Jodey Arrington

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert), my new friend, great colleague, and mentor as I have made my transition into this great body. He tells me that all freshman Members come in and have big wins like tax reform and these big, tremendous wins, not for the Republican Party, but for the American people. I am so proud to have been a part of that. I am proud to call Mr. Gohmert my friend. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the Borden County Coyotes' hard-fought victory over Jonesboro in the Division 1, 1A Six-Man Football State Championship. This was the Coyotes' seventh State championship appearance, fifth State championship win, and the second year in a row these two teams faced off in the six-man State championship game. Going into the championship game, only six opposing teams had scored against the Coyotes all year long. They boast the best six-man defense in the State, have been named the best six-man team in the Nation, and are ranked number 1 in the class 1-A division rankings. With the discipline and determination they showed all season long, this team turned a two-point lead at halftime into a 60-22 win in the State championship. I want to commend both teams on their tremendous success and sportsmanship and congratulate, especially, Coach Richey on preparing our Coyotes to achieve a perfect season. I would be remiss if I did not thank the parents and the teachers and the administrators and the fans who were always there throughout this season to ensure the Coyotes always gave their Borden County best. There is nothing like high school football in west Texas. Go Coyotes, and go west Texas. Happy 80th Birthday to Dr. Bill Dean

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to wish a happy birthday, 80 years, to a dear friend, a Lubbock native, and a legend at Texas Tech, Dr. Bill Dean. Dr. Dean has always been a leader and has always had a servant heart when it comes to serving his community and the campus community at Texas Tech. I don't know anyone who loves Texas Tech University and the students at Texas Tech like Bill Dean. He was elected to the student body presidency when he was a student at Tech. He got 3 degrees and became a professor, an associate dean, and, ultimately, in his current role, serves as CEO of the Texas Tech University Alumni Association. He was named the best teacher nine times by his students. Dr. Dean, you are the very best, and you represent the very best of west Texas and Red Raider Nation. I want to say, blessings to you, and I hope you have many, many more years on that college campus because you have had an amazing impact on thