Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mannie Jackson, a legendary basketball player at both the University of Illinois and Edwardsville High School, on his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Born in a railroad boxcar in southern Missouri, Mannie excelled at Edwardsville High School before attending the University of Illinois. He was one of the first African-American letter winners and starters for the Illini. After graduating, Mannie played for the Harlem Globetrotters.

While Mannie was a tremendous player, he also purchased the Globetrotters and helped revive the franchise, leading the team to 12 straight years of double-digit growth.

Mannie also continued his career as a philanthropist. He founded the Illinois

Academic Enrichment and Leadership Program at the University of Illinois and has partnered with leaders at Lewis and Clark Community College to create the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities.

I have had the privilege of meeting Mannie on multiple occasions and have nothing but admiration and respect for what he does to help others. It is an honor to congratulate him on his induction to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, but I am even more proud to recognize all of the contributions he has made to this world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the heroic efforts of Deputy Fire Chief John Schott, from the Carlinville, Illinois, Fire Department. Deputy Schott has gone above and beyond the call of duty in his efforts to assist the neighboring Morrisonville, Illinois, Fire Department.

On October 22, Deputy Schott was one of the first witnesses to a two- vehicle crash and applied first aid to one of the drivers involved in the accident. While on the scene, Schott could not help but notice that the emergency services from the Morrisonville-Palmer Fire Protection District lacked the proper hydraulic extraction tools, more commonly known as the Jaws of Life.

Deputy Schott's efforts did not end that day. After the crash, he began his mission to equip the Morrisonville firefighters with the suitable tools they would need for any future emergencies. By making several phone calls, Schott was able to locate a set of the Jaws of Life and communicate the Morrisonville firefighters' need to a generous contact who gladly donated the tool.

Firefighters from Morrisonville are currently training with the equipment as a need for their use, thankfully, has not yet presented itself since the donation.

Deputy Chief Schott's dedication to the betterment of a department other than his own is commendable.

Thank you, Deputy Schott, for your service, and may God bless our first responders.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Willie Summerville, a friend and beloved community member, who passed away on March 7, 2017 at the age of 72. Willie served as choirmaster for the Saint Luke Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Champaign for over 50 years, and was a longtime music teacher in Champaign and Urbana schools and the University of Illinois. In addition, he served as choir director for several community choirs.

The impact Willie left on the community stretches far beyond the conductor's podium. Willie found a passion in teaching others. He served as outreach coordinator for the African American Studies Program at the University and taught classes on African-American and European sacred music. He also offered his talents to music students of all ages through private lessons in voice and piano.

Willie first arrived in Champaign-Urbana in the 1960s when he came to the area to play tuba for the Marching Illini. Since then, he has become a well-established musician and a respected community leader.

Willie was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and most of all, he was a treasure in the Champaign-Urbana community who will be greatly missed. His love for music and his devotion to the community will always be remembered. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Edwardsville High School's senior guard Mark Smith, who is now better known as Mr. Basketball of Illinois for the 2016-2017 season.

Mark received the Mr. Basketball honor after a senior season in which he filled up the stats sheet. Over the course of the season, Mark averaged 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He recorded double figures in 31 of the Tigers' 32 games, and had eight games in which he scored more than 30 points. In the championship game of the Ottawa sectional, Mark scored a career-high 45 points in Edwardsville's win over Danville.

Outside of Mark's individual statistics, the Tigers' boys basketball season was an unforgettable one in the Metro East, as the team finished 30-2 and played in the Class 4A Super-Sectional in Normal.

In addition to the Mr. Basketball honor, Mark was named the ``Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year,'' and has scholarship offers from multiple Division 1 schools.

I had the opportunity to meet Mark at an event for the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities last month, and was truly impressed by this young man. I am proud to congratulate Mark on his spectacular senior season and receiving this honor, and look forward to continuing to follow his basketball career.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Hugh Mahr, a West Point cadet from my district who displayed profound courage in saving the lives of two motorists last fall.

Last November, Hugh and his parents encountered a traffic accident on the interstate while on their way to their home in Mt. Auburn. Hugh spared no time in approaching the vehicles, checking both the driver of the car and the driver of the tractor trailer.

He quickly took control of the scene and determined that the driver of the car had a serious head injury. Hugh administered first aid, applied pressure to her wound, and successfully kept her conscious until first responders could arrive. Hugh also kept the tractor trailer driver from being removed from his vehicle until emergency personnel had evaluated the extent of his injuries, possibly saving his life.

