Everything we hear is that there is a lot of support for it. It is very bipartisan. Host john scott, Pew Charitable trusts. Thank you for being here this morning. The house is coming in next. The speaker pro tempore the hill be er. Thchair lbeforee ho communatn from th akerthe clkthe speaker, shin, july 19. Elr ct speakr ble empo othis day. Signed, ncy pelosi,peer ofthhous represens. The peak tempore nt t theerf e usef jaary 39, e chair wi nrecoe members froists smied b he mory an mority lead fr rninhour recognitnetweth pes. Time shall equally llteetweheartie and innovent sh coin bend 1. M. Eambr other than majorind minority leads live m. Hil be e chairrecoizes t gelema from texa mr. Green, fiveinut. Yo mr. N spr. Ill i re, mrspeaker, an ristodayecause le mycoy an reod uerstanda ocs. Whher y agree with the brging ohment not s appropriate tonderd the procs. Wosbo the ieach re a process. Some 85 ysince tuelle port wherein mr. Mleall but iedhat impeachab acts occre me 8days i a i hav s th shall rfer the process, it imhment self ithe house thhoe of esentati and he hse of redent. Mp a itryimilar t inicent butot the same indime wie the ihment tuly takes e, en proce v t the senate. Today i am im going to focus on the house of representatives. Today im going to focus on the house of representatives. Once the house gives its verdict, if you will, a majority of persons present voting for impeachment, there is no appeal. It doesnt go to a Friendly Court that a president might have. It wont go to the Supreme Court ultimately. Where some would contend the court is divide along party to think judges ought to vote based on what they perceive the law to be. I tend to give judgets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to making their decisions. But there are many who perceive this to be the case. But its not appealable. It is something that is totally within the province of the house of representatives. This vote is a vote of conscious. This is where id like to focus a good deal of my energy today. A vote of conscience. This means that you vote based upon what your conscience dictates. There will be no instructions given to persons who will vote. Generally speaking a jury would receive some sort of instructions indicating that you should make certain findings. No instructions. There will be no indication that you have to do this based upon clear and convincing evidence. That you have to find beyond a reasonable doubt that something occurred. That you should do it by a preponderance of the evidence. There is no standard that will be given to members as they cast their ballots. It is something that each member does and it is a vote of conscience. Now, the question can become whose conscience will it be . Because if you take another persons recommendation and you vote based upon that recommendation, then you could conceivably vote another persons conscience. I will vote my conscience. I will not be guided by what others think, who may be voting based upon political expediency. You can vote based upon political expediency if you so choose. I will vote based upon a moral imperative. A moral imperative. I will vote by conscience. I will do this because i believe that in this country, the country that i love, i rise because i love my country. And i believe in this country that i love that we ought not allow any person to be above the law. The law of which i speak is article 2, section 4 of the constitution. No one should be above the law, but this is the law that governs impeachment. No one should be above the law. And i believe that for some 85 days now since the Mueller Report we have evidence that the chief executive officer has been above the law. So there will be a vote on impeachment. Each member of this august body has the preeminent privilege of bringing impeachment before the body. I happen to be a member, and i want to assure all that impeachment is not dead. I read the story today where there was an indication that it is stalled or it is slowed. I just want you to know that i may stand alone when i do this. This is what my conscience dictates. But i believe that it is better to stand alone than not stand at all. I will stand there will be another vote. And im asking that all do what i believe is expected, and that is vote your conscience knowing that there is no appeal, knowing that you dont have to worry about the Supreme Court, and knowing that there will be history to judge us all. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. The chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Thompson, for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on monday, july 8, i had the privilege of hosting a white house opportunity and revitalization Council Executive director, mr. Scott turner, in bell dfont, pennsylvania, in the 15th congressional district. He shared his insight, his expertise, and ill say his passion for serving economically distressed communities during this regarding the recently designated Opportunity Zone in bell font with myself and members of the community. It was a productive and engaging discussion hosted by the American Philatelic Society at their headquarters. Joined by officials from the u. S. Small business administration, u. S. Department of agriculture, u. S. General services administration, and u. S. Department of housing and urban development, mr. Turner shared a vision behind the white house opportunity and revitalization council where Opportunity Zones is more broadly known. The council