Ralph Abraham

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. Once again, I encourage all Members to support H.R. 2915, as amended. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3262) to provide for the conveyance of land of the Illiana Health Care System of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Danville, Illinois, as amended.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 3262.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3262. This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to convey property on the VA Illiana Health Care System campus in Danville, Illinois, to the Danville Area Community College. Authorizing this conveyance would allow the VA to dispose of a vacant building for which it has no intended future use and is costly to maintain. It would also allow the Department to straighten their property line, subsequently shortening the amount of fencing that is required to secure the safety of the medical center campus. H.R. 3262 is sponsored by my friend and colleague from Illinois, Congressman John Shimkus, and I thank him for his leadership in sponsoring and advancing this legislation. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3262. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus). (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Once again, I encourage all Members to support H.R. 3262. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank an incredible American family in my district. The Franklin family of Richland Parish made a generous donation to our Nation's heroes. The family has given 50 acres of land to develop the Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery. George Franklin, the patriarch of the family, was a veteran himself, a member of the Greatest Generation. In World War II, George served in the Eighth Air Force, European Theater. He was a tail gunner. He flew over 35 missions in a B-17. He earned six air medals, four battle stars, and a Presidential citation. The Franklin family represents a true American commitment to serve, and this gift from their family to the veterans is yet just another example of that service. The cemetery will officially open next week-- on time--with the first internment on Veterans Day. The Franklin family has given so much to Louisiana. I commend them for this honorable contribution to those who gave so much for us.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, it has now been 1,532 days since President Obama said Syria's Bashar Assad must go. Guess what? He is still there. It has been 789 days since President Obama drew the red line in the sand, so to speak, and told Assad not to use chemical weapons on his own people. Well, he ignored that. And he used chemical weapons, and he continues to use chemical weapons and kill his own people. What we are seeing in Syria--the rise of ISIS, the refugee crisis of tens of thousands of people, children having to migrate northward to get out of Syria, the civil war--are all the direct results of the President's unwillingness to stand by his word. Now Russia is in Syria. They are telling the U.S. on our own soil that America is weak. Look at what they have done in Ukraine. We didn't do anything but give rhetoric and words. Nothing to push Putin back to where he should be. America is losing her standing in the world, and we would rather appease our enemies than show our strength. This administration still has no strategy for handling ISIS, no tangible plan for defeating Assad, and seemingly no will to stand up to Russia's aggression. Assad must go. ISIS must go. ISIS must be defeated. America must stand firm and show the world we are a force to be reckoned with, not to be trampled on.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a faithful and God- fearing woman, Ms. Vesta Mangun of Alexandria, Louisiana, who will soon be celebrating her 90th birthday. Ms. Mangun is a dedicated member of The Pentecostals of Alexandria Church. She has been instrumental in the life and spirit of the Pentecostal community for a long, long time. Ms. Mangun and her husband, G.A. Mangun, started The Pentecostals of Alexandria when it was known as the First United Pentecostal Church with just 38 members. Today The Pentecostals of Alexandria is made up of thousands of members, largely thanks to the dedication of the Mangun family. The work of Ms. Mangun extends far beyond community. A daughter of an east Texas pioneer, Vesta Mangun has dedicated her life to sharing the Lord's word as a speaker at camp meetings across the country and across the world. I commend the Mangun family for their tireless dedication to Louisiana, and I congratulate The Pentecostals of Alexandria in their celebration this week commemorating 65 years of ministry.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of National Forest Products Week. I would like to recognize the more than 18,000 hardworking men and women who are employed by the forest products industry in Louisiana, including nearly 2,500 working in the pulp and paper sector in my district alone. Many of America's forests exist to support a strong market for forest products--markets that encourage landowners to replant forests responsibly and manage them sustainably. In Louisiana, this industry provides hardworking Americans with over $1.1 billion in compensation every year and is a top 10 manufacturing sector in the State. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Forest Products Week and reflect on the fact that, today, the U.S. has 20 percent more trees than it did on the first Earth Day in 1970. Together, let's ensure that the sustainable and renewable products that come from these forests endure for generations to come.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the accomplishments of a truly remarkable lady in my district. Ashley Mitchell is a student at Alexandria High School in Louisiana, and her hard work and dedication to the sport that she loves so much has paid off in huge dividends. Miss Mitchell just broke two world records while participating in the World Powerlifting Championships in the Czech Republic. Those records were the deadlift at 326.5 pounds and the other at 762 pounds. Now, those are impressive numbers, but even more impressive when you keep in mind that this young lady is 94 pounds. She represented the United States well and has returned home as the world champion for the United States of America. It is young people like Ashley, who are leaders among their peers and who will be leaders in our communities very soon, whom we encourage. I urge my colleagues to keep these young people, their potential, and their impressive accomplishments in mind as we do our jobs here in D.C. I commend Ashley for her talent, for her tireless effort, and for representing this country on an international stage in such an impressive manner.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize a group called Pilots for Patients, an organization founded by Philip Thomas back home in Monroe, Louisiana. This group flies patients with debilitating conditions to specialty hospitals all over the Nation. My district is very rural, and some of my patients have to drive several hundred miles to see their doctor. And like Philip says, this could be like a trip to the Moon for some patients to drive that far. Pilots for Patients has flown over 2,600 missions to date so far, 15 to 20 patients a week. They are part of a larger group of Air Core Alliance pilots that have flown over 20,000 missions a year. All the pilots are volunteer, and I am proud to be one of them. Pilots for Patients is a shining example of what goodness of the human spirit and working together can accomplish. I wish them continued success in many years to come.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I just wrote on the board that it has been 1,510 days since the President said that Syria's Bashar Assad must go. He is still in office. It is 767 days since the President drew the red line in the sand that said, if Bashar Assad used chemical weapons on his own people, he must go. He is still in office. What we are seeing in Syria--the refugees' humanitarian crisis, a bloody civil war, the rise of ISIS--is a direct response to this administration's ineptness to handle these problems. Now we have Russia's Putin on the floor of the U.N.--on U.S. soil-- saying America is weak. But we didn't need Putin to tell us that by his words. He has done it by his actions. He invaded Crimea in Ukraine because he knew that this administration would draw another red line, but do nothing about it. America is losing her standing in the world because we would rather appease our enemies than show strength. This administration still has no strategy handling ISIS, no tangible plan to handle the Syrian problem or defeating Assad, and certainly no plan to deal with Russia's new very powerful aggression in many areas of the world. Assad must go. ISIS must be defeated. America must stand firm and show the world that we are a force to be reckoned with, not to be trampled on.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in support of S. 2082; however, I would like to note that I am also deeply disappointed that we are not voting on the House bills which would have limited awards and bonuses to VA employees. It is my belief that we have missed an opportunity to bring much-needed accountability to the VA, and know that I will work tirelessly to bring accountability to the VA for the American people. S. 2082, also known as the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015, includes multiple necessary provisions supporting our Nation's heroes, including veterans who are homeless, disabled, or suffering from PTSD. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, I introduced a particular provision in S. 2082 to extend contract exams for veterans applying for disability benefits. Extending contract exams is a commonsense measure to cut through the bureaucratic red tape and ensure our veterans are getting the care they need when they need it. Many veterans undergo a VA medical examination in support of their application for disability benefits. The problem is that there are not enough examiners to perform these evaluations in a timely manner in the VA system. Expanding contract exams will make it easier for the VA to arrange for the veterans to get disability examinations by permitting a licensed physician to conduct these examinations anywhere in the United States as long as the doctor is under a VA contract. This is common sense, and I urge passage of the bill.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with America's rice farmers and families in celebrating the month of September as National Rice Month. It has been 25 years since September was first dedicated as National Rice Month. So on this silver anniversary, I want to pay a special tribute to the hardworking men and women who produce rice on their family farms. I would also like to recognize all those who mill and market rice, all the suppliers and buyers and, of course, all of the consumers who make rice an essential part of their diet. Rice farming in America actually predates this Nation's independence, beginning almost 300 years ago. Today, America's rice industry creates 125,000 good-paying jobs and contributes an estimated $34 billion to our Nation's economy. Nine million tons of rice are grown each year by family farmers on more than 2.7 million acres of land, predominantly in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, California, and Texas. While these six States produce the lion's share of rice in America, there is also rice production in other States, like Illinois and Tennessee. In fact, the rice industry reaches every State in the Nation, especially those States with cereal makers, breweries, and other foodmakers that use rice as a key ingredient. I ask my colleagues to support me in recognizing September as National Rice Month.