Without a doubt, Hugh showed true bravery in helping the individuals involved in the accident. He was awarded the Army Achievement Medal for his actions which, ``are in keeping with the finest traditions of military services and reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Corps of Cadets, the United States Military Academy, and the United States Army.''

I am immensely proud of Hugh for the selflessness he displayed in offering his assistance to civilians in need. I am glad he will soon join the finest men and women in our Armed Forces upon his completion at West Point.

I thank Hugh for his courage. It is an honor to serve him in the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Edwardsville High School's senior guard Mark Smith, who is now better known as Mr. Basketball of Illinois for the 2016-2017 season.

Mark received the Mr. Basketball honor after a senior season in which he filled up the stats sheet. Over the course of the season, Mark averaged 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He recorded double figures in 31 of the Tigers' 32 games, and had eight games in which he scored more than 30 points. In the championship game of the Ottawa sectional, Mark scored a career-high 45 points in Edwardsville's win over Danville.

Outside of Mark's individual statistics, the Tigers boys' basketball season was an unforgettable one in the Metro East, as the team finished 30-2 and played in the Class 4A Super-Sectional in Normal.

In addition to the Mr. Basketball honor, Mark was named the ``Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year,'' and has scholarship offers from multiple Division 1 schools.

I am proud to congratulate Mark on his spectacular senior season and receiving this honor. I look forward to continuing to follow his basketball career.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1029) to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to improve pesticide registration and other activities under the Act, to extend and modify fee authorities, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta), my good friend and colleague, I rise in strong support as the author of H.R. 1029, the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act of 2017, also known as PRIA. It is not every day in Washington that we see a bipartisan bill come to the House floor that is supported by both industry and industry advocates, but PRIA is that bill, Madam Speaker.

PRIA initially passed in 2003, establishing a new section of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, or FIFRA, which put in place a fee schedule for registering pesticides with the EPA. More specifically, PRIA constructed time frames for when the EPA was required to make a determination on pesticide registrations. The goal of PRIA was to create a more predictable and effective evaluation process for pesticide decisionmaking by coupling the collection of fees with specific decision review periods. It also promoted shorter decision review periods for reduced-risk pesticides.

The nature of PRIA is very technical, but the widespread benefits across industries has gained it consistent bipartisan support. PRIA is backed by a broad coalition comprised of the companies that rely on the registration process and also labor and environmental advocates. Each member of this broad coalition had a seat at the table when the Committee on Agriculture held a roundtable discussing the merits of the bill last month before it passed unanimously out of our House Committee on Agriculture.

This reauthorization bill that we are considering also provides a few modifications, including reasonable increases in registration fees, funding for good laboratory practices, and added efforts to promote transparency. Although it has generally been a 5-year authorization, this bill would extend PRIA for 7 years. A lengthened reauthorization, we believe, is appropriate because PRIA has been proven effective, it has enjoyed widespread, bipartisan support, and to date each reauthorization has only involved minor adjustments.

PRIA expires on September 30 of this year, and I am glad to be presenting this bill well in advance of that expiration date because we need to provide folks with the certainty they need to conduct their business, educate farmworkers, and keep the communication with EPA open and transparent. This is the fourth time PRIA has come before Congress for reauthorization, and that is because it is working for everyone. It has always been a bipartisan effort, and we hope to continue that tradition. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense reauthorization.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Energy and Commerce,

Washington, DC, March 16, 2017.

Hon. K. Michael Conaway,

Chairman, Committee on Agriculture,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Conaway: I write in regard to H.R. 1029,

Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act of 2017, which was

referred in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

I wanted to notify you that the Committee will forgo action

on the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House

floor for consideration.

The Committee on Energy and Commerce takes this action with

our mutual understanding that by foregoing consideration of

H.R. 1029, the Committee does not waive any jurisdiction over

the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation

and will be appropriately consulted and involved as this or

similar legislation moves forward to address any remaining

issues within the Committee's jurisdiction. The Committee

also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate

number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving

this or similar legislation and asks that you support any

such request.

I would appreciate your response confirming this

understanding with respect to H.R. 1029 and ask that a copy

of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in your

committee's report on the legislation or the Congressional

Record during its consideration on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Greg Walden,

Chairman.

