Assistant democrat leader steny hoyer welcome back representative Steve Scalise and talk about next weeks schedule. Also, comments about aid to puerto rico, the dream act, the budget and health care. I want to join all of our colleagues in saying how very grateful we are and pleased that we are of the return of the majority whip, Steve Scalise. Scalise. All of us who sat here and heard steve, our friend and colleague, give his reaction not only to thatateful, vicious action took place as he was practicing for the Charity Baseball game where republicans and democrats come together to raise funds for young people and people who need help, and they do so together in the spirit of goodwill and common purpose. I think Steve Scalise, our majority whip, spoke movingly and im sure all of us were impressed with his courage and th his comments about that which is important. He talked about his prayers, having been answered and the prayers of literally millions of people around this country and in talking about some of the World Leaders who called him and expressed their concern, because they knew, as he said and as leader pelosi said, an attack on Steve Scalise was an attack on us all and attack on democracy and attack on peacefully resolving differences no matter how strongly they are held. A lesson for all of us. I want to congratulate and thank jennifer, his extraordinary wife, who shouldered a responsibility and a burden that she did not expect and as steve said, did it with great courage and great grace. His children, madison and harrison and their entire family, i know were responsible for steve being able to be back here with us. So we thank them. Hes back with us today and we look forward to him being a vigorous, as he was and is, part of the deliberations of this house. And in reaching decisions in a positive, constructive way. Steve and i have a difference of opinion on whose crabs are better. We had a crab dinner not too long ago, his staff and my staff and brought some crabs up from louisiana and i brought some crabs from maryland and it was a split decision as to which is the best. It would not surprise you who was for which crab. Today, we are filled with joy to see him back on the floor and on the road to full recovery. We also continue to be grateful for the recovery of u. S. Capitol Police OfficerKristen Greiner and david bailey. I want to join steve and all of our members as we rose and lapped to show our respect and appreciation for those in the capitol police. Some of us are privileged to as steve pointed out, have a detail, and they become family. And we are so impressed with eir commitment, their talent and extraordinary training that they have received and display every day. Greiner rse, crystal and david bailey responded and in responding injured themselves. They put their lives at risk for not only Steve Scalise but for all the members who were on the field at that point in time. And i want to join steve and i know all of our colleagues and the majority leader in expressing appreciation and Great Respect for those who serve us by the capitol police. The majority whip has left the floor now. We are glad to have you back. I wrote a note saying whatever i could do to help him, im sure he took that did not mean i would vote the way he wants me to vote nor do i think he would vote the way i want him to vote. But we will continue in this Great Institution we call the house of representatives. As steve called it and i call it, the peoples house. Every two years they send us back here to make policy, to make our lives better and our country stronger. And more than the public knows, we Work Together to accomplish that objective. At this time, mr. Speaker, i want to yield to my friend, the majority leader, we cooperate more than people will see from time to time. I want to thank him for that. And i yield to him to give us the schedule for the week to come. Mr. Mccarthy i thank the gentleman for yielding and i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Mccarthy before i give the schedule, i want to say that today was a day that was very good to see our very dear friend Steve Scalise make it back. As the gentleman said, an attack on him was an attack on the entire institution. I was there that day in the hospital, my wife and i and waiting for jennifer to arrive and steve going through the surgeries, the number of times we would go back to visit, he is the strongest man i have ever known. His speech was from the heart that he first would seek gods guidance, the strength of jennifer, watch madison and harrison spend their entire summer in that hospital with their father and for him to be able to walk back here as soon as he did and the excitement in his face when he was able to cast that vote. I know steve is going to continue to get stronger as he goes and he thanks everybody for the help they provided. But we should not forget the spirit this floor had today. We should take that spirit into the days forward and continuity. We can disagree, but it takes an unbelievable terrible situation at times to remind us of the human spirit we have for one another. I want to make sure even for myself that i remember those moments and the times in the most heated debates. So with that, mr. Speaker, on monday, the house will meet at noon for morning hour and 2 00 p. M. For legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6 30. On tuesday and wednesday, the house will meet at 10 00 a. M. For morning hour and noon for legislative business. On thursday, the house will meet at 9 00 a. M. Last votes of the week are expected no later than 3 00 p. M. On friday, no votes are expected in the house. The house will consider a number of suspensions this week. A complete list of which will be announced by close of business tomorrow. Now, in addition, the house will consider h. R. 36, it is the paincapable unborn Child Protection act also as i like to call it mica law. Spent time with mica. Miracles for mica and i wear it because he was born premature at 20 weeks. You look at a picture of mica, he was the size of a bag of m and ms. Today he is happy, healthy and five years old and no one would know the difference. Mr. Speaker, all life is a miracle. And we have an obligation here to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. I look forward of the house passing this compassionate bill next week that will protect the lives of countless others like mica. The house will take up f. Y. 2018 budget resolution that will balance within 10 years and provides for a Strong National defense, eliminates burdensome regulation and cracks down on waste, fraud and abuse and will enable tax reform which is the key to Economic Growth and seeing that americans take more of their hardearned dollars. I thank chairman black and the entire Budget Committee and especially you, mr. Speaker, for your hard work on this bill. And with that, i yield to my friend. Mr. Hoyer i thank the gentleman for the information on the schedule to come. I want to speak to two things that are not on the schedule, mr. Leader, but i know that both of us focused on this and realize that we need to move and we need to move quickly. First of all, i want to speak of puerto rico and the Virgin Islands. The leader and i, mr. Speaker, were scheduled to try to go to key west and to p puerto rico puerto rico and the vigin islands this weekend. Im not sure that will be able to happen given some of the logistics on the ground. But whether that happens or not, mr. Speaker, i know the leader and i are going to work very hard on this. There is a humanitarian crisis that has confronted puerto rico and the Virgin Islands. Key west, at least you can drive to key west still and we can get relief to key west and to florida and the victims of harvey. Obviously, our fellow americans that are residents of two islands or actually more than two islands, but that comprise puerto rico and the Virgin Islands are in lifethreatening distress. I talked today to dr. Price, secretary of health and Human Services about the availability of dyalisis on the island and there are people who have already died because they were not able to get to dyalisis centers and those centers dont have all the electricity they need. So there is a humanitarian crisis as i pointed out, mr. Speaker. And i know the leader appreciates this. And mr. Leader, i know we dont have anything on the floor with reference to Additional Resources that might be and are necessary to meet this humanitarian crisis in puerto rico and the Virgin Islands, but i would urge the majority leader, as i have done, and i think he has done, to be in contact with the administration, be in contact with fema. In particular, i was pleased to see general kim has been appointed as general honore was for new orleans and katrina to coordinate activities. We have extraordinary resources in the armed forces of the United States and i would urge the president , commander in chief, and the department of defense to allocate every resource necessary to get the people of the American People who live in puerto rico and the Virgin Islands to a point where communications, the availability of food, the availability of water, the availability of medical services is up and bore by pefully full the end of this weekend. This is a crisis and i know the majority leader shares that view. If he wants to make a comment on that, i yield to him. Mr. Mccarthy it is true, the gentleman and i were hopefully trying to go down to puerto rico and the Virgin Islands and key west to look at some of the damage and right now the coast guard tells us with the rescue attempts that are ongoing, we probably would be taking some equipment away from doing that work and we dont want to do any of that. We will be able to go a little later when the time is right. We will continue to work with the administration, when you think what this country has gone through with hurricanes harvey, irma and maria, i do want to give some thanks to the work of the administration. I have seen coordination like i have not seen in the past. These are islands. The damage of the two hurricanes they had to go through. I have been in Constant Contact and speaking with fema, they are coordinating and establishing seven temporary hospitals. That was my concern with dyalisis and others and i will work with the gentleman as we have in the past to make sure the need whatever they need will be able to get there. I do want to thank congressman curbelo for his amendment to the bill we just voted on, adding resources to make sure because knowing the tax code of puerto rico is little different as the one we voted on, to give them greater assistance and the Virgin Islands and i yield back. Mr. Hoyer clearly this is not a partisan issue when a group of americans or a large