Floor Statements

I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for yielding to me and also thank him for his comments on this legislation. He laid it out extremely well.

Mr. Speaker, Congress expects the Senior Executive Service to provide leadership so the Federal Government may successfully fulfill their obligations to the American people. That is what it is all about. We serve at their will and for their purpose and so does the Senior Executive Service.

We also look to senior leaders to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars so citizens can have confidence that their hard-earned tax dollars are being utilized sensibly.

Unfortunately and especially in light of the numerous scandals at the IRS and Veterans Administration perpetuated by senior executive branch officials who let things happen and get out of control, we need to take legislative action to restore public confidence and increase accountability and performance within the Senior Executive Service.

The bill I have introduced, the Senior Executive Service Accountability Act, gives agencies commonsense tools to hold senior leaders more accountable for their taxpayer-funded work. Let me make this clear: the bill will make it easier to remove officials who have been found to have engaged in misconduct.

Specifically, it eliminates the current loophole that allows an executive who has been removed for poor performance and placed in a new Federal job from retaining their executive salary. It promotes fairness to make SES employees subject to the same employment standards as the employees they supervise.

It provides greater transparency on the number of senior leaders at each agency and their exact job requirements. It limits the amount of time an agency has to finalize its decision on whether to terminate an employee who has engaged in misconduct, thereby

preventing bad actors from receiving their paychecks for months after they were found to have committed acts of misconduct.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, I ask for the support of my colleagues on H.R. 5169.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina for allowing me the opportunity to make a few closing comments on this issue that I wouldn't have introduced if I didn't feel it was important.

Senior executives have the opportunity to lead, to set policy, and to expand capabilities at their agency. This is a tremendous opportunity and privilege, a privilege of service we must not take lightly.

Now, I hasten to quickly state that a majority of Federal workers, including senior executives, are hardworking public servants doing the job that they have been asked to do, and I want to recognize and thank those hardworking men and women. Unfortunately, the recent scandals that we have talked about, like those at the VA and the IRS, have shined a light on those who have abused their position.

Lois Lerner certainly abused her position, and American taxpayers will never understand how Lois Lerner was

placed on administrative leave on May 23, 2013, and then retired 4 months later on September 23, 2013, successfully avoiding termination after she acknowledged the IRS wrongfully scrutinized conservative groups for years. Ms. Lerner continued to receive a full salary during this time, roughly $60,000, for which the average American would have to work 15 months to earn.

Then members of our Oversight and Government Reform Committee know the full story, the story of the so-called secret agent man who was allowed for years to not show up to his department work under the ruse of being a CIA agent. There was an unbelievable breakdown in the senior executive oversight, I might state.

Now, the American people need to have confidence that these executives are acting honestly and responsibly, Mr. Speaker. The Senior Executive Accountability Act is an attempt, an important attempt, an important step towards holding bad actors accountable for their actions in restoring the public trust.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues for their support of H.R. 5169.

Mr. Speaker, although criminal forfeiture laws have been an important tool and a useful tool for law enforcement, civil asset forfeiture has been used too many times to seize, forfeit, and indeed profit off the property of Americans without even charging them with crimes--innocent until proven guilty.

The activity can be a boon for police budgets, as the Federal asset forfeiture fund exceeded $2 billion in 2013 and equitable sharing agreements between the Department of Justice and local police departments accounted for over $600 million.

While policing certainly is a vital element of an effective society, let's also be mindful of the fact that our Constitution emphasizes individual rights above all. For this reason, I introduced H.R. 5212, the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act, to limit the scope, the power, and the reach of the government to abuse their forfeiture powers in violation of individual rights guaranteed to us by our Constitution.

I urge all my colleagues to support this needed reform effort and to again assure our citizens of their civil liberties and the opportunity to defend innocence or prove guilt.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3896) to amend the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act to provide a definition of recreational vessel for purposes of such Act, as amended.

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 H.R. 3896.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3896, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act of 2014, and yield myself as much time as I may consume.

The bill before us today provides an opportunity to correct a bureaucratic mistake by the Obama administration that is creating a great deal of confusion and anxiety among certain maritime employers, including a lot of small business owners.

For more than 85 years, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act has provided relief to maritime workers who sustain an injury or illness through work-related activity. Under current law, individuals who repair or dismantle recreational vessels, as well as those who build recreational vessels less than 65 feet long, are covered by an available State workers' compensation program, not the Federal Longshore Act.

It is a bit confusing, especially for maritime employers. In 2009, Congress tried to simplify the law by stipulating any maritime worker providing maintenance of recreational vessels is covered by a State workers' compensation program, regardless of the size of the vessel. Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished. The Obama administration issued regulations that further muddied the waters.

