Floor Statements

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer a commonsense amendment that will protect American jobs and the economy by prohibiting funds from being used to implement the Obama administration's flawed Social Cost of Carbon, or SCC, valuation. This job-killing and unlawful guidance sneakily attempts to pave the way for cap-and-trade-like mandates.

Congress and the American people have repeatedly rejected cap-and- trade proposals. Knowing that he could not lawfully enact a carbon tax plan, President Obama attempted to circumvent Congress by playing loose and fast with the Clean Air Act to unilaterally implement this unlawful new requirement under the guise of guidance.

The Obama administration continuously used the SCC valuation models, which can be easily manipulated, to try and justify new job-killing regulations.

Although President Trump issued an executive order in March to disband the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, Federal

agencies continue to work on the SCC valuation.

My amendment is necessary to strengthen the intent of President Trump's executive order while also ensuring that it is Congress, not the executive branch, which sets tax and environmental policy.

The committee wisely issued guidance in the bill report to delay the promulgation of SCC regulations until a new working group is convened. My amendment explicitly prohibits funds from being used to implement the deeply flawed Social Cost of Carbon guidance in the bill text.

The House has a clear, consistent, and strong record of opposition to the Social Cost of Carbon. My colleagues voted in favor of my amendment in FY17 appropriations by a clear majority of 230-188.

In fact, the House has decisively voted 10 times to block, defund, or oppose the Social Cost of Carbon since 2013. My amendment ensures this Chamber's position remains consistent and crystal clear in FY18.

Roger Martella, a self-described lifelong environmentalist and career environmental lawyer, testified at the May 2015 House Natural Resources Committee hearing on the revised SCC guidance and the flaws associated with the Social Cost of Carbon model, stating that the ``'Social Cost of Carbon' estimates suffer from a number of significant flaws that should exclude them from the NEPA process.''

Amongst these flaws are, one, that the ``projected costs of carbon emissions can be manipulated by changing key parameters such as timeframes, discount rates, and other values that have no relation to a given project undergoing review.''

Two, ``OMB and the other Federal agencies developed the draft Social Cost of Carbon estimates without any known peer review or opportunity for public comment during the development process.''

Three, ``OMB's draft Social Cost of Carbon estimates are based primarily on global rather than domestic costs and benefits.''

Four, ``there is still considerable uncertainty in many of the assumptions and data elements used to create the draft Social Cost of Carbon estimates, such as the damage functions and modeled time horizons.''

Mr. Martella's testimony was spot on. Congress, not Washington bureaucrats, should dictate our country's climate change policy. The sweeping and costly changes that the Social Cost of Carbon metric would impose are not only misguided and unwise, they are also based on fundamentally flawed policies that sidestepped Congress, did not go through the normal regulatory process, and received no public comment.

Worse yet, the model utilized to predict the Social Cost of Carbon can be easily manipulated to arrive at the desired outcome.

Regardless of one's positions on climate change, my colleagues surely must respect the constitutional role of the legislative branch and oppose bureaucratic efforts to circumvent Congress to impose an extremist environmental agenda that is not based on best available science.

Congress must provide certainty to business and consumers that the costly and scientifically bankrupt Social Cost of Carbon valuation will not creep its way into our regulatory process.

My amendment provides that certainty.

Over the last 2 years, this effort has received support from the American Energy Alliance, Americans for Limited Government, Americans for Tax Reform, Arch Coal, Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, FreedomWorks, National Mining Association, the National Taxpayers Union, and Taxpayers Protection Alliance.

Congress, not anonymous Washington bureaucrats, should dictate our country's tax and climate change policy. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to, once again, block the flawed Social Cost of Carbon.

I commend the chairman and the committee for their efforts on this legislation, and I urge support of my amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate even though President Trump issued an executive order in March to disband the Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, Federal agencies continue to work on the SCC valuation. So I, at the very least, would expect everybody to support this.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 218, the King Cove Road Land Exchange Act, introduced by my good friend and Western Caucus Vice-Chairman for Indian Affairs and Oceans, Mr. Don Young.

