Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a Toombs County native. Twenty-nine-year-old Staff Sergeant Dustin Michael Wright was one of the three U.S. Army Green Beret soldiers killed in the line of duty last week.

The U.S. Africa Command says Dustin was part of a team assisting in advising local forces in southwest Niger at the time of the ambush.

A 2007 graduate from Toombs County High School, Dustin joined the Army soon after graduation, following in the footsteps of his parents and his brother. His family remembers him as a beloved jokester and was always making people laugh. He took great pride in serving the country, and I am so proud to see the Toombs County community coming together to paint the town red, white, and blue in honor of Dustin's life. Dustin was truly a hometown hero, and Toombs County will remember him often.

As Jesus said: ``Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends.''

Dustin sacrificed his life for his brothers and sisters in service to this great country. I will never forget our freedom fighter from Toombs County.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairwoman for her work on this incredible budget that we are talking about here today.

I rise today in support of the FY18 budget entitled ``Building a Better America.'' Never has a budget had a more fitting title. The budget set forth by the House Budget Committee will balance the budget within 10 years, provide our military with the resources they need for national defense, and cut more than $200 billion in mandatory spending.

Picture this: $6.5 trillion in total deficit reduction over 10 years. On that fact alone, I would hope my colleagues would support this legislation.

This budget also paves the way for the recently released Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code.

On a telephone townhall with thousands of constituents on the phone from my district, 53 percent of participants reported that their most important priority for tax reform is a simpler, fairer Tax Code. The framework does just that and more.

I urge all of my colleagues to support the budget, to reduce the deficit, and take a huge step toward progrowth tax reform that will increase paychecks, spur economic growth, and make our Tax Code simple, affordable, and competitive.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Georgia for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

We have a responsibility to defend the most vulnerable in our Nation, and that is exactly what this legislation does: it protects unborn children from abortion at 5 months.

It is truly disheartening that I have to beg many of my colleagues to support a bill like this when it is scientifically proven that unborn babies feel pain after 5 months. Premature infants in the NICU are protected from pain. Children in the womb should be protected from pain also.

I will always fight for the right to life, and I believe we have a responsibility to defend all innocent lives. In fact, this is close to home. I have four children: one son and three daughters. I have had to see both my wife and each one of my daughters experience difficult pregnancies and make difficult choices. I can't imagine life without my four children and my 12 beautiful grandchildren.

Every child should be given a chance at life. New life is created by God, and we must give a voice to these precious babies who cannot speak for themselves. Our Nation can and must protect the most vulnerable among us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend, the beloved Augusta radio host Harley Drew, on his recent retirement. He is one of the most successful and longest tenured radio personalities in the history of Georgia broadcasting.

Harley was born at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and has always called Waynesboro, Georgia, home.

He became interested in radio and electronics at the age of nine, and got a part-time job at WBRO in Waynesboro at the age of 14, where he worked full time after graduating from high school.

Harley moved to Augusta in 1962 to help put WFNL on the air. I can remember in my high school days listening to ``Handsome Harley Drew'' on WBBQ, as he was known for playing the all-time best oldies.

He is also a past recipient of Augusta's Best Radio Personality award from Augusta Magazine, was given the Louis Harris Award by the West Augusta Rotary, and has received numerous State and national awards for programming excellence.

Harley was a founding board member of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and also served as its vice president. In honor of his career achievements, he was inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame in 2011.

Harley anchored Augusta's morning news on WGAC until his retirement last Friday, September 29, 2017.

Harley, congratulations on a remarkable career.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1866) to provide the Secretary of Education with waiver authority for the reallocation rules and authority to extend the deadline by which funds have to be reallocated in the campus-based aid programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 due to Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria, to provide equitable services to children and teachers in private schools, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 1866.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1866, the Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Education Relief Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, September has been a difficult month for many students and families in areas such as Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico, and even my State of Georgia, just to name a few.

We have all seen the truly saddening images of families who have been impacted by the likes of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and now we must come together as a nation to help our fellow Americans recover from these life-changing storms.

These storms have left many Americans with questions on how to continue living their daily lives as they try to return to a sense of normalcy, and students are no exception. Hundreds of thousands of students have been impacted by these storms, and the Federal Government must be ready to address the needs of students, as well as their institutions of learning, so that their education may continue.

The Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria Education Relief Act of 2017 allows the Department of Education, as well as other Federal entities, to use the emergency tools at their disposal to immediately assist students impacted by the storms of this past month without the need of additional appropriations from Congress.

First, the bill equips the Department of Education with temporary authority to waive certain rules governing campus-based aid programs for those institutions impacted by recent hurricanes.

Second, the legislation ensures students and teachers at private schools receive services under the Project SERV grant program. This program helps school districts and institutions of higher education reestablish a safe learning environment after a violent or traumatic crisis. The program has issued grants to school districts, State educational agencies, and institutions of higher education after natural disasters, including Superstorm Sandy. These funds have helped reopen schools or, in some cases, provided resources to operate a school at an alternative site while the original site is being repaired.

Mr. Speaker, Congress has the power to use its resources to help students and families return to a sense of normalcy after these terrible storms, and we should do everything within our authority to help students remain on a pathway to success even in the aftermath of these storms.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support S. 1866, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to add that this legislation does not call for additional appropriations on the part of Congress and provides the Department of Education with limited authority to act until it has sufficiently assisted the students and families of these impacted regions.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation for the people impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of S. 1866, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Monday next and that the order of the House of January 3, 2017, regarding morning-hour debate not apply on that day.

Mr. Speaker, this week, Hurricane Irma brought devastation to south Florida and many parts of the Southeastern United States, including the 12th District of Georgia.

In times of disaster, Americans come together and show their love and support for one another, and I thank all of our first responders, law enforcement, our military, and Good Samaritans for their extraordinary service in this time of need. Your selflessness saved countless lives in this unprecedented storm.

I thank Governor Deal, President Trump, and FEMA, and all 19 counties in the 12th District of Georgia that were included in the Federal emergency declaration authorizing FEMA to provide direct Federal resources to our district.

Visit disasterassistance.gov to learn about the options available to you. It is the greatest honor of my life to represent the people of Georgia's 12th Congressional District, and my office is here to help in any way we can. If you need any help in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, please do not hesitate to reach out. America is resilient.

The American people are resilient when we come together as one, and now we must assess the damage and help each other rebuild our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Congressman Arrington, for this Special Order and for this opportunity to talk about what makes America great.

Mr. Speaker, I am a product of rural America. I did learn a lot about work ethic and about values. I can't think of any other way to grow up, to be honest with you. Sure it was difficult, and sure I probably had some times where I thought I would like to be somewhere else. But I will tell you, there was nothing like it, and I take and cherish those memories. I have tried to instill those in my children as well.

It is the greatest honor of my life to represent the people of Georgia's 12th Congressional District, which is largely rural. We have 18 counties. About 15 of those counties would be considered rural. My district is home to the Masters Tournament and the growing cyber industry in Augusta, but it is our rural farms that are the true heart of my district.

Georgia's 12th District is rural, and I am proud to say it is truly God's country. You won't find more steadfast, faithful Americans than in rural Georgia.

Agriculture is the number one industry in my home State of Georgia. It is also the number one industry in my district. Our farmers have been forgotten by out-of-touch politicians and unelected bureaucrats here in Washington, particularly over the last 8 years.

Farm income, for example, is down more than 55 percent, largely due to what our President has talked about, which is our trade policies. However, as of last November, we are approaching a new day. This is President Trump's day and President Trump's America. That is why I am proud to have a President that knows that rural Americans deserve more.

In April, President Trump created the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to be led by Secretary of Agriculture and fellow Georgian, Sonny Perdue. This task force was created with one goal in mind: to promote economic growth and innovation in rural America. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I look forward to working with Secretary Perdue on this mission, as well as the next farm bill, which is critical to the lifeblood of our farmers.

From looking at cotton to peanuts, to specialty crops and the programs they are using, I have participated in numerous hearings on how to make the next farm bill successful for all of our farmers. I am working hard to make sure the commodities most important to Georgia's 12th District are protected.

We also have a crisis in our community banking system. Community banks are the lifeblood of the creation of small business. We continually lose our community banks. That is why I am so proud of Chairman Jeb Hensarling and his work to pass the CHOICE Act.

The CHOICE Act reduces the regulatory burden on our community banks. It allows them to thrive and to provide the capital to grow the small business community in our rural areas. Small business in our rural communities accounts for about 75 percent of all new job growth.