number in this case over 3 1 2 million people, all of them at dire risk, we want to act together and act quickly and we do not deploy any to resource that is necessary to help our fellow americans. Secondly i want to bring up an act that although not the crisis that puerto rico and the Virgin Islands, in particular, confront us with, as did harvey and irma in texas and florida, but mr. Speaker, i notice the dream act is not a part of next weeks schedule. The leader and i discussed the dream act, along with speaker ryan. I know that the president has said if we pass the dream act, hes said publicly he would sign the dream act. He is obviously concerned with security at the borders. We share that concern about security at the borders. Ut this is an item that now is one sixth of the time that was available has one, we have five months left to go. And i will tell the majority leader, i am very hopeful that, i know the majority leader and the speaker formed some task forces to look at this issue, but i am very hopeful, mr. Speaker, and i ask the majority leader to perhaps comment on this that before the end of this work period, there are 1914 days there are another 1614 days left after this week in the work period, that we might be table bring the dream act to the floor. A discharge petition has been filed. I would hope that the discharge petition was not necessary for either the rule or for the dream act itself, a discharge petition on the dream act itself will be mature as of october 5. I expect a discharge petition to be filed on that as well. But im hopeful, mr. Speaker, that that will not be necessary. Given the fact that the president has said that he thinks the daca was issued beyond the authority of the president , president obama, we disagree with that conclusion but whether that conclusion is correct or not, the president observed that we need to fix this legislatively. So my question to the majority leader is, my question to the majority leader is, how soon does he believe that we could address this issue in regular order . We continue to pursue discharge petition, as we did, frankly, which, when bank, it was called to the floor, had over 300 votes in favor of it, including the majority of the Majority Party. Voted for that bill. We believe, mr. Speaker, strongly, that if the dream act is brought to the floor, which over eight in 10 americans agree with, and frankly, we believe large numbers on both sides of the aisle agree with, and that these young people ought not to be sent home. Lastly, let me just quote senior orrin hatch, the Senior Member of the United States senate and chairman of the finance committee , he said, i urged the president not to rescind daca. He did and gave us six months to solve this legislatively. Senator hatch observed that if daca was rescinded, it would be an action that would further complicate a system in a serious need of permanent and legislative solution. He was referring then, mr. Speaker, to comprehensive Immigration Reform. Like the president , i long advocated for tougher enforcement, orrin hatch said, of our existing immigration laws. But we also need a workable method for those who entered our country unlawfully as children through no fault of their own. And who have built their lives here. That solution must come from congress. And i agree that that decision must come from congress. Rush limbaugh said, and i dont usually agree with statements that mr. Limbaugh makes, nobody is going to win anything by deporting a bunch of kids that we let in, whoever did or ba ma, whatever if we cant get strict enforcement of existing immigration law, he went on to say, then the dreamer thing may be an acceptable payoff, he said. I dont think this is a payoff, this is respond respond, thats why the overwhelming majority of the American People support the dream act. As i said as i say, over eight out of 10 americans. So i ask the majority leader, i know that was a relatively long statement. S that critical issue, as i have expressed in private to the majority leader, because we have but five months left to go. But hopefully we can do this in this work period and to allay the fears that these young people have who are making such positive contributions to america, to their communities, and to their families. So im hopeful we can resolve this issue as soon as possible. I yield to my friend the majority leader. Mr. Mccarthy i thank the gentleman for yielding. I first want to applaud speaker ryan for forming a working group on this important issue. The gentleman and i have met numerous times on this. Ive talked to the president about it as well. Hes been very clear, and i agree with the president s position. Ourts have shown that the past was unconstitutional, and that means the congress has to do their job one thing i would hate to happen here, that we only do the job halfway and then have this problem come back us to. The president asked about Border Security as well. I believe we can find a solution here together. I look forward to working with you. The president has challenged this congress to find a solution. I believe we can. Were going to work to make sure we get it done. I would like to do it sooner than the time frame the president has given. I yield become. Mr. Hoyer i welcome the majority leaders thought that he wants to do it sooner rather than later. I will support him in that effort. I would say in