H.R. 218 authorizes a commonsense land exchange between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Alaska that will save lives and taxpayer money.

The bill provides significant benefits for all parties, including tribal members, supporters of fish and wildlife, supporters of the environment, supporters of the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and, most importantly, the people living in the surrounding areas that need access to critical medical and healthcare services.

Local communities in the State of Alaska have been trying to build a one-lane, 11-mile gravel road to link King Cove and Cold Bay for nearly 3 decades.

The bill authorizes the transfer of more than 43,000 acres of Alaska State land in exchange for just 206 acres of

Federal land. These 43,000-plus acres will be added to the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in order to protect fish, wildlife, and the environment.

The one-lane, 11-mile noncommercial road that will be built as a result of this legislation is necessary in order to provide access to emergency medical assistance for American citizens and native populations.

The bill will save taxpayer money. Since 2013 alone, 55 emergency medivacs have been required to get people in need of significant medical attention to hospitals. Many of these medical evacuations have required the Coast Guard, as inclement weather prevents aerial flights on an average of 100 days per year and results in cancellation of more than 40 percent of flights in King Cove.

In order to receive lifesaving care, local residents often must fly 600 miles to Anchorage. Connecting King Cove to Cold Bay Airport will allow the Agdaagux Tribe and local residents to receive the emergency services they need and deserve.

The National Congress of American Indians has testified before Congress multiple times in support of this legislation and on the need to construct this road. NCAI has also passed formal resolutions of support in 2007, 2014, and 2015.

The 2015 NCAI resolution stated:

``The Aleut people of King Cove are continuing to seek justice for this basic right to safe and dependable transportation access for emergency and routine medical health, which is an expectation that most Americans, Indian and non-Indian take for granted . . .

``Because of public health, safety, and quality of life factors, the NCAI does hereby support the rights of the Aleut people of King Cove for this basic expectation of dependable transportation access, and calls upon Congress to immediately pass new legislation approving a land corridor for the construction of a permanent lifesaving road linking the community of King Cove to Cold Bay Airport.''

I couldn't agree more with the National Congress of American Indians. These people in these local communities have a fundamental right to basic healthcare. Let's pass this bill so that we can build an 11-mile gravel road and ensure they receive these basic services.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Alaska for his leadership in sponsoring this much-needed legislation. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in support of this commonsense bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2910, legislation sponsored by my friend and Western Caucus member, Bill Flores.

One area of wide bipartisan agreement is the need to support critical infrastructure in the United States. This bill presents an important opportunity to deliver on our commitment to modernize infrastructure, grow the economy, and support safe, reliable American-made energy.

By improving agency and industry coordination, we can provide more certainty regarding the timeframe and procedures of the pipeline review process. By making these improvements, we will ensure that the energy we produce right here in America can be transported in the safest possible manner.

If my colleagues are truly serious about protecting the environment, we should be promoting American-made energy, where we know it will be produced in adherence to the highest environmental and safety standards.

This bill does exactly that by making the improvements necessary to modernize our pipeline approval process. These improvements are necessary to match the advancements in shale gas technology and increased demand for safe, reliable, and domestically-sourced energy.

While roads and bridges often get the most attention when we talk about the need for updated infrastructure, modern pipelines and other energy infrastructure are sorely needed to support our economy and power our homes and businesses.

Promoting efficient and comprehensive cooperation within our regulatory process is an effort that is not only bipartisan, but plain common sense.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Texas for sponsoring this much-needed legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this commonsense bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2883, the Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act, introduced by my friend and Western Caucus member Markwayne Mullin.

H.R. 2883 streamlines the permitting process for pipelines and electricity transmission equipment that crosses the United States' international borders.

Energy trade between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada is nearly a $150 billion business that provides significant benefits to America. This bill will prevent another Keystone XL-like delay and takes politics out of the decisionmaking process.

Cross-border oil and gas pipelines and cross-border electric transmission facilities should not be held up by government bureaucracies. Without this legislation, important projects that provide benefits to our economy will continue to incur unnecessary delays and government red tape.

Edison Electric Institute supports H.R. 2883, stating:

Timely decisions for the sifting and permitting of energy

infrastructure are essential to building more resilient

infrastructure that electric companies need to deliver

reliable, affordable, safe, and increasingly clean energy to

Americans.

The National Taxpayers Union supports the bill, stating:

This legislation would streamline the archaic cross-border

permitting process for energy facilities that stretch across

the borders we share with Mexico and Canada.

The current Presidential permit regime is far from clear and can leave projects in regulatory limbo for years to come. Creating a consolidated and standardized approval process would increase the congressional accountability provided for in Article I, section 8 of the Constitution.

The bill requires a full environmental review and complies with NEPA. This legislation makes so much sense that even labor unions support it. Let's fulfill our constitutional obligations, streamline important energy infrastructure projects, and advance a true all-of-the-above energy strategy.

I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for sponsoring this much-needed legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this commonsense bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 806, the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017, introduced by my friend and colleague, Pete Olson. This bill is necessary to shield States from job-killing mandates and ozone levels proposed by the Obama administration in October of 2015.

Most States are just beginning to adopt the 75 parts per billion ozone standard proposed in 2008, as the EPA didn't announce implementation guidance and a final rule until March 6 of 2015. Rather than allowing time for that standard to be implemented, the Obama administration moved the goalposts and unilaterally sought to dramatically lower the ozone standard once again to 70 parts per billion in October 2015.

Industry analysis projects that more than 950 different counties throughout the country will immediately be in nonattainment under the October 2015, 70 parts per billion standard. To make matters worse, the 70 parts per billion standard is not currently attainable in 9 of 10 counties in Arizona that measure ozone levels.

When pristine national parks like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Rocky Mountain are in danger of being in nonattainment under the proposed Obama standard, there is a serious problem with the numbers.

The Chamber of Commerce has reported that counties classified as in nonattainment can have important permits denied by the EPA and important Federal highway and transportation projects suspended.

The Arizona Chamber Foundation and Prosper Foundation stated: ``The EPA's new ozone standard of 70 parts per billion will virtually be impossible for Arizona to meet due to Arizona's high level of background, limited local sources, and unique geography. . . . Implementation of the current rule in Arizona is not reasonable, based in sound science, or achievable.''

Tri-State stated: ``In order to preserve our co-op-member owners access to affordable and reliable electricity, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association wholeheartedly supports H.R. 806.''

The National Taxpayer Union stated: ``The costs are high for States and localities, regardless of whether they achieve attainment . . . jobs and investments will go elsewhere without more feasible, predictable reforms that are present in H.R. 806.''

Even the Obama administration projected in 2010 the unrealistic standard we are debating today would cost our economy between $19 to $25 billion annually.

The previous administration also admitted it did not have a clear plan for dealing with background ozone generated by factors outside a State's control. This means the Obama EPA was literally attempting to punish States for ozone pollution that is created in other States like California, or in Mexico, or even China.

The October 2015 Obama ozone rule will force companies to close their doors and kill countless jobs throughout the country if this bill is not passed.

I thank the gentleman from Texas for sponsoring this much-needed legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this commonsense bill.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer a commonsense amendment with the intent of accurately and transparently determining the prevailing wage for Department of Defense contracts. My amendment would require the calculation of wages for contractors and all defense projects to be based on actual statistics calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, as opposed to the current process which determines these rates based on fundamentally flawed surveys within the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor, or the DOL.

This amendment is needed. A 2008 Department of Labor Inspector General report found that ``one or more errors existed in 100 percent of the wage reports.'' The Congressional Budget Office estimates that upwards of $13 billion could be wasted over 10 years if Davis-Bacon is left unreformed. As stewards of the public treasury, we have an obligation to spend taxpayer money wisely. This amendment addresses that very need.

Additionally, this amendment doesn't remove funds from the Defense budget. The money this amendment saves--potentially in the billions of dollars--will be kept within the Department of Defense budget to be used for other important defense priorities. In a fiscal environment where every dollar counts, this amendment presents a welcome opportunity to make our defense dollars go further.