We also have to fix healthcare. We are losing a number of our community hospitals. I know in Congressman Arrington's district, in small towns, the community hospital is the largest employer in that community, and it is critical that we repurpose those hospitals, that we fix healthcare and we provide healthcare for our rural areas.

We also need to look at technology. There is a tremendous need for broadband and expanding our broadband capabilities. I know the President is talking about a major infrastructure package. Broadband needs to be a part of that infrastructure package because the 12th District of Georgia, through technology, could be the new Silicon Valley of the East Coast. We would like to see that trickle down into our rural areas, and it can, but we have to have the capability of the broadband.

As far as the future of rural America, we are seeing tremendous strides made as far as technology, as far as farming. Last year, I planted peanuts. I was operating a tractor, which I remember operating as a child and a teenager and having to pay attention to all the moving parts. I tell you, I sat on this tractor and I planted 17 inches over from the year before, and I never touched the steering wheel. The technology is amazing.

I was with a group of farmers the other day and we were talking about God is blessing us with a lot of rain and if it continues, we are going to have a bountiful crop, a great yield. They said: Yeah, we are good 8 inches down, but the other 8 inches we are a little concerned about. They have these probes that are measuring how much water we are receiving.

So we have a got a lot going on in our rural areas. We just, as a body here, need to provide our farmers, our small business people, with the tools they need to get the job done, and they will get the job done.

Again, I want to thank my distinguished colleague from Texas, Congressman Arrington, for shining the spotlight on rural America tonight. It is the lifeblood of this country. I want to see rural America become everything it needs to be.

We are seeing improvement in the economy through many pieces of this legislation that we are passing. I hear it from the business community and some of our city centers. It is time for that to trickle down into rural America.

Again, I thank the gentleman for shining this spotlight.

Mr. Speaker, recently, the Appling County community mourned the loss of lifelong resident Roy Herrington.

He was a loving husband to his wife of 59 years, Georgia, and a dedicated father to his three children: Tami, Jeff, and Julie. Roy was an active member of the community. He was a member and a deacon at the Baxley First Baptist Church; a past director of Appling County Chamber of Commerce; and a recipient of the Chamber Award of Excellence in Agriculture.

Roy was awarded the Appling County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award in 1981.

During my time traveling the 12th District of Georgia, Roy was one of those people who I would always make sure to visit to gain insight on serving the great folks of the 12th District.

Mr. Speaker, we are losing our greatest generation, but as Members of Congress and as Americans, we must not forget the lessons they have taught us. Every village, every community, has a man of peace and influence. In Appling County, that man was Roy Herrington.

Baxley, Georgia, is a better place because of Roy Herrington. He will be remembered often.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.

With the hard work of the Armed Services Committee, this year's NDAA will begin to rebuild our military after years of spending cuts. Our troops have been facing a readiness crisis due to consistent underfunding.

This important legislation will begin to address the crisis with key investments in military readiness, and it fully funds a 2.4 percent, well-deserved pay raise for our troops.

In the 12th District of Georgia, we are at the forefront of cyber innovation, with the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence located at Fort Gordon. I am happy to say that the NDAA will fully fund cyber operations with an increase of $1.7 billion from fiscal year `17 and provides over $85 billion in military construction and Army Family Housing funds.

It is our constitutional obligation as Members of Congress to provide for the common defense of the Nation. I believe that, with the passage of the fiscal year `18 NDAA, we are meeting our obligation to keep America safe, close the critical readiness gap, and rebuild the 21st century military.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 3003, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act.

Many cities across America have adopted sanctuary policies over the past few years. This is an obvious disregard of Federal law and puts American lives at risk.

In my home State of Georgia, sanctuary cities have been outlawed since 2009. Last year, Georgia's law was amended to require local governments to certify they are cooperating with Federal immigration officials in order to get State funding.

The way I see it, the law is the law. Sanctuary cities' policies are dangerous to all American communities as they can shield unlawful and criminal immigrants from Federal immigration enforcement. President Trump promised to end sanctuary cities, and this is the first step toward keeping that promise.

How many more innocent American lives need to be stolen because our immigration laws are not being enforced?

