Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, since I was a freshman in high school, I wanted to become a physician. I was blessed to get to do that. By the time of my second year in medical school, my wife and I had our first daughter, and most of us were trying to decide what type of doctor we were going to be. The moment that little girl was born, I knew that I wanted to spend my medical career delivering babies.

I think my wife can attest that, for the next 30 years of my life, most of my waking moments were spent with somebody in labor. I was so blessed to get to participate in that wonderful moment.

I was blessed to get to go to Congress and represent the people of Kansas.

I woke up a couple weeks ago to the cheering of State legislators from New York and their Governor. I turned up the volume to see what the fuss was. The fuss was they were celebrating their ability to murder the same babies that I had been trying to protect and deliver for the last 30 years of my life.

I don't think there are any Americans--I have never met such an American--who would think that it is right to murder a baby moments, days, or weeks before its due date. It is the most barbaric law I have ever heard of in our society.

If this wasn't enough, I turned the news on a week later, and now they are talking about murdering babies after they were born from so- called failed abortions.

I cannot believe that I live in a society that would even think about this. So I went to my office the next day, and I got my staff together and said, look, we have got some legislation that is going to take care of this. We have our born survivor abortion bill that protects babies after they are born, and then we have a pain-capable bill as well to protect babies who are able to feel pain from being aborted.

My staff looked at me: Right, we have got that legislation.

I said: All we will need is 20 or 30 Democrats to sign on to this. Surely, the Speaker of the House is against late-term abortion. Surely, she is against infanticide.

My staff looked at me with bewildered eyes and said: Congressman, I don't think we are going to find any Democrats to do that.

I wanted to talk a second about the moms, too. No one is talking about how horrible this is going to be for mothers. Moms are going to die from these late-term abortions. As an obstetrician, I never did an abortion, but guess who takes care of complications from abortions. It is obstetricians.

I remember the first week I was in residency. I was called to the emergency room, and there before me was a lady in shock. I apologize if this is too graphic, but the situation is so graphic, I have to tell you the details.

This young lady was bleeding out buckets of blood. I found out what had happened is she just had had an abortion done hours before, and now she was hemorrhaging.

I looked at the nurse. I said: What is going on here?

I knew that we needed to take her to the operating room. We found out during the procedure that a piece of that baby was still inside her uterus, and the uterus couldn't clamp down, so she was hemorrhaging.

This is a story I would see over and over again. The later the abortion procedure is done in the pregnancy, the more often we are going to see this. People are going to get perforated uteri. It will be catastrophic for women.

Mr. Speaker, we can't allow this to continue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 150th anniversary of a town in my district, Lindsborg, Kansas, also known as Little Sweden.

The town was originally settled in 1869 by hardworking Swedish farmers who, like my great-grandfather, had left Sweden because of the potato famine.

These farmers were new to America and new to the landscape and climate of Kansas. Their goal was to establish a home and community rich in Swedish culture, religion, and business.

Today, Lindsborg is a bright, vibrant community where retailers feature unique traditional Swedish treats and artwork; where visitors can walk up and down the streets and Main Street and find more than 15 wild Dala horses painted to represent a unique piece of Lindsborg's culture. My own family often has one of these Dala horses in their entryway as folks enter their house.

It is a community that is proud of its heritage and comes together to carry on a variety of Swedish festivals and traditions honoring its original settlers.

I, myself, am one-quarter Swedish and very proud of this fact. Growing up, we kept many Swedish traditions in our family. We celebrated them whenever we had the occasion. Still today, our Christmas Eve dinners always feature various Swedish dishes, including pickled herring, anchovies, hardtack crackers, Swedish candies, and desserts. My mom, brother, and wife to this day enjoy their annual pilgrimage to Lindsborg to pick out their very special Swedish Christmas gifts.

In 2010, I was able to take my mother back to Sweden, along with my oldest son and daughter, and view the home that my grandfather had built; the farm where they farmed; the fences they had built out of stone; the barns they had built out of stone, still functional and standing today; and the water well my great-grandfather had dug. All of those parts of the farm were still functioning.