his comment, with reference to a comprehensive solution, were for a comprehensive solution, and wed like to see, because thats the only way well stop this from coming back, the senate pass a comprehensive immigration bill three years ago. We have not seen that on the floor as of yet. Again, we think that that would have an a substantial vote, perhaps a majority vote, im not as confident of that as i am with the dreamers, the dream act which i think clearly would enjoy the majority of the houses support. But im glad that he wants to move this quickly. We will work with him to get that so that i would hope, as i said, by the end of the work period, to allay the great fears and anxiety, very frankly we have had some young people going back to a land they do not know a language they do not necessarily speak and a culture they have never as adults never been exposed to and dont know. This for all intents and purposes, anything other than having the paper that says so is their country. Theyve gone to school here. They work here. Theyve been positive citizens here. And hopefully, as the president said, he said he loved these children that we could relieve their fears and in effect redeem the American Dream for them. There are other issues obviously with which we have to deal and i would urge the majority leader as well at some point in time to make the path forward for comprehensive Immigration Reform because its a system we all agree is broken and needs to be fixed. Nd is part of the problem. Two more issues, mr. Leader, you mention the budget would be coming to the floor. The this is the 2018 budget. This is obviously late but nevertheless is being brought to the floor. Well be able to consider it. Can the gentleman tell me, will this include reconciliation instructions, and if so what those reconciliation instructions will deal with . I yield to my friend. Mr. Mccarthy i thank the gentleman for yielding. I expect reconciliation in this budget. I leave it up to the rules committee in the budget but on this floor i believe therell be reconciliation, i yield back. Mr. Hoyer is this, mr. Leader, will it assume the repeal of the a. C. A. In fiscal year 2017 which will obviously doctor or fiscal year 2018, either one of those years . Which clearly has not seemed possible at this point in time . I yield to my friend. Mr. Mccarthy i thank the gentleman for yielding. If the question is, have i given up on repealing obama kaye, the answer is no. We know what harm from obamacare has come to many americans. The lack of insurance that when you look at the number or county, 40 of all counties in america only have one provider, some have none. We watched premiums go up. We want a Health Care System where people have choice. Where the price is lower, the quality is better. Thats something ill never give up on. Mr. Hoyer i thank the gentleman for that observation. Obviously we disagree, as he knows or then thone success and failure of a. C. A. Every Health Organization in america, major Health Organization in america, opposed the repeal of the bill that came to the floor. Senator mccain, i thought, gave very powerful exhortation to all of us when he said, july 25, we ought to do this in a bipartisan way. We found now, three efforts to repeal by the Majority Party who control all three, the senate, the house, and the presidency. An inability to do that. Mr. Speaker, i believe, i would hope the majority leader would pursue efforts, we would do the same on our side, we believe the a. C. A. Has been working. We believe that 20plus million more people are insured under the a. C. A. Than were insured before the a. C. A. We blove people with preexisting conditions were able to get insurance, we believe seniors save substantial money. Purchasing prescription drugs as a result of that. We believe people did not have, we know they didnt have, the specter of being canceled because their expenses in any one year were above a limit and that their lifetime limits would not be imposed when they get a serious critical illness. Ande think it worked but the jerrett has tried to repeal it. They have not succeeded. At this point in time. But they have created, mr. Speaker, great anxiety and uncertainty in the marketplace. To the extent, for instance, that premiums have risen in our state, the head of blue crossblue shield, the largest insurer in our state, said the reason for at least 50 was the uncertainty created by the administration and the debates that occurred in this house and proposals that occurred in this house which have undermined the market. I talked to him the other day, he said in fact if there was stability, he believes rates would come down significantly because insurance companies, providers, would have an opportunity to have a stable environment in which they could assess the costs of health insurance. Lastly, fi might did the majority leader want to did the majority leader want to say anything . I yield. Mr. Mccarthy we can always go back and forth with each other but ill tell you my own district. I dont know why anybody would say theyre making a decision on something when our bill carries it out another two years even, i dont believe that to be true. But i know what is true. Currently, 30 of the people at are on the exchange in my district just had somebody pull out and they had that health insurance. Anthem. And now they dont. They have to go find