Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, this bill is worse than a sham. This bill is worse than a sugar pill. This bill is downright ugly. It is poison. As an emergency medicine doctor, I urge you to do no harm. I urge everybody to do no harm.

Let's be clear: a vote for this bill is a vote for 24 million people to lose their insurance. A vote for this bill is to add an age tax to those 55 years old and older. A vote for this bill is raise out-of- pocket costs for everyone, with less coverage. A vote for this bill is to take away guarantees for emergency care, medicine, mental health, and maternity care. A vote for this bill is to allow private health insurance companies to drop patients who have a preexisting illness.

How, you may ask? Let's say I see a patient with diabetes who doesn't have health insurance. A private health insurance company can say: No, we are not going to cover you. Why don't you go to the high-risk, high- cost State insurance pool that is way too expensive, with no guarantees that they will cover what they need. Therefore, they won't be able to afford it. They won't have coverage. They are going to go into financial ruin. All of this is in order to give $6 billion in tax cuts to the wealthiest.

I urge everybody to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, with TrumpCare 2.0, Republican leaders took a bad bill and made it worse.

On top of causing at least 24 million more Americans to be uninsured, raising costs for middle class families, imposing an age tax on older Americans, and making everyone pay more for less coverage, this bill now guts protections for patients with preexisting illnesses and removes the essential health benefits: guaranteed coverage for things like prescription drugs, emergency care, maternity care, and mental health. All this while still giving billions in tax breaks to millionaires.

Stop being ideologically driven. Put people above partisanship. Put patients first, and let's work for a bipartisan plan to reduce out-of- pocket costs for care and medicine for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an outstanding member of my district Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Shirley Powell of Cathedral City, California. She passed away in March 2017. Her dedication and service to our nation are an inspiration. CMSgt Powell was a member of my congressional office's Veterans' Advisory Board and Military Academy Nominations Selection Committee. She was a remarkable leader, and I am honored to have called her my constituent and my friend. Today, I want to recognize her life achievements.

CMSgt Powell worked for 45 years in the field of Aerospace. In 1962, she joined the U.S. Air Force (USAF), where she served for 38 years. She was a founding member of the 68th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES) in the Military Airlift Command KC-97 Globemaster Program, where she served multiple tours in support of Vietnam and other international and domestic efforts. In 1981, she transferred to the California Air National Guard TAC C-130 Program.

She was honored with numerous, well-deserved distinctions. In the Air National Guard 146th Wing, Shirley was the first female to achieve the rank of Senior Master Sergeant and the first female to be selected for the special duty of First Sergeant. Among her numerous awards are the Meritorious Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Combat Readiness Medal, the Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal, the National Defense Service Ribbon, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal.

After her retirement in 2000, she was highly active in various associations in the community. She became an active member of the Palm Springs Air Force Association, the Air Force Sergeants Association, the Noncommissioned Officer Association, and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard, where she held numerous Board positions. She was selected to serve on the Riverside County Veterans Advisory Committee, and she maintained her status as Chief Exam Proctor for the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Society for Quality.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize and honor Shirley Powell. I am proud of the opportunity to have worked together with her to improve the lives of veterans in our community. Her distinguished career and her years of committed service to the community are an example of excellence, dedication, and service to our Nation that all should seek to emulate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit who passed away on December 26, 2016 after a life of public service to the people of California and the residents of Riverside County. Throughout his career, Mr. Benoit served with duty, honor, and integrity and was an example to many across the region.

Mr. Benoit began his life in public service with the Corona Police Department and then with the California Highway Patrol. Over the next 30 years, Supervisor Benoit rose through the ranks to become commander of the Indio CHP Station. Because of his dedication and tireless efforts, California's highways and communities are safer. Supervisor Benoit retired from his distinguished career in law enforcement in 2001 to pursue elected office.

Supervisor Benoit served as a board member for the Desert Sands Unified School District in 1999. He also served as a State Senator and while serving as a California Assemblyman, Mr. Benoit drew from his dedication to bettering the lives of children as well as his respect for law and order to write, introduce, and advance Aryanna's Law, Assembly Bill 617, which instituted tougher daycare safety measures. As a resident of California and a father of twin girls, I personally thank him for his work in protecting our children.

I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with him while he was a Riverside County Supervisor. His dedication, respect, and love for his constituents is as an example for all who want to serve their community. I give my deepest sympathies to his wife, Sheryl, and to their two children, Ben and Sarah.

Mr. Speaker, Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Shirley Powell of Cathedral City exemplified our Nation's highest values of dedication to public service. She passed away last month, March 2017. Her legacy of leadership is a constant source of inspiration. I am humbled to have called her my constituent and my friend.

Chief Master Sergeant Powell joined the U.S. Air Force in 1962, where she served for 38 years. She opened important doors for women in our military. She was the first woman to have achieved the rank of chief master sergeant in the Air National Guard 146th Airlift Wing and to be selected for the special duty of first sergeant.

She continued to serve the Coachella Valley after her retirement in numerous veterans' organizations. She became a life member of the Palm Springs Air Force Association, and was also selected to serve on the Riverside County Veterans' Advisory Committee.

She served on my Congressional Veterans' Advisory Board and Military Academy Nominations Committee. Her advice and counsel were invaluable to me.

Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to recognize Chief Master Sergeant Powell and

add her story and contributions to our Nation's record. Her distinguished career is an example of excellence, dedication, and service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, Riverside County supervisor John J. Benoit served his community with duty, honor, and integrity.

Last year, Supervisor Benoit passed away in December 2016 after battling pancreatic cancer. His legacy of service to his constituents lives on throughout my district.

Supervisor Benoit dedicated his life to the safety of our community as a police officer for the Corona Police Department, and then as a commander in the California Highway Patrol. He served as a board member for the Desert Sands Unified School District, as a California assemblyman and State senator, and most recently as supervisor of Riverside County.

I was honored to work with Supervisor Benoit. His dedication, respect, and devotion to his constituents is exemplary and admirable.

My thoughts and prayers remain with his wife, Sheryl, and to their two children, Ben and Sarah.

On behalf of the people of California's 36th Congressional District, my wife, Monica, and my family, thank you sincerely for your service.

Mr. Speaker, the majority of my patients in the emergency department are age 50 and older. This bill's age tax will devastate Americans ages 50 to 64 who have worked their whole lives, planned for retirement, and now are wondering how they will make ends meet.

The age tax will force older Americans to pay premiums up to five times higher than others, no matter how healthy they are, no matter how responsibly they have lived, making coverage too expensive, and forcing them to be uninsured.

For example, Rex, from my district, wrote me that he was worried about choosing between affordable insurance or saving for his retirement. Insurance for older Americans like Rex will be too expensive, leaving them uninsured when they need coverage the most.

Under this bill, a 64-year-old like Rex, with an income of $26,500, in the individual market, will pay up to $14,000 for health insurance. That is more than half of their income on premiums alone, leaving little for food, for medicine, rent, and other basic necessities.

I stand with our older Americans, and I urge everyone, Democrats and Republicans, to stand with older Americans. Put ideology, partisanship, and politics aside and do the right thing.

Mr. Speaker, today, I celebrate the birth of my twin daughters, Sky and Sage as they turn 2 years old.

Happy birthday, Sky; happy birthday, Sage. You both have made your mom, Monica, and me very, very happy. Because of you both, I am the happiest man on Earth. We love you very much, and I miss you very much when I am here in the people's House and you are in California in our family's house. The best feelings in the world are when I get home after a long week here and you two girls run up to me with open arms and you run into my arms screaming: Daddy, daddy, daddy. I will never forget those moments ever, and I thank you for them.

Mr. Speaker, my daughters mean the world to me, and my daughters' future and their health mean the world to me. And now, more than ever, I want to protect health care for Sky and Sage and for the millions of Americans across our great Nation.

I am an emergency physician, and I have spent my career caring for patients across the Nation from Boston to Pittsburgh and to the Coachella Valley where I grew up and which I now represent. Many of my patients, far too many, didn't have health insurance. And I have seen firsthand what it means for people when they don't have health coverage and can't afford care.

I know what uninsured patients look like. They are the senior who comes in with emphysema and having to be intubated and put on a respiratory machine because they didn't have health insurance to see their doctor. It is the diabetic who comes in in a diabetic coma and spends 2 months in the ICU because they couldn't afford their insulin, or they couldn't see their doctor. Or that 60-year-old farmworker who had urinary problems and lower back pains, which scares me that he might have prostate cancer metastasized to the lumbar spine, and when asked when was the last time he saw a doctor, he said 6 years ago because that is when he lost his health insurance.

This Republican plan should be called the pain and suffering act or the pay more for less act, because that is what it will do. This bill will add 14 million more uninsured people within 1 year and 24 million more over the next decade.

We need to move beyond the Republican hyperpartisan ideology and listen to patients and their concerns. My patients in the emergency department ask me two of the most common questions, which are: Am I going to be okay? How much is this going to cost me?

I have never cared for an uninsured patient who chose to be uninsured. They didn't have health insurance because they couldn't afford it. And that includes the young, healthy patient who was in an unfortunate car accident and was left paralyzed. I never met a doctor who preferred their patients to be uninsured.

Yet, we know that the Republican bill's age tax--huge cuts to Medicaid--will reduce coverage and make millions more uninsured, increase costs of uncompensated care, while giving tax breaks to millionaires, raising out-of-pocket costs, and raising premiums and deductibles.

The age tax is astronomical. The CBO said that a senior at the age of 60, making about $26,000, would have to pay about $14,000 in premiums. That is nearly half of their income, leaving very little for food and housing and their other needs.

This bill also will make it harder for doctors and hospitals to care for patients, due to the Medicaid block granting and the cuts. That is why the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the AARP, and many major provider organizations oppose this bill, because they also know firsthand the harm it would cause to patients. That is why AARP opposes this bill, because they know the harm it is going to cause to the elderly in our Nation.

Now, do Paul Ryan and President Trump really know more about patient care and providing care than doctors, nurses, and hospitals? Do they know more about taking care of seniors than the AARP? No. We need to end this hyperpartisan, ideological charade that puts the cost of health care on the shoulders of working families in order to give tax breaks to multimillionaires. We need to come together as one body to provide true health care, reduce the healthcare costs for millions of Americans, and provide the care that is needed.

Mr. Speaker, the American Health Care Act, known as TrumpCare, will cause 24 million more people to go without health insurance over the next decade.

As an emergency physician, I know that everyone, even healthy young people, are vulnerable to car accidents or diseases that require critical care. Whether they have insurance or not, people get sick and get injured.

I have never treated a patient who said they were uninsured because they preferred to be uninsured. They simply couldn't afford it.

So what does 24 million more uninsured people mean?

It means more pain, suffering, and shorter life spans for people who go without care.

It means more ER visits and a longer wait to see a doctor in the emergency rooms for everyone.

It means financial ruin for young families or those ready to retire.

It means that hospitals and providers might lay off workers or even go out of business due to rising uncompensated care. It means they will charge more to make ends meet, which will raise premiums and out-of- pocket costs for everyone. Everyone will have to pay more.

I urge everyone to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an outstanding leader in my district, Sara Thomas of Indio, California. Sara was a remarkable leader, firefighter, wife, mother, and daughter. She had a deep passion for serving others and giving voice to the voiceless.

Sara spent her career serving residents in the Coachella Valley with dedication and passion, and was widely respected by her community. As a firefighter with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), Sara was a source of strength and an anchor of hope to those around her.

For sixteen years, Sara protected countless individuals in moments of tragedy. She began her career in 2000 as a seasonal Firefighter 1 in El Cajon, California, and then in the San Benito-Monterey Unit. In 2004, she transferred to the Riverside Unit as a limited term Firefighter II. Four years later, Sara became a permanent firefighter with the Riverside Unit. She last served with Fire Station 80 Unit in Indio, California.

Sara was not only an impressive firefighter, but also a dedicated mentor to emerging young leaders. Her work inspires me.

In December of 2015, Sara was diagnosed with cancer. Her family and loved ones stood with Sara throughout her battle until the end. Sara will be deeply missed, but her spirit will live on through the legacy of her work.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize and honor Sara Thomas. She is an example to all of us to serve our community with courage and passion.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 724, which would rescind President Trump's refugee ban and help unify the family of Muktar and his wife, who spent 20 years in a refugee camp after fleeing Somalia, and will continue to be separated from their children who still live in the camp.