was established to proactively address 52 million americans that live in economically distressed communities nationwide. In urban areas, suburban areas, and quite frankly rural areas. It was inspiring to hear mr. Turners passion when it comes to stimulating economic growth, spanneding Work Force Development opportunities, and promoting longterm investments in distressed communities. The opportunity was made possible by the landmark 2017 tax cuts and jobs act that i was proud to cosponsor and to support. This past april the White House Council was formed to help align communities with a myriad of federal agencies that can help supplement public ebb devers with private investments endeavors with private investments. Because of this communities, not the federal government, are eing put in the driver seat. Bellefonte is one of 300 in the commonwealth of pennsylvania and 30 located in pennsylvania 15th congressional distrifpblgt these Opportunity Zones were nominated by the governor and governor by the governors of each state and territory, and the final vetting and finalization for selection is up to the United States treasury department. Opportunity zones are investment in pennsylvanias future. And our commutes futures, our businesses, and the people who call the commonwealth home. These zones have a Great Potential when it comes to revitalizing economic distressed communities across the United States. It is my hope they can become a katjalies for change. A catalyst for hope in communities across the country. This investment by private investors who can take their Capital Gains that they may realize because of business transactions they have engaged in, these Capital Gains normally these arent the type of communities where these Capital Gains are invested. These are areas of higher unemployment and infrastructure issues, maybe housing issues. Lower medium income. Not prime places for Economic Investment by the private sector. With the incentives of Opportunity Zones where these investors can invest these Capital Gains within those communities for causes for needs defined by the communities, members of the communities, they are able to realize tax savings. Encourage them to maintain that investment for 10 years where they would pay zero taxes on those Capital Gains, but just yield a tremendous return on investment for families, for individuals, for communities. Additionally, theres 23 federal agencies that would provide preferences for grants in these designated Opportunity Zones. Another way of investing. It was equally inspiring to hear local stakeholders discuss their new developments in bellef. Nte and i look forward to helping the Community Seek these federal opportunities to facilitate. As i mentioned that day we this is really this is a program that was created by congress, signed by president trump, executed with scott turners leadership as executive director of this. But this lies at the community in terms of identifying what the needs are and the investors that come from the opportunity. Im grateful to the white house opportunity and revitalization council for their willingness to be on the ground and engaged in the hopes of sparking growth and development in all of the designated Opportunity Zones, specifically on monday with bellefonte. Im grateful to the residents r engaging for joining as engaged citizens. By taking advantage of Opportunity Zones, communities like bellefonte can play a more active role in the future and destiny of their town they call home. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from arizona, mr. Gallego, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, no president in the history of our country has ever been subject to as many credible allegations of illegal conduct as donald trump. Given the serious nature of these crimes, and the president s refusal to cooperate with congressional investigations, its time for the house of representatives to begin an impeachment inquiry. The report documented Mueller Report documented evidence that the president obstructed justice including evidence to shut down the investigation. Despite the evidence, d. O. J. Policies prohibited the special counsel from bringing charges against a sitting president. So, congress has a responsibility to act where mueller left off. But for the past several months trump, his attorney general, and Congressional Republicans have outright lied about the content and findings of the Mueller Report. The Trump Administration has repeatedly rejected or undermined congressional subpoenas and obstructed the ability of congress to get the facts for the American People. Launching an impeachment inquiry is a necessary step to ensure that we get to the bottom of trumps wrongdoing. It honors the process that our Founding Fathers enshrined in our constitution to empower congress, to investigate and hold the president accountable for committing high crimes and misdemeanors. I believe an impeachment inquiry should examine the actions and conduct documented in the Mueller Report. But an impeachment inquiry should not be limited to those matters. Congress has the responsibility to investigate the broad range of trumps conduct as part of our inquiry. With all the tweets and daily distractions, we cannot lose sight of the much broader scope of trumps alleged wrongdoing. More than a dozen accusations of sexual assault. Campaign finance Violations Including hush payment moneys, illegal important contributions to trump inaugural