Floor Statements

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer a multifaceted amendment to limit funds within the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to programs that are constitutional, appropriate, and sane.

For the sake of time, I will just highlight some of the provisions within my amendment.

My amendment protects Second Amendment rights and individual liberties. It does so by prohibiting a Federal firearm registry from being created with funds in this bill. Similar language has previously passed the House.

I also want to bring the House's attention to some of the ludicrous studies that taxpayers have funded via the National Science Foundation.

First, I appreciate the National Science Foundation's mission and its work. The National Science Foundation grantees and funds have been instrumental in advances in the Internet, astronomy, energy, chemistry, and many other important aspects of scientific scholarship; but, like our well-funded government operations, the bureaucracy begins to grow and proper oversight of the grant process begins to wane.

In 2011, Senator Tom Coburn released a publication titled ``The National Science Foundation: Under the Microscope.'' In that document, he outlined a litany of wasteful, superfluous, and seemingly idiotic studies, some of which I will outline here.

There was a study on human reaction to popular baby names. There was a $580,000 grant to study racial preferences in online dating. There was nearly $1 million in multiple grants to study how rumors are started.

There have been nearly two decades of grants awarded to a certain panel in which the National Science Foundation has granted about $60 million. One of the panel's studies covered how much housework a man creates for a wife in his household. There was a $90,000 grant to study the relationship between a researcher and their online avatar in virtual worlds and differences in their behaviors.

Since 2000, grants provided by the National Science Foundation have been used to study crustaceans running on tiny treadmills after being exposed to different microbes.

These little shrimp were also given tiny backpacks to weigh them down, so researchers could study test variables such as weight and resistance. In 2011, the lab said it planned to build treadmills and create studies for lobsters and blue crabs as well. This amendment would prevent these types of abuses.

There was a 2009 grant disbursed to the tune of $300,000, to study how humans ride bicycles. There was another $300,000, which actually came from the stimulus funds, that was disbursed to a married couple to travel to seven countries around the world to study stray dogs in an effort to discover how dogs became man's best friend. Sounds like a heck of a honeymoon to me.

Possibly the most ridiculous grant highlighted by Senator Coburn's report was a National Science Foundation grant to support a robot rodeo hoedown. Let me repeat that: a robot rodeo hoedown. I would like to point out how laughable it was to my staff to work with legislative counsel to define what a hoedown is for the purpose of this amendment.

The project involved programming small robots to dance to ``Chicken

Coop Shuffle,'' but I suppose the event wasn't a total loss. It produced hundreds of YouTube views.

I want to, again, thank Senator Coburn and his staff for producing these reports that shed light on these issues. My amendment will not prohibit all future ridiculous taxpayer-funded studies, but hopefully, I can take part in shedding a little bit of light of those that are the most egregious.

The hope is that those people awarding these moneys wake up and use a little more discretion with hard-earned taxpayer money, but I have a feeling I will be back here next year offering a similar amendment. I urge passage of this commonsense amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Point of Order

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

Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment which seeks to correct a serious injustice against U.S. citizens and the United States Constitution.

As many of us learned from the intelligence disclosures last year, the Federal Government is engaged in a wide variety of surveillance practices. These practices, though mostly focused internationally, also encompass domestic communications on a regular basis.

I hear many in the executive branch--and the legislative branch, no doubt--making excuses as to why this happens or how that is not all that bad, but I say that it is. It is an absolute violation of our basic civil liberties and the Fourth Amendment.

I could go on and on about the different practices that violate our Constitution and the trust of the people, but my amendment focuses on one simple statute, one simple statute I believe almost everyone will agree needs to be changed. Section 2703 of title 18, U.S.C., United States Code, allows the Federal Government to obtain your personal emails in your email account if they are 180 days or older. It is essentially a carte blanche authority to do so.

What is it about a piece of email being 180 days old that suddenly makes it the business of the government? What is it about a piece of email being 180 days old that suddenly makes it no longer your property? After 6 months, are those emails suddenly a threat to national security? Moreover, if these personal emails do discuss plots against the Nation, in many cases it is a little too little, a little too late to do anything since the government is 6 months behind the ball.

I do not know anyone who can make a legitimate argument to keep this provision of law. I know of no real justification.

To put support for this amendment in perspective, I will point out that there are a handful of bills in the House that abolish or significantly alter this provision of law.

One of these bills is H.R. 1847, introduced by my friend and colleague Congressman Matt Salmon of Arizona. The other is H.R. 1852, introduced by my friend Congressman Kevin Yoder of Kansas. If you add up all the Republicans and Democrats cosponsoring these two bills alone, the number is 217, just about enough to pass this amendment. I can tell you that our constituencies certainly do not accept this gross violation of privacy and abuse of power.

We saw a good bill in the U.S. Freedom Act get watered down and mutilated last week, which was a disgrace. I supported the original act because it made real reforms. I voted against the version that came to the floor because it extended section 215 of the PATRIOT Act for another 2 years.

But can we not agree on this one simple change?

Must the NSA or the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security have access to our emails that are several years old with no other justification than an arbitrary date? I think not.

I urge passage of my commonsense amendment.

With that, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Chair, with the understanding that the chairman has given, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground and its Commander, Colonel Reed F. Young, Ph.D.

The U.S. Army's presence in Yuma dates back to 1850, when Fort Yuma was constructed on a hill overlooking the Yuma crossing of the Colorado River. Soldiers at Fort Yuma maintained peace with the local Indians and protected the important Yuma crossing. That fort operated until 1883.

In 1865, a second facility known as the Yuma Quartermaster Depot was constructed in order to supply Army posts throughout Arizona and western New Mexico. That depot was also closed in 1883, and the Army would not return to Yuma on a permanent basis until the Second World War.

Beginning in 1943, the area was host to various bases, depots, and training grounds. In 1950, the mission of the facility changed drastically to become the nation's premier artillery testing site, hosting the longest overland artillery range in the country. The installation was renamed Yuma Proving Ground in 1963 during the reorganization of the Army. The Yuma Proving Ground has since been home to tests of long-range weaponry, the Apache Helicopter, M-1 Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, rockets, mortars, parachute and airdrop technologies, global positioning systems (GPS), and even automobiles. The Yuma Proving Ground contributes directly to both America's national defense and its national economy.

I must also thank and congratulate Colonel Reed Young, the Commander of the Yuma Proving Ground. He assumed command in May 2011. He leads over 2,700 military, civilian, and contractor personnel. Colonel Young is responsible for research and development of highly-advanced technologies valuable to the military, many of which also have civilian applications.

Before taking command of the Yuma Proving Ground, Colonel Young served as a Program Manager and Chief of the Technology Integration and Outreach Division for the U.S. Army Research Office in Durham, NC. He is also a member of the Arizona State Council on the Education for Military Children that helps remove barriers for children of military families. He is always quite courteous to my staff and me each time we visit, taking time out of his day to interact with us. His service to our country is exemplary.

On behalf of the State of Arizona, I want to recognize the Yuma Proving Ground for its rich history, and I want to thank Colonel Young for his hospitality and dedication to this nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Lake Havasu Marine Association on being awarded the 2013 Hollister Award for Outstanding Service in the Field Of Boating Safety. The Lake Havasu Marine Association (LHMA) has made impressive progress since it was founded over 30 years ago. I would like to specifically recognize their ``Pack it In, Pack it Out,'' ``Designated Operator,'' and Lake Havasu River Channel projects.

The ``Pack it In, Pack it Out'' campaign was created in 2008 by the members of the LHMA and paid for by funding from private donors. Through this program, 150,000 trash bags have been provided to boaters each year. Over the span of four years, 450,000 bags have been distributed and over one million pounds of trash have been removed from the shorelines of Lake Havasu.

The LHMA also assisted in the development of the ``Designated Operator'' campaign spearheaded by Carl Flusche, Vice Chairman of the Association. The aim of this campaign is to reduce the incidence of accidents and fatalities related to alcohol use on the Colorado River and Lake Havasu. One of the unique and innovative elements of the program is the creation of latex wristbands that are designed and purchased by sponsors and distributed to ``designated boat operators'' who have made a commitment to remain sober while operating a watercraft. Local businesses have sponsored the program and provide non-alcoholic beverages at no cost to those who have made this commitment. As the program continues to gain support among the boaters of Lake Havasu, it has also garnered national attention for its efficacy. Thanks to the leadership of Mr. Flusche and the innovative work of the Association, boating safety has improved and there has been a notable increase in the number of boaters taking charge of their safety and utilizing designated watercraft operators.