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

Madam Speaker, this is exactly why we are here today in a bipartisan way. The gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta) said it right: this affects his industry, and it affects his home area. As he likes to say, it is the salad bowl of America. I have been there, and I have seen the crops they grow. The crops I grow are much different in central Illinois, the crops that are grown by the farmers that I am proud to represent, but they all have to have a successful PRIA reauthorization to be able to grow those foods that we here in America continue to feed the world with and that we see in our grocery stores and on our supermarket shelves.

Madam Speaker, I want to say thank you because this bill is essential, as we in central Illinois go out and take care of things such as making sure the weeds don't pop up in our yards. Every single small business that decides to put down product and pesticides to ensure that lawns in central Illinois continue to prosper as the spring and summer unfold, this is essential to their success.

This is essential to our farmers, who are looking to get their fields ready to go plant, the stewards of the land, the best stewards of the land, as Congressman Panetta said. It assures them that they are going to be able to get that seed into the ground and, with the hope and prayers of rain and moisture, that it is going to grow and that we are still going to have a marketplace for those products.

The risk that our farmers take every single year, when they risk and leverage their family incomes in many cases, in hopes that a seed is going to grow and a plant is going to grow, and they are going to be able to sell that, they need the certainty that this bill will actually give them. That is why I am proud to be here as the author, proud to stand with my colleagues.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 382) to amend the Department of Agriculture program for research and extension grants to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to redesignate the program as the ``Jeannette Rankin Women and Minorities in STEM Fields Program''.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

I am glad to stand here with the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. Blunt Rochester), another one of our new colleagues on the House Committee on Agriculture, in support of H.R. 382, the 100 Years of Women in Congress Act.

This legislation would honor a true pioneer of American politics by naming an important agricultural research program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the Jeannette Rankin Women and Minorities in STEM Fields Program. This competitive research grant program is designed to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I can think of no better person to identify with this important program than former Representative Rankin, who was the first woman to serve in this great institution, the United States House of Representatives, an achievement made even more significant by the fact that Ms. Rankin was elected to Congress several years prior to the ratification of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,

and Technology,

Washington, DC, March 16, 2017.

Hon. Michael Conaway,

Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 382, the

``100 Years of Women in Congress Act,'' which was introduced

on January 9, 2017.

H.R. 382 contains provisions within the Committee on

Science, Space, and Technology's Rule X jurisdiction. In

order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego

action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our

mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or

alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space,

and Technology with respect to the appointment of conferees,

or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject

matters contained in the bill or similar legislation.

I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming

this understanding, and would request that you include a copy

of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record

during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in

advance for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Lamar Smith,

Chairman.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I would be remiss if I didn't thank my colleague, who I was sworn in with in January of 2013 when she raised her right hand, as I did, on this floor to join this great institution, my colleague, Grace Meng, for being the sponsor of this piece of legislation. I thank Grace for her leadership, and also Ms. Blunt Rochester, the first woman elected to serve in this institution from the State of Delaware. It is humbling and an honor for me to be able to stand here and help manage this piece of legislation. She should be very proud of what she is doing today.

Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, March 16, 2017, I was absent from the House due to traffic delays related to motorcade activity. Due to my absence, I did not record any votes for the first vote series of the day. I would like to reflect how I would have voted had I been present for legislative business

Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on Roll Call 162, and Roll Call 163.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on Roll Call 164.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 162, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 163.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Yoho for leading this Special Order tonight to talk about this issue. It is an issue important to the entire country and all hardworking taxpayers of America.

1.4 million people were kicked off their plans and forced to purchase different insurance plans. We saw 45 to 55 percent premium increases in my home State of Illinois in 2017. Deductibles have increased 64 percent nationwide. 31 million people can't afford to use the insurance they have because their deductibles are so unaffordable and high.

One-third of the Nation only has the option of one insurance provider on the $2 billion websites that we know as the ObamaCare exchanges, a monopoly that drives up costs, and 75 percent of people in my home State of Illinois have one or, at most, two providers.

One in four people in Illinois are on Medicaid. That is unsustainable for a State with an $8 billion budget deficit.