committee. Illegal misuse of the Trump Foundation sharet for personal and political purposes, welcoming foreign inteerns in u. S. Election, mishandling top secret information, and abusing security clearance process for his soninlaw, and we shouldnt overlook how inappropriate it is for the president of the United States to engage in constant daily lying. The list, unfortunately, goes on and on. Trumps actions should concern every Single Member of congress and every american citizen. Regardless of what side of the aisle you are on. This activity and behavior calls into question trumps fitness to serve as president of the United States and commander in chief. As a marine, as a member of congress i swore to protect the constitution of the United States. And i will not stand by as donald trump erodes the rule of law and our democracy. It is time for congress to launch an impeachment investigation against president trump. Thank you. I yield back my time. The speaker pro tempore members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. The chair recognizes the gentleman from south carolina, mr. Norman, for five minutes. Mr. Norman thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize a true American Hero, pierre king, who is a Police Officer with the York Police Department in york, south carolina. I say this because on may 11, 2019, jamie brock and his wife were having dinner at longhorn steak house, celebrating their oldest sons graduation from the university of south carolina. While eating their food, jamie became began choking and unable to breathe due to experiencing an allergic reaction to the food. Kimberly began screaming for help and officer king, who was off duty at the time, rushed to help the choking man who he did not know. And was able to use lifesaving techniques that had he been trained to administer and was successful in dislodging the food from jamies throat. Due to the actions of officer king, a life was saved and in the words of the family, god put you there that day and you saved my husband and you saved our kids father. In the words of officer king, all i knew is that i was not going to let this man die. He would do the same thing for me. Officer king is a true American Hero who epitomizes the slogan, to live is to serve. And is an example for all of us to follow. When i think of officer king, i think of the words of Winston Churchill who, when Great Britain was about to be under siege by germany, he said there will be a time when doing your best is not good enough. We must do whats required. Officer king did what was required. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. Costa, for five minutes. Mr. Costa i ask unanimous consent to address the house for five minutes and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Costa mr. Speaker, i rise today to call attention to the continuing humanitarian crisis that is taking place at our border between the United States and mexico. Despite congress recent effort to provide relief to thousands of people in detention centers, children continue to be separated from their families and people continue to suffer from a lack of basic, basic Living Standards that they need. This is not the american way. Whats more, this Administration Just announced new, new i. C. E. Raids in major American Cities that will solve nothing. We need to do more. Congress needs to act and seek longterm solutions to addressing the problems, forcing people to flee their homes and seek asylum, women and children literally moving 2,000 miles and they are not coming to disney land. Congress needs to act. We should be focusing on attacking the problem at its source, by increasing support to Central American countries like el salvador, guatemala, and honduras, where the majority of these migrants are coming from. We should not be cutting foreign aid to these countries. That just exacerbates the problem. I told secretary pompeo in a aring, why doesnt the president call a meeting with the president of mexico and bring together the organization of american states to come up with a comprehensive, longterm solution to this problem . I have spoken with the ambassador from mexico to the United States. Shes expressed to me the problem they are facing at their southern border with guatemala. Thats what we should be doing, cooperating and working with the Mexican Government and our other neighbors to the south. We must also work to secure a basic standard of living for the detention facilities to provide for immediate relief. Thats why im cosponsoring h. R. 3239, the humanitarian standards for individuals that are in c. B. P. Custody, to provide Health Screening and emergency care, to provide water and hygiene standards, to improve shelter standards. I mean, these are things we are doing in the middle east with refugee programs with the syrian refugees. Why would we not do this on our other border . And to increase capacity for the agencies to address what the needs are of these migrants. We do have a humanitarian crisis at our border. To be sure, i think we all recognize and understand that. But finally, we need to Work Together. We need to Work Together in a bipartisan fashion. Thats how congress should operate to achieve lasting comprehensive Immigration Reform. When i first came to congress i supported comprehensive Immigration Reform with the Bush Administration and then with the obama administration. In 2013, we had a bipartisan package that was very close to package. As a matter of fact, i think it had passed the house had the speaker at the time brought it to the floor. Unfortunately, we lost that opportunity. I urge my colleagues to join me in their commitment to working to resolve this humanitarian crisis that we are facing at the border. That is the american way. Thats what we should be doing as members of congress. I thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from iowa, mr. King, for five minutes. Mr. King thank you, mr. Speaker. I appreciate being recognized to address you here on the floor of the United States house of representatives. First like to id like to point out and to show here to america j. C. Hermstead. Hes shes from spencer, iowa. Her identical twin passed away from an aggressive form of a. L. S. , which we know as lou gehrigs disease. The d. N. A. From her sister is part of a treatment for j. C. Who was diagnosed on valentines day who was diagnosed with the same disease. Because of the work and the cooperation of the f. D. A. , some wonderful scientists and a lot of work done on my staff and i want to stand and thank Speaker Pelosi for her cooperation. We were able to convince the f. D. A. To grant a waiver so j. C. Could receive this treatment. Shes in Columbia University now receiving treatment. Her third treatment is this morning. Just about as i speak, and it will be a triple dose. If this works, and shes in my prayers every day, we have opened a path to one day put an end to that deadly and debilitating disease of a. L. S. By the way, shes a spunky gal with a sassy sense of humor. If you know her you would like her. This is j. C. She is in my prayers every day. Now, id like to take over the topic that will be talked about by the president this afternoon in the rose garden. The question is, are you a citizen of the United States, should could be on the census . I have introduced a bill introduced last year and this year. H. R. 1320 asks these questions. It is, what is person number ones legal status . Are you lawfully, permanent resident, none of these things, you have an other lawful status . If you have other lawful status what is that status . Are you here on a green card, student visa, work permit of some kind . So we need a full inventory of the population of the United States. That was the purpose of the census. Not only for redistricting, but so we could see how america is growing and what ways america is growing. By the way, were establishing immigration policy here in the United States congress by an enumerated power in our constitution, i might add, and were doing it with people on that side of the aisle saying we dont know more than how many homosapiens. And i brought this legislation forward and we know there was a case before the United States Supreme Court. And the Supreme Court looked at that case. But further, i want to say what my bill does. Excuse me. The Supreme Court looked at that case. I looked back at the short form census in 2010 when barack obama was president and heres what it asked. It says, it wants to know, what is your name . What is your phone number . I mean, how detailed do you have to get . Were only asking are you a citizen or not citizen is what the Commerce Department has decided to ask. I think there should be more details. But the obama census short form said, what is your name . What is your phone number . Whats your birthday . What sex are you . I point out they didnt ask your gender. They asked sex because thats definitive. What is your ethnicity . What is your race . Do you have an unmarried partner . And if you have children, they ask this question, are they a biological or adopted sons or daughters . So they want to know, boys or girls, were they born into the family or adopted into the family, by what means are they part of your dependence . You cant ask, are you a citizen of the United States . All of these questions and many more. We cant ask the question, are you a citizen of the United States . The Supreme Court found the executive branch was granted the authority by the United States congress, and that is the commerce secretary himself, to form the questions on the census. This is a Constitutional Authority that was specifically granted to the executive branch of government by the United States congress, but the court says, you have the authority to ask the question, but we think you have the wrong reason to ask the question. So now we remand it back to the lower court to come up with a better reason. Heres my reason, we want to know how many citizens are in america. Thats all you need to ask. Its as simple as it can be. Theyre well within the law. Theyre well within the constitution. Its just that the obamaappointed judges dont seem to be reading the constitution and the law and they seem to have political motives. So, mr. Speaker, ill close with that and yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. Lipinski, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, i rise for the working men and women in our country who have welldeserved, hardearned, Quality Health care benefits, to urge house leadership to bring to the floor h. R. 748, the middleclass Health Benefits tax repeal act. This bill would finally fully repeal the 40 excise tax on certain employersponsored health care plans. For too long, the tax has been a looming threat. Make no mistake, this tax falls on everyday working families, including laborers, operating engineers, carpenters, pipe fitters, painters, plumbers, ironworkers, transportation workers, firefighters, and