Finally, the LHMA has supported boating safety by spearheading the Lake Havasu River Channel Project to deepen a channel through shallow delta sediments in a half-mile stretch on the upper side of Lake Havasu. The dredging project increased the channel depth from approximately two feet to four feet. It also marked the channel with buoys to alert boaters of the depth and created a ``no wake zone.'' This project will undoubtedly relieve congestion and increase boating safety.

Congratulations to the Lake Havasu Marine Association for taking these steps to increase boating safety.

Mr. Speaker, on April 24, 2014, I was honored to speak at the dedication of the new John M. Roll United States Courthouse in Yuma, Arizona. I joined former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Senators McCain and Flake, Mayor Nicholls of Yuma and others at the ceremony.

I was able to take a tour of this new courthouse and it is remarkable. It is filled with natural light and the carpets look like an aerial view of Yuma County's agricultural fields. It's fitting that this impressive U.S. Courthouse is named after an impressive man, one who dedicated his life to justice and to upholding the rule of law.

U.S. District of Arizona Chief Judge John Roll, who was killed by a gunman at Congresswoman Giffords's event outside Tucson in 2011, served Arizona and our nation honorably for four decades. He was a wise and gracious man, who not only talked the talk but walked the walk. I hope that all those who work in the courthouse in the years to come will honor the legacy of Chief Judge Roll by executing the law with Lady Justice in mind: impartially, fairly and objectively--just as Chief Judge Roll did.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. The people's House has thoroughly documented Lois Lerner's trespasses, including her history of targeting conservative groups, as well as the rules and laws she has broken. In fact, there is a 443-page committee report supporting these allegations.

We know that Ms. Lerner refuses to comply with a duly-issued subpoena from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and without Ms. Lerner's full cooperation, the American public will not have the answer it needs from its government.

My friends across the aisle have continuously cried foul over this legitimate investigation; but where is their evidence to put this issue to rest?

Let me say that I do not enjoy holding any Federal official in contempt or pursuing criminal charges because doing so means that we have a government run amuck and a U.S. Attorney General who does not uphold the rule of law. Such a predicament is a lose-lose situation for all Americans and our Constitution.

As uncomfortable as it may be, it is our job to proceed in the name of government accountability. I support this resolution, and it is way past time for contempt for Lois Lerner.

Madam Chairwoman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chairwoman, I rise today to speak in favor of my simple and straightforward amendment. My amendment would reduce funding to the United States Botanic Garden to the levels appropriated in fiscal year 2014. That money would then be transferred to the Spending Reduction Account so that we could take one more step towards reining in Federal spending.

I would be the first to say that I appreciate the Botanic Garden and its beauty. I believe it is a good program, and I am personally interested in botany. But Members of Congress are often faced with difficult choices, especially given our current fiscal crisis. There are programs that are constitutionally mandated, and other programs that are nice but are not constitutionally mandated. This is one program that is nice but cannot be immune from the fiscal pressures facing our government.

While the Botanic Garden is a wonderful attraction, Congress must seek to limit excessive spending in the name of getting our fiscal house in order. No line item can be overlooked in making these assessments and decisions, including our own office budgets, as we have demonstrated.

Madam Chairwoman, so many families are tightening their belts during these trying economic times. Congress must do the same and make cuts where it can.

I am concerned that the Architect of the Capitol has proposed over $5.1 million in new capital projects at the Botanic Garden this year. Rather than making minor repairs to a few small leaks in the roof, the Architect of the Capitol is proposing to tear down the entire roof and replace it with something called a new vegetative roofing system. At a time of soaring deficits and with the Federal debt in excess of $17 trillion, such expenditures are especially wasteful, and we shouldn't be wasting precious taxpayer money on a new, state-of-the-art vegetative roofing system.

My proposed amendment is a fair cut. It does not gut the program but merely rolls back the appropriations back to 2014 levels. My amendment still allows for almost $2 million in new capital projects and repairs to take place in fiscal year 2015.

