Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 734 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, during consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), the ranking member of the Rules Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume.

General Leave

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. The rule provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018.

Mr. Speaker, this 2-year budget agreement begins to repair our military and frees our armed services from the harmful spending caps and the devastating practice of funding our troops with stopgap spending bills. It raises defense discretionary spending levels in fiscal year 2018 by $80 billion and nondefense levels by $63 billion, while raising fiscal year 2019 levels by $85 billion and $63 billion respectively.

I have been told that this will move spending levels from 2009 spending levels to 2011 spending levels, consistent with what we had done during those periods of time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the distinguished gentlewoman for her help to make sure that the Rules Committee effectively and carefully got their work done this evening, and I want to thank the gentlewoman. I do know it is 3:30 in the morning, and the entire committee, the entire Rules Committee, was prepared on both sides, and I thank the gentlewoman and the staffs that were included.

Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress who are elected by their respective districts come to Washington to represent their districts. But perhaps, I think, more importantly, some bit of those people also take into account, not just the representation of their district, but the pride and authorship they have in particular about America, about being a part of America and us standing together.

Tonight, we are going to have a chance to say back to one of our Members who has come to Washington, D.C., representing her home of Puerto Rico, home territory of Puerto Rico, and to say back to her that this body offered its condolences for the storms that happened last year.

She stood up, representing Puerto Rico. She is a former Speaker of the House of Puerto Rico. She stands with the people of Puerto Rico. She has come and visited Member after Member after Member to sell to them, not only the attributes of how to fix Puerto Rico, but came and did the things legislatively.

With great, great admiration, I will tell you that our next speaker, who is a member of the Republican majority, has really done an outstanding job as a brand new Member of this body; and I am pleased that we can say tonight, included in this package is that disaster package that the House passed last, I think, October.

She has worked hard. She has had faith and confidence, not only in her home territory of Puerto Rico, but in her body here, the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, it is with extreme pride that I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon), the former Speaker of the House of Puerto Rico.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell), a member of the Republican leadership team.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a Statement of Administration Policy, which is referred to as a SAP. It comes from the Executive Office of the President.

Mr. Speaker, if I could read the last paragraph: ``If the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign it into law.''

Statement of Administration Policy

Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892--Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018--(Sen.

McConnell, R-KY)

The Administration supports Senate passage of the

substitute amendment to H.R. 1892, the Bipartisan Budget Act

of 2018. This amendment raises the defense spending caps for

fiscal year (FY) 2018 and FY 2019, a key step toward

fulfilling the President's promise to rebuild America's

military and ensure funding would be provided to support the

enacted National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year

2018 (NDAA).

After years of dangerous spending reductions and an

unpredictable budgetary environment perpetuated by numerous

continuing resolutions, the Bipartisan Budget Act lays the

groundwork for full funding of America's national defense,

within the framework of the Administration's National

Security and Defense Strategies and the NDAA. Passage of this

legislation would ensure America is prepared to deter and, if

necessary, defeat the full spectrum of threats from rival

powers, rogue states, and terrorist organizations like the

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

The Bipartisan Budget Act lays the groundwork for higher

investments in several Administration priorities, including

infrastructure and combating the opioid epidemic, and the

Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to

reflect the Administration's detailed funding priorities for

the remainder of FY 2018 and for FY 2019 for both defense and

non-defense needs.

At the same time, it is critical that the Congress work to

decrease non-defense spending in other areas to reduce

America's growing national debt. The Bipartisan Budget Act

provides non-defense discretionary spending levels higher

than the Administration deems necessary. Additionally,

although the Bipartisan Budget Act does include some spending

reductions, the Administration has proposed hundreds of

billions of dollars in additional spending reductions that

the Congress should also enact without delay in order to

improve our fiscal state.

Further, the Administration recognizes the Congress's

desire to provide significant funding for victims of the

recent hurricanes and wildfires, as provided in the

Bipartisan Budget Act and previously in the House-passed

supplemental bill (H.R. 4667). The Administration looks

forward to working with the Congress to ensure that adequate

oversight is exercised over disaster-related funds to ensure

that these funds reach the communities devastated by natural

disasters and are not misapplied.

The Administration supports other components of the

Bipartisan Budget Act, including greater certainty for the

Children's Health Insurance Program, an extension of funding

for Community Health Centers, and repeal of Obamacare's

Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). The IPAB authority

allows an unelected, unaccountable board to undertake major

changes to the Medicare program. The repeal of IPAB furthers

the President's goal of repealing and replacing Obamacare.

The Administration also supports suspending the debt limit

until March 2019 to provide the certainty to markets around

the world that the United States will honor its obligations.

Furthermore, the Administration is concerned with future

extensions of special interest tax deductions and benefits in

the wake of tax cuts and reforms that were enacted in

December 2017.

The President's top priority is to keep the Nation safe

from those who wish to harm it, both at home and abroad. To

do so, the United States military needs the resources

provided in the Bipartisan Budget Act, which have previously

been supported on a bipartisan basis in the NDAA and in

multiple bills passed by the House.

If the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 were presented to the

President in its current form, his advisors would recommend

that he sign it into law.

There should be no question about that, that the President of the United States is asking not only Members of Congress but the American people to understand how important it is to make sure that this government is up and running, to make sure that our military is funded, and that the men and women who protect this great Nation, those volunteers to our military, deserve a right to have us fully fund our military for the rest of the year.

I know and the Chair knows, Mr. Speaker, that this deal is only until March 23. But we should not ever allow our military to be put in harm's way. They are the ones who protect us, and for us putting them in harm's way without the money to protect them I think is bad timing and a bad way for us to extend our support to the military.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today, at 10 minutes to 4 o'clock Eastern time, that we can say we are going to move forward with this bill that fully funds the military for the rest of the year. I will ask our Members at the very end, accordingly, to please support this underlying legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, this past year, 80 members of our armed services lost their lives in training and noncombat-related fatalities. We are going to attempt tonight, not wait, to pass a bill which will offer funding for our military.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentlewoman I will be closing as soon as she does.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my friend and colleague, the ranking member of the Rules Committee; and the entire Rules Committee, Republicans and Democrats; and our staffs for their work late tonight and well into the morning.

Mr. Speaker, there was a question about the President of the United States and his advice that he has provided to this body. The President of the United States has indicated through a Statement of Administration Policy that there would be an expectation the President would sign this bill.

What does this mean?