This amendment isn't an attempt to repeal Davis-Bacon. It is about competition, equality, accuracy, and transparency for everyone. It simply asks that wage determinations for Department of Defense contracts be made with statistically sampled information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics so that we are able to spend Federal dollars in a more efficient manner and support more jobs. The BLS has proven time and time again that they are the only agency capable of accurately determining these wages.

A fair wage for a fair job is fair to the American taxpayer. Again, I thank the chairman and ranking member for their continued work on the committee.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, this amendment is not anti-Davis-Bacon. Let me give you some fun facts. In some cities, the Wage and Hour Division's calculated wages are 75 percent higher than the actual prevailing wage. In other areas throughout the country, they are below minimum wage and only 33 percent of the actual prevailing wage. What is fair is fair.

When you start looking at the figures that are used for calculation, they haven't been updated in many cases since 1970. Give me a break. This isn't about Davis-Bacon, this is about crony capitalism. This is about a vestige of the Jim Crow era.

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

Mr. Chair, may I ask how much time I have remaining.

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

Mr. Chairman, once again, this is not anti-Davis-Bacon. We want to make it an issue like that, but the statistics speak for themselves.

The Federal Government is willing to pay the wages for our hardworking contractors on what they deserve, but as stewards of the taxpayer dollar, we must insist that these wages are accurate, fair, and transparent.

The inspector general has stated there are fundamental problems with the current methodology. We owe it to the American taxpayer and the contractors themselves to make sure funds are based upon accuracy and wages are being paid fairly.

The opposition claims to be fighting in favor of Davis-Bacon, but if they really cared about its longevity and effectiveness, they would support this amendment and improve and strengthen it.

The opposition also believes this amendment is an attack on the American worker. Tell that to my contractors who have been put out of business with the military in south Arizona. Please tell them that when they couldn't calculate the Davis-Bacon application and were put out of business by the Department of Labor.

That couldn't be further from the truth. This provides certainty and clarity to the wages of hardworking tradesmen and women across the country who perform services for the government.

We as a body should be for fiscal responsibility and for proper worker compensation. This amendment is an opportunity to act exactly on this. I urge my colleagues to support this good-governance and commonsense approach.

I ask my colleagues: Do you support transparency and accuracy? Support my amendment.

Do you support the responsible use of taxpayer dollars? Support my amendment.

Do you support workers and fair compensation? Then support my amendment.

Do you support a fair wage for the hardworking contractors of the DOD? Support my amendment.

Anything stays safe in the military budget. This is military- specific.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chair and the ranking member for their help, and I urge everybody to vote ``yes'' for this amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 23, legislation sponsored by my good friend and Western Caucus member, David Valadao.

For years, Western communities have suffered as a result of frivolous lawsuits, inefficient policies, and burdensome regulations that have prevented adoption of commonsense water solutions. These factors, coupled with a lack of rainfall, exacerbated a manmade drought that lasted for 5 years.

Rather than capturing precious water supplies, failed government policies that refused to put Americans first allowed billions of gallons to be funneled into the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean. These deliberate diversions killed thousands of jobs, harmed our country's food supply, and led to local unemployment levels as high as 40 percent.

Today we have an opportunity to right these wrongs by passing the GROW Act, legislation that is supported by approximately 100 different cities, agriculture groups, water associations, irrigation districts, local chambers of commerce, and businesses throughout the country.

Most of the major provisions in this bill have been passed by this body numerous times. In fact, we have been working to enact similar legislation for nearly 5 years.

For example, title V includes Western Caucus member Tom McClintock's Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act, an excellent bill that will streamline the permitting process for important water storage projects.

Title VI includes Western Caucus member Dan Newhouse's Bureau of Reclamation Water Project Streamlining Act, much-needed legislation that will result in increased storage of surface water.

Title VII includes Western Caucus Vice Chairman Tipton's Water Rights Protection Act, an essential bill that protects private water rights from Federal takings.

I strongly support these titles and the underlying bill. It is far past time that we put our communities, families, and America first.