A note about vegetative roofs. They are usually at least twice the cost to install and require a much higher maintenance cost, and in some cases have unintended consequences by attracting wildlife into urban areas, as an example, geese. I ask each Member to vote in favor of the Gosar amendment.

Madam Chairwoman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this amendment, which seeks to redirect funds from the general administration account to the Department of Veterans Affairs inspector general's office.

As a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, I am a firm believer in oversight of the Federal Government. The more sunlight on Federal activity, the more honest and efficient it will be. I am also a strong proponent of the inspector general community.

Since the Inspector General Act was passed into law, the IG community has saved taxpayers billions of dollars and has uncovered countless examples of wrongdoing in the Federal Government.

These allegations about the Phoenix VA health care system are troubling, but I am also a firm believer of the rule of law. These investigations must be completed in order for us to have these answers. The answers from the IG report will yield both improvements to the VA process and hold accountable anyone who has done any harm.

I support this amendment because I support a timely, but thorough resolution to the investigation. Let us give the IG's office the resources it needs. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support passage of this commonsense amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment.

I would first like to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus) for offering this amendment. Our offices have worked closely on this issue.

To reiterate, this amendment to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is a simple one. Senior leadership at the VA has repeatedly failed the very veterans they are meant to support.

Initial responses for benefit claims hover close to a year in many cases, with appeals responses taking significantly longer. In too many instances, these matters even require Congressional intervention.

My staff, though happy to do so, has far too many cases open on behalf of the veterans trying to receive their earned benefits with the Veterans Administration.

With so many of our veterans being let down by their government, those in charge of the administration of benefits should not be rewarded. This should be common sense.

I would also like to take a quick moment to thank Congressman Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, for introducing similar legislation that would allow the Secretary of the VA to fire senior executives or cut their pay for lack of performance.

There are many Members on both sides of the aisle interested in shaking things up at the VA. I suggest we start here today by adopting these relevant amendments that will hold these government employees accountable.

Again, I urge passage of this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I have my first amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise to stand with veterans throughout the country and offer a simple amendment that seeks to prohibit funds in this bill from being used to create or maintain any unofficial recordkeeping system at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

As many of you know, numerous news reports have surfaced that assert that the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System has been using secondary, unofficial records of veterans' claims and appointment requests. These allegations claim that the reasoning behind these actions was to misrepresent the actual wait times the veterans faced as they sought health care.

A whistleblower has come forward and alleged the facility was taking the

vets' application information, transcribing that information to an unofficial shared document, and only putting veterans' information and requests into the real system when they knew that the veterans were likely to receive an appointment within a 2-week timeframe. If true, on paper, the VA central office here in Washington would be under the impression that the wait time goals for appointments were being met. According to reports, veterans were waiting for months and months on end.

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee is conducting an investigation into the matter and so far has said as many as 40 veterans suffered and died while waiting for appointments through the Phoenix VA system. Their investigation is ongoing, and they fear there could be many more deaths as a result of this negligence.

I would like to thank the full committee chairman, Chairman Miller, and Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee Chairman Coffman for their efforts on this front.

The inspector general's office at the VA is also conducting investigations into these allegations. It is my hope that we get to the full truth soon and that those responsible are held accountable. Depending on the findings, criminal charges may even be in order. In the meantime, my goal is to ensure that such recordkeeping practices are not allowed to take place.

I have said this before, it is sad that we have to legislate in this way. When government bureaucrats don't use good judgment and common sense, regulations and laws must be changed to prevent bad behavior. No matter what the investigation shows and no matter who was involved, this practice must be prevented in the future. My amendment seeks to do just that.

Only the official systems approved by the Veterans Administration's Central Office should be used. This way, we have oversight, accountability, and uniformity. It is my hope that one day we also have a little more efficiency in these processes.

Thank you for your consideration, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the passage of my commonsense amendment.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have my second amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise to offer an amendment that seeks to redirect funds that would otherwise be spent on Department of Veterans Affairs bureaucrats and administrative expenses and puts those monies towards timely service for our veterans.

