This is a bipartisan bill. This is a bill that should be signed into law. I urge the President to look at what a bipartisan agreement looks like and take ``yes'' for an answer. The last thing any of us want is yet another government shutdown. Let's prevent that today.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, today we are considering a continuing resolution that will extend the Violence Against Women Act only until December 7. I am glad that we aren't letting this important legislation expire. However, a simple extension is not enough. We need to fully reauthorize and strengthen this landmark act.

Therefore, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up Representative Jackson Lee's legislation, H.R. 6545, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, to discuss our proposal, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an additional 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, we are just two more legislative days away from the third Republican government shutdown of 2018. However, we have done our jobs to prevent that today.

H.R. 6157 is a testament that despite party differences, we can still come together to work out our differences and put the American public's interest first.

I want to be clear that I do not agree with the rule that we are considering, because this rule makes in order a wholly unrelated immigration bill. This rule fails to allow the debate on a number of amendments and marks the 98th closed rule of this Congress, an all-time record. That is why I urge my colleagues to oppose the previous question and the rule.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the House Amendment to S. 2497, the Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act. As Israel faces growing threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas, this bill reaffirms the United States' strong belief that Israel has the right to defend herself and ensures that Israel has the means to do so. Passage of this bill will send a powerful message to Israel's adversaries: the United States will continue to stand with Israel. I will note that this bill is appropriately named for my good friend, Congresswoman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen, who as we all know is departing at the end of this Congress. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen has been a strong supporter of Israel, a champion of democracy across the world, and one of this chamber's true believers in the ideal of bipartisan foreign policy. So I thank Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen for her leadership, and I urge all my colleagues to support this important measure.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As we return to the Capitol this week, there remains countless crises which demand our attention: children still separated from their families; children being murdered on school grounds, while this body stands idly by doing nothing, turning a blind eye to gun violence.

We have trade wars started by this President which are raising the cost of businesses in our communities and putting some companies out of business.

Finally, the government runs out of funding at the end of the month, the end of this month, Mr. Speaker. We find ourselves facing yet another Republican government shutdown.

But instead of funding the government and averting a shutdown, the majority has decided that these two bills are the best use of our time. That is right. The majority believes that the best use of what precious legislative time remains, 10 days, is to codify a DOE rulemaking that was just recently finalized.

Why don't we provide some meaningful oversight over this administration?

We have agency after agency attacking our Nation's workers, students, homeowners, and the health of our environment. We have a President who is starting trade wars and, reportedly, is itching to start real wars.

But instead, all the majority is interested in doing is bringing unnecessary bills on the margins, such as the ones that we are considering today.

The first bill, H.R. 4606, will codify into law a Department of Energy rulemaking that went into effect less than 3 weeks ago. H.R. 4606 is a solution in search of a problem. The current approval process is working.

However, by enshrining this rule into law, the majority is, in essence, saying that all small scale exports of LNG are always and will always be in the public's interest and will continue to be so. This is shortsighted and, if it turns out to be wrong, it will be much harder to correct this policy once it becomes law than if it were to remain a current DOE rule.

In addition, we are considering H.R. 1635, the Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act.

I wish to credit my Republican colleagues. This is a bipartisan bill. This is an example of what can be done when bills are given full hearings, a markup, and represent the consensus of the people's House.

Unfortunately, the benefits of this bill are mitigated by actions from this administration that make it harder for students. For example, this past February, Republicans on the Education and the Workforce Committee passed the PROSPER Act.

The so-called PROSPER Act is a highly partisan reauthorization of the Higher Education Act that cuts nearly $15 billion from Federal student aid, leaving students with more expensive loans that are more difficult to repay; more expensive loans for young Americans with the highest interest rates in nearly a decade.

And just last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's student loan ombudsman, whose job was to protect student borrowers from predatory lending practices, resigned, resigned from his position. In his resignation letter, Seth Frotman wrote that the Trump administration has ``turned its back on young people and their financial futures.''

Mr. Frotman also stated that under the leadership of Acting Director Mulvaney, ``. . . the Bureau has abandoned the very consumers it is tasked by Congress with protecting'' and that Director Mulvaney has ``. . . used the Bureau to serve the wishes of the most powerful financial companies in America,'' not surprising to me.

