Designated for them. Host okay. Caller i dont know why anybody said that. Host the Supreme Court, the mortgage will x air in the evening on cspan. Right now, we go to the house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore the marriage, we will air the audio this coming friday on cspan. Right now, we go to the house of representatives. Speakers room, washington, d. C. , december 5, 2017. Hereby appoint the honorable jody b. Highs to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. Signed, paul d. Ryan, speaker of the house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore the chair will receive a message. The messenger mr. Speaker, a message from the senate. The secretary mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore madam secretary. The secretary i have been directed by the senate to inform the house that the senate has agreed to the amendment of the house to s. 371, an act to make technical changes and other improvements to the department of state authorities act, fiscal year 2017. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the order of the house of january 3, 2017, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. The chair will alternate recognition between the parties. And in no event shall debate continue beyond 11 50 a. M. Each member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip shall be limited to five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, r. Thompson, for five minutes. Mr. Thompson thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i rise today to acknowledge the work of a student at penn state dubois, alec baker, a native of clarion, pennsylvania, is a student in the Wildlife TechnologyDegree Program at penn statedubois. He was awarded a grant from the office of undergraduate education for an independent research project. Alecs area of study is black bears and the impact they have on farmers and agriculture in pennsylvania. The commonwealths corn crop. Alec conducted this project this summer and gathered the information through october and is processing his findings this fall. Alec has conducted his research primarily using Clarion County for his study area. Crop damage dating back to the year 2000. He plans to chart trends in the data through these years and monitor sites for continued activity using cameras. In total, 219 students apply to receive an ericcson discovery grant and alec was the one who received a grant. The grant allows student to immerse themselves in original research under the direct supervision of a faculty member to obtain hands on experience in their chosen field. Alec has just completed his sophomore year in Wildlife Technology degree associate program and will go on to earn a bachelors degree in wildlife, fisheries and science. I applaud him for undertaking this area of study. I have no doubt that it will help farmers in the commonwealth of pennsylvania to help their crops from bear damage. Thanks to studies like alecs, the commonwealth will be better able to understand how bears influence agriculture and how farmers can implement better management tactics to protect their crops. I congratulate alecs on this achievement and all those who received this Discovery Award and i look forward to the results. Thank you, mr. Speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from oregon, mr. Blumenauer, for five minutes. Mr. Blumenauer thank you, mr. Speaker. Its sad to watch the Trump Administration leading america in retreat, withdrawing positions of international leadership, hallowing out the state department, crippling us for years to come. Last night there was an example of that retreat right here on the floor of the house as our republican friends were unable to address their plan for raising taxes for americans in every state by restricting their ability to deduct state and local taxes. Why force millions of americans to pay taxes on taxes . Why, mr. Speaker, is there a proposal to destabilize insurance rates across america, leading to 10 premium increases year after year . And to have up to 13 million additional uninsured americans over the course of the next 10 years . They have no answer as to why to mortgage our childrens future for greater benefits for the richest and most privileged americans. When corporations are recording record high profits and have trillions of dollars of profits overseas, why are we borrowing to provide more benefits to the largest corporations and wealthiest people while we are ignoring the people who visit , seeking every day not a sympathetic ear but action . For example, action on the Opioid Crisis and the opioid deaths claiming 64,000 Americans Last year. Our former colleague, patrick kennedy, whose advocacy is informed by his own struggle to overcome opioid addiction, will testify today in the other body that we could easily productively spend up to 200 billion more dealing with a crisis, helping people with recovery. The senate is proposing to ncrease 1 10,000 of that amount, not 200 billion, 20 million to deal with this crisis, because we dont have e money, yet were borrowing 1. 5 trillion to give additional tax benefits to those who need them the least. Were not being able to adequately help our veterans whose needs are clear to anybody who visits a Veterans Administration hospital in their state. Or provide investments in roads and bridges and transit, in water and sewer that would strengthen every community, make it safer, and business more competitive. Good policy and effective investment is possible if were not mortgaging our childrens future, borrowing vasts sums of money to lavish more tax reductions on people who dont need it while ignoring the needs of people who do, who visit offices every day here on capitol hill. America does not have to be in retreat, claiming poverty, that were helpless to meet the needs of the American People. If Congress Finds the courage and the will to do its job. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from tennessee, ms. Mrs. Blackburn, for five minutes. Mrs. Blackburn thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to rise today to talk about an issue women are talking about every single day, and as i am home and out and about in my district, i hear this repeatedly, they will come up to me and they will say, marsha, im becoming a security mom. I fear for the security of my children. Im concerned about what is happening on our streets and in our communities. And mr. Speaker, i will tell you last week after the verdict came down in the kate steinle trial, the fact that a criminal illegal alien was not found guilty, i received so many comments and calls from people saying something needs to be justice t this because was not delivered for the life of kate steinle. And that brings us to the issue of sanctuary cities and those policies. The very idea, the very idea that some elected officials or some cities could choose to say, we will become a haven for those that are outside of federal law, but not all federal law, just this particular federal law. That defies common sense. T defies reason because we are a nation of laws, a nation that abides by the rule of law, a ation of law and order, not of anarchy. Sanctuary city policies are making america less safe. On this there should be no doubt. We have to think, what does this example set for our country . What does it say to people that abide by the law, that feel that their lives are endangered, that their security is endangered . What kind of message does sanctuary policies send to the thin blue line, people that stand to protect us every single day . Mr. Speaker, i would suggest that sanctuary city policies are cracking the foundation of our democracy. It is why it is important that this body take action. I would suggest it is why it is important that we pass the clear act, legislation i have authored that would strip sanctuary cities of funding, that would require that criminal illegal aliens, criminal illegal aliens be deported from this country. I yield back my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina, mr. Butterfield, for five minutes. Thank you, mr. Speaker, for yielding time this morning. Mr. Speaker, i rise this morning to honor and recognize a great american, a visionary, a states man and a friend, mayor william v. Bell, better known as mayor bill bell. Yesterday, mr. Speaker, my friend, bill bell, ended 16 years of distinguished service as mayor of the city of during ham, North Carolina, of course durham, North Carolina, of course located in my congressional district. Durham has always been a progressive city, a city i attended undergraduate school and law school at North Carolina central university. This city has always been a progressive city, above the average, but under bill bells leadership, the city has become a thriving southern city, rivaling charlotte and even atlanta, georgia. Bill bells work as mayor is but a part of a long tenure of service to durham that spans more than four decades. This week i join the entire Durham Community in thanking mayor bill bell for his many, many years of public service. With mayor bells retirement on last evening, december 4, 2017, he leaves office, he leaves his office having literally transformed the Durham Community. The citys leadership has now been passed to a new mayor, steve shule, who was also a who is also a friend and a visionary leader. The city of durham, North Carolina, is in good hands. Born william v. Bell in 1941, he grew up in winstonsalem, North Carolina. He received a degree in Electrical Engineering from Howard University here in washington, d. C. He then went on to receive his masters degree in Electrical Engineering from new york university. After graduating, bill returned to North Carolina where he worked as a Senior Engineer at i. B. M. Corporation in durham. Bill bell has been a Community Development trailblazer, not only as mayor but Vice President and chief operating durham, f united incorporated. We use the acronym u. D. I. Bill bell had a unique vision for his beloved community. This vision led to his election to the board of commissioners in 1972. At the time bill was one of two africanamerican commissioners on the fivemember board. Bill bell served on the board of county commissioners until 1994 and, again, from 1996 until the year 2000. Even serving as chairman from 1982 to 1994. In 2001, mr. Speaker, bill bell was elected mayor for the city of durham. He was then reelected seven yes, thats seven times serving as durhams longest serving mayor, 16 years. Mayor bill bell will be remembered for leading the city of durham toward great progress. His legacy includes heading up the transformation of Downtown Durham from boarded up windows to a city of which is a top destination that is now home to a variety of thriving businesses and Technology Startups as well as Major Projects such as the Durham Performing Arts center and the American Tobacco campus. It is a thriving city, mr. Speaker, and i encourage anyone to take a look at durham and see how impressive this city is. From leading the transformation of Downtown Durham to placing a renewed emphasis on even addressing gun violence in the community, mayor bell has always fought to improve the lives of his constituents. It has been a pleasure to work with mayor