Although this amendment is a dollar-for-dollar transfer within this bill, which will result in a neutral impact on the bill's budget authority, the amendment will actually decrease budget outlays for 2015 by $1 million according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The general administration account for the Department of Veterans Affairs is funded at $321,591,000. Funds to this account can be spent on things that have nothing to do with administrating critical services for our veterans. Examples include things like receptions, conferences, uniforms, and excessive travel for bureaucrats.

It is no secret that the VA, like other Federal agencies like the GSA and the IRS, has in recent years abused the trust of the American people by spending exorbitant amounts of money on conferences and travel expenses. I think we all know that the VA has had its share of problems in the past few years. Meanwhile, wait times for claims processing and appeals processing are horrendous.

The most recent report put forth by the VA indicates there are more than 600,000 veterans' claims pending with the VA. Even more troubling is the fact that 319,363 claims have been pending for more than 125 days.

Many of our veterans are simply giving up. They are either giving up on trying to obtain the benefits they deserve, or worse, some of them are giving up on life altogether. It is a travesty, and this appalling trend must by reversed.

It is disheartening to me that such wasteful spending occurs while veterans are crying out for help. It is distressing that it occurs while veterans are taking their own lives. It is truly disturbing that it occurs when we have veterans dying as they wait for care.

I appreciate the committee's hard work and its acknowledgment of the importance of reducing the backlog in this bill. Having said that, I think we

can do more and should focus on prioritizing funding for efforts that will lead to timelier care for our Nation's heroes as opposed to administrative expenses. That is why I proposed redirecting a mere 1 percent of the funds in the general administration account away from the funding for conference expenses and bureaucrats and shifting those funds towards reducing the VA backlog.

It is unfair to say that all VA employees and officials have abused the trust of the American people and the veterans that they are meant to serve. There are many within this Department who work tirelessly to get through their claims and streamline processes. To those people, I say ``thank you.''

Our veterans and the American taxpayers are not pleased with the overall production level at the VA. It is time to remember and act on the mission at hand: serving our veterans who have given so much for this Nation.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the passage of my commonsense amendment.

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

Mr. Speaker, congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Judy Gresser on the recent sale of their restaurant, the Papa-San Rice Bowl in Yuma, Arizona, and to its new owners, Dr. and Mrs. Adalberto and Maria Robles.

Mr. and Mrs. Gresser opened Papa-San on February 27, 1993 and sold it on February 28, 2014, making them the owners of the restaurant for 21 years and one day. The Gressers were eager to sell the restaurant so they could retire, but they wanted to ensure that the new owners would keep all the restaurant's employees. They chose the Robleses' offer over the various other offers they received because the Robles family agreed to keep the restaurant's employees so that the staff would not lose their jobs during the change in ownership.

I am proud to represent people such as these, who are concerned not only about their bottom line, but also about the people who work for them. Entrepreneurs like the Gresser and Robles families make such a significant contribution to our communities. After all, it is small businesses like theirs that will lead us out of our current economic problems.

Congratulations to Bill and Judy Gresser on 21 years of success and to Adalberto and Maria Robles; may Papa-San have many years of continued success under their ownership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize passage of several pieces of legislation as well as to voice strong opposition to another bill for recorded votes during the week of March 3, 2014. Unfortunately, I was not able to vote for final passage of these bills because I was out on medical leave recovering from much needed hip replacement surgery.

H.R. 3370, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, is poorly crafted legislation that will make an already insolvent program worse. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is currently $24 billion in debt. This legislation will continue the federal governments failed involvement in administering flood insurance. H.R. 3370 undoes important reforms that were just passed in 2012 and were our only hope in making this terrible program sustainable. When it became clear the House did not have the votes to pass this legislation last week, the bill almost tripled in size over the weekend and came back a worse bill than even the Senate version in order to get enough Democrats to support these piece of junk. I strongly oppose this wasteful and inefficient bill.

H.R. 938, the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014, recognizes the importance of Israel as our closest ally and allows for new partnerships in relation to cyber-security, economic prosperity and defense. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important legislation.