Mr. Frotman wrote that the Bureau has failed student loan borrowers.

While this bill may help, H.R. 1635, in no way, reverses the damage this administration has caused our students.

Congress is supposed to be a check on the administration, not a rubber stamp.

The rule we are considering makes in order two amendments to H.R. 4606 and seven amendments in order to H.R. 1635.

I am deeply disappointed that my two amendments were not made in order to H.R. 1635. My amendments would have helped students who have suffered from the closure of schools or school branches.

When schools close, it is the students who are the real losers. They are saddled with debt and left having to navigate a complicated process for loan relief.

The two amendments I offered would have streamlined the process for students to have their loans discharged, ensuring that bureaucracy didn't slow down providing these students the relief that they need, and fixed the Pell grant process to make sure that students wouldn't be limited in pursuing their educational goals at a new institution. These are bipartisan ideas, which have been reviewed by the current administration.

I am disappointed that the House wouldn't even allow an open process; however, I am certainly not surprised. After all, this is the most closed Congress in our Nation's history. I hope that we can aim to do better and give our constituents a real debate in this House.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, as the cost to attend college has continued to rise, so has the amount of debt students and their parents have had to take on. According to the Federal Reserve, the outstanding loan debt stands at approximately $1.5 trillion and climbing. This debt load has hampered the ability of young graduates to buy their first home, a car, or start a small business.

Congress needs to do more to help students and their parents deal with the student loan crisis. This is why I rise today to offer my colleagues on the other side of the aisle the opportunity to pass a comprehensive bill to ensure that every student has a path to a debt- free degree or credential that leads to a rewarding career.

Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 6543, the Aim Higher Act. This thoughtful proposal invests in our students, making higher education more affordable while also addressing the rising costs of college.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) to discuss our proposal.

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

The House is currently scheduled to be in session for just 10 days before funding for the government runs out--10 days. And while the House has passed partisan appropriation bills, none of them have been signed into law. If Congress fails to act, it will be the third time the government has shut down in 2018 alone--the third time.

Let me remind my friends on the other side of the aisle that the Republican Party is in charge of the House. The Republican Party is in charge of the Senate and the White House. President Trump is again playing games, and without leadership from this House and our colleagues in the Senate, his desire for a government shutdown will cause real people pain and hurt our growing economy.

Three thousand Federal workers in my district have heard President Trump tell them that they are the reason that we are in debt. Three thousand workers in my district and 2 million nationally are wondering if they will be furloughed, while corporations and millionaires get massive tax cuts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the previous question and the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to announce that on July 21st, the City of Montclair in my district experienced the great loss of Mayor Paul M. Eaton, a gracious public servant who devoted 48 years of his life to serving the people of Montclair through government.

Mayor Eaton was raised in San Diego County's City of El Cajon, where his father owned a septic tank business. His time spent helping his father operate a tractor and equipment for the family business instilled in Eaton a lifelong love for machines and inspired him to live out the business' slogan: ``Ask Your Neighbor!''

Eaton's passion for the Montclair community began in 1965 when he and his wife, Ginger, moved to the Inland Empire. The two began their service at Bethany Baptist church and at the Ontario-Montclair School District volunteering with elementary students. In 1970, Eaton began his career in public service as a founding, appointed member of Montclair's Community Action Committee. The reputation he earned in this position for his commitment to advocating for Montclair residents resulted in his appointment to the Montclair Planning Commission four years later, which he served on until becoming a City Council member in 1988.

Following Mayor Larry Rhinehart's sudden departure, Eaton was unanimously installed into the position by his fellow City Council members. He served as the city's leader for 23 consecutive years, totaling nearly six terms in office, and becoming the longest serving mayor in Montclair history. His greatest achievements included constructing a state-of-the-art police facility and Youth and Senior Centers, widening Central Avenue on the I-10 Freeway, making critical improvements to the Mission Boulevard and Hold Corridors, and ensuring future service to the Montclair Transcenter for the Gold Line light rail service. Mayor Eaton's decades of unwavering devotion to the city he loved has resulted in a well-deserved and honorable title of Mayor Emeritus of Montclair, an accolade bestowed upon him by his city council colleagues following his passing.

For his exemplary life of service, Mr. Speaker, it is on the House floor an honor to recognize Mayor Paul M. Eaton. His decades of commitment and contributions to the City of Montclair are worthy of admiration, and his memory will live on through the countless lives he has impacted. Mayor Eaton is survived by his wife and current mayor of Montclair, Ginger Eaton, their four children, nine grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Frances Givens, a resident of our 35th Congressional District in Fontana, California, who was well known as a fierce advocate for senior citizens.

Fran Givens dedicated her life to promoting issues important to senior citizens such as affordable housing, increased availability of gerontology doctors, transportation, and access to and coordination of all available services. Fran served in the Senior Assembly of the California Senior Legislature from 2006 to 2014, where she was a leader among the volunteer body whose mission it is to enhance the quality of life for older Californians and their families.

As a committed advocate, Fran never missed an opportunity to raise attention to issues that affect senior citizens. Fran frequently served as a public speaker for senior citizen issues on the radio, at City Council meetings, clubs, dinners, and fundraisers. She could also be found passing out hundreds of brochures about the California Senior Legislature, to elevate the mission of the group.

The state of California is home to incredible people who possess a spirit of public service and a commitment to their communities. Fran was a champion for senior citizens' issues. Her advocacy efforts have made lasting contributions to the community of Fontana, the state of California, and beyond.

In 2014, I had the honor of awarding Fran the Woman of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award, a well-deserved recognition of her exemplary record of community service.

On July 5th of this year, Fran passed away at the age of 83. Her legacy teaches us all to relentlessly devote ourselves to what we care most about, and for that I would like to recognize Frances Givens.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me the customary 30 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, $2 trillion, that is what this GOP Congress added to the debt last year when they passed their tax scam, $2 trillion that has been taken away from our children and grandchildren to give tax breaks to corporations and the very wealthy.

And today, we take up three bills which are estimated to add another $100 billion. I suppose in comparison to the tax scam, that may be small potatoes, but this is real spending with no offsets and no effort to even try to find an offset. When the 115th Congress finally ends, we will have to put trillions on the Nation's credit card--trillions.

Next year, those of us who may be lucky enough to be back will have the hard task of digging ourselves out of this hole, this wall of debt that will have been created by the 115th Congress. We will have new Members here who will need to deal with the decisions that we are making here today.

Let me tell you about my experience in having to deal with those very irresponsible decisions that put us and pushed us into debt.

In 2008, when I was first elected to the State legislature, I was elected with a wall of debt of $15 billion. My first 30 days in office, we passed four different budgets, and none of it added up. We simply couldn't pay our bills. We had charged ourselves to a place that we could no longer continue.

No one got paid for 6 or 7 months--no one, not the small contractors doing business with the State of California, not the big contractors, not our State employees, not even the members of the legislature. As a matter of fact, I don't come from money, so every month I took a loan to make my mortgage. And this is where the 115th Congress is leading us today. There are no easy choices.

Mr. Speaker, this rule makes in order H.R. 6199, the Restoring Access to Medication and Modernizing Health Savings Accounts Act of 2018. H.R. 6199 claims to restore access to medication and modernizes health savings accounts. This bill makes minor changes that largely favor higher income-earning individuals who can afford to set aside that extra money for things like gym memberships.

This is not, however, the worst bill we have voted on this year. And some

of us may end up even voting for it. After all, I support fixes to the Affordable Care Act. We all do. However, it does not address the destructive actions by President Trump that have disproportionately affected low-income families.

After nearly 70 unsuccessful repeal attempts by this Congress, this administration has, sadly, turned to chipping away at the Affordable Care Act. President Trump has resorted to undoing key provisions of the healthcare law without offering any working fixes, which ultimately puts in jeopardy access to healthcare.

He has eliminated the individual mandate, which alone will increase premiums by 9 or 10 percent, and he is expanding plans that offer slimmer benefits and reduce consumer protection, also known as junk plans, as they cover nothing.

Healthcare plans that can charge you more for being a woman or for being older or for having a preexisting condition, these plans can also outright deny coverage to anyone, putting 130 million Americans' healthcare at risk. Expanding these volatile health plans into the marketplace will also increase premiums between 1 and 4 percent.