police and many others. Ny who have fought and won Health Care Benefits in many ollective bargaining negotiations. It has led to large premiums which has hurt toes with chronic illnesses. This repeal bill has been proposed for years. It is well past time to give it a vote on the house floor. The 40 excise tax on highQuality Health care plans was enacted in the 2010 Affordable Care act. The a. C. A. Has had many good effects, but it also had many flaws as enacted. E need to make the a. C. A. Work better for more americans, and one provision that needs to be fixed is this tax. The tax was supposed to begin in 2018, but has been repeatedly delayed, reflecting the awareness of its negative impact. Right now, it is scheduled to take effect in 2022. Ts time to just end it. Regardless of the intent behind the original a. C. A. Provisions, the truth is that Health Insurance premiums have continued to grow faster than inflation, putting even plans with moderate benefits at risk of getting taxed. As families u. S. A. Recently pointed out, without a permanent solution, as many as one out of every four workers with jobbased Health Plan Coverage could be affected by this tax by 2025. Thats just six short years from now. Furthermore, responsible employers plan ahead and are already gearing up to plan their budgets for Health Insurance in the next few years. This is especially concerning in the case of workers that have successfully used their right to organize to reach collective bargaining agreements with their employers. Good union jobs provide workers with a better opportunity to negotiate benefits that reflect the important contributions they make to the american economy. Union jobs and Union Contracts means workers are fairly compensated in the private sector without relying on taxpayers and the federal government. But collective bargaining agreements often span years and looming threat of the excise tax puts these hardfought contracts at risk. Temporary delays in the excise tax create more fear and uncertainty for families as they wonder whether their benefits will be severely cut back due to heavy government taxes. Delays also crimp employer budgets as businesses are forced to count for the risk of getting hit with hefty charges. By undermining longterm collective bargaining agreements, these delays also undermine the bedrock of the american economy. Fairly negotiated private contracts that all parties know they can rely on. Mr. Speaker, the American People have shown us that they dont want repeal of the a. C. A. , and they dont want important protections to be ripped out from under them. Ey want the a. C. A. Fixed, so lets show them we are listening. Lets show them workers with good jobbased Health Coverage will not have to fear it eroding simply due to government taxes. Lets bring the middle class Health Benefits tax repeal act to the floor. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman, mr. Abraham, for five minutes. Mr. Abraham that can you, mr. Speaker. I rise thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize the heroism of two louisianans who served valiantly during world war ii. William henry ward, and richard leon watson. William, who recently celebrated his 95th birthday, grew up in new orleans and shipped off to europe in 1943 to join a heavy Bombardment Squadron that participated in operation Market Garden and the battle of the bulk. Bulge. During the battle of the bulge, his b24 liberator got shot down, took heavy fire, and forced into an Emergency Landing near brussels. He hitchhiked back to england and as soon as possible rejoined the fight. On january 10, 1945, he completed his 35th mission over germany and finally telegraphed his mother saying, quote, dutys completed. Returning home soon. Unquote. Sadly, Richard Watson came home to morehouse perish in a more tragic way. He died defending our country while aboard the u. S. S. Oklahoma which sanked from a torpedo strike when the japanese attacked pearl harbor. He was one of 429 crewmen killed in that attack. After 77 years, his body was identified and finally sent back home to louisiana earlier this year. Mr. Speaker, i our world war ii veterans truly are americas greatest generation. It is because of the courageous acts of soldiers like william ward and the sacrifices of sailors like Richard Watson that we are the country we are today. We owe a tremendous debt to our world war ii veterans. I encourage you to thank these wonderful people when you see them and let them know that a grateful nation has not forgotten what they did for us. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from ohio, ms. Kaptur, for five minutes. Ms. Kaptur mr. Speaker, americas workers do not support the trump negotiated nafta 2 trade deal. Just like the original nafta, the new nafta is halfbaked, repackaged, and broken. It was not written to improve the lives of our working families in ohio or in mexico or in Central America. It was written to advance transnational corporate interests and the schemes of very wealthy elitings. In a country whose public aprivate sectors too often serve the interest of the rich and powerful and not the average person, this is the last thing the working people of ohio and north america need. Regardless of whether they work in the mills or toil in the fields. The president s promise of higher wages and returning jobs is not to be believed. Nafta cannot deliver for the working people unless it ensures the dignity of labor, of labor