Now, employers are forced to engage in a complicated analysis to determine which employees are covered by which workers' comp program, Federal or State coverage. It is a mess that is forcing employers to spend even more time and money managing their workers' comp programs.

As the National Marine Manufacturers Association warns in a letter to Congress, the administration's regulatory approach has led to higher rates that could ``cause businesses to lay off employees or to decide to buy no insurance coverage for their employees at all.''

Members of Congress have raised concerns with the administration's implementation of the 2009 law and to no avail. So we are here once again, Mr. Speaker, clarifying what was already made clear in the hopes the Department of Labor will finally get it right.

H.R. 3896 amends the Longshore Act to define what a ``recreational vessel'' is in order to convey the true intent of the 2009 law. The bill cleans up any regulatory ambiguity and helps ensure maritime employers have access to affordable workers' compensation coverage for their employees.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3896, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time.

I couldn't have said it better than my colleague from Florida. Having a district that borders the Great Lakes, having marinas and harbors in my district, having the opportunity to use the resources and to make sure that the intent of Congress is followed and that we have employees and employers who are treated fairly under workers' comp laws, that they are cared for completely at the lowest cost that we intended, with the original intent of Congress, this bill does that.

So I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3896 and yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, they say where there is smoke, there is fire, and as far as the IRS is concerned, with their credibility, they are engulfed in flames.

Just this week, IRS staff testified to the Oversight Committee that they may still have some of Lois Lerner's missing emails, despite earlier claims they were lost forever.

On Tuesday, the Ways and Means Committee discovered Lerner's hard drive was only ``scratched,'' information that conflicts with their earlier statements that the data was unrecoverable.

It is clear the IRS refuses to be fully forthcoming, and their behavior continues to raise serious questions about potential criminal wrongdoing and the targeting of conservative groups.

Here in the House, we are committed to oversight, transparency, and ensuring we get the answers we need in the pursuit of understanding what really happened.

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

Mr. Chairman, with the dramatic rise in the cost of obtaining a college degree which we have witnessed over the last decade, it has become even more important to focus on ways to remove Federal roadblocks which prevent efforts to make higher education less costly.

H.R. 3136, the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act, represents one of the innovative steps promoted by the House Education and the Workforce Committee to ensure we actually measure what students are learning, not just the time they have spent sitting in a class.

My amendment builds on this approach and will allow participating entities in the demonstration projects to expand an approved project to a maximum of 5,000 students.

To ensure accountability and program quality, any entity wishing to expand a project must provide the Secretary a new proposed maximum number of students, a description of how the project will successfully carry out the expanded enrollment, and a description of any other amendments to the initial application related to the new enrollment number.

The small-scale expansion allowed by my amendment will help institutions develop techniques for increasing their competency-based education projects so more students can realize the benefits of a self- paced, lower-cost degree.

This approach will also help inform policymakers and the public of what projects are doing the best job at advancing this innovative education delivery model.

I want to thank Representative Salmon and Chairman Kline for their leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and the underlying bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5111) to improve the response to victims of child sex trafficking, as amended.

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 H.R. 5111.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and rise in support of H.R. 5111.

Today, Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives continues its commitment to providing the necessary tools and policies to help reduce child sex trafficking and better serve these victims in the United States. I want to thank Congresswoman Joyce Beatty for her leadership on this issue and for introducing H.R. 5111, which will improve the ability of law enforcement officials and others to respond to and assist these victims.

For too long these victims have been viewed as willing participants and have been treated as actors in the criminal scheme. However, we now know that oftentimes individuals are trapped as victims by human trafficking organizations, and sadly, many of these victims are children.

As previous House efforts have done, the bills today attempt to change for the better how we view these victims. Congresswoman Beatty's legislation will ensure that we view victims of sex trafficking not as participants but as victims, and ensure that child sex trafficking crimes are reported.

Under current law, the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children, NCMEC, operates a CyberTipline to provide online users and electronic service providers a means of reporting Internet-related child sexual exploitation in many areas, including child prostitution. However, children who are sex-trafficked or sexually exploited should be treated as victims, not criminals. In fact, approximately one out of seven runaway youth are likely victims of sex trafficking, and roughly one out of three youths are lured into prostitution within 48 hours of running away from home.

For this reason, H.R. 5111 would replace the term ``child prostitution'' with ``child sex trafficking'' in the CyberTipline reporting categories to reinforce that children who are sex-trafficked or sexually exploited are victims whose situation should be taken seriously when reported. It would also ensure the public recognizes that child prostitution is included in how NCMEC uses the term ``child sex trafficking,'' and thus should still be reported to the tip line.