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Calvin Moret, a true American hero and a Louisiana native. Dr. Moret was the last surviving Tuskegee Airman in Louisiana, and he passed away this month at the age of 90. Dr. Moret's story is truly remarkable, and he stood up to hate and bigotry with courage and dignity. He fought for this country while overcoming an incredible amount of racial adversity. He broke barriers, and he dedicated his life to service. I had the pleasure of meeting Calvin in Monroe, Louisiana, and as a pilot myself, I can tell you, he was the real deal. It was the highlight of my life to meet him, a true hero that had been ostracized by society but still believed so deeply in maintaining the freedoms of our country. May we all have the courage Dr. Moret had to stand up for what is great in this Nation.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Thank you, Dr. Benishek, for having this. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues to raise awareness of veteran suicide prevention. Let me underscore the word ``prevention''-- prevention because veteran suicide is a public health tragedy. As a doctor, I know it is a preventable tragedy. For far too long, PTSD has been stigmatized, and it is time to remove that stigma. Twenty-two percent of Americans who commit suicide are veterans. That statistic is unacceptable to me, and it should be unacceptable to the American people. Our Nation's heroes should come home to readily available mental health care. They should not have to wait days, weeks, or even months to receive treatment. Veterans should not have to wait at all. The Clay Hunt SAV Act, which was signed into law earlier this year, was an excellent first step in giving veterans options, but there is more work to be done. As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and a veteran myself, I will continue to fight for a more streamlined system to treat our veterans suffering from PTSD and continue to work to reform the VA system to be a system that puts the veteran first, not the bureaucrat.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Tyrell Cameron, a young man from northeast Louisiana whose life was cut tragically short in an accident on the football field last Friday night. Tyrell was a bright student at Franklin Parish High School with a promising future, surrounded by a supportive and loving community. I live about 20 miles from the high school. I consider Winnsboro an extension of my home. I know their people well. I know that this is a strong community that supports each other, helps each other, and loves each other. As Tyrell's family and friends come to grips with this tragedy, we will mourn; we will grieve, and then we will start the healing process. While we pray for Tyrell, his family, his teammates, and Franklin Parish, I also ask that you keep the Sterlington community in your prayers. They were on the other sideline during the game, and I know this has been a difficult experience for them as well. Louisiana is a special place. We love our high school football. Our young men play with heart for their schools every Friday night. As competitive as it can get, we know what is most important. I have been so impressed with the outpouring of support for Tyrell and Franklin Parish that has come from high schools throughout the entire State of Louisiana. Many local teams will wear Tyrell's number, number 48, on their helmets for the remainder of the season. That says a lot to me about the strong character of our young men back home. Others like me are wearing blue today, his team color, to honor Tyrell, just as his teammates are doing this week also. My thoughts and prayers are both with Franklin Parish and Sterlington communities, and I encourage them to keep playing for Tyrell.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Thank you, Congressman, for having this Special Order on such a somber occasion. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my support and utmost respect for law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to protect our communities, as well as to applaud these men and women who take part in their selfless actions every day. We sleep safely at night because we know the men and women who wear the badges are on the streets looking out for us. They look out for our families. They look out for our communities, for our country, and words cannot convey how grateful we are to them. This year, there have been too many reminders that too many of our officers are paying the ultimate sacrifice in the name of service. They risk everything to protect us, and they deserve our utmost respect. Unfortunately, my State of Louisiana has lost nine officers in the line of duty this year, one of the most in the Nation, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. This is a statistic I am not proud of, and I will continue to do all in my power to ensure that all officers in the Nation are safe. I want to thank those men and women who have sacrificed for Louisiana and for the Nation. We must always remember that the vast majority of law enforcement officers serve because they want to make their community and their country better places, and for that we are very grateful. We must always remember that these officers step out each day in the face of uncertainty. They never know what situation they will encounter and when a routine traffic stop could turn very tragic. Thank you, officers, for putting your lives on the line for our safety. Thank you for answering the call to serve and to protect Louisiana and the country.