Almost a year ago, the Trump administration announced that they were canceling cost-sharing reduction payments which helped nearly 6 million low-income Americans better afford medical services by lowering deductibles and copayments. This alone caused premiums in 2018 to increase by 20 percent, all while this majority won't even try to find a $100 billion offset. Cutting cost-sharing payments increased the deficit by $200 billion. The administration also recently cut additional outreach and consumer education dollars to local organizations by $10 million.

And this is not the first time that they cut these critical dollars. From the very beginning of this administration, millions of dollars in outreach, customer assistance and other help and total enrollment time was cut out. Additionally, we are still waiting on a solution to combat the rising prescription drug crisis, which was promised by this administration.

The increasing cost of prescription drugs in combination with the forecasted increase in medical price inflation will also raise premiums between 5.7 and 6.5 percent next year.

Earlier this month, President Trump announced yet another sabotage: that he will not make the $10.4 billion in risk adjustment payments, which will also increase premiums. These risk adjustment payments protect consumers by ensuring insurance companies don't cherry-pick between the healthy and the sick.

It was very telling last week when the Ways and Means Committee chairman said that GOP lawmakers were exploring a possible legislative fix to restart the risk adjustment payments that President Trump abruptly suspended. The House GOP leadership knows the harm President Trump is causing. Why don't we do something about it today?

The common theme here is an administration consistently undoing key provisions in our healthcare system, putting Americans' health at risk, increasing premiums, which fall squarely on the shoulders of our families and will add billions of dollars to our deficit.

This isn't the Affordable Care Act. This is TrumpCare. This bill is more of the same. Instead of finding solutions for the families that need it the most, this bill will add $100 billion to the deficit.

We should be spending our time making positive, meaningful improvements to our existing healthcare system that ensures millions of Americans have access to affordable healthcare coverage.

We should be discussing legislation that puts downward pressure on premiums so families don't have to worry year after year if they will be able to afford healthcare coverage.

We should be helping to stabilize the marketplace so consumers can choose from a variety of options that meet their unique family needs.

Instead, today, we are, sadly, wasting time discussing a bill that fails to address the concerns of millions of Americans.

I am proud to be from California, a State that stands up for their residents to ensure that they have access to healthcare coverage. In fact, California's comprehensive outreach and marketing program was credited with lowering premiums by 6 to 8 percent--real money. California is proof that effective advertising and outreach can increase enrollment, expand coverage, stabilize risk pools, and lower premiums.

But this administration--and through inaction, this Congress--is driving up healthcare prices for every American, including Californians. So we will vote today on this bill, and it will probably pass, and then it will die in the Senate. And while we send the Senate more legislation that they will never take up, Americans will continue to suffer.

Like I said, this isn't a bad bill, but it only benefits 6 percent of Americans--6 percent, not the 14 percent who lack healthcare insurance at all.

We must do more. We must help those who are falling further and further behind while this Congress buries us in debt.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up Representative Ruiz's legislation, H.R. 6479, which will ban junk insurance plans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz) to discuss our proposal.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from California an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, in the first 12 months of this administration, 3.2 million people have lost their healthcare because of the sabotage of this administration. As a matter of fact, last year, we had the highest increase in the number of uninsured since the ACA was passed.

When the ACA was passed, I was not in Congress. I was a State legislator in California, where we embraced the ACA, where we made it work for our families, and where we reached out to our constituents and asked: How can we make it better?

This is not the ceiling; this is the floor.

As State representatives, we felt that we had an urgency to act, to make it better and make it work for our constituents. That is what we did, and that is why the California exchange is so successful.

But that didn't happen in other States controlled by Republican legislators and Republican Governors. Unfortunately, they chose to do the opposite, and that has hurt their constituents.

Mr. Speaker, the bill we are considering today will add another $100 billion to our national debt. That is not a small thing.

When the bill comes due for this expenditure, how are we going to pay for it? What is the plan? Where is the budget? Where is the fiscal conservancy here?

Will the House GOP majority then go after the least fortunate Americans by cutting Medicaid? Or maybe they will go after American seniors and cut Medicare and Social Security.

These are the questions people will be asking themselves when they exercise their American civic duty this fall. Americans will have to decide: Are trillions in tax cuts for wealthy corporations worth it to me if it means that I can't go to the doctor?