Again, I want to thank Congresswoman Beatty, along with the Education and Workforce Committee and

House leadership, for recognizing the need to steadfastly address this dreadful practice. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5111.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time.

The passage of this legislation, Mr. Speaker, shows the House's commitment to not only bolstering enforcement efforts against human traffickers, but also ensuring that we properly identify victims.

I urge all Members to lead efforts in their districts, to continue the conversation, as I have done in mine, about human trafficking, to learn what more we can do in our communities to curtail this hideous crime.

During the human trafficking roundtables I have held in my district, law enforcement officials have consistently raised the need to make community members aware of the real and present threat of human trafficking. We must work to not only educate children, but also families and the general public about the safety risks.

H.R. 5111 is another step to educating our communities about human trafficking victims, and it continues our work to ensure that we are doing what we can to help reduce this horrible crime.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5111, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment which builds off the good work accomplished by Chairman Crenshaw and Ranking Member Serrano in the underlying bill.

At a recent Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing, we had the opportunity to hear testimony from David Ferriero, the Archivist of the United States and head of the National Archives and Records Administration, which oversees the Federal Records Act.

In his testimony before Congress, Mr. Ferriero gave an account of how the IRS failed to notify him about the unauthorized disposal of Lois Lerner's hard drive, a hard drive which contained key emails and information about her actions in the targeting of conservative groups. In fact, during my questioning of Mr. Ferriero, he stated that the IRS ``did not follow the law.''

It is clear the IRS has not made it a priority to comply with the intent of the law, whether in the form of intimidating taxpayers, ignoring congressional requests for documents, or ignoring requirements to document valuable records that are in the public interest. My amendment would address one of these failures and prohibit any funds in this bill to be used by the IRS to act in contravention of the Federal Records Act.

It is a commonsense check on the IRS's recent behavior, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from New York for his concern about this. I am concerned as well.

I appreciate the fact what the chairman has said, that this expands the reach; it expands the authority. If, indeed, all of our agencies had a requirement under the Federal Records Act and they followed it, I wouldn't be here. But under significant questioning of the Archivist of our Nation, he indicated to me under significant questioning that the IRS ``did not follow the law.''

That is the purpose of this amendment: to make sure there are more teeth available even than what is put in this good bill to make sure that the IRS follows the law.

I ask my colleagues for support for this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues from Arizona and Maryland for their support in bringing this forward.

It is with a heavy heart that I rise today in support of H.R. 3534, legislation I introduced to designate the postal facility located at 113 West Michigan Avenue in Jackson, Michigan, as the Officer James Bonneau Memorial Post Office.

Just after midnight on March 9, 2010, Officer James Bonneau was killed in

the line of duty as he and a fellow public safety officer responded to a domestic disturbance complaint. Although he later succumbed to his wounds, Officer Bonneau was able to call for help and relay information about the scene that saved the life of his fellow public safety officer who had also been shot, who I have met and talked to and who appreciates his colleague so much for saving his life.

In recognition of his exceptional acts of bravery, Officer Bonneau was awarded the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery in 2011.

Four years after his passing, he remains in the hearts and minds of the Jackson community.

The Officer James Bonneau Memorial Scholarship fund was named in his honor and helps local students who are pursuing a degree in criminal justice.

A graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a degree in criminal justice, Bonneau went on to graduate from Lansing Community College's Mid-Michigan Police Academy at the top of his class academically before joining the Jackson police force.

Being an officer was a job he always wanted to do since he was a kid, according to Officer Bonneau's parents. To those who knew him best, he was described as loyal, genuine, and good-hearted.

In passing this legislation today, we take a small step forward in memorializing his sacrifice and ensurig that future generations remember the heroism of Officer Bonneau. To his mother and father, Amy and Marc Bonneau, and the rest of his family, we offer our sincere gratitude and condolences.

And to his fellow officers at the Jackson Police Department, we thank you, as well, for continuing to put your lives on the line each day as you protect our communities.

As Officer Bonneau's father put it:

It is hard to say, but at least he died loving what he did.

That was his dream. That was what he lived for.

Officer James David Bonneau gave his life in service to the Jackson community. We acknowledge his ultimate sacrifice, and we will never forget what he lived for--duty over self.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chair for the good work done on this piece of legislation, but I offer an amendment that would prohibit the use of funds to carry out a national media campaign to promote alternative green technologies.