This means that, as quickly as we can accomplish this rule, the underlying legislation, and the vote, perhaps as early as 7 o'clock this morning or earlier, the President of the United States may sign that; meaning that the American people could wake up today with confidence that the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives has averted a further problem through the leadership of making sure that we move forward to fund the government.

Make no mistake about it: there will be people who vote ``yes'' and people who vote ``no,'' and that is up to them. But, Mr. Speaker, tonight I would ask every Member of this body for that ``aye'' vote to do the right thing to fund the government.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 727 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Rochester, New York (Ms. Slaughter), my dear friend and ranking member of the Rules Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. The rule provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1892, the Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act of 2018.

Mr. Speaker, the House amendment will extend government funding until March 23, 2018, while simultaneously funding the Department of Defense for a full year. This will ensure our Nation's defense and pay for our proud servicemen and -women who will no longer be in jeopardy during ongoing discussions on funding for the long-term spending caps, until we agree to that.

Mr. Speaker, we just have come out of Rules Committee where we had a hearing for several hours where we detailed not only the parts of this bill, but also the agreement and disagreement between the two parties. I want you to know that I am pleased to report today the Rules Committee favorably reported out this bill, and we will be talking about the substance of that today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague for being here so that we may move forward on this important funding for the government.

Mr. Speaker, from time to time, there are Members of Congress who distinguish themselves in ways that draw not only attention upon an organization more than just themselves, but also distinction. Our next speaker is a gentleman who served for 14 years in the United States Air Force. He holds the record for the fastest nonstop flight ever in the world in one of the United States Air Force planes that is called a B-1 bomber. This gentleman not only served with distinction and honor but is here today to speak about the importance of funding our United States military.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart).

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge, also, Mr. Stewart's service to the United States Air Force and this country.

Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to talk with a security officer from Pearl Harbor, Lieutenant Kevin Fahland. Lieutenant Fahland essentially told me: We are out in the middle of the Pacific faced with danger every day, and we represent the greatest Nation in the history of the world. Please do us a favor and recognize that we need the funding to continue what is an aggressive race against us.

He is a lieutenant in the Navy, a security officer, who sees firsthand the attack, all sorts of ways, at Pearl Harbor that happens every day, and it is his job to protect this great Nation. I want to thank the lieutenant and other members of the United States Navy and the United States military for their service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) from the Rules Committee.

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

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

It is amazing how the President, by honing the message and focusing his ideas on Congress, has brought this entire issue to a forefront.

Last year, the President said: I am calling on Congress to please resolve this issue with the DACA people who are in this country. I am asking Congress to please do this by next March.

Now he is being treated--instead of like a firefighter, he is being treated like an arsonist; and he is not. He is the person who has the ability and the desire to lead Congress, on a bipartisan basis; lots of meetings down at the White House. For months now that has been happening, with the date of March.

What happens?

Somebody gets frustrated and they want not what we agreed to do in March, but they want it in January--actually, December, rather than attempting to work with the President, who, I believe, forthrightly, has held lots of meetings.

So, Mr. Speaker, what I would say to you is that it is a moving target. There is never something that this President can do that will satisfy our colleagues on the other side. If it is not DACA, it is going to be the caps issue. If it is not the caps issue, it is going to be the military issue. If it is not the military issue, it is going to be Children's Health Insurance Program.

Mr. Speaker, we are addressing those. We are trying to bring those issues professionally, on a bipartisan basis. Just a week ago--10 days ago, we respectfully did not include yearlong funding for the United States military.

What did we hear back over and over and over from the other body?

They said: Well, I would have voted for this bill, but the funding for the military is not in there for a 1-year basis for the remainder of the year.

So that is what we have done. We are trying to bring forth ideas of agreement that say we need to find a deal. We need to come to an agreement. We recognize this is not the last funding agreement for the year, but what we are trying to do is to avoid a government shutdown. The way you do that is by voting ``yes,'' and that is what we are asking people to do today.

That is why we had Dr. Burgess. That is why we had Major Chris Stewart, the United States Congressman from Utah. That is also why we have the gentleman from Waterford Township, Michigan, here, a member of the Republican leadership, a bright, young, thoughtful, articulate man.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell).

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

Mr. Speaker, a year or so ago, I received a rather urgent phone call from Dr. Shelley Hall from Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and Dr. Rick Snyder from Medical City in Dallas, which are hospitals, and they spoke with me about a change in the law some year and some ago that would change infusion therapy.

What is infusion therapy? It involves administering medication through a needle or a catheter, which is prescribed when a patient's condition is so severe that it cannot be treated effectively by oral medications, meaning, through this needle or the opportunity for a catheter. What happened was there was a change in the law that did not fully fund this effort.

``Home infusion'' means, instead of having to receive this in the hospital, which is more expensive, they would be able to do this at home, and the doctor would manage that. As a result of the change in some law and funding levels, that stopped the patients from being able to do this at home.

I want to congratulate Kevin Brady, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, for working not only with these doctors, but also with me on this insistence that we go and review this,

an opportunity for more effective healthcare and cost effective from the perspective of not only the patient, but also to make sure that physicians would stay involved in the health of their patients.

I would like to thank Dr. Shelley Hall of Baylor University Medical Center and Dr. Rick Snyder, both from Dallas, Texas, for working with me to make sure that this change happened today.

This is one of the pages of the changes that we are making today, to go in and offer some corrections and to update and extend the privileges that we have in this country to have the greatest healthcare system in the world.

I want to thank Chairman Brady for his work, and his staff, to make sure this was involved in this change today.

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

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

I appreciate the gentlewoman's advocacy because, in many respects, I feel the same way. But I would offer, in speaking to you, Mr. Speaker, that you made sure this House passed the $81 billion spending bill on October 12 last year. The House of Representatives, through the leadership of not only Speaker Ryan, but also the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) were tasked with the duty of making sure that we would take feedback from States, from cities, and came up with a figure of $81 billion. That is not in any way not living up to our responsibility, Mr. Speaker.

We are the ones who did this--this whole body. It is stuck in the United States Senate, and the President and this administration have not been authorized to spend more than what has been appropriated.

I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

And continue to right now.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time because the gentlewoman is going to switch subjects.

I would tell the gentlewoman that the House, respectfully, before we got to any tax cut bill, made sure that we did a constitutionally responsible thing, and that was to make sure that we measured three times, sawed once, came up with the $81 billion. It is, in my opinion, something that the United States Senate needs to solve.

I would also add that I don't know what the Democratic Party is doing over there to push this issue. I think it needs to be an important attribute. But we are waiting for the Senate, Mr. Speaker. And for us to blame both houses, I think, is not fair to the leadership that Paul Ryan has provided, to the leadership that Rodney Frelinghuysen has contributed to this effort, and most of all, Mr. Speaker, to the people who voted for the bill in the House. They did the responsible action. And I think that if we are going to do anything, we need to look to the United States Senate, which is constitutionally required.

President Trump and Vice President Pence not only visited the ravaged areas, but they tried to provide the leadership. But it is up to the constitutional provisions of the United States Senate, and that is where the problem lies.

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

Mr. Speaker, how much time remains?

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

I thank the gentlewoman, my dear friend from Rochester, New York, not only for her working together, but for her long hours that are a requirement of being on the Rules Committee; for her leadership not only of her team, but each of the individuals who represent not only her team, but, really, Members of Congress, and the collegial activity that she brings to the table. I thank the gentlewoman very much for that.

Mr. Speaker, we have an obligation to ensure our Nation's servicemen and -women are adequately trained for missions and to support this great Nation. We have talked about several members of the military today. My son is at Pearl Harbor also and is on duty as we speak today. He is proud of his service to the United States Navy.

There are proud parents all over the country, patriots, veterans, people who deeply believe in our military. We have got to get this funding done. That is what we are doing here today.

This rule and the underlying legislation provides funding for the Federal Government and fully funds our Nation's military. But I will tell you that the discussions we have had here today are similar to what we had at the Rules Committee.

The gentlewoman gave us credit. The Republican Party is the party of fiscal responsibility. But also, I would say to you, we are trying to do the right thing across the board, not just what we do today. But what we are faced with is similar to a changing viewpoint about how someone justifies a ``no'' vote; a ``no'' vote that they know means that while they are for something, they can't vote for it because of an issue.

Just an hour ago at the Rules Committee, we had a Democratic Member who came and wanted more money for a specific project. And I asked that Member how much money were we going to spend in the budget this year. They didn't know. I asked: How much do you want to add to that?

They said: Well, I don't know.

It is a continuing drumbeat that we, as Republicans, are puzzled by. And that is: Why do we fund the government fully for the entire year?

Let's know how much we have agreed to, and then let's make a determination if we are not meeting the needs.

Mr. Speaker, this Congress must ask the tough questions, but this Congress must be up to tough decisionmaking also. I was sent to Congress to make tough decisions, not just popular decisions. So I think I would recalculate each of us today and say the bill that we have on the floor today and the rule are designed to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year.

We would ask that all Members really look deep within them and let's end this mess that we are in. Let's fund this effort and let's look to March 23, when we can finalize all that we have done.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, when the Committee on Rules filed its report (H. Rept. 115-547) to accompany House Resolution 727) the Committee was unaware that the waiver of all points of order against consideration of the motion to concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892 included:

A waiver of section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act, which prohibits consideration of legislation providing new budget authority in excess of a 302(a) allocation of such authority.

A waiver of section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act, which prohibits consideration of legislation that would cause the level

of total new budget authority for the first fiscal year to be exceeded, or would cause revenues to be less than the level of total revenues for the first fiscal year or for the total of that first fiscal year and the ensuing fiscal years for which allocations are provided.

A waiver of clause 10 of rule XXI, which prohibits the consideration of a bill if it has the net effect of increasing mandatory spending over the five-year or ten-year period.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order

at any time to take from the Speaker's table H.R. 195, with the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment thereto, and to consider in the House, without intervention of any point of order, a motion offered by the majority leader or his designee that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment; that the Senate amendment and the motion be considered as read; that the motion be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the majority leader and the minority leader or their respective designees; and that the previous question be considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without intervening motion.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 708 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

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

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

This resolution, which we will present today, is necessary. It is necessary to provide the House with the flexibility necessary to address Senate Democrat's inaction while they continue to impede funding the United States Government and the important instruments of government.

Mr. Speaker, last evening, Senator Chuck Schumer from New York and Senate Democrats made what I consider to be a reprehensible decision to allow the United States Government to shut down. By voting against the bill that funds our military and the pay of men and women in uniform, they voted against a bill that would extend children's healthcare for 6 years, not because they opposed anything in the bill, because you would really be hard pressed to be opposed to anything that was in this legislation. They voted against the bill to manufacture a crisis in a purely political move based upon an unrelated issue that is not facing an imminent deadline.

I would like to thank the five Senate Democrats and six House Democrats who voted with Republicans to keep the government open.

Senator Schumer should have headed the rest of his Democrats and encouraged them to do what he did even back in 2013, when he said:

We--and I say ``the Democrats''--could say we are shutting down the government. We are not. We are going to raise the deficit ceiling until you pass immigration reform. It just would be government chaos not to do the right thing and open up the government.

Yet, Mr. Speaker, these wise words heeded more than ever now; this is just a political game. As President Trump

said last evening, Senate Democrats own this. It is a Schumer shutdown.

They put politics above national security.

Mr. Speaker, I think Republicans are on the floor of the House today to show what we are attempting to offer to the American people. Mr. Speaker, things are sensitive here on both sides. The government shut down.

Republicans are going to offer, today, advice to the American people about where we stand about getting this back to where we not only open up the government, but doing it in a way that is favorable, not only to the American people, but favorable to the people who protect this great country, including those children of this country who need healthcare, which Republicans had attempted to pass in the House and the Senate.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry), the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, there was a question about the President. The President does not vote in the House or the Senate. Those people who voted ``yes'' were for funding the government, those who voted ``no'' were for shutting down the government.

The President of the United States, through what is called a Statement of Administration Policy, advised the Rules Committee on January 17 that he would be signing the bill. The President said he was for the bill.

Mr. Speaker, the Armed Forces Network is operated by the U.S. Armed Forces, which broadcasts popular television programs to the United States Government, civilians, and their families, especially those at bases and overseas, including ships at sea.

Because of the Schumer shutdown, Armed Forces Network services will go off the air. That means that tomorrow--the NFL championship Sunday-- our servicemen all around the globe will be unable to participate in the things that we do here in the United States, yet another example of why a ``yes'' vote would have been for the men and women of our military.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. McCarthy), the distinguished majority leader.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Fairhope, Alabama (Mr. Byrne), a member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I will not.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Hood River, Oregon (Mr. Walden), who is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Hood River, Oregon (Mr. Walden), who is the distinguished chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, we know who voted ``yes'' and we know who voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) to defend the Republican position.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Lewisville, Texas (Mr. Burgess), th distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Health of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and from the Rules Committee.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Butler, Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the gentlewoman from Texas that this body passed the bill, this body did its work, and this body got its work done.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Cheney).