No person or city is above the law, and that is why my colleagues and I passed this very important bill today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

Last week, President Trump laid out a plan to expand educational opportunities for American workers. President Trump's dedication to workforce development is admirable, and I am glad we have a President who has made this a priority.

As someone who has worked in the construction industry for my entire career, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find skilled workers. In fact, I spoke at the Associated Builders and Contractors breakfast this morning, and they reported that there will be over 1 million job openings in the construction industry in the next few years.

I have met with many industries in my district. The workforce is aging. There aren't enough people who currently have the skills to take over, and it can take nearly 2 years for people to be fully trained for these positions.

First and foremost, it is our responsibility to make sure that young people today are equipped for the job market of tomorrow. Getting an education is essential, but it is equally important that our education efforts are aligned with the in-demand jobs in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will bridge the gap between the business community and education, which is critical to prepare America's future workforce.

I am happy to cosponsor this important bill, and I hope that my colleagues will join me in voting for H.R. 2353.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Rice for his introduction of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, President Trump and I agree on many issues facing our Nation today. We share our number one priority: national security. Energy independence is critical to our mutual mission to safeguard the United States. That is why I stand before my colleagues in the Nation today in support of H.R. 1551 to modify the nuclear production tax credit.

Enacted in 2005, the Energy Policy Act provided production tax credits for reactors with a deadline of 2020. When the law was enacted, Congress did not anticipate the sunset date would place a hardship on energy producers. As every businessowner knows, the unexpected happens in the real world.

My district is leading the way in the expansion of our Nation's nuclear energy resources, constructing two of the first nuclear reactors in the United States in more than 30 years. In fact, the 12th District of Georgia will have more than 75 percent of the nuclear generating capacity of the Southern Company.

Also, because Georgia has been ranked as the number one place to locate your business for the last 4 years is because we enjoy extremely low power rates.

In an unfortunate turn of events, Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy, which could result in the nuclear units coming online at Plant Vogtle a little later than 2020. H.R. 1551 will assist our Nation's energy producers to complete Plant Vogtle's units 3 and 4. Mr. Speaker, this is absolutely critical. This change will not cost the taxpayer an additional dime.

You may ask: Why is this a national security issue? As it has been mentioned, China and Russia continue to make heavy investments in nuclear energy. We cannot send a signal to the rest of the world that nondemocratic countries are leading the way in nuclear production and that America is not investing in our own energy independence.

Mr. Speaker, Plant Vogtle is critical to provide clean low-cost energy to Georgians. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to join me in support of the Financial CHOICE Act. Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling's bill aims to bring economic opportunity to all Americans.

After Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats passed the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, dozens of small community financial institutions in my district were forced to close or merge with big banks. In fact, my State of Georgia has lost more than 40 of these institutions over this period of time. This was due to the unbelievable complexity and compliance costs of the regulations imposed on them.

With the Financial CHOICE Act, community banks will finally be able to get some relief from these regulations. As a businessowner myself, I know how important access to capital can be for a new business. We know that 70 percent of all new job creation is created by the growth of small business.

Once these banks are able to get back to the business of lending, my hope is that it will spur small-business growth and entrepreneurship in my district and across this great Nation.

This legislation also ends taxpayer-funded bailouts once and for all, finally fulfilling the promises that Democrats failed to keep.

And did I mention it reduces the deficit by $33.6 billion over 10 years?

President Trump has asked us to do a number on Dodd-Frank, and I support him in this endeavor, and believe the Financial CHOICE Act does just that.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his work on this important legislation.

Today, I rise in support of H.R. 953, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act. This legislation will bring much-needed relief to our American farmers. They put in a great deal of time and money to deal with duplicative regulations like the one we are addressing here today. This bill will take away needless provisions regarding pesticide regulations under the Clean Water Act.

Pesticide applications are already federally regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. This permitting was unnecessary and duplicative, punishing American farmers due to a misguided court decision.

In my district in Georgia, farmers have to deal with a variety of environmental difficulties, like the devastating freeze just this last March. The Federal Government should not be adding redundant mandates to already overburdened farmers.

The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act has been passed out of the House Agriculture Committee five times. It is time for Congress to correct this mistake and give farmers and pesticide applicators much-needed relief once and for all.

Mr. Chairman, as a proud cosponsor of this bill, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.