Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss my bill, the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act. My legislation makes two important changes to regulations that could affect the accessibility of financing options for purchasers of manufactured homes.

Manufactured housing serves as a valuable, affordable housing option for American families all across our nation. Unfortunately, due to CFPB mortgage regulations that do not reflect the unique nature of the manufactured home sales process, access to financing for manufactured homes is in serious jeopardy. My bill would modify the definition of high-cost loans so that manufactured housing loans are not unfairly swept under the high-cost loan designation simply due to their size.

Additionally, the Act will clarify that manufactured housing retailers who are not engaged in financing loans should not be considered mortgage loan originators for purposes of heightened regulation and limitation on activity under the SAFE Act.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House (and Senate) to support me in passing the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act, in order to ensure continued availability of this affordable housing option.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss my bill, the Reform Exports and Expand the American Economy Act. My legislation makes 31 significant reforms to promote much needed transparency and accountability of the Export-Import Bank while fostering job-growth.

Ex-Im Bank has been a job-creator since its inception, yet it is in dire need of major reforms. In reforming the Ex-Im Bank, we'll make the bank more accountable and transparent while requiring the Bank to be more solvent and self-sufficient in order to reduce the burden to the taxpayer.

People in my District, and across the country, are demanding more economic opportunities and expansion of the job-market. We can meet their demands, by taking action now and supporting these reforms to the Ex-Im Bank that will make the bank more solvent and reduces risk to hard-working taxpayers immediately.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House (and Senate) to support me in passing the Ex-Im Bank Reform Act, in order to ensure accountability, transparency and job-growth.

Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 16 had I been present, I would have voted aye.

Mr. Speaker, as our economy continues to recover, some military servicemembers, particularly those leaving active duty, are facing financial challenges, such as find new employment, among other things. Additionally, a slow recovering real-estate market in some areas of the country can make it difficult for military members to sell their homes or purchase new ones upon receiving new orders.

That's why I'm introducing legislation today, with the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Denny Heck, to provide a one year extension of foreclosure protection for military servicemembers leaving active duty. In 2012, Congress extended the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protection against foreclosure for military personnel from three months to a year post-military service to help give servicemembers time to get on their feet financially and avoid the stress of potentially losing their home. These financial challenges still exist for many service members, particularly those re-acclimating to civilian life after serving abroad.

Extending this one-year protection from foreclosure time frame for an additional one-

year will provide uniform treatment for servicemembers for an additional year and avoid confusion among servicemembers that could result if the time frame reverts to three months.

Our nation's military personnel are the best in the world, willingly putting their lives on the lines to protect our freedoms every day. The least we can do for them is ensure they have a home when they leave active duty service.

The gentleman from Washington, Mr. Heck, and I are pleased to be introducing this bill today. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 529, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 530 had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 531, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Personal Explanation

Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to congratulate the Town of Collierville, TN on winning Parade Magazine's ``America's Best Main Street'' contest. Over 2,000 main streets were nominated and ultimately trimmed down to the best 16 representatives. The finalists faced off in a bracket-styled competition that demonstrated not only Collierville's beauty and livability, but also the dedication and pride of the citizens of the Town of Collierville.

The history of Collierville dates back to 1836, when Jessie Collier divided his farm into lots and posted an advertisement that lots were for sale in the Town of Collier. Originally incorporated in 1850, Collierville was the scene of a bloody Civil War battle the featured famed Union General William T. Sherman. Following war and reconstruction, Collierville was re-incorporated in 1870 with a picturesque downtown square with the town's businesses surrounding it. The Square's iconic gazebo today serves as the focal point of annual fairs, festivals, and political activities with the ever-changing colors of the season the backdrop. The Town of Collierville's Historic Town Square doubles as the business and social center of the town, playing host to a wide array of small businesses and local restaurants that exemplify what small-town America is all about.

From inception to war, from cotton to dairy, from the industrial revolution to information age, the Town of Collierville has maintained its southern tradition and charm. The voters of Parade Magazine could not have made a better choice and I am indeed privileged to represent the Town of Collierville. On behalf of Tennessee's 8th Congressional District, I congratulate the Town of Collierville on winning Parade Magazine's ``America's Best Main Street'' contest.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Ronald W. Walker of Piperton, Tennessee. Today, Mr. Walker retires from the

Federal Aviation Administration as a Supervisory Air Traffic Control Specialist after 32 years, 7 months, and 2 days of faithful service to the people of the United States of America and the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center.