something else. They had doctors that they loved. They promised that they were going to be able to keep them. But they couldnt. Just look at numbers and i take republican, democrat, i take whatever name across from it, almost twice as many people pay the penalty or take a waiver than actually make a payment for obamacare. So yes this will continue, not because you and i have a disagreement but because people are hurting. Premiums are going up. Deductibles are going up. People are losing providers. And the providers are not leaving because of staying in the same way for the next two year, theyre leaving because its staying there so yes, i look fwrd to continuing this conversation. Because we cannot allow this harm to continue to go through this country. I yield back. Mr. Hoyer mr. Speaker, we could go on all day. And the fact of the matter is, this is a critically important issue to our country. And when he talks about providers, the providers said they didnt like any of these bills. They have had three opportunities, one that we passed, by one that was offered, but not put on the floor. Then one that came to the floor and passed this house and then went to the senate. And the majority of the senate has not agreed with any of the three alternatives. Plus the alternative that senator graham brought forward along with senator from louisiana. The majority of the senate has not depreed. And mr. Speaker, what that has done is provided with the insurance industry, providers, doctors, medical authorities with total lack of confidence in whats going to happen tomorrow. Nobody in business believes that you can have proper pricing if you do not know the context in which you are pricing your product. So yes, there has been a disruption and what we ought to do as senator mccain said, come together and make a system works. We believe the a. C. A. Is working, not as well as it should right now, not working for the small market and people on exchanges. It can in almost every medical provider and the majority of the American People over this last eight months has changed from to iking the a. C. A. And where the majority of the American People now support and seven out of 10plus want the a. C. A. Fixed, not repealed. So in that context, it seems to me both good politics and good policy for us to come together and to create a system that works for the American People. We believe thats by fixing the a. C. A. And to that extent, we reflect the majority of the American People. Secondly, mr. Speaker, the last issue i want to bring up are two items that were not included in the f. A. A. Bill, but which are important programs, one is the Perkins Loan Program for students. We know that the cost of education have skyrocketed. And we need to extend that act. That bill, by the way, mr. Speaker, has 226 cosponsors, so its not as if the majority of the house that already supports that extension. Thing that cond needs to be done, we need to deal with the comprehensive Health Systems in our communities, the Community Health centers. We need to deal with the Teaching Hospitals. We need to deal with the diss proportionate share of hospitals. So there are many things we did not include in the bill that we passed today that need to be addressed and addressed immediately. They are not on the schedule next week. Can my friend give me some idea we might consider those which of course expires on october 30 september 30. September 30 will come and go before we start next weeks schedule and i yield to my friend. Mr. Mccarthy you raised a couple of issues. When it comes to Teaching Hospitals that was in the bill that you voted against twice this week on the floor. So that has been taken care of. When you are talking about chip and the extension of that, chairman walden actually postponed a markup not because he wanted to, but because it was requested by the democrats. He postponed the markup this week. This is something i would like to get done. And chairman walden has scheduled a markup for next week. Im very hopeful we will get this done very soon. Im a big supporter of schip and a lot of the work that they do and especially for the Health Clinics out there. I look forward to working with you. Mr. Hoyer can you mention schip . Can you refer to the Perkins Loan Program. Does the gentleman know whether that is also moving forward. I yield. Mr. Mccarthy i apologize. I did not have that scheduled at the current time. But will keep you abreast when i do. Hire hire im pleased schip is on the committees agenda next week and hopefully that can be brought to the floor before we leave in this work period, perhaps just before or just after the dream act is brought to the pretty consistently ranks amount around the president s. They recognize his facial hair. Sunday night on q a, Scott Greenberger on his book, the unexpected president come up about the life and political career of chester a arthur. I think he recognized he wasnt qualified for the job. He ended up on accident. Then all of a sudden he is on the threshold of office. Sunday night on 8 00 eastern on cspan today. Q a. President trump talks about the federal response to help puerto rico and the Virgin Islands and his plans for tax reform. The nevada senator gives the democratic response to hurricanes. President trump our hearts are united with twitter rico and the faced islands, who devastation on to catastrophic hurricanes. We are