H.R. 4118, the Suspending the Individual Mandate Penalty Law Equals Fairness Act, is legislation that seeks to delay Obamacare's individual mandate by one year. This bill would bring parity for the American people as President Obama has twice suspended the employer mandate for businesses. Obamacare is a train wreck. The President should not selectively choose by executive order what parts of this terrible law to enforce. If the President thinks this law is good enough for the American people then it should be good enough for his cronies and everyone else. I will continue to fight to repeal and replace Obamacare.

H.R. 2126, the Energy Efficiency Improvements Act, is a bill that will assist with increasing energy efficiency throughout commercial buildings.

H.R. 3826, the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, seeks to reinstate economic sanity to EPA proposed regulations and give Congress a role in the process. This legislation allows the EPA to propose regulations for existing American power plants, but requires Congressional approval before they can take effect. More importantly, it will prohibit the mandate for CSS technology for new power plants until it is viable and has been tested at a few select power plants around the country. This Administration has waged a war on coal and I'm proud to be a cosponsor of this critical bill that pushes back against this overreach by the EPA.

H.R. 2641, the Responsibly and Professionally invigorating Development Act, is important legislation that streamlines the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to allow for a more timely completion of construction projects. This bill will create jobs and allow for projects that are critical to our economy to move forward.

H.R. 4152, to provide for the costs of loan guarantees for Ukraine, would add Ukraine to the list of countries eligible for loan guarantees from the state department. This legislation seeks to undermine Mr. Putin's atrocious behavior and support the Ukraine interim government. This bill does not require any new appropriations, but merely adds Ukraine to a list of nations eligible for State Department monies. I personally condemn the actions of Russia, and I am hopeful this crisis is resolved soon for the Ukrainian people.

Had I been present for these votes, I would have voted in support of these important bills with a yea vote on roll call numbers 95, 97, 98, 106, 113 and 114.

Additionally, I would have opposed the dangerous flood insurance reform bill with a nay vote on roll call number 91.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Arizona State Library. The 150th anniversary of the Arizona Territorial Library, which was established in 1864 and became the State Library in 1915, was celebrated this year. Next year is the State Library's 100th anniversary.

A department of the Secretary of State's office, the State Library provides access to historical records and operates the Arizona Capitol Museum. In the beginning, the State Library was mainly a law library, recording the laws of the territorial government and conducting legislative research. In recent years, this institution has grown to house historical archives, public records, and special collections such as the Arizona Memory Project, which is a collection of digitized records about the history and geography of Arizona. It also provides consulting services to county and local libraries and other government agencies to help them better manage public records. As part of the Library of Congress's Chronicling America territorial newspaper collection, the State Library also houses the Arizona Digital Newspaper Project. It was recently recognized as the Federal Depository Library of the Year for 2013 and is Arizona's only complete federal documents collection.

Congratulations to the Arizona State Library for its many years of service to the people of Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize passage of several pieces of legislation during the week of February 24, 2014. Unfortunately, I was not able to vote for final passage of these bills because I was out on medical leave recovering from much needed hip replacement surgery.

H.R. 1211, the FOIA Oversight and Implementation Act of 2014, is important legislation that increases transparency and streamlines the process for requests of public information disclosures under the Freedom of Information Act. This legislation passed through one of my committees, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, with my support.

H.R. 1123, the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, is a bill that reverses a previous Library of Congress rule that made the unlocking of cell phones illegal after the FCC and industry had agreed that consumers had every right to unlock their phones. It also directs the Library of Congress to issue a rule to determine whether consumers should be allowed to unlock similar devices, such as tablets.

H.R. 1944, the Private Property Rights Protection Act, is a bill to remedy a Supreme Court decision, Kelo v. New London, regarding governments' eminent domain powers. This legislation is very similar to one passed in the 112th Congress, which passed by voice vote. I am a strong supporter of private property rights and I agree 100 percent with the sense of Congress stated in this legislation that it should be ``the policy of the United States to encourage, support, and promote the private ownership of property and to ensure that the constitutional and other legal rights of private property owners are protected by the federal government.''

H.R. 3865, the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act, is an incredibly important piece of legislation designed to prevent the IRS from adopting a proposed rule that changes the way 501(c)(4) organizations are allowed to operate under the tax code. As the Oversight Committee noted in its hearing this week, this rule is tantamount to ``doubling down'' on the discriminatory practices against conservative groups that were uncovered in 2013. I strongly support this bill.