H.R. 23 addresses previous policy failures and adopts worthwhile water policies that will benefit future generations.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for sponsoring this much-needed legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this commonsense bill.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commemorate the 130th Anniversary of The World's Oldest Rodeo, Arizona's own Prescott Rodeo. On 4th of July weekend, cowboys and spectators gathered as they have every 4th of July weekend since 1888 to practice an art as old as raising cattle itself.

Few sports can compete with rodeo as a test of reflex, skill and practical ability. Tracing its origins to the Spanish vaquero, rodeo in America grew from an Arizona-based cowboy competition into a multimillion-dollar enterprise with hundreds of competitors. Participants harness the spirit of ranchers in the American West, combining raw athleticism with instinctive knowledge and frontier toughness.

This incredible event draws nearly 27,000 people per year and allows Prescott Frontier Days, the event's organizer, to donate thousands of dollars per year to several highly-regarded charities. Their dedicated organization of committed volunteers is one of only sixteen ever to have been inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

This storied event reflects so many of the values that make the American West, and the American spirit more broadly, unique and important. As we reflect on the 241st celebration of our nation's independence, I am proud to applaud the great Americans of the Prescott Rodeo and the tenacious character they embody.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Ms. Karrin Taylor Robson, of Arizona. Karrin is an invaluable member of the state community, and has contributed to its economic development in unfathomable ways. I want to first commend her on her service to the state, and her accomplishments with Arizona Strategies. Most importantly, however, I want to congratulate her on her new position on the Arizona State Board of Regents. I am confident she will excel in this position, undoubtedly championing our students.

Karrin currently serves diligently as the Founder and President of Arizona Strategies, an Arizona based land use and real estate development company. Here she has grown the business with integrity and professionalism. These qualities will serve her, the Board of Regents, and our students well. As a prominent business contributor to our state Karrin has served on numerous government and community organizations, leaving each one better than she found it. Governor Ducey could not have filled this seat with a better candidate.

Karrin's extraordinary career serves as an example for the students she has now been appointed to serve. I look forward to watching her drive Arizona's university system to new heights. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to recognize her today.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1654, legislation sponsored by my good friend and colleague, Tom McClintock.

For centuries, Western States have fought over scarce water supplies. We even have an expression in the West that says whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.

The water scarcity in the West led our visionary forefathers to build Federal water storage projects throughout to provide water, hydropower, recreation, flood control, and environmental benefits while adhering to State water rights. These were nonpartisan endeavors, as evidenced by President John F. Kennedy dedicating the San Luis Dam in California.

Now, while the Central Arizona Project came after President Kennedy, it continues to bring prosperity to Arizona's cities, tribal communities, and ranches almost 50 years from its inception.

The Glen Canyon Dam and other projects affiliated with the Colorado River Storage Project provided the backbone of a regional economy that produced year-round water and emissions-free hydropower.

Lake Powell, the reservoir behind Glen Canyon, allows for millions of dollars' worth of recreational boating annually and even provided the scenery for the astronaut crash landing in the 1968 science fiction classic, ``The Planet of the Apes.''

For generations, these projects provided benefits to a growing society, but what the Federal Government helped give, it has been taking away.

The current regulatory process for constructing new surface water storage is a bureaucratic maze that requires numerous permits and approvals from a multitude of different Federal, State, and local agencies. Conflicting requirements continue to cause unnecessary delays, kill jobs, and result in us failing to capture precious water supplies. Ranchers, agricultural and municipal water providers and other stakeholders in the West need a clear process without the bureaucracy.

H.R. 1654 establishes such a process by creating a one-stop-shop permitting shop, with the Bureau of Reclamation in charge of the permitting process for these important water storage projects in 17 Western States. This makes a lot of sense, as the Bureau of Reclamation's multipurpose water projects made the West what it is today. Generations of our prior leaders focused on the need to capture water and deliver it to cities and fields.

Our communities always need water, and with the projected population increases, we are going to need a lot more of it in the near future.