I was able to see the church where my great-grandfather and great- grandmother were married and see the cemetery where many of our relatives are buried to this day. It is a trip I will never forget.

I am very proud of my Swedish roots, and I am honored to represent Bethany College and the town of Lindsborg. This town will always have a very special place in my heart, and it is my honor to sponsor the resolution that celebrates this milestone for Lindsborg. I can't wait until this year's Messiah Festival, when we will get to watch them live there in Lindsborg.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to represent this Swedish community, something that will always represent so much to my family.

Madam Speaker, Kansas has deep roots in the creation of the National Prayer Breakfast. President Eisenhower, who grew up near my hometown, in Abilene, Kansas, was the first President to join Members in their informal prayer event in 1953. Since that year, it has been honored as a nationally recognized event and, to this day, every President since Ike has attended.

This week, I had the great honor to attend the 67th Annual National Prayer Breakfast, where we gathered to ask God for wisdom, discernment, and strength, as well as how to lead this great Nation.

This country has always looked to God in times of need and will continue to do so. And now, more than ever, it is important to pray for a united Nation.

I was reminded this week of the scripture from 1 Timothy that requires us to all pray for our kings and those in authority. But what I had forgotten was that there was a promise that came along with that request; that we live peaceful and quiet lives in all Godliness and holiness.

Mr. Speaker, as an obstetrician, I have delivered thousands of babies and helped moms through pregnancies for 25 years.

I stand before the House today disgusted by the murderous, barbarous legislation pushed by Democrats in New York legalizing abortions for any reason, all the way until the due date of the baby. This extremist antilife abortion measure is literally nauseating to me.

How sad it is that we live in a time when extremists are legalizing the murder of innocent, defenseless children. The legalization of these late-term procedures that amount to infanticide are the worst thing I have heard in my entire professional lifetime.

I call on my obstetricians and other physicians who deliver babies. I call on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and all physician associations to openly denounce and refuse these murderous procedures. Legal or not, this is morally reprehensible.

As a father, a grandfather, a physician, and a human being who loves people, I cannot sit here in good conscience while this is going on, regardless of it being on a State level. I will do everything in my power to combat this position from spreading and protect these innocent children.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my home State's 158th birthday.

As we traveled thousands of miles throughout Kansas this past week and enjoyed some time pheasant hunting countryside with my family, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the great things that the Wheat State has to offer.

Kansas is known for its abundance of farmland that is used to grow crops far and wide producing the food we eat across the Nation and across the world. It is home to the most stunning sunsets you could ever witness and the beautiful Flint Hills that stretch over 150 miles where I grew up working, hunting, and fishing.

But my absolute favorite part about the State I call home are the people. Where I am from, we always put our faith in family first; we support each other, uplift each other, and are resilient through tough times. I am honored to represent so many wonderful people and proud to be a Kansan.

Madam Speaker, I am horribly disappointed and ashamed that, today, taxpayers remain the top funding source for America's abortion leader, Planned Parenthood.

As an obstetrician and gynecologist, I have delivered thousands of babies from Kansas. I dedicated my career to protecting the sanctity of life, and I firmly and wholeheartedly believe that life begins at conception.

There are countless stories that I could share today, and I can tell you that some of the children I delivered are now in college. Some are star athletes. Some are leaders at their church and in their communities. And some are at the top of their class.

They are nurses and soldiers, doctors and pharmacists, police officers and teachers, clergy and judges. Perhaps most importantly, many are now moms and dads themselves.

I know these stories because, as I travel throughout Kansas, I see the moms, the moms I have delivered, and I see their children. They are now adults leading their own lives.

What no one on this Earth can do is tell the stories of the babies that were aborted and given no chance to share their gifts with the world.

Mr. Speaker, I grew up in a small town in Kansas, and perhaps the most respected person in the city was our family physician, Dr. Norman Oberholtzer.