These statistics tell us ObamaCare is collapsing, and if we do nothing, we will be leaving millions of Americans without any option for healthcare coverage. But we are not offering this alternative because of statistics. We are doing it for Rich and Sandy in Pana, Illinois, whose deductibles went from $300 to $2,000 per person for less coverage. We are doing it for Janet from Edwardsville, whose family plan was considered a Cadillac plan and was replaced with a plan that had a $6,000 deductible. We are doing it for Lynne, a farmer in Springfield, Illinois, who provides insurance for her barn manager, but the best she could find after ObamaCare was one with a premium that increased by more than $100 and increased her out-of-pocket expenses by another $1,000.

This is our one shot to fix our failing healthcare system for the constituents I just mentioned and the millions more across the U.S. who have had the same thing happen to them. This is a pretty good bill to start with. After 4 years of watching premiums more than double, deductibles skyrocket, and choices dwindle for my constituents under ObamaCare, I am proud to be part of a responsible healthcare solution to lower costs and increase options for individuals and families.

The American Health Care Act may not be the exact bill we would have written to reform our healthcare delivery system prior to ObamaCare, but we can't go back in time. We have to face reality, and the reality is we have States like Illinois who chose to expand Medicaid, and we can't abruptly rip coverage away from them like ObamaCare did for 1.4 million Americans.

In addition to protecting people with preexisting conditions and allowing young adults under the age of 26 to remain on their parents' insurance, those who currently qualify for Medicaid will remain covered until their economic situation improves.

Our goal should be to ensure that every single person who wants a career, a good-paying job, and wants to get off of Medicaid should be our priority. But when their situation does improve, which is, again, what all of us should hope for, then we help them with monthly, portable, age- and income-based tax credits that will go directly toward paying their health insurance. These also help those who were left behind by ObamaCare, middle class Americans who were forced to buy insurance with costly premiums and deductibles but did not qualify for subsidies.

This is just the first part of our plan, which can be done through the budget reconciliation process. Next is making changes to lower the overall cost of health care so these tax credits go further for every American. We have one chance to fix this for the American people because ObamaCare is collapsing, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this plan.

I thank again my colleague, Mr. Yoho, for leading this effort tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Reilly Renken, a remarkable young lady making a big difference in central Illinois.

Just after she was born, Reilly was diagnosed with a rare genetic abnormality, along with a form of epilepsy that severely impacts her neurological development. Her parents were told by numerous specialists that she would need support for the rest of her life and that she would likely never read or write. But Reilly proved them wrong. While her genetic makeup is one of a kind, she also has a one-of-a-kind personality.

Despite the obstacles she has overcome, Reilly was determined to be a cheerleader. Now she is an integral part of the cheerleading squad at Glenwood Middle School in Chatham, Illinois.

Cheering on the Titans has become one of Reilly's greatest joys, and her presence on the squad has been a joy for her teammates as well. They will tell you that they wouldn't be the squad they are without Reilly and her positive attitude. She brings life to their practices and they always count on her to make them smile.

Reilly is a true inspiration. She shows all of us what is possible when we put our minds to something. Thanks to her, students at Glenwood Middle School have learned the importance of celebrating our differences.

Way to go, Reilly.

Mr. Speaker, during the afternoon of Tuesday February 28, 2017, I was absent from the House due to a meeting at the White House with Vice President Mike Pence and my constituent and guest to the President's Address to the Joint Session of Congress, Elizabeth Snyder. I would like to reflect how I would have voted had I been present for legislative business.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on Roll Call 105. I would have voted ``nay'' on Roll Call 106, Roll Call 107, and Roll Call 108.

Mr. Speaker, I was in a meeting at the White House.

Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 108, NAY on Roll Call No. 107, NAY on Roll Call No. 106, and YEA on Roll Call No. 105.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor former Congressman, respected mentor, and good friend Bob Michel.

Bob was a war hero earning two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, and four battle stars. He was also one of the most respected members of Congress of all time. His 38 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives and the incredible footprint he left on Central Illinois and this country will never be forgotten.

Bob's ability to reach across the aisle to make a divided government work for the people he represented was second to none, a trait we should all strive to emulate each day. Bob taught me that bipartisanship matters and working together to get things done is even more important in the polarized environment we have today. That's where Bob Michel excelled and that's the legacy I'm going to remember.

Finally, Bob taught me to be myself, to always do what I think is right for my constituents, and to not be afraid to go home and explain why I voted the way I did. I was honored to attend Bob's funeral this past Saturday, along with many others who knew and loved him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will truly be missed.