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Sunnyside, Washington (Mr. Newhouse), the gentleman from the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer).

Mr. Speaker, Mac Thornberry is right. The chairman of

the Armed Services Committee cares very much about the men and women, not only of the military, where my son serves in Pearl Harbor in the United States Navy, but about every one of our people.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Clarendon, Texas (Mr. Thornberry), the distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, we know why we are here. We are here because Republicans respectfully passed a bill that responsibly took items before the American people and answered the question--we answered the question about funding the government; we answered the question about the Children's Health Insurance Program. We made sure that we did not have a tax on medical devices that hurts so many people and so many seniors. We have made sure that we delayed for yet another year the devastating effects that would be mostly on union workers' paychecks related to the Cadillac plan.

We further, then, said, ``We are going to delay the $70 insurance tax that would be on every single American.''

Mr. Speaker, the Republicans did this because we considered this to be the right thing to do. But most importantly, what we have done is passed our bill. We convinced our body that it was important to avoid shutting down the government.

We voted ``yes.'' It was real simple: either ``yes'' or ``no.'' Mr. Schumer made sure that the answer from the Senate would be ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I want you to know that we deeply believe not only in what we are doing, but we are going to stand for the people in the United States military.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following statement of Administration Policy:

Statement of Administration Policy

H.J. Res. 125--Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018--Rep.

Frelinghuysen, R-NJ

The Administration supports passage of H.J. Res. 125, the

Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018.

This legislation funds the Federal Government at current

spending levels through February 16, 2018, providing more

time for the Congress and the Administration to reach a

longer-term funding agreement. The Administration supports

the bill's multiyear funding extension of the Children's

Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It also supports the

legislation's delay of harmful Obamacare tax increases,

including the medical device tax.

The Administration believes that looming defense spending

cuts are harmful to our national security and military

readiness, and supports responsible efforts to undo the

defense sequestration in the context of a two-year budget

agreement. As funding discussions continue, the

Administration will continue to reject arbitrary demands for

lower priority domestic funding that jeopardize critical

defense funding.

The safety and security of our Nation depends on a strong

military. Short-term funding measures are not ideal, but a

lapse in funding for the Federal Government would be even

more harmful for our military and our national security.

If H.J. Res. 125 were presented to the President in its

current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign the

bill into law.

The material previously referred to by Ms. Slaughter is as follows

An Amendment to H. Res. 708 Offered by Ms. Slaughter

At the end of the resolution, add the following new

sections:

Sec. 3. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution the

Speaker shall, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare

the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on

the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R.

4871) making continuing appropriations for military pay and

death benefits in the event of a Government shutdown. The

first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points

of order against consideration of the bill are waived.

General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not

exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair

and ranking minority member of the Committee on

Appropriations. After general debate the bill shall be

considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. All

points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. At

the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the

Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with

such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous

question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and

amendments thereto to final passage without intervening

motion except one motion to recommit with or without

instructions. If the Committee of the Whole rises and reports

that it has come to no resolution on the bill, then on the

next legislative day the House shall, immediately after the

third daily order of business under clause 1 of rule XIV,

resolve into the Committee of the Whole for further

consideration of the bill.

Sec. 4. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the

consideration of H.R. 4871.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. Speaker, I yielded back the balance my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 4 of rule XVI, I move that when the House adjourns this legislative day, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 21, 2018.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the presentation of The Congressional Gold Medal to a great American Hero and Icon, Senator Bob J. Dole of Kansas. Therefore, I include in the Record this poem penned in his honor by Albert Carey Caswell.

It's God's Will

In life we are tested

Do we somehow meet the challenge to move onward still?

For only when we are armed with great faith, courage, and

character,

We all must accept God's will.

And in the coming years,

many a student here

Shall learn of Jefferson,

Washington,

Roosevelt,

Reagan,

Bush,

Kennedy and Lincoln's story.

How sad to think,

They'll not speak of the one who could have been of the

greatest,

And know of his glory.

For one Robert Dole's life stands

As a shining example of faith,

A great true golden lesson of just how,

``Against all odds,''

From a tragedy to a triumph this wonderfully true authentic

American folk tale

And not know of or tell,

Of how a dirt poor boy from Kansas grew up so very strong

Who gave it all away upon a battlefield of honor,

Saving a comrade

No, no, they'll not sing of that song

And while lying at death's door

Armed with only his faith in our Lord,

somehow he miraculously endured

After years of operations and all hope given up,

He walked out of that hospital door

Oh what folklore,

And yet no President's book will ever tell

Of how he began as a freshman Congressman and would not stop

And because of his great leadership by his party,

And his country one day high above a pedestal he'd be placed

atop

Nor, will it ever be told

Of his kind and warm heart of gold,

And his wonderful sense of humor so

And truly great charm

And while throughout his life's path,

Each and every heart he touched and cared for he left quite

warm:

Mothers,

Fathers,

Sisters,

Brothers,

Rabbis,

Teachers,

Priests and Preachers

You may not speak of Presidents as you speak of Bob Dole

And yet his exemplary courage, character, kindness,

leadership,

And great faith in our Lord all our children must be told

And standing there on that at last final day of defeat,

Knowing he was far, far, the better man still

He called upon The Lord and spoke these words of faith for

all to hear

``It's God's Will'',

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a great American Hero, The Eagle of The Senate and his coming battle. Our hopes and prayers are with John McCain. I ask that this poem penned in his honor by Albert Carey Caswell be included in the Record.

There is darkness

And there is light

Coming out of the darkness burning ever so bright

With the kind of faith of our Fathers, which built this

Nation ignites

Of hope, faith, honor, service, and courage ever so bright

Now, there is a battle,

And there is a fight

Looming out in the darkness on the floor of the Senate on

this very night

With all of our Nation's prayers in sight

As once again,

America's Son, her Hero, her friend,

John McCain is in the battle for his life.

As this great leader's heart once again must somehow ignite

But, where there is darkness,

there is the light.

And you'll find men like John McCain,

this Top Gun whose soul burns ever so very bright

Coming out of the darkness burning so bright

Who out of this darkness will bring his light,

The kind which built this great Nation to its very height

As has John been armed with throughout the generations,

with ``The Faith of His Fathers'' so all in plain sight

Who have fought and served this Nation with all of their

might

Like Father Like Son, as has John always this one

Courageously served this Nation,

starting with his ancestor serving under George Washington

As his Grandfather and Father,

the first Admiral team serving this Nation as one

All too has John all in his life's work in what he has done

Showing us all,

the definition of courage as one of America's Greatest of

Sons

Not as The Lion of The Senate but as an Eagle this one

Who throughout the years has soared on the floor of the

Senate,

battling for each and every one

Crossing the aisle,

this man of such style when it had to be done

Leading everyone

Now there's a battle

And there's a fight

Upon, the Senate floor on this very night

With America's Hero heart burning bright

Coming out of this darkness shining his light

To teach us all what is magnificent and what is right

Now, it's fourth and long

As America's Son's heart beats strong.

My money is on John,

Whose life sings like a song,

Who has always come out of the darkness,

With the heart of a champion and an eagle to which it

belongs.

No matter the battle,

No matter the fight,

Even as a POW, this Hero came out of that darkness shining

bright.

John, your roommate in the Hanoi Hilton Bud Day,

up in Heaven,

is watching over you on this very night.

Because, John has always come armed with his light.

No matter the battle,

No matter the fight,

Either way John, the world still wins.

Continuing as the leader of the Senate, as America's friend

Or as an Angel in The Army of our Lord whose time so begins

To watch over us again and again

To fight that battle against the darkness which we must win

John, win that war.

Win that fight!

For you have blessed this great Nation with all of your

light

But, my money's on you John,

because in the end the darkness does not match the light,

The kind brilliance which emanates from your great soul on

this very night.

God bless you our Son in your upcoming fight

As you bless our hearts once again,

we look upon your light.

There is light.

Amen.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem, on behalf of Albert Carey Caswell, to honor a great American family of faith and courage. On March 6, 2012, CW2 Edward ``Duane'' Cantrell of the United States Army, a team leader of The Green Berets, with four Purple Hearts, and 6 Tours in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars died in a house fire while trying to save his two lovely daughters Isabella and Natalia. They all perished together. Left behind in the wake of all of this sorrow and heartache was his wife Louise, who has taken the most horrific of circumstances and created a foundation in remembrance of them and to provide scholarships, and other assistance to help passionate and committed young dancers to fulfill their dreams called ``Dancing Angels''. She is an inspiration to us all.

Rise

Rise up to heaven with tears in your eyes

Little Sisters who've brought such joy in their little short

lives

As before our Lord you now lie

As so gently he wipes away all of those tears from your eyes

Don't worry your safe now,

in our Lord's arms you now lie

And your Daddy is right by your side

So hush little girls don't you cry

With your most courageous Mother left on earth in your name

to vie

Who for all of you and us must somehow still try

For she has so many hearts to heal

And so much inspiration for all of us to feel

To so teach us

To so beseech us

To so show this world what is real

And she has so much more to do

Until, one day she comes up to heaven to be with you

But, its not yet her time

for our world needs to look upon her warm hue

So dance,

dance for her and your Daddy and our Lord up in heaven in

view

And she will hear you on the wind

And she will feel you in the morning when she awakes, as next

to her all night you have been

To help her find the strength, all in what a heart of courage

can mend

As up to heaven on this day

Two little beautiful Angels, Isabella and Natalia have so

made their way

As they begin to dance night and day

As they begin their dance,

which makes our Lord smile and pray

And if you listen closely on the wind,

we can hear their little footsteps my friends

And all of these lessons about life by Louise time and again

To help all hearts of despair somehow to mend

And that out of the darkness, light too can come in

Whenever hearts of courage begin

To against all odds to so fend

Heartache and sorrow my friends

Because, out of such pain and such sorrow,

a new tomorrow from faith deep down within can begin!

So dance, dance Little Angels,

with but smiles on your face from heaven you send

And let us remember life is so short, let not the minutes you

waste time and again

So hold your families close

And ever remember what so means the most

And from a distance what now seems like the very worst

May not be this end,

for isn't it up in heaven where we all wish to transcend

And that's where all these Dancing Angels on this day can

heard

Dance, Dance, Dance Little Angels,

hush little girls don't you cry

Because, one day up in Heaven you will look into your

Mother's beautiful eyes

When, she comes up to be with you and Daddy and our Lord on

high

So Dance, Dance, and wipe all of those tears from your eyes

Amen.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Woodall) for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Woodall serves not only the Rules Committee and this body in the Republican majority, but he is also our designee to the Budget Committee and has excelled in excess of understanding the intricate details that not only move this great Nation, but the arguments, a balance between them. I appreciate the gentleman very, very much.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer some advice that I just received from the Governor of the State of Texas, Governor Abbott, who took time to call me. I also want to address the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), my very dear friend.

During that record-setting year, we also made in order over 560 amendments. That is 560 amendments that people came to the Rules Committee, had literally a committee that engaged them on the substance of their ideas, listened to it, believed that that substance had a good place for debate on this floor. Not necessarily every idea should be vetted here. Sometimes it is vetted in committee, subcommittee. Sometimes it is vetted at the Rules Committee, and sometimes we do not make those ideas in order.

This morning was no different. There were a lot of great ideas. As a matter of fact, the minority leader, Ms. Pelosi, came to the Rules Committee for several hours. The gentleman, the minority whip, Mr. Hoyer, came a slightly less amount of time, but no doubt came to the Rules Committee and offered us advice about not only what we are doing but presented the arguments about what they were for. They were given unlimited opportunity to discuss that.

There was some limit that we had to offer our challenges back, but it was an open process, and I appreciate Ms. Pelosi and all the members of the committee doing that.

Mr. Speaker, the reason why I came down is to say--and there are lots of stories that go on, but the story that I was just told by the Governor of the State of Texas is that Texas--not unlike the islands of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the great State of Florida that were in the way of a hurricane--was record-setting rain, 60 inches. It lasted 8 or 9 days. It did incredible damage.

This body has taken time to now study getting money back to those affected areas, and the determination that was made by this body is some $81 billion. I just found out that the State of Texas has calculated their part of the $81 billion, and it is less than 15 percent of the total. Less than 15 percent of that total will actually be going to the largest storm in the history of America.

I did not offer a complaint. I was surprised. I would have thought it would be in the 50 percent realm. I would have thought it would have been higher. But what I want to say is that not everybody gets everything they want in this town, not even if they are the

Governor of the State of Texas, with a large delegation like Texas.