That is why we have to offer real solutions, and we can start by paying for these bills today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the previous question and the rule because we owe it to our future generations who will have to answer for our actions here today.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concern regarding the recent attacks on Israel at two of its borders. On Israel's Northern border, Syrian drones crossed into Israeli airspace; on Israel's Southern border, Hamas launched more than 200 rockets and mortars from the Gaza Strip. One rocket hit a home; another landed in the courtyard of a Synagogue. These attacks are appalling and unnecessary provocations on Israel. The damage they are doing to Israel is real and should be not only measured in terms of property destroyed, but also the sense of insecurity that Israelis experience every day. This is not the path to peace.

I can only imagine the terror and anxiety that we would feel if the United States were attacked at both our borders in a single week. We are fortunate to have good diplomatic and security relations with all our neighbors. Sadly, our close ally Israel does not have the same luxury. I am reminded of my visit to Israel in 2012, at a time when the country was also under attack. I am inspired today, as I was then, by the resolve of the Israeli communities that live across the border from Gaza and Syria. These communities refuse to cower in fear, despite the constant threat of attack. Their reliance is a testament to the spirit of the Israeli people, which we see manifested in so many ways, such as Israel's economic leadership the fields of science, technology, and energy.

The United States must continue to stand with Israel. We must work with our allies to curb the aggressive actions of Iran and its proxies, and we must renew our efforts to bring about a resolution of the conflict in Syria, which has allowed Iran to expand its military presence in Syria. At the same time, we must recommit ourselves to supporting a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday June 29th, an altercation took place on the Cal Poly Pomona campus in an area known as Campus South. It is with a heavy heart that I stand here on the House floor to say that Mark Manlapaz, a dedicated public safety officer, lost his life in this horrific, senseless act of violence.

Manlapaz, an immigrant from the Philippines, served as part of the Cal Poly Pomona Campus Security team since 2006 and as a park ranger for the City of Claremont for three years. An only child, Manlapaz moved to the United States with his parents at the age of 13 and learned English by reading the dictionary. After his father's passing two years later, Manlapaz chose to attend Cal Poly Pomona to remain close to his mother. He earned two degrees from the university, a bachelor's in psychology in 2006 and a bachelor's in human resource management in 2012.

Throughout his life, Manlapaz touched so many people's lives. In high school, he was successful in convincing a friend not to commit suicide. His passion for education led him to quietly provide funds for several of his cousins in the Philippines to attend college, children who his aunts and uncles referred to as his `scholar kids.' And he was always willing to lend a helping hand, regularly driving his elderly neighbor to buy groceries.

His time spent as a Boy Scout and dedication to serving others led Manlapaz to pursue a career in law enforcement. Though he was not a sworn officer, the Cal Poly Police Department saw him as one of their own and his commitment to public service was evident.

For his selfless devotion to his family, friends, and community, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mark Manlapaz. We are eternally grateful for his service and his memory will live on through the impact he has made in others. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Mayor Paul M. Eaton of the City of Montclair. After 48 years of dedicated public service to the Inland Empire, Paul is finally retiring and will be sorely missed.

Paul's passion for the Montclair community began in 1965 when he and his wife, Ginger, moved to the Inland Empire. The two began their service at Bethany Baptist church and the Ontario-Montclair School District volunteering with elementary students. In 1970, Paul began his career in public service as a founding, appointed member of Montclair's Community Action Committee. The reputation he earned in this position for his commitment to advocating for Montclair residents resulted in his appointment to the Montclair Planning Commission four years later, which he served on until becoming a City Council member in 1988.

Following Mayor Larry Rhinehart's sudden departure, Paul was unanimously installed into the position by his fellow City Council Members. He served as the city's leader for 23 consecutive years. Totaling nearly six terms in office, Paul is the longest serving Mayor in Montclair history. His greatest achievements include constructing a state-of-the-art Police facility and Youth and Senior Centers, widening Central Avenue on the I-10 Freeway, critical improvements to the Mission Boulevard and Hold Corridors, and ensuring future service to the Montclair Transcenter for the Gold Line light rail service.

For his remarkable accomplishments, it is my honor to recognize Mayor Paul M. Eaton on the House floor today. His decades of commitment and contributions to the City of Montclair are worthy of commending and admiration.