rights, and labor enforcement on this continent. Our leaders must wake up to the human suffering these trade deals create, not only for our own citizens, as their jobs are outsourced, but also people who are exploited in mexico and the americas. When transnational corporations crash together, the economies of first and third world countries without a Second Thought about the consequences, it is the working people who get crushed. The ravages of nafta inflicted on the americas and their workers are etched across americas communities. Far too many have been devastated by the outsourcing of factories, many left in economic ruin. Nafta was sold as the model of modern integration of first world and emerging world economiesment. It was replicated in Central America with the socalled cafta sweatshop deal covering nation from which millions are fleeing to our border. When multinational corporate interests place a heavy thumb on the scales of Economic Justice for labor across the americas, trade with our closest neighbors is never a zero sum game. Because too few control the levers of negotiating power. It is no surprise that nearly half a million migrants have been taken into custody at our southern border this year alone. Half a million. In the past, undocumented immigrants were overwhelmingly single men from mexico, but that has changed. First we experienced immigration from mexico postnafta there was a hemorrhage. And that has gone down in recent years, but now cafta, the gift of cafta, sees Central American families having become the new face of undocumented immigration. These landless people, jobless people from the americas live in fear. As america exports our transnational driven trade models, we knowingly rely upon the human suffering our economic policies inflict on the poor. Nafta and nafta 2 were always about cheap labor and bringing down the benefits of health and pension benefits for american workers. Undocumented migrants arrive brightalized through trafficking channels. Indeed, one can easily see in agriculture alone in the americas the exploitative model of slavery has simply morphed into a certificate come serfdom under the present system. Once in the United States many become undocumented farmers. Half of our nations farmers are undocumented. These workers face great hostility and black market Labor Conditions repugnant to our values. This undocumented status makes workers especially vulnerable to abuse. And is the answer to expand our migrant visa worker programs, the h2a or h2b visas . Absolutely not. Take the tragedy of santiago cruz, brutally murdered in the recruit office in monterey, santiago. He was communicating to his fellow mexican workers that they did not have to pay a coyote 8,000 to ah get across the border. Kyo coyote. An 12 years after his death mexico has not prosecuted his murderers, and our country has not raised a voice. But the greatest injustice is the new nafta deal that fails to address the cancer of undocumented labor in the americas, especially in the agriculture industry. The current Migrant Worker system is widely abused by employers seeking a captive work force. Nafta 2 must include a comprehensive stredge to address Continental Labor and agricultural immigration must be a part and central to it, not absent. The continental enforcement of healthy working conditions and integration of enforceable labor laws must be central to nafta 2. It is not in it. That is the ugly exploitation of americas industrialized and farm workers that we allow to continue. How morally reprehensible is this . I ask my colleagues to please take a look at our bill and including the labor secretariat in the new nafta deal. Put some justice the speaker pro tempore the gentleladys time has expired. The chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. Davis, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to congratulate edwardsville high schools Baseball Team on their class 4a state championship. It they played st. Charles north for the title last week, going into extra innings before the tigers won it all 32. Claiming their third state championship in School History and their first since 1998 with the 37 win and five loss season record, they came to the championship game ready to win. At the bottom of the seventh inning, st. Charles had a 21 lead with the bases loaded and no doubts. Thanks to a double play, the tigers tied the game 22 and sent the game into extra innings. In the top of the eighth inning, tigers stole second base and laid down a bunt which led to a close play at the plate allowing the tigers to score the winning run. When the tigers took the field that morning, coach tim funk howser had 699 career wins. After the game, he came home with number 700 and a state championship. What a way to hit 700 wins in your career. Congratulations, coach funkhowser, and all of the entire Edwardsville Tiger Baseball Team on a fantastic eason and well deserved win. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to recognize ellen bulllock, a lawyer from champagne, illinois, who specializes in adoption. Shes been nominated to be an angels in adoption honoree for the 2019 Congressional Coalition on adoption institute. Since 1999, ellen has finalized the adoptions of more than 1,800 children. More than half were in the illinois foster care system and ultimately found permanent homes. She has won the Catholic Charities friend of adoption award and recognized multiple times by associations for her advocacy of family values and adoptions outside the office. Ellen and her husband are proud parents of three children, kyle , aimee and charlie. They adopted kyle and aimee and acted as guardians of another child. A stable and permanent family is perhaps the most important thing in a childs developing life. Every day we rely on people like ellen to unite families and improve lives. I applaud ellen for all of her hard work and for her fighting for families in the 13th district of illinois. Thank you, ellen. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. Olson, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, this should come as no surprise, but the worlds champion crybaby, the Islamic Republic of iran, threw another hisy fit this week. Their navy tried to hijack a british tanker with a royal navy escort. They admitted they were breaking International Law because they demanded the ship drive itself into their waters to be boarded. Royal navy frigate fired back with a salvo from a radio. They said, back off. The iranian babies put their boats at full speed, roaring back to iran to cry on the ayatollahs shoulder for their humiliation. This has happened over and over. And i am very familiar with this region. I deployed there in the navy for six months from may of 1994 to november of 1994. Went ased small island, off to the united air rain emirates. We fly whats called a gulf transit 1,000 feet around the straits of hormuz to exercise ur navigation. This is not the first time these things have happened. The last attack happened right there with the babies crying. Two months before that, off the map down there, four American Tankers at idle sitting in dead water waiting to unload their cargo were attacked by iranian boats. Damaged. In the mid. In the middle of the persian gulf, International Airspace, in the golf of iran, one of our apes was blown out of the sky airplanes was blown out of the sky by the iranians. Hat was an act of war. Ours was an American Military aircraft operating legally in International Airspace over nternational waters. The question is, why are the insane iranians becoming more insane . And thats because the mullahs who run the country for 50 years know they are dying. And like a dying animal, they are going to fight for the last breath of power. And they are dying because of america. Of the American Energy revolution. Started primarily and thriving in texas and basin. Oil is their only source of money in the entire country of iran. They have nothing else. The permanenta basin by itself next year will produce more oil than ever country in the world except for saudi arabia. We have many more shale plains cross america. If they know we are putting them in the dumpsters of history. Uncle sam is forcing the muleas and their military to learn new languages, new words to explain their demise. Tata, e goodbye, sianara. Gh farah, want to salute the people of iran. The dark times are going to end quickly. You will be free from oppression from leaders in your own country, and id like to give a salute to the mullahs. D the Iranian Military goodbye. Adios. And thats just the way it is. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida, mr. Rutherford, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle announced they will soon bring to the floor the raise the wage act, a bill to increase the federal minimum ge from 7. 25 an hour to 15 an hour. And while supporters of this legislation have good intentions, the repercussions would spell disaster for our economy, for small businesses, and the very same lowwage workers that they intend to help. Nonpartisan estimates of the raise the wage act expect it could cause up to 3. 7 Million People across the country to lose their job. Mr. Speaker, thats almost as many people in the entire state of oklahoma. The entire state of oklahoma unemployed. Cities that have already imposed the 15 minimum wage have been the first to see the negative effects of this initiative. Recently, the university of washington conducted a study on the efficacy of seattles newly mandated 15 minimum wage and the results were very clear. Cost of lowwage workers in seattle outweigh the benefits lowwage the average worker lost 125 a month. While most of the discussion regarding federal minimum wage is focused on major metropolitan cities, what about the rural areas across the country where the cost of living is much lower . This bill would effectively eliminate small Rural Businesses and skyrocket costs for goods and services. Finally, lets look at who is currently making minimum wage in the u. S. Half are under the age of 25, and almost a quarter of them are teenagers. A 15 minimum wage would threaten the job prospects of young folks who are looking to enter the workforce for the first time, hoping to gain that a ll needed to move ahead in real career. Over 80 of economists agree that a 15 minimum wage would our a negative impact on youth employment. Look, i cannot support a bill that is guarantanoed to shutter business and lay that is guaranteed to shutter business and lay off workers across the country. I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will consider and reconsider this attempt to backtrack on the economic success of recent years and instead support bipartisan policies that will help all workers get ahead. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to clause 12a of rule 1, the chair declares the house noon today. Til
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