H.R. 2804, the All Economic Regulations Are Transparent Act, is a bill that requires federal agencies to further disclose and report on much of their processes and rules. One of my favorite provisions of this bill is that agencies and Washington bureaucrats pushing forth new regulations have to assess and disclose the costs that their proposed rules will have on small businesses and the economy. If the rules are going to be made, they should have a sound basis and fully consider the economic impact. This bill accomplishes those goals and has my support.

H.R. 3193, the Consumer Financial Protection and Soundness Improvement Act, makes a series of changes to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to rein in much of its autocratic authority. It will replace the Director of CFPB with a five member independent commission; it makes CFPB subject to the regular authorization and appropriations process; it requires the CFPB to use the GS pay scale like other federal agencies; and it prohibits the CFPB from accessing or using personal financial data of a consumer without express permission. I support reining in the unchecked authorities of the CFPB and support this legislation.

H.R. 899, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, is a bill that, among other things, enhances the ability of the public to identify federal mandates that may impose additional costs to citizens, workers, businesses, as well as State, local, and tribal governments. I am a firm believer that the Federal Government must not crush the smaller guy with undue burdens and mandates. I strongly support this important legislation.

Had I been present for these votes, I would have voted in support of these three important bills with an ``aye'' vote on rollcall Nos. 63, 64, 67, 69, 78, 85 and 90.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the centennial of Yuma, Arizona. Though it has been a city for 100 years, Yuma has a long and storied history. The Colorado River, on the banks of which Yuma lies, has had a shaping influence on the city and is an essential part of its history. Not only did the Colorado bring the area's first European visitors--Spanish explorers who sailed up the river in 1540 and discovered a thriving Native American village on its banks--it is also the reason for the very existence of the city.

Today it is the river's water that is most important to this desert city, providing drinking water to its residents and irrigation water to its surrounding farms. Because of the ample sunshine, the plentiful irrigation, and the rich soil, Yuma County, of which Yuma is the county seat, is the winter vegetable capital of the world: 90% of the country's leafy vegetables are grown there from November to March.

Prior to the early 1900s, however, it was the physical presence of the river that shaped Yuma. Though today the river is tame at Yuma, prior to the early 1900s the Colorado's banks were in constant flux, stretching up to 15 miles across at times. This made crossing the river a challenge. There was one point, however, at which 2 outcroppings made the river narrow. It was at this strategic point, called the Yuma Crossing, where the Native American settlement that would become Yuma was first established.

Variously known as Colorado City and Arizona City, the city at Yuma Crossing was incorporated under the laws of the State of Arizona in 1914. The Yuma Crossing was used by thousands of people during the California gold rush, establishing the site's importance in American history. Eventually the US Army built a fort at Yuma and used it as a supply base for its southwestern operations. Yuma was also the site of the infamous Arizona Territorial Prison, emblematic of the Wild West.

From its original Native American settlers to its Wild West days, Yuma's story is part of the American story. It has been an incorporated city for 100 years. Here's to 100 more.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Bullhead City Bee's 24th anniversary. The Bee was established on December 27, 1989 and serves the cities of Bullhead City, Arizona and Laughlin, Nevada. The co-founders of the newspaper include Hilda Gay Zimmer, Jim Dir, and Thom McGraham, the current publisher. Many Bullhead City-area residents turn to the Bee for their local news, making this an important community newspaper.

Congratulations to the Bullhead City Bee on 24 years of success. May they find continued success for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize passage this week of three important pieces of legislation: H.R. 2431, the National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2013; S. 25, the vehicle which included the military retiree COLA fix and SGR bill; and H.R. 3448, the Small Cap Liquidity Reform Act. Additionally, I would like to make clear that I would have opposed S. 540, the Debt Limit Extension. Unfortunately, I was not able to vote on final passage of these important bills because of much needed hip replacement surgery. I guess I'm finally being paid back for playing rugby all through college and dental school.

H.R. 2431, National Integrated Drought Information System Reauthorization Act of 2013, is important legislation that will provide critical benefits for ranchers, waters users and local communities allowing them to better prepare and respond to extreme drought conditions that are continuing to plague the West as well as rural communities.