Dr. Oberholtzer delivered my brother, my sister, and, of course, me. He saved my life. He had saved many people's lives. By the time I was in 9th grade, I knew I wanted to be a physician just like Dr. Oberholtzer. I worked hard and with the support of my family and friends was able to get into medical school, and by the time I was a second-year resident, I was supposed to decide what type of physician was I going to be.

Go back to February of 1987, and we had our first baby, a little girl named Lauren. And the second she was born, the moment I heard her first cry, I said: This is what I want to do. I want to deliver babies the rest of my life.

So as an obstetrician for the next 30 years, every day I got to see 10, 20, 40, sometimes 50 pregnant women. It was a great experience and there were some very special visits that I really looked forward to with those moms. Their first visit for a first-time mom was always a special moment.

The moms came in. They had a twinkle in their eyes and they may have been throwing up for 3 or 4 or 5 days already, but there was still a sparkle in their eye and excitement.

Sometimes I would get to do a sonogram at that first visit. Believe it or not, about a month after conception, Mr. Speaker, you can see a baby's heartbeat. They would come back at about 12 weeks for their next visit. By then, their nausea was improving, and we could hear a baby's heartbeat on the Doppler for the first time.

They came back again at about 18 weeks, and I would ask them: Do you feel the baby move yet?

Again, the mom's eyes would sparkle that they are feeling that baby move. I would notice when I would touch the mom and when I would touch the baby, the baby would push back. If there was maybe a brother or a sister in the room, if that brother or sister spoke, I could feel the baby move, and I could actually hear the heart rate increase of that little baby inside that mom.

Then, of course, later on, the favorite moment of my entire life was always getting to hear that first cry of that newborn and give that baby to a proud mom and dad.

So those are great, great times.

Mr. Speaker, I am often asked when I think life begins. I hope you can relate from the stories I just shared that I don't have any other choice but to believe that life begins at conception and that those babies are people, and they deserve our respect and our protection.

Mr. Speaker, this week, we will be welcoming 200,000 people to Washington, D.C., for the March for Life.

I especially salute some students who are coming from Beloit, Kansas, and Concordia, Kansas. Like many students, they will be riding a bus for 24 hours. I am so proud of them, and I look forward to seeing them. I appreciate their efforts to put their words into actions.

Mr. Speaker, as a doctor for over 25 years, I have delivered thousands of babies. I certainly understand the responsibility I have as a Member of Congress to protect the life of the unborn. In the last 2 years, this House, thanks to a Republican majority, has passed countless bills to limit abortion, end taxpayer-subsidized abortion, and prohibit abortions of unborn babies over 20 weeks. Unfortunately, these bills never made it to the President's desk.

Today, the United States is one of seven countries in the world that allows babies old enough to feel pain and survive outside the womb to be torn limb from limb. This list of seven includes China, North Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, and a list of other human rights offenders that our Nation, this country, should not be proud to be part of.

Each year, more than 600,000 abortions are performed across this country, costing our country precious lives. The fact is, only one in seven Americans support legal-under-all-circumstances Roe v. Wade, and still, Congress refuses to act.

Over the course of my first term, I made it a top priority to fight for those who can't fight for themselves, and I will continue to do so. Abortions are an injustice to the unborn and are a complete disregard for life. Congress should prevent taxpayer money from ever being funneled into immoral organizations like Planned Parenthood and finally put an end to abortion. I will unapologetically stand with the children, with these babies, who do not have a voice of their own to fight.

Madam Speaker, on April 3, 1968, the Reverend Martin Luther King gave what the world didn't know would be his final speech. Seven times in that address, Dr. King said, ``But I wouldn't stop there,'' as he spoke of his dreams for a better world.

This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it is critical that we not forget the many lessons Dr. King taught us, lessons that emphasize ways to treat our peers and our neighbors with respect, despite our differences, in order to make the dream of a better and more unified tomorrow possible.

That message should resonate today more than ever to my peers in this Chamber.