It is a difficult time we all go through, and I offered and expressed my confidence to the Governor that I would certainly go look at this. It is the first time I learned of this. Less than 15 percent of the emergency funds that will be presumptively agreed to today, of this huge storm, goes to Texas. I just thought that was worthy of me to take time to come and pass on information that I had not known about, information that I was provided. It tells us how large the need is in this country when the largest storm only gets 15 percent.

So I am a ``yes.'' I am a ``yes'' for the other 85 percent that is not going to be in Texas also. I am a ``yes'' because I have seen the fires in California, I have seen the damage from--and Judge Hastings kept us up to date. I have been aware of Ambassador Patrick Rooney, who talked with us about the devastation; and Tom Rooney in Florida; and certainly Byrne Buchanan, who spoke with us about the damage to the crops--lots of big problems.

I am going to vote for the other 85 percent, too, not just the 15 percent for my home State.

I want to thank the gentleman for allowing me time to share my ideas on the floor. I wish Judge Hastings a Merry Christmas.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 668 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), my friend, the ranking member of the Rules Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. The rule provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1, an act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018, also known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Mr. Speaker, last evening, the Senate, on a vote of 51-48, passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which I believe is in the interest of the American people.

This is a bold, progrowth plan that will overhaul our Tax Code and unleash the free enterprise system. It lowers tax rates on businesses of all sizes so that job creators can focus more on bringing not only more work to their workers, but also hiring more workers, increasing paychecks, and growing a competitive marketplace all around the world.

Mr. Speaker, we are trying to expand our economy, and there is nothing more important for any Member of this body than to know that the things that are happening in their own local communities are about the ability for people, whether they are just graduating from high school, whether they are graduating from a technical school, whether they are graduating from college, or whether they are looking for a second job or a longer career, to be successful in the marketplace in their own area, in their own home--not having to move somewhere to find a job, but in their own community. That is what we are trying to do.

We are trying to increase wages for every single community across this country. My home of Dallas, Texas, has been home to so many people who have moved there as a result of the, really, unlimited opportunities that we see right now in Texas, and that comes because Texas has found itself to be their home because so many other companies have literally been run out of their States because of high taxes--high taxes that are placed on those companies and the employees to where it makes living and being competitive more difficult.

During consideration of this legislation in the Senate, a few, relatively small provisions were removed through points of order in the Senate under what is called the Byrd rule, a parliamentary tool used during reconciliation.

The first change made by the Senate under the Byrd rule strikes the language that allowed 529 accounts to be used for homeschool expenses.

The second change modifies a provision that imposes an excise tax on the investment income of certain educational institutions. The change strikes a reference to ``tuition-paying'' students, making the exception to the excise tax available only if the institution has less than 500 students or if 50 percent or less of the students are located in the United States.

A third small change simply strikes the short title.

Mr. Speaker, all of these provisions were included in the underlying bill as it first passed the Senate and came to the House and passed. However, at the time that this was done, there were no parliamentary points of order which were raised, which were later done.

Mr. Speaker, these minor changes will allow us to advance exactly the same discussion that we had in this body, exactly the same discussion that we have had with the American people, exactly the things that we have talked about up in the Rules Committee and across this country, as Republicans have talked about the importance of the status quo tax laws that we presently have--moved so many companies overseas, moved jobs overseas, and is not encouraging American companies to be competitive because America, when combined with State and local taxes and Federal taxes, is among the highest in the world, which means that American business finds itself in a competitive marketplace, may be a great product, but, on price, we are not as competitive.

This will allow America to achieve the greatness that it needs for a great people who want and need to be great, also.

This legislation is about making sure that the rising worker, whether they are brand-new in the marketplace or whether they are an entrepreneur, or a mother or a father out in the marketplace looking for a job, will find the ability to be successful.

The United States is already the best place in the world to live. We are an incubator always for new ideas and small business, but we are now going to be able to celebrate that to make it easier. We are taking the Tax Code, instead of being the highest taxed Nation in the world, to be one of the lowest. It is going to mean great things for the American people, the American worker, and, most of all, for people who believe that we want America to be great again.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York. She has, as the Rules Committee has, taken a lot of time on this bill--we have spent hours not only discussing and debating the effects of the bill, what the bill is about, why we would do it--but most of all, her abiding ability to stand up and represent her party in their context, and I respect that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, we do recognize we have a difference. We recognize we had a difference at the time we announced we were going to do this bill and we were going to change the direction we were going. This was part of a debate that happened during the Presidential election, where we had an argument. The Democratic Party very clearly said: We need to raise taxes.

Every year we see where they are on the floor during budget time to raise spending $1 trillion and raise taxes $1 trillion. That is more than what they had done under President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Mr. Reid; except what happens when you do that is you kill the economy, you kill the investment in families, in jobs, and in small businesses.

In the year after we had the massive tax increase, we had a GDP rate of zero. That is because there was this huge transfer from free enterprise to Uncle Sam, so the economy failed to grow. Then as the economy began to normalize, it normalized over the next 7 years at 1.2 percent.

That is what the election was about, Mr. Speaker. Since the election, what has happened is we have added over 1 million net new jobs, despite a huge storm summer that impacted a lot of employment. Our stockmarket has risen dramatically, meaning that America wants to be great again, too. We are going to make it together.

So we do recognize differences. They want a $1 trillion increase in spending, and they want a $1 trillion tax increase. We want to move it the other direction.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Woodall), who is a member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining on both sides?

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer), the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Tax Policy for the Ways and Means Committee.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York not only for her service to the Rules Committee, but also for her service to this body and to her party.

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is, I will take her up on that. We will bet that this works because we looked at what happened when President Obama, Harry Reid, and Speaker Pelosi put a $1 trillion tax increase on the American people; then spent $870 billion on a surplus; then added in $1 trillion of debt when they worked the deal that was for student loans; then we did cash for clunkers; then we did cell phones for all; and it just went on and on and on and on. And now they want to place the $20 trillion deficit on Republicans.

What we are trying to do is to recognize that we did look at what happened economically during the 8 years that President Obama was here: 1.2 percent annual GDP growth, while our trading partners around the world--Germany, Japan, India, China--all raised their GDP numbers off growing economies because the average rate in Europe for corporate tax is 23.6 percent, while America was at 39 percent, and States all across the United States raised their taxation just like President Obama encouraged them to do: to grow government, to make it more expensive.

But what happened is, then the free enterprise system was not competitive. We began losing jobs all across the country. We began losing our competitiveness because of the high taxation rate. That is why we are going to do something about it.