S. 25 reverses the cost of living adjustment (COLA) cuts for working- age military retirees that was found in the Bipartisan Budget Act. I voted against the flawed Bipartisan Budget Act because it increased spending levels by $45 billion in one year and $63 billion over the course of two years. To pay for those increases, the Bipartisan Budget Act erased various, if not all, spending cuts from the Budget Control Act which passed back in 2011. Additionally, the Bipartisan Budget Act reduced the annual retirement COLA for working age military retirees by one full percentage point. I found this provision to be completely unacceptable and don't believe we should be balancing our budget on the backs of our veterans. As S. 25 repeals this provision that penalizes our military retirees and includes a payfor, I would have supported this legislation.

H.R. 3448, the Small Cap Liquidity Reform Act of 2013 is important legislation that establishes an optional liquidity pilot program which will benefit the securities of small emerging growth companies.

Finally, I want to reiterate that I would have opposed S. 540, the Debt Limit Extension. Back in 2011, we reached an understanding that if we're going to raise the debt ceiling and not jeopardize the nation's credit, then we need to attach reforms to each debt ceiling increase so that we reduce the need to constantly raise the debt ceiling and we start living within our means. This increase violates those principles. Although some like to call this a ``clean'' debt ceiling increase, there is nothing clean about borrowing another trillion dollars; this is as messy as it gets and the term ``clean'' is propaganda as far as I'm concerned. The bottom line is that our nation has a spending addiction--it's past the point of a problem--when we must continually raise the debt ceiling to accommodate our dangerous spending habits. At what point does it stop? How is it possible that we couldn't include a single reform in this legislation? I don't want our country to default but I wouldn't have voted to give the President a blank check. The federal government will collect an estimated $3 trillion in taxes from October 1, 2013 until September 30, 2014. We do have the ability to live within our means and it's time we make the hard decisions necessary to make that happen.

Had I been present for these votes, I would have voted in support of these three important bills with a ``yea'' vote on rollcall Numbers 55, 60 and 62. I would have opposed increasing the debt ceiling and voted ``nay'' on rollcall Numbers 61.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize passage this week of three important pieces or legislation: H.R. 357, the G.I. Bill Tuition Fairness Act; H.R. 3590, the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act; and H.R. 3964, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act. Unfortunately, I was not able to vote on final passage of these important bills because of a death in my family and my attendance at the subsequent funeral.

The G.I. Bill Tuition Fairness Act is commonsense legislation for our veterans that will lead to more affordable education opportunities when our men and women in uniform return from service.

The Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act is a bipartisan package of eight individual bills that will strengthen and preserve important outdoor traditions and some of our pristine natural treasures for American sportsmen, recreational enthusiasts and future generations. I am proud to have been a cosponsor of this bill.

H.R. 3964, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act seeks to address the crisis that is taking place in California that has resulted from extreme drought and other challenges. I am supportive of measures that provide much needed relief to our farmers. Having said that, as I am a strong supporter of state water rights, I could not have supported this legislation without the inclusion of provision 501 which states these dire circumstances are unique to California and should not serve as a precedent for other states.

Finally, I want to address three quick items that came up during debate on H.R. 3590. The first is H. Amdt. 541, offered by Mr. Holt, which would have allowed the Secretary to prevent hunting and fishing on public lands based on speculative climate change studies. Any proposals to limit hunting and fishing should be made by state fish and game agencies and local communities, not Washington bureaucrats. The second item is H. Amdt. 537 offered by Mr. DeFazio that would have undermined the bill, lead to frivolous lawsuits and the eventual closing of public lands for hunting and fishing. Clearly, this amendment is contradictory to the intent of the bill and would have had negative consequences. The third and final issue that came up during debate on H.R. 3590 was in relation to condors and lead ammo. I would encourage legislators who opposed the bill based on this premise to visit my home state of Arizona where they have put forth a voluntary program that is having fantastic results and could serve as a model for the country on how to address this issue.

Had I been present for these votes, I would have voted in support of these three important bills with a ``yea'' vote on rollcall Numbers 33, 41 and 50. I would have opposed the two dangerous amendments and voted ``nay'' on rollcall numbers 38 and 39.