Mr. Speaker, due to weather conditions my flight was cancelled and I was unable to be present for votes on the House Floor on January 23, 2017.

Had I been present, I would have voted Yes on H.R. 423, the Anti- Spoofing Act of 2017, which will make it illegal to send false caller ID information to any individual in the United States via Voice-over- Internet (VolP) calls or text messages. This prevents criminals from defrauding individuals via text or VoIP call services; and Yes on H.R. 582, the Kari's Law Act, which will require all multiline telephone systems to be able to dial 911 without having to dial any additional digits or area codes. This can save lives by ensuring that every phone can access an emergency dispatcher by simply dialing 911, regardless if another digit is typically required for outside calls.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment to H.R. 5 at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 5, which will ensure children's products are safe for use.

In 2015, there were an estimated 254,200 toy-related injuries treated in emergency departments across the Nation. Tragically, 15 children were killed in toy-related incidents that same year. As an emergency medicine physician, I have treated children who have fallen victim to these accidents.

H.R. 5, the Regulatory Accountability Act, prioritizes cheaper alternatives for companies over the safety of our children. To me, this is unconscionable. It is wrong. It is not the direction we should be taking our Nation.

My amendment to H.R. 5 will ensure that an agency rule regarding the safety of children's products or toys is not delayed by the bureaucratic hurdles that H.R. 5 imposes on Federal agencies. My simple amendment provides a straightforward safety net for our sons and daughters across the country.

Our children should always be our priority. The facts are clear: a vote against my amendment is a vote to put a company's bottom line above the safety of our children. So I urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment to protect our children.

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

Mr. Chairman, I want to emphasize what is at stake here. We are talking about delay or forgoing regulations that protect our children, regulations that give parents like me the peace of mind that when I buy a bottle for my daughter, Sky, I know it is safe for her to use, and that when I buy a product that is labeled age-appropriate for my daughter, Sage, I can reasonably expect it will not contain small parts that Sage could swallow and send her to the emergency room with an obstructed esophagus that will require emergency surgery.

For me as a dad it is personal, and for our Nation it is essential. This is commonsense legislation.

I urge my colleagues to put aside partisanship, politics, and corporate greed and to think about the children in their lives who could be harmed by this bill. Vote ``yes'' on my amendment to protect children and save lives.

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Commissioner Tom Freeman as he's retiring after 35 years in service to our nation, state, and the County of Riverside, California. While serving the County of Riverside Tom has served as the Commissioner of Foreign Trade, Commissioner of Defense and Military Services, Commissioner of the Office of Film and Television, Chief of Staff, Board of Supervisors, 4th district, Executive Officer for the Sheriff's Department, Chief Public Information Officer and Emergency Services Coordinator for the CDF-County Fire, and first Chairman of the Workforce Development Board. His extraordinary service with the County of Riverside in key posts has been of great benefit to the county and its 2.3 million residents.

Tom began serving his nation in the United States Air Force in 1979, enlisting during the Iranian Hostage Crisis and later served in the Inaugural Honor Guard of President Ronald Reagan, The Homecoming Honor Guard for the Iranian Hostages, and the Funeral and Repose of General of the Army Omar Bradley. In 1981, Tom was selected for Marine Corps and Naval Parachutist Training, which he completed, earning the prestigious Paratrooper Badge. He went on to complete Instructor School and receive his Air Training Command Instructor Badge. He then served the House and Senate, teaching selected members of the Armed Services Committee escape, evasion, survival, and parachute training at nearby Andrews Air Force Base. Later in 1984, then Staff Sargent-Select Freeman, was honored by the U.S. Senate, having his enlistment oath administered by the late Senator Quentin S. Burdick on in the Senate Chamber, thus becoming the first member of the active duty armed forces to have his enlistment oath administered on the Senate Floor by a seated member of the Senate of the United States.