I thank Mr. Walker for his service, and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Secretary of the Navy should name an appropriate Navy ship in honor of Marine Corps General Clifton B. Cates of Tiptonville, Tennessee.

Clifton Bledsoe Cates was born in Tiptonville, Tennessee on August 31, 1893. After graduating from high school at Missouri Military Academy in 1910 and the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Law degree in 1916, he was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Marine Corps and began active duty on June 13, 1917.

During World War I, General Cates served with the 6th Marine Regiment, fighting in France. He was the most decorated Marine Corps Officer of World War I, having been awarded the Navy Cross, Army Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Honor, and the Croix de Guerre with Gilt Star and 2 palms.

When General Cates returned to the United States in September 1919, he served in Washington, D.C. as a White House aide and Aide-de-Camp to the Commandment of the Marine Corps. From 1923 to 1925, Cates served a tour of sea duty as commander of the Marine Detachment aboard the USS California, and in 1929, he was deployed to Shanghai, China, where he rejoined the 4th Marines and served for three years. He then returned to the United States for training at the Army Industrial College, and by 1940, he was named the Director of the Marine Officers Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

In 1942, Colonel Cates led the 1st Marine Regiment at Guadalcanal, for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit. From there, he took command of the 4th Marine Division in the Marianas operation, the Tinian campaign and the seizure of Iwo Jima. He received several distinguished awards for his service at Iwo Jima, including the Distinguished Service Medal with a gold star. After his tour of duty in the Pacific, Cates returned to the United States to serve as Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico until 1944. He then returned to the Pacific until the end of the war as commander of the 4th Marine Division.

On January 1, 1948, Cates was promoted to the rank of General and sworn in as Commandant of the Marine Corps. He served in this position for four years until he retired on June 30, 1954 after thirty-seven years of military service. General Cates passed away on June 4, 1970 at the United States Naval Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland and was buried with full military honors on June 8, 1970 at Arlington National Cemetery.

Because of his heroic and dedicated service to our nation, I fully support the Secretary of the Navy naming an appropriate ship after General Clifton B. Cates. It's an honor to introduce this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment to H.R. 4413 simply requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study of the efficiencies in leasing and rental costs at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The study would determine if the CFTC is violating any laws, including the Antideficiency Act, by entering into these leases, particularly those with more than 5-year terms and, if so, how it can avoid violating Federal law in the future.

In a recent report from the inspector general of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, we found that the CFTC is currently using just one-third of its Kansas City regional office.

The CFTC is paying approximately $44,000 per month, meaning that, over the 10-year life of the lease, the CFTC will pay $5.3 million, with $3.6 million dedicated to vacant office space.

However, in this letter from the inspector general, we found that this is not limited to just the Kansas City office. In fact, over the life of the CFTC's current leases, more than $200 million will be spent with approximately $64 million dedicated to vacant office spaces.

This is simply outrageous, and it is the latest example of government waste of taxpayer money. In fact, the CFTC management, in its May 14 response to the inspector general, agreed that there is excess vacant space.

However, the CFTC argued the lease of so many vacant offices was a justifiable expense because future funding increases are within the ``realm of possibility.''

Mr. Chairman, Congress has appropriated approximately 66 percent of the CFTC's budget request. Let's just look over the last few years. In fiscal year 2012 and in fiscal year 2013, the CFTC requested $308 million and received $205 million. In fiscal year 2014, the CFTC requested $315 million and received $215 million.

I agree with the inspector general that the realm of possibility is not the standard taxpayers expect when the government deals with their money.

Mr. Chairman, is it really too much to ask agencies that are spending millions on rent to actually need and use this space?

The inspector general hit the nail on the head when he stated that:

The CFTC and the public are better served by the risk of a

temporary shortage of space than a 100 percent certainty of

spending substantial taxpayer dollars on the leases of vacant

spaces.

It is just common sense that, if you can't afford it, you don't buy it. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote for this amendment and ensure that the CFTC stops relying on the realm of possibility as justification for wasting taxpayer dollars on empty office spaces.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I urge the support of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Santos Gonzalez Rubio of Brownsville, Tennessee for achieving naturalization in the United States of America. Mr. Gonzalez is a dedicated, hardworking, and honest young man who has chosen to permanently commit to the United States, showing loyalty to both the Constitution and the people of this nation.

In order to become a United States citizen, Mr. Gonzalez had to take the Oath of Allegiance. This means that he: gives up his former allegiance to Mexico and now swears allegiance to the United States; supports and defends the Constitution and the laws of this country; and will serve the country, if and when he is required to do so. In addition to these requirements, Mr. Gonzalez now has the responsibility to vote and participate in important political matters, as well as serve on a jury.

Achieving naturalization is a huge accomplishment, and I could not be more proud of Mr. Gonzalez for becoming a citizen of the United States of America. Congratulations, Mr. Gonzalez, on joining the greatest nation on earth. I wish you nothing but the best as you begin this new chapter in your life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate three high school seniors from the 8th District of Tennessee who have been named Leadership Jackson scholars as a result of their academic success and commitment to excellence.

I am so proud of Wyatt Woeltje, Jennifer Cantrell, and Leland Williamson who have been selected for this honor. I commend the three of them for being positive influences to young people across our state and our nation through their academia and honorable actions. Both Woeltje and Cantrell completed high school with a grade point average of 4.0.

The Leadership Jackson Alumni Association selected the three recipients based on academic achievement and community service. More than fifty students applied for the award, but only two were selected as recipients.

Once again, congratulations to Mr. Woeltje, Miss Cantrell, and Mr. Williamson for their outstanding achievements. I am very proud of all of you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Richard Ouyang from Collierville, Tennessee on being selected to attend the 31st annual Research Science Institute sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education as a result of his outstanding academic performance.

I am particularly proud of Mr. Ouyang, a senior in high school, for being chosen as one of fifty top academic achievers and also for representing the top one percent of high school students in the United States. I commend him for being a positive role model to young people across our great state and the country through his commitment to academic excellence.

The Center for Excellence in Education has a mission to nurture students into the best careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to encourage international collaboration among leaders in the global community.

Once again, congratulations to Mr. Ouyang for his outstanding accomplishment. I am very proud of him and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

I thank the gentleman from California for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment. This amendment would essentially duplicate an existing program already in place at the U.S. Agency for International Development under the international development assistance account.

USAID already allows for local and regional purchases so there is no need for the same program at the USDA.

More importantly, this amendment would use taxpayer dollars to purchase commodities from foreign countries rather than right here at home. Unlike other foreign aid programs, the Food for Peace program is American-made through and through. It was designed to take American commodities on American ships overseas to feed those in need.

The Food for Peace program supports American agriculture, exports, and jobs while increasing goodwill overseas and helping those in need. The USDA estimates that for every $1 billion in U.S. agricultural exports, 8,400 American jobs are created. We need to be focused on creating jobs here at home and growing our economy so the United States is able to be abundantly generous to countries that can't grow enough food to feed their growing populations.

This amendment gives away American tax dollars to our foreign competitors and puts American jobs at risk. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and support American farmers, workers, and taxpayers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Prakviti Mehta, an outstanding student and constituent from Memphis, Tennessee. Miss Mehta was selected as a winner of ``Letters About Literature'' for her composition written in response to Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.

I commend Miss Mehta for her academic achievement and commitment to high standards. The ``Letters About Literature'' program is a nationwide competition sponsored by the Library of Congress that challenges students in grades 4-12 to write to the author of a poem, book, or speech. The competition is judged by a panel of authors, editors, publishers, librarians, teachers and state officials.

On behalf of Tennessee's 8th Congressional District, I congratulate Miss Mehta and wish her the best of luck for all future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate five young men from Dyersburg, Tennessee: Alan Cecil, Daniel Clegg, Peyton Hickman, James D. Johnson III, and Hunter Webster who have achieved the Eagle Scout award, a Boy Scout's highest honor. This recognition is well deserved and represents these young men's commitment to public service.

In order to become an Eagle Scout, each young man had to earn more than twenty-one merit badges as well as serve their fellow troops in a variety of leadership roles. They also had to develop and plan an Eagle Scout project to benefit their local communities.

Achieving the status of Eagle Scout is a huge accomplishment, and I commend these gentlemen for being positive role models to young people across our great state and the nation through their commitment to community service.

Once again, congratulations to these five young men for their outstanding accomplishment. I am very proud of them all and wish them the best in their future endeavors.