bell on behalf of the citizens of durham and the first district, the Durham Community is stronger thanks to bill bells leadership. Hes without a doubt a visionary trailblazer who will go down in history having left a positive mark on his city. Yesterday, mr. Speaker, mayor bill bell turned over the office now to mayor steve shule. He served on the city council since 2011 and i know he will continue to build on this legacy. Finally, mr. Speaker, mayor bells daughters, tiffany bell and nicole bell and Christian Bell hughes, im told they are all excited about their dads decision to enjoy a life of retirement. I dont believe bill bell is going to actually retire but im sure hes going to spend less time in public service, but im sure he will continue his advocacy in some significant way. While bill bell is deserving of far greater accolades than those i have cited, i ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this great american, bill bell. On behalf of the United States house of representatives, the residents of durham, North Carolina nrk, and the people of the first congressional district, i express my sincere appreciation for mayor bill bells elected service, his dedicated service, and nish him nothing but my best and wish him nothing but the best wishes in the months and years to come. Thank you, bill bell, for your leadership. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. Poe, for five minutes. Mr. Poe mr. Speaker, when teenagers select university to attend, they assume their school will proteaningt take care of something horrible occurs and will protect them d take care of them if something horrible occurs. On a friday night she realized how deeply misplaced something horrible her trust in the school was. On that night hannah and her friends went to a fellow students house party. It was a typical College Evening filled with dancing and laughter. It wasnt until the party began to wind down that hannahs friends noticed she was missing. Hannah was always very safety conscious and never wandered off alone. So her friends were immediately worried and began frantically looking for her in the house. They called her name. Searched the entire first floor. Hannah was nowhere to be found. So they tried to go upstairs to search the second floor, but a man grabbed them and forced them down the stairs. Nobody was allowed to go upstairs, he said. Hannahs friends argued with him. They screamed her name. And threatened to call the police. Just as the situation was escalating, hannah appeared at the top of the stairs. She was a mess. She was confused. She was barely able to walk or to speak. The girls took hannah by the arms and immediately left the house. Something really awful had happened to her. So they rushed her to the Howard University emergency room. Mr. Speaker, heres where the University System completely failed her. When the doctor finally came to see hannah, he told her, she was too drunk so she should go home and just sleep it all off. The friends begged the doctor to give her a rape kit, but he just away. And sent them this is malpractice, mr. Speaker. Rape kits can provide critically important evidence in Sexual Assault kits, especially case where is the victim has been drugged. When hannah woke up the next morning, she was in so much pain she could barely walk. So she called the police and returned to the University Emergency room for a rape kit. But because hannah couldnt remember exactly what happened and who her assailant was, the police and the hospital staff again refused to conduct a rape kit. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of a rape kit is to find out who the assailant was. Desperate and being denied assistance from her own university, hannah still reached out for help. She went to George Washington university hospital. But they told her that since she was denied a kit, rape kit at ward university, she was not allowed to get one at this hospital. Hannah sought help and was rejected at every turn. This is tragic, mr. Speaker. Most of us have kids. A lot of them go to universities. All four of mine did. Three are girls. We expect universities to do something to protect those ever this students when a crime is committed against it. The doctors and medical staff at both University Hospitals were apparently not trained to deal with traumatized rape victims. They were clearly ignorant of how important forensic evidence is after an assault. So to ensure this doesnt happen to more victims, ift introduced legislation that will require a i have interdutiesed legislation that will require a hospital to provide access to a nurse or doctor who is properly trained to provide medical care for trauma and rape victims. Or have a plan in place to quickly get a victim to a nearby hospital. I said hospital, universities must have a plan in place or have access to a staffer. Act bill is named the megan in honor of another college rape victim from texas who was at the university of alabama and she was denied proper postrape treatment at a hospital and eventually she took her own life because of the fact that no one paid attention to her. This bill will ensure victims can access the care they need. Having a safe, Sexual Assault rensic examiner or nurse examiner, for rape victims at universities ensures that rape kits are properly examined. And collected. Universities not only need to have access to a safe, but they need a Victim Advocate trained in Sexual Assault on campus. And all rape kits from students and nonstudents must be quickly analyzed so that the offender can be determined. Mr. Speaker, there are thousands of rape kits all over the country sit