Tom returned to his native California with assignment to the Undergraduate Navigator Instructor School, United States Air Force, Mather Air Force Base and served as the Non Commissioned Officer In Charge of Training for future Air Force Navigators. He excelled in this assignment and was named Non Commissioned Officer of the Year. Later he was honorably discharged and joined the Military Department, State of California and was called to Active Duty again thru 1990. While serving on active duty with the State of California he was again named Non Commissioned Officer of the Year, this time for the entire state, and he was also honored as Non Commissioned Officer of the Year by the Air Force Association and the Air Force Sargent's Association. He was also honored by the National Guard Bureau, here in Washington, D.C., two years in a row with the Rookie Recruiter of the Year Award and Recruiter of the Year Award the following year. During this same period of time Tom received a Commendation Medal for rendering lifesaving first aid to an injured motorist. Other awards received include four more commendation medals, an achievement medal, meritorious service medal, and the Air Force Recognition Ribbon, amongst many others.

On January 10, 1990 Tom began his service with the County of Riverside-CDF, Office of Emergency Services. Over his almost 5 years in this post he responded to major quakes, floods, and fires earning three awards from the Governor of California for his service and Emergency Manager of the Year honors from the City of Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert. Later he was promoted to the post of Legislative, Information, and Marketing Officer at the Economic Development Agency. After 6 years as Vice President of Government Affairs and Marketing with WMI, the world's largest environmental service provider, Tom returned to serve as Chief of Staff for his mentor and friend, the late County Supervisor Roy Wilson. Tom served with distinction as Chief of Staff and accepted a promotion as Executive Officer for Riverside County Sheriff Larry Smith. He excelled in this position and received awards for his work from the Secret Service, FBI, The International Association of Chiefs of Police, State Attorney General, and United States Army. He was the Agency Representative to the Ford Family during the Funeral & Repose of the 38th President of the United States. After serving the Sheriff's Department with distinction he returned to the Economic Development Agency as Commissioner of the Office of Foreign Trade, spokesman, and custodian of records.

Tom has decided to retire at the age of 55 and spend time with his wife, Brenda Salas Freeman, enjoy their grandson Robert III, and enjoy time with sons Joel, Robert II, and daughter in-law Lindsay. His career as the Foreign Trade Commissioner was remarkable, crafting three bilateral trade agreements with Canada, Japan, and Croatia, and helping take Riverside County Exports from 47th in the nation to 24th in the nation. He also served with the National Association of Counties, achieving the post of Vice Chairman of the International Task Force on Economic Development, supporting global trade agreements in South Korea, the EU, and pacific rim, and helping businesses create jobs through the Great Recession. Tom was frequently consulted by elected leaders in the state and nation's capital to discuss trade issues and Military & Defense programs and policies. In addition to these accomplishments, Colonel Tom Freeman retired in November 2007, 28 years after enlisting in the United States Air Force, from the Military Department of the State of California and is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal-Order of California Medal by the Governor and our Adjutant General. Freeman also chaired numerous charitable boards and organizations including the United Way, Breath of Life, Junior Diabetes Foundation, and served as Treasurer of the John F. Kennedy Foundation 7 Law Enforcement Appreciation Committee in the City of Riverside, raising millions for charity. He is the recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service presented by the 38th President of the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, Tom's talent and leadership exemplify the very best of Riverside County and my state. Our nation, state, and county are a better place because of the efforts of Commissioner Freeman and his devotion to duty and commitment to serve the people. I congratulate Commissioner Freeman on his 35 years of service to our nation, state, and County of Riverside and wish him well in retirement and all future endeavors.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, House Republican leadership has chosen to play political games with the security and safety of our Nation by including extreme partisan poison pill amendments to this Homeland Security funding bill. Rather than putting country before party, House Republican leaders have chosen to advance an extreme agenda instead of doing what needs to be done to protect Americans.

This bill is a farce that puts scoring political points above safeguarding our communities. This is precisely the type of political gimmick people in the Coachella Valley and across the country are sick of.

The terrorist attacks in Paris last week demonstrate how critical it is that the men and women of our law enforcement agencies have the funding necessary to do their jobs and keep us safe.

That is why I urge House Republican leadership to allow a vote on a clean, bipartisan Homeland Security bill that ensures law enforcement, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service have the resources they need to protect our communities.

It is time to end the political bickering and work toward sensible, pragmatic solutions to keep our homeland secure.