Let's build on the good work of previous generations. Get the bureaucracy out of the way and pass H.R. 1654 so we have a clear process moving forward for preserving worthwhile water infrastructure projects.

There is an old adage: save for a rainy day. In this case, it should be: save on a rainy day.

This act facilitates that very concept.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for sponsoring such needed legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this commonsense bill.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1873, legislation sponsored by my colleagues from the Western Caucus, which improves the reliability of our electrical grid while, at the same time, protecting our Federal lands and forests from the ravages of wildfires.

This bipartisan legislation is common sense, plain and simple. This bill allows electric co-ops to prune or remove a tree that would fall on a power line in an electricity corridor if left unmanaged.

Maintaining healthy and well-managed rights-of-way is important for many reasons, not the least of which are the safety of our communities and reliable electricity delivery.

Now, if you knew that a tree was going to fall on a power line and potentially cause a massive blackout or spark a fire, you would probably want to cut it back or get rid of it, right? Of course you would. It is common sense.

Unfortunately, inconsistent and unpredictable viewpoints between Federal land managers at the Departments of Interior and Agriculture have prevented co-ops from ensuring safety along the corridors, putting many at risk.

Timely decisionmaking is crucial for these co-ops to protect the land, but for far too long, bureaucratic red tape has delayed the removal of hazardous trees for weeks and, in some cases, months. Too many times, co-ops have notified the proper Department of a dangerous situation only to have the request to remove a hazardous tree either denied or bogged down by unnecessary and duplicative reviews. Not only that, but when the very tree they reported inevitably falls on a power line and sparks a fire, the co-op is left holding the bill for the damages.

Mr. Chairman, this is absurd, and I am pleased that this legislation shifts liability for a fire started under those circumstances back to the party responsible for inaction.

Rolling the dice on forest health is not just unwise, it is flat out irresponsible. I thank the gentlemen from California and Oregon for sponsoring this much-needed legislation, and I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, although I am not opposed.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this amendment to H.R. 1873. This bipartisan amendment would ensure that personnel involved in vegetation management decisions understand the benefit that unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, or drones, can add to the maintenance and management of transmission lines.

In 2017, not only does this policy make sense, it is essential. Our electric grid and forests should be protected with this effective and cost-efficient technology, which has proven its worth in so many other areas, including national defense and private industry.

In my home State of Arizona, UAVs have proven to be highly valuable tools in forest management. Utilizing UAV expertise from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, as well as Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, land managers have greatly improved their ability to monitor forest conditions both at scale and down to the detail of individual trees and branches.

Proper vegetation management around transmission lines is essential to preventing power outages and dangerous forest fires. UAV technology makes transmission line monitoring safer, cheaper, and more effective.

As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to our constituents to pursue smarter, safer, and cheaper approaches to public policy and resource management. This amendment and this bill allow us to do so in a bipartisan way. I am proud to partner with the gentlewoman from Arizona on this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Ms. Andrea Luna Cervantes of Yuma, Arizona. Andrea is an accomplished and dedicated student who has devoted tremendous amounts of time and energy to her studies and to improving her community. I am excited to announce that Andrea is one of 35 national recipients of the 2017 Hamilton Scholars Award for outstanding academic accomplishments and community service. Her work ethic, academic aptitude and ability to connect with people of all ages renders her receipt of this award no surprise.

Currently, Andrea is a rising senior at Yuma High School, where she is well on her way to becoming a productive service leader. In reaching this point, she has overcome many hardships through determination and a supportive community. I fully expect she will continue to grow into a productive and engaged citizen--exactly the kind of leader our society is in need of.

Those who know Andrea recognize that she has the natural ability to reach out and connect with people of all backgrounds. Included amongst her work in the community is her service as the Vice President of Junior State of America (JSA)--an American non-partisan youth organization that helps high school students acquire leadership skills and the requisite skills to be effective debaters and civic participants. She also serves as the President of her chapter of the National Honor Society--an academic membership-based organization that fosters a commitment to academic excellence. Andrea has competed at high levels of debate moderation and math competitions, and was a participant in the selective Yuma Youth Leadership program.