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for bringing up this very strong bill which, in my opinion, will be lifesaving for some of our Nation's heroes. I rise today in support of the VA Accountability Act of 2015. I am a proud original cosponsor of the bill, and I believe the legislation is vital to rooting out the pervasive bureaucracy that plagues the Federal Government. As a direct result of this broken system, we have seen instances where a VA employee actually took a patient to a crackhouse to get a ``fix.'' It took an entire year for that employee to be fired--an entire year. As a direct result of this broken system, we have seen senior employees caught participating in retaliation against whistleblowers, only to remain on the job. As a direct result of this broken system, we have seen employees who were caught manipulating veterans' disability claims. Do you know what happened to those employees? They were promoted. They received bonuses. This is unacceptable on so many levels, and it is time for it to stop. We have to make the VA work for the veteran. The current law protects those who have forgotten that they work for the veteran, not the other way around. Even the Veterans Affairs Department's own Deputy Secretary, Sloan Gibson, as you heard before, recently admitted at a congressional hearing that ``it is too hard to fire someone at the VA.'' There is no excuse for those who fail to do their job and then get promoted, none. H.R. 1994 is a giant step forward in ensuring that good employees are protected, ensuring whistleblowers are protected, and, most importantly, that our Nation's heroes are protected. I urge my colleagues to stand up for the veterans who have to stand up for us by supporting the VA Accountability Act of 2015.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, I would like to thank the Veterans' Affairs Committee as a whole and leadership on their role in getting this important bill to the floor. I am proud to have introduced the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of- Living Adjustment Act of 2015, which is also known as COLA. The bill provides a cost-of-living adjustment increase to the veterans' disability compensation and other veterans' benefits for 2016. The amount of the increase is the same given to Social Security beneficiaries. We all understand how important it is for the VA benefits to keep pace with the rate of inflation, and our Nation's veterans depend on these benefits to pay for housing, food, and other necessities. Congress has previously passed similar increases with wide bipartisan support because both parties see the need in making sure that our American heroes are cared for, which they most markedly deserve. I would also like to thank the ranking member, Representative Titus, for her support as an original cosponsor of H.R. 675. These benefits are instrumental in supporting those who have honorably served our Nation. Passing the Veterans' Compensation Cost- of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015 provides our veterans with much-needed peace of mind so that they know their benefits will be secure each year. We must demand the highest protection of our veterans and their financial security. Our veterans are our Nation's heroes; and this bill, which enjoys bipartisan support, gives Congress a chance to give back to those who have already given so much. I urge the full passage of this bill, H.R. 675.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) for introducing this bill and recognize the hard work done by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committees to bring this important bill to the floor. For too long, failure to properly manage our national forests had led to increased tree mortality from wildfires, droughts, insects, and disease. The Resilient Federal Forests Act gives the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management the tools needed to reverse this trend. This bill will allow critical forest health projects to move forward by streamlining regulations, will give parishes and counties greater flexibility in how they use forestry revenues, and will ensure Federal agencies have increased access to fund in order to fight and prevent wildfires. These reforms will put more Americans to work through increased management activities and timber production. It will give money back to our local community for infrastructure and education and will make our forested communities safer by reducing their vulnerability to wildfires. In my home State of Louisiana, the Kisatchie National Forest covers 604,000 acres, with 382,500 of those acres in my district alone. In all, forestry and the forest products industries accounts for well over 18,000 jobs and over $1 billion of income in my district. The people of Louisiana know how valuable well-managed forests are to the health of our State and our economy. I would imagine forested communities throughout the country know this as well. It is time we start being proactive instead of reactive when it comes to managing our national forests. The Resilient Federal Forests Act will put us back on track to realize the full potential of our forest resources. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 91) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to issue, upon request, veteran identification cards to certain veterans.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous material on the Senate amendment to H.R. 91.