So when you raise taxes $1 trillion and spend an extra $10 trillion over 8 years, there is an impact. Of course, there is an impact. What we are trying to do is respond back to the American people, who last November said: Instead of going that way, why don't we go this way; why don't we be the world's leader; why be 24th in the world in competitiveness for business; why not be first or second; why not add jobs; why not do something that places Americans, the middle class of this country in a better position?

That is the call that we are about. That is what Republicans have been trying to do, and we are responding with a bill that is going to take Americans--instead of being the most expensive tax country in the world, we are going to make us among the best. We are going to be an attractor of jobs, of investment dollars, of opportunity.

The real problem with this country, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal), a Member of Congress, spoke about it to the Rules Committee, tens of thousands of jobs that pay up to $60,000 in his home State are going begging right now. Thousands of jobs in this country are going begging because we do have a problem where America doesn't want to come and take these jobs; where we cannot have people who pass drug tests; where we have people who say: Well, I don't have those abilities. Well, in Dallas, Texas, my home, we have $21-an-hour jobs begging for people who could come and work.

Mr. Speaker, what we are trying to do is to encourage America and Americans, let's get to work. Let's make this happen. Let's not blame it on somebody else. There are jobs available in America, and we are going to answer the question. We are going to answer the bell. The Republican Party is going to stand on what we do right now, and we are willing to take what comes that way.

And I will tell you what comes that way. When you go from 39.6 percent, the highest corporate tax in the world, to where you mark yourself down where virtually the rest of the world is at 23, in this case 21, we are going to be competitive. Americans are winners. Americans want to win. Americans are the best at entrepreneurism. They are the best at being innovative.

We are now--instead of Uncle Sam taking 39 percent and making us drain our resources, we are going to incent Americans to go do it.

Mr. Speaker, my staff, Ron Donato, my tax man, who has spent a lot of time working with me listening to people back in Dallas, Texas, we think this is a good deal to make the free enterprise system, which is the greatest system in the world. We are going to fuel it; we are going to fund it; we are going to make it work.

Mr. Speaker, for that reason, we will be willing to land on what happens here, so mark your calendar right now. Go look at where we are, and watch where we are going. For this reason, I urge my colleagues to support this rule.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 667 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), my dear friend, who is the ranking member of the Rules Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

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

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

This rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3312, the Systemic Risk Designation Improvement Act of 2017; and the conference report accompanying H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and JOBS Act.

Mr. Speaker, this rule, and specifically the underlying conference report, is the reflection of a bicameral agreement between the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, whereby we took some of the best ideas from across not only our conference, but this country, and from our respective ideas to make a tax bill that would combine them for the best interests of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that what we are doing here today is that the Republican Party is relying upon the greatest system ever invented: the free enterprise system.

The free enterprise system has brought the United States of America not only the greatest economic opportunities in the world, but it is a system of rule of law. It is a system of a Tax Code. It is a system of ideas that has made America the envy of the world.

Mr. Speaker, I also get politically what is happening. We are taking what the Democratic Party and President Obama did to raise taxes by $1 trillion, the largest tax increase in the history of the United States, and we are trashing that today.

We are saying that the production that it made of 1.2 percent over 8 years is unacceptable to the United States of America. It was unacceptable then, and we will not allow that to be the gauge that we will measure our success in the future.

Secondly, we are also going to deal properly and fairly with the Affordable Care Act, a law that placed extensive burdens not only on people who did not want the healthcare bill that was placed forward, but placed a tremendous cost on the middle class of this country and the American people.

What we are doing today is bold. We are going to make the big deal the big deal the American people want and need: a stronger, brighter economic future.

It is a progrowth bill that will overhaul our Tax Code and unleash our free enterprise system. It lowers tax rates on businesses of every size so job creators can focus on hiring workers, increasing paychecks and growth.

Growth and competition are the keys to an expanding economy. More jobs and increased wages in my home of Dallas, Texas, have allowed Texas to lead the Nation not only in job creation, but to make us the envy of the world. We are now going to do that for the entire United States and help make back home for every Member of Congress competitive in the world market.

With the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world, the United States today has a broken Tax Code that has forced businesses to not only move their jobs and research overseas; it has forced us to be able to strand billions of dollars of economic advantage that should be in the United States.

That changes today. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will stop and reverse that trend. It will encourage American companies to bring their jobs and their operations back to the United States by lowering corporate tax rates to be competitive anywhere in the world at 21 percent and encourages U.S. businesses to bring their foreign earnings home, unleashing trillions of dollars in our economy. That is the future that the Republican Party wants for the United States of America and the free enterprise system.

The conference report also simplifies tax filing. It eliminates costly special interest tax breaks. It protects the abilities of small businesses to write off interest on loans and offers a first-ever 20 percent tax deduction to businesses organized as S corps, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships. This will be a boom not only for the stock market, which we have seen since the day after the election, but we have seen a boom on Main Street as job creators and new small businesses are seeking to reinvest not only in their business and in their community, but for the opportunity to benefit workers in the United States of America.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a direct and immediate boost for middle- income Americans who have been struggling--struggling for 8, now, 9 years--to get a handle on not only their ability to work with a broken tax system, but the ability to work with their own local businesses to make sure that their city succeeds, also.

It reduces the tax rate for low-income and middle-income Americans. It increases and extends the child tax credit to more families and, roughly, doubles the standard deduction. With this piece of legislation today, legislation for middle-income families will allow them to be a part of an economic growth model for years to come.

We are proud of what we are doing and delighted that we offer this not only to the United States House of Representatives today, but to the American people to see the Republican answer for economic growth and development vitality for the United States of America.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Luetkemeyer), who serves on the Financial Services Committee. Congressman Luetkemeyer, from St. Elizabeth, will talk about a piece of this bill that is from the Financial Services Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell).

Mr. Speaker, by the way, the gentlewoman would want to state that we are not taking this away. There will be a 1-year transition. So, I am sorry, but it will not be Ebenezer Scrooge at Christmas. It will be the bright lights of a big future that lies ahead for us.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to, if I could, advise the gentlewoman that, to balance out the time, I am going to allow her to have the next couple of speakers so that we can equal the time.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton).

(Mr. BARTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Lawrenceville, Georgia (Mr. Woodall), the Rules Committee designee to the Budget Committee and the gentleman who sits with esteem on the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise the gentlewoman that we are through with our speakers, that I will be closing, so I ask that she go ahead and consume her time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York, the ranking member of the Rules Committee, and really each of the members of the Rules Committee for their diligence in working yesterday for a long period of time.