Andrea is an ambitious, high-achieving young woman. She embodies the characteristics which, when cultivated, give rise to the best of our society's leaders. It is an honor of mine to recognize this Hamilton Scholar, and I expect only the best from Andrea's future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Ms. Andrea Luna Cervantes of Prescott, Arizona. Andrea is an accomplished and dedicated student who has devoted tremendous amounts of time and energy to her studies and to improving her community. I am excited to announce that Andrea is one of 35 national recipients of the 2017 Hamilton Scholars Award for outstanding academic accomplishments and community service. Her work ethic, academic aptitude and ability to connect with people of all ages renders her receipt of this award no surprise.

Currently, Andrea is a rising senior at Yuma High School, where she is well on her way to becoming a productive service leader. In reaching this point, she has overcome many hardships through determination and a supportive community. I fully expect she will continue to grow into a productive and engaged citizen--exactly the kind of leader our society is in need of.

Those who know Andrea recognize that she has the natural ability to reach out and connect with people of all backgrounds. Included amongst her work in the community is her service as the Vice President of Junior State of America (JSA)--an American non-partisan youth organization that helps high school students acquire leadership skills and the requisite skills to be effective debaters and civic participants. She also serves as the President of her chapter of the National Honor Society--an academic membership-based organization that fosters a commitment to academic excellence. Andrea has competed at high levels of debate moderation and math competitions, and was a participant in the selective Yuma Youth Leadership Program.

Andrea is an ambitious, high-achieving young woman. She embodies the characteristics which, when cultivated, give rise to the best of our society's leaders. It is an honor of mine to recognize this Hamilton Scholar, and I expect only the best from Andrea's future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues that May is National Inventors Month. It's a special privilege to do so as Co- Chair of the Congressional Inventions Caucus.

Our Founders were aware of the importance of invention and inventors, enshrining invention and protecting the rights of inventors across the country in Article 1, Section 8 of our Constitution. This not only has served the purpose of protecting one's exclusive property rights, it also has achieved the Founders' goal of stimulating ``progress in science and useful arts.''

From the beginning, invention has driven forward progress for our country and helped elevate American innovators to the forefront of the world stage. This has benefited not only our country but the world-- curing disease, extending life and bringing joy and opportunity to billions.

Without patents and other protections, protected in our Constitution and laws at every letter, this innovation could not be possible. As President Abraham Lincoln, himself a patent-holder, put it, our patent system adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius.

Our country has a rich legacy of inventors who have combatted some of history's greatest challenges and used their unique gifts to

upend the workings of the world. American innovators like Edison, Bell, George Washington Carver and the Wright Brothers have become household names across the country. On top of that, well-known inventions from the Internet to the garage owe themselves to the American spirit.

American innovation and ingenuity is a foundation for our nation's prosperity. This National Inventors Month, I hope we will all consider the contribution inventors have made to our nation.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Ms. Jessica Marks of Yavapai, Arizona. Jessica is an accomplished and respected educator whose distinguished career has inspired countless young people in Arizona to follow their dreams. Currently, she teaches Language Arts to the students of Glassford Hill Middle School in Yavapai. Her inspiring service to the youth of our district is deserving of all of our admiration. It comes as no surprise that she is being recognized as the Yavapai County Teacher of the Year.

Jessica's career in education began in 2011, where she taught at Liberty Traditional School and later became a founding teacher at Prescott Valley's Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center. On account of her teaching excellence, 100 percent of her students passed AIMS testing. Jessica has prioritized community engagement, leadership skills and well-rounded character in her pedagogical approach. Outside of the classroom, she has served as an adviser to the student yearbook, the community service organization Panthers in Action, the National Junior Honor Society, and the school newspaper, amongst other extracurricular responsibilities. Jessica also

works hard planning the annual eighth grade trip to Catalina Island.

Jessica's service and mentorship to our youth is commendable. Her track record of excellence began when she undertook her first teaching position, and has continued to the present day. Jessica's amazing career serves as a beacon of civic duty and care for one's community, and I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to recognize her today.