I have been thinking of this a lot lately, what Dr. King might say if he was here with us today, as he might see the divisive partisanship that lives among these halls, and I think he would deliver one clear message: We must unify to make meaningful changes. We must bridge the gaps that divide our Nation by working together to find common good civilly.

It is no secret that division brings pain and disables our capacity to solve problems.

As Martin Luther King said in his last speech in Tennessee, ``I wouldn't stop there.''

Mr. Speaker, it is always good to go back home, and this weekend was especially rewarding for me. My wife and I left D.C. this past Friday afternoon, flew through Dallas, and landed in Wichita sometime shortly after sunset.

As we hopped in my truck, the snow had started to fall, and it was a beautiful Kansas evening. We got home and got to see our two boys. I woke up the next morning early, went to Sterling, Kansas, for a business meeting, then went over to Salina and got to meet some more of my friends.

On the way home, I got to listen to the radio. I listened to a Kansas State Wildcats basketball game and heard the Wildcats win that game by 1 point. And then when I got home, a special treat: I got to watch both the Kansas University basketball team win and watch my Kansas City Chiefs win. And I got to watch those games with my two boys. So it was a trifecta for Kansas, a great day.

The next morning, I woke up early for church and went to early service, and basically had to hop in my truck and come back to D.C. that same afternoon.

On the way back to the airport, I got a little bit of time to reflect; and one of the things that had come to mind was something that my good friend, my mentor, the former majority leader, one of the longest serving majority leaders in the Senate, Senator Bob Dole, had told me.

One thing Senator Dole says every time I see him is to always remember where I am from. And I think I get that. I think most of us get it, that where we are from is so very important to us, and I have always done a good job with that.

But the other thing that he talked about--I approached him one time when we were having a tough issue here in Congress, one of the first issues I had to vote on. What he told me, rather than giving me an answer, giving me his opinion, was to go back to Kansas, and the people of Kansas would tell me what to do.

So what is ironic as I went back home for these meetings and to go to church is that, everywhere I went, I heard the same thing. I heard the same thing from people in church that I had no idea that they knew so much about what was going on in Washington.

In Salina, in Sterling, everywhere I went, people asked me: When is Congress going to give the President his money to build the border?--a very simple question. So that allowed me to kind of ponder the issue a little bit more.

I have stood beside the President since day one on this issue. When I was running for Congress, I made national security, border security the top priority on what I was going to stand for; and today, I have been to that border.

As a physician of 25 years and now a Congressman for 2 years, I would tell you this: There is, indeed, a humanitarian crisis on the border as well as a national security issue on the border. Whether it is concerning the 2,000 people who come across that border illegally every day--every night we house some 40,000 people. We give them a bed. We feed them. Every day, two tons of illegal drugs come across our borders.

Mr. Speaker, that sounds like a humanitarian crisis to me and sounds like a national security crisis to me. People then often ask me: ``Well, why don't we compromise?''

And I will tell you this. I feel like we have compromised already. The President, myself, most Republicans, we asked for $25 billion to secure those borders and to provide humanitarian help for people.

We thought we probably needed to build 1,000, maybe 1,500 miles of border. We compromised from those numbers back to asking for just $5.7 billion, and now we are asking for moneys to build about 234 miles of not a wall, but a barrier, a fence.

I think that that is compromise. And, Mr. Speaker, I would ask that you come back to the table now and negotiate in good faith.

Mr. Speaker, people often talk that this has to be an either/or opportunity, that we either have to have border security or show compassion.

We can do both. America can do both. We can have border security, we can

provide for the humanitarian needs of people, and we can come up with a compassionate, long-term immigration process.

This system needs to be totally overhauled. I am all in. We have had several great bills that we have tried to get through.

So, Mr. Speaker, please come back to the table. Let's open up the government, and let's secure our borders.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 190, the Expanding Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Act of 2019.