As the Rules Committee met last night, not only to consider this, but really to offer full and open debate, an opportunity was given for the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) to come and speak representing the Democratic Party; the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam), to come and represent the Ways and Means Committee; and the distinguished gentleman from The Woodlands, Texas (Mr. Brady), the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, to come and thoughtfully articulate not only the ideas behind this bill but what we are going to do.

Mr. Speaker, it is true that what we are doing is taking what was done by President Obama and a Democratic majority in the House and the Senate that raised taxes a trillion dollars, that, in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, really raided the American people by raising taxes on them, by causing an economic downturn, a GDP rate of 1.2 percent--an assault on not just the taxpayer, but on the free enterprise system.

It is true that we promised this last election, through the election of Donald Trump, to Make America Great Again. Part of making America great again means making Americans great again also, making Americans not only proud of their country, but giving them an economic opportunity, and that is what the Republican Party is doing here.

We have heard not only from Mike Kelly, Congressman Kelly, who spoke about making America better, making the free enterprise system better, we heard from Congressman Woodall about being in 24th place, which is what America is, 24th in the world in doing business in a friendly environment.

We cannot survive in 24th place--24th place--by keeping the current Tax Code we have, where over and over and over we see not only companies moving to other locations within the United States of America, but moving offshore, stranding dollars, and jobs going with that.

What we are attempting to do in this bill is to make America number one, make America and the American worker number one again. We are going to make the big deal the big deal for people wherever you live in the United States. We are going to offer an opportunity for you to not only be taxed less, but that business that is in your city, your State that proudly they represent their hometown, they will have the opportunity to now be competitive.

Forget this, ``Oh, Republicans want to move jobs offshore.'' That is what we are sick and tired of hearing. We are sick and tired of hearing that jobs and investments go overseas.

They are coming back to America because this places America, instead of being the bottom wrung in terms of taxes, as the highest in the world. We are going to go to where we are the most competitive, where the American worker will stand a chance to stamp ``Made in America'' on those items that they want, made from my hometown, the pride of authorship of the middle class of this country, pride of authorship of knowing not just is my country going to get better, but my community and I will be better.

It is about financial responsibility, but it is also about the integrity of the free enterprise system. The free enterprise system is the greatest economic system in the history of the world. It will continue to produce great and better things for so many people.

But, Mr. Speaker, the Democratic Party tried to kill the free enterprise system when they came after the free enterprise system. We knew it and we saw it, and the world saw it, too. 1.2 percent GDP growth as opposed to, now, with a new viewpoint about making America great, we have not only doubled GDP, but we have added, net, 1 million jobs. If the summer had not produced the storms it had, no telling what our job growth would be.

This is what lies ahead, and this is what this Republican bill does. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill on this conference report.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 11 o'clock and 5 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, December 19, 2017, at 9 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem, on behalf of Albert Carey Caswell, to honor the men and women of The Armed Forces and the families of the Fallen this Christmas.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem, on behalf of Albert Carey Caswell, to honor the brave men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol. All across our Nation these servicemen and women risk their

lives daily to protect us in a very demanding and dangerous job.

Down on the Border

(By Albert Caswell)

Down on the border

There are men and women of such high order

Standing tall to provide law and order

Who live and die to hold that line as evil they quarter,

Because, keeping us safe is such a tall order.

Protecting our borders

On the ground, on the water, or up in the air everywhere,

As a heroic bond they share,

Because, each day is a war.

Leaving home with one last hug and kiss goodbye,

not knowing if they'll be home for sure.

Down on the border

These are the men and women of law and order

Who serve and protect

Whose sworn duty is not to neglect

Only the best from them can we expect.

Down on the border

As all across the country such lawlessness they quarter

While, working in the harshest of conditions

In the heat of the day or in the darkness of night making the

toughest decisions,

With only seconds to decide.

Down on the border

Who lives or dies depends on you as to the challenge they

rise

Standing tall in their most heroic hues oh high.

Down on the border,

and all across this country as these are the men and women of

law and order try

To serve and protect us as upon them we rely.

Down on the border

Yea it's a tough and demanding job,

reminiscent of the wild . . . wild . . . west . . . as each

moment evolves

Demanding only the finest these problems to solve

Who selflessly give all to this job.

Down on the border

Today we lost another great man

Who for all of us took his most courageous stand

Trying to keep us all safe throughout this land

Families, now with children without Moms and Dads,

Parent's, who lost their most precious Sons and Daughters

they'll ever have,

Brothers and Sisters on that thin blue line who have lost

their best friends so sad.

Down on the border

For they know all to well

That a country which can't protect its borders that in time

will tell,

Will become a place where only lawlessness dwells,

Because, innocent people should not have to live through such

hell.

Down on the border where all their hearts swell

On this day remember The Border Patrol,

Who for all us give their hearts and souls,

Until, their blood runs cold.

Say a prayer for all those to come home safe to their loved

ones to hold,

These magnificent men and women who pave the way of hearts of

gold.

Down on the border where its life and death every day so very

cold,

In your hearts ever hold a place,

For these men and women who for us such danger must face,

Down on the border.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem, on behalf of Albert Carey Caswell, to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families on this Thanksgiving holiday.

Our Pilgrims Pride

Our Pilgrims pride

In this Thanksgiving time

All across our country side

As our Nation takes the time

To so look deep down inside

And reflect and give thanks for this year gone by

As we thank our Lord God on high

And the men and women of

The Armed Forces and their families who fight and die

For all our freedoms to provide

Holding our families to our sides

We give thanks for all our lives

And the freedom and peace upon which our Nation relies

As a great feast of thanks is prepared by our loved ones upon

which to dine

While, the fire places proving such warmth inside

As all across our Nation out at football games we cry

As we give thanks as we reflect back at the Pilgrim's pride

Who for their blessings so took the time

But, some families on this holiday will never be close

With one less seat at the dinner table to host

Who over the years have lost their precious loved ones who

meant the most

Who fought on battlefields of honor from coast to coast

While, others sit around the dinner table without arms and

legs and eyes

All because of that magnificence which burns deep down inside

While, thousands of miles away,

heroes are separated from their loved ones in harms way

Whose mommies and daddies can't be home today

For all of us,

to them and their families we give thanks this day

All so the price of freedom can be paid

So this Thanksgiving hold your family close

And remember what means the most

And give thanks to all of those

The Magnificent men and women and families of The Armed

Forces defend us so

On this day our Pilgrim's Pride of thanks we give all of

those