In 2007, Congress authorized the Department of Energy to create a national media campaign to convince Americans to buy green technologies at the tune of $5 million a year. Now, my amendment would simply prohibit funds from going to this misguided, unnecessary, government- run campaign.

As constituents in my Michigan district are struggling to deal with $4 a gallon gas prices and energy costs brought about by this administration's harmful energy limitation policies, the last thing we need, Mr. Chairman, is Washington bureaucrats telling them how to live their lives.

They are smart enough to know, as are the overwhelming majority of American citizens in all of our districts, Mr. Chairman, to know what energy sources work for them, work best for their families, for their businesses, and especially when our country has emerged and is emerging still further--if we would allow it and encourage it as an energy superpower--and now leads the world in natural gas and oil production.

Instead of funding unnecessary ad campaigns, let's get to work on energy policy which takes advantage of our energy abundance and leads to lower prices, more jobs and greater global security.

Green technologies should be a part of a real all-of-the-above energy policy, but picking winners and losers is not the role of the Federal Government, nor is it in the core mission of the Department of Energy.

I was pleased that this amendment was adopted when I offered it last year, and I encourage my colleagues to once again support it.

Mr. Chairman, having said what I think is necessary, I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, a bill born out of the substantial efforts of Chairman Kline, Congresswoman Foxx, and the House Education and the Workforce Committee to help the unemployed train themselves for good-paying jobs.

In my Michigan district, there are hardworking individuals, businesses, and colleges committed to reinventing the State's workforce programs, but we need to provide the tools to support their efforts.

This bicameral compromise replaces a confusing maze of workforce programs. It also provides funds to State and local organizations to partner with local employers to highlight emerging career opportunities.

Most importantly, this legislation will provide the necessary training, retraining, and educational opportunities to help Americans get back to work, building a life of self-sufficiency and success.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill and work towards growing a healthy economy and expanding opportunity for all.

I also encourage the Senate, with the 293 other bills that we have sent to them, to work out a compromise to send back jobs bills like this that will promote good opportunities in America.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment that would reiterate Congress' objection to a proposed policy change by the Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program. That would treat health care providers as Federal contractors.

In December 2010, OFCCP quietly issued directive 293 asserting that contractual arrangements under Medicare, TRICARE, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program will trigger OFCCP jurisdiction. This directive would reclassify a majority of hospitals in the United States as Federal contractors, subjecting hospitals in your district and mine to OFCCP's often crushing regulatory burden.

With respect to TRICARE, the agency aggressively asserted in its jurisdiction in the 2009 administrative case OFCCP v. Florida Hospital of Orlando, OFCCP argued the hospital was a Federal subcontractor by virtue of its participation as a provider in a TRICARE network of providers.

The agency took this troubling position despite the fact that the Department of Defense, which regulates TRICARE, previously included: ``It would be impossible to achieve the TRICARE mission of providing affordable health care for our Nation's Active Duty and retired military members and their families if onerous Federal contracting rules were applied to the more than 500,000 TRICARE providers in the United States.''

Unfortunately, Madam Chair, the administrative law judge in the case did not heed DOD's warning and failed to

see this policy change for what it is: an expansion of government power over the health care sector. As such, Congress acted to oppose this overreach, and the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act clarified that a TRICARE network health care provider is not a Federal contractor or subcontractor.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, I am deeply concerned by this attempt by OFCCP to expand its jurisdiction through executive fiat. In response, I introduced the Protecting Health Care Providers from Increased Administrative Burdens Act, which would clarify that health care providers are not Federal contractors subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor's OFCCP.

Our actions on the committee in bringing attention to this issue have been successful in prompting OFCCP to place a moratorium on the policy. However, as OFCCP has previously defied Congress and the Department of Defense, I believe this amendment is necessary. Therefore, Madam Chair, I ask the House to support my amendment that would prohibit funds to be used under this act for implementing this overreach and affirmatively show the House will not support such actions by the Department of Labor and OFCCP.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I appreciate the gentleman's concern; however, as DOD has recommended in the past and stood on the fact that, for purposes of TRICARE and the like, hospitals are not contractors, they do not contract with the Federal Government, with the Department of Defense.

So I don't see the reason for continuing to address this issue any further for these contractors, at least as defined by OFCCP.

In closing, again, this is an issue that DOD has spoken on strongly, this is an issue that Congress has spoken on, this is an issue that OFCCP continues to push. I believe we would be remiss if we allowed this to happen and allowed the concept that hospitals would be considered government contractors simply for providing health care under TRICARE and the like to our veterans, to our military, and certainly to any of our Federal employees.

I would appreciate support for this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Offered By: Mr. Walberg

Amendment No. 35: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Sec. 10002. None of the funds made available by this Act

may be used to promulgate Directive 293, issued December 16,

2010, by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

Mr. Speaker, we live in a country that is truly blessed with an abundant array of energy resources, yet despite major advances in technology in recent years that are allowing us to access even more of these energy resources, our country is sadly failing to take advantage of these opportunities and is imposing higher costs on all Americans.

My constituents and people across the country continue to struggle to keep up with high energy prices. With an average price of nearly $4 for a gallon of gas in Michigan, middle class families in my district can't understand why the Federal Government can't get serious about developing an all-of-the-above energy policy.

For the past few years, House Republicans have been pursuing an all- of-the-above energy strategy. We understand that developing our resources at home won't only lower energy costs, but it will grow good paying American jobs and ease the squeeze on the middle class.

The House has taken action to immediately ease that pain. In February, we passed H.R. 3826, the Electricity Security and Affordability Act, to put a check on the President's and the EPA's misuse of the Clean Air Act in pursuit of cap-and-trade.

In March, we passed H.R. 2824, the Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act, which would protect coal mining from unnecessary, harmful, and useless Federal regulation. We need the resources, and our people need these jobs.

The House will continue standing up for the American people and against the President's plans to increase utility costs. This week, I proudly cosponsored H.R. 3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, a bill introduced by Chairman Upton of the Energy and Commerce Committee, that will remove redtape that interferes with our ability to build the necessary infrastructure to move North American energy where it is needed most.

I expect the House will soon consider H.R. 3301 and a number of other bills that will lessen the squeeze of high energy prices, while protecting and creating new energy jobs that will grow a healthy economy and form a framework for all of our middle class and a real all-of-the-above energy plan.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the 175th Anniversary of the Lenawee County Fair. First organized by the Agricultural Society of Lenawee County in 1839, this wonderful tradition will resume for a 175th time on July 20, 2014.

Agriculture has been a key component of the local economy since early settlers arrived in the region in the 1820's. As their reputation for agricultural expertise and skill in crop and animal production grew, the organization of a fair to showcase the best of their farms and fields was a logical outcome.

In 1879, the Agricultural Society of Lenawee County moved the fair to larger grounds on the east side of Adrian, Michigan to accommodate the large number of participants and attendees. The fair has remained in this location ever since.

That first gathering held in 1839--the first county fair in the state of Michigan--began a ritual that would endure through good years and bad. Despite immense challenges and changes to the county, the State, and our world, Lenawee County continues to be home to a number of thriving agricultural entities and a place where rural life is embraced and celebrated. In honor of that tradition, 4-H and FFA youth will join open class exhibitors in showcasing their best animals, crops, and crafts.

The Lenawee County Fair is not only a fun event to attend each summer, but it is a vital part of our community, maintaining our values and preserving our agricultural heritage. This year's theme for the 175th anniversary of the Lenawee County Fair is ``The Best Is Yet To Come.'' Mr. Speaker, I believe that slogan captures this historic and great event which so many in Michigan have had the opportunity to enjoy.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of an amendment which I am offering with Representatives Sensenbrenner and Ribble of Wisconsin. I believe this amendment represents a simple, commonsense change to an otherwise excellent bill.

I thank Chairman Latham and his staff for their hard work in getting us here today.

Mr. Chairman, current Federal law prohibits Federal agencies from lobbying Congress in support of or against legislation. Thanks to Representative Sensenbrenner's past leadership, Congress passed similar antilobbying language to prohibit the Department of Transportation from lobbying State and local officials in 1998.

In 1997, the Government Accountability Office released a report on activities undertaken by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, NHTSA, to allow the State legislators to enact State motorcycle helmet laws or discourage the repeal of existing State laws.

At the cost of tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars, NHTSA officials traveled across the country to testify before State legislative committees, participated in conferences, and produced videotapes and other printed materials all towards the goal of weakening State laws requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets.

NHTSA has an appropriate role to play in developing programs that prevent accidents, but Congress has made it clear they should not be in the business of lobbying State legislatures. Unfortunately, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 included language which repealed the lobby ban, and that provision is carried over into this bill. Allowing Federal agencies to lobby States would add to the severe governmental overreach, while violating the principles our Founding Fathers laid out in the 10th Amendment.

The amendment I am offering today clarifies that Federal Government agencies should not be in the business of lobbying State legislators. It is an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars, and it violates the rights of States and local communities to make their own decisions. Just as importantly, I believe these funds can be better spent on programs to prevent distracted driving or on educating riders and the driving public.

I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.