Small business sole source contracting can be a valuable tool for both Federal agencies and small businesses. However, our Federal procurement processes are rapidly changing, and the sole source authority provided by the Small Business Act has not kept up with these changes. By adjusting the dollar amount thresholds for these contracts, this bill will increase the opportunities available to certain small businesses utilizing the Federal procurement process.

While it is critical that agencies maximize opportunities to small businesses, it is equally important that they have clear guidelines to guarantee only eligible and qualified firms receive the awards. This bill will apply new oversight procedure that requires agencies to coordinate with the SBA to ensure only eligible candidates are awarded a sole source contract.

I am proud of this legislation and its mission to promote small business growth, strengthen oversight, and incentivize Federal agencies to work with small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank my colleague Congressman Schneider for teaming up with us on this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill as well.

Mr. Speaker, the crisis on our southern border is very real. When I took the oath to represent the big First District of Kansas, it became my responsibility to put our citizens and their security first. Without secure borders, we cannot ensure our Nation's safety, period.

We have tens of thousands of immigrants filling our entryways every month and, in result; drugs, criminals, and violence spilling into our country. I challenge all my colleagues that are denying this crisis exists to go and see our southern border firsthand, as I did, and it was quite an eye-opening moment.

Last year alone, there were 1.7 million pounds of narcotics--let me say that again--1.7 million pounds of narcotics seized by Customs and Border Patrol. Seventeen thousand adults with existing criminal records attempted to enter our southern border; that is over 40 per day.

But perhaps, Mr. Speaker, the most eye-opening of all, we are now averaging over 1,000 illegal and inadmissible people per day. That is in 1 day, over 1,000 people.

The $5.7 billion the President is asking for is an investment of taxpayer dollars that will pay off for decades.

The fact that some of my colleagues are blatantly ignoring that walls along the border work is intellectually dishonest. According to DHS and U.S. Border Patrol, illegal trafficking has dropped more than 90 percent in places where walls and barriers were built.

It is embarrassing that, even with this evidence, my friends on the other side of the aisle shut down the government because this Congress cannot do its most basic duty to do its job and prioritize our country's safety by funding initiatives that we know for a fact work.

I agree, though, that we cannot stop at border security alone. It is crucial that we also address and fix our very broken immigration system and allow hardworking migrants who want to work hard and raise their families in the United States to come.

There is a right way to do this. There is a win-win-win opportunity. There is a win for border security; there is a win for immigration policy overhaul; and there is a win to reopen the small portion of government which is closed.

I am continually frustrated by the narrative that we can't win for all American parties here in these negotiations. This is an opportune moment to quit kicking the can down the road and actually work together to couple border security priorities with long-term immigration fixes.

As we enter the 17th day of this government shutdown, I will continue to stand for a secure America and hope my colleagues choose an open government over open borders.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the

bill (S. 2679) to provide access to and manage the distribution of excess or surplus property to veteran-owned small businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2679, the Veterans Small Business Enhancement Act of 2018. This important, bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senator Duckworth and Senator Kennedy, aims to help veteran entrepreneurs cut costs and enhance their economic opportunity by giving them access to surplus Federal property.

The Federal Surplus Property Program allows certain nongovernment organizations to acquire equipment and property that the Federal Government no longer needs. This legislation adds veteran-owned small businesses to the program's list of eligible recipients, which already includes minority-owned and women-owned small businesses.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Association of State Agencies for Surplus Property, and the American Legion support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close if the gentlewoman from New York is prepared as well after her remarks, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the House's work that aims to improve outcomes for children with complex medical conditions.

As a physician, I have delivered more than 10,000 babies and seen firsthand many of these complex and complicated conditions, often when babies are born prematurely.

Today, there are 33 million children dependent upon Medicaid in our country. Two million of these cases are considered medically complex. It is imperative that we take a compassionate look at the way in which this care is being provided to some of our most vulnerable patients.

I am proud of the legislation the House recently passed to address the way that care is provided for these children. Last week, we passed the IMPROVE Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. This legislation included the Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act that aims to put our Nation's sickest kids and their families first by improving their care.

These children and their families already face many challenges. Thus, our healthcare system has to work with them by making access to care more manageable and easier to navigate.

Too often, these children are forced to see multiple doctors, sometimes requiring them to go across State lines for treatment. This can be costly, time consuming, and confusing. This bill reduces the burden on families by no longer making them jump through hoops for their children's coverage.

The ACE Act also ensures that each child gets the coverage they need by helping hospitals coordinate across State lines and provides additional resources to families to help them navigate the healthcare system. This coordination will likely reduce emergency visits and inpatient hospitalizations and, ultimately, lower the overall cost of care for these children, while at the same time provide for better outcomes.

In Kansas, 41 percent of children with special healthcare needs are covered by Medicaid. I appreciate the opportunity to make Medicaid a more caring, comprehensive, and efficient system for each and every child with a serious, long-term illness.

Importance of Internet Access

Mr. Speaker, as I have traveled across Kansas, I have heard how a strong Internet connection can impact communities, boost local economies, and create jobs.

Access to the Internet allows small businesses to sell their products across the country and the world. It enables students to access additional learning tools and gives doctors the ability to treat patients in the most remote parts of the district.

Far too often, I am reminded of the complications my district has to get connected. I rise today to highlight the recent steps taken to advance broadband deployment in rural America.

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted to provide additional funding to carriers utilizing the Universal Service Fund high-cost program. The high-cost program helps providers deploy broadband infrastructure in extremely rural and hard-to-reach places where the cost to connect is just too high.

I am also excited that the United States Department of Agriculture is working to expand broadband access to our ag producers.

I was grateful to join Secretary Perdue as he announced details of a new broadband pilot program last week at the Department of Agriculture. The program, called ReConnect, targets funding in the forms of grants and loans to areas currently lacking a reliable Internet connection.

Farmers and ranchers need a broadband connection to monitor their operations and increase efficiencies on their farms, which ultimately drives down the cost of doing business.

Connectivity is such a vital part of everyday life, and its importance continues to grow. People's access should not be affected by where they choose to live.

I want that thank Secretary Perdue, Chairman Pai, and President Trump for making broadband deployment a priority.

Mr. Speaker, today we will vote on the farm bill, and I can't help but be reminded of the more than 1,100 attendees at the farm bill listening sessions we held across the country. What an honor it was to take the comments, the feedback, and the suggestions they had and work to address those concerns.

Those 1,100 attendees represented the full spectrum of American agriculture. From citrus producers in Florida to wheat farmers in Kansas, we saw and heard amazing stories of the grit and determination of the people who wake up every morning, pull their boots on, and work to feed, clothe, and fuel this world.

As we vote today, I salute and honor each of them and their families. Mr. Speaker, Kansans sent me to Congress to get a farm bill done, and I am honored to be here today and to say that we delivered for Kansas.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for giving me an opportunity to speak today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the work of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. This afternoon, we will be considering the conference report of the 2018 farm bill. I am proud to have had the chance to work alongside two of my great mentors, Senator Pat Roberts and my House colleague, Chairman Mike Conaway, on this bill.

While the national media might not spend much time reporting on this one, I want to take a moment and recognize both the importance of this bill and the work done by the farmers and ranchers it protects.

Mr. Speaker, Kansans sent us to Congress to get a farm bill done, and I am honored to be here today to say we delivered for Kansans.

I can't hold a townhall or listening session in my district without hearing about the importance of this bill. Our farmers need certainty and a responsible safety net that can protect them from the whims of nature and markets that are far out of control.

Crop prices have dropped 50 percent since the last farm bill, and that impact is showing up in the bottom lines of producers across the country. In Kansas, farm bankruptcies are up six times in just 3 years. I am not here to fear-monger but to share the seriousness of the state of the agriculture economy.

Mr. Speaker, as I vote here today, I will be thinking of and honoring my parents and grandparents, knowing this legislation well preserved the rural way of life from which I was raised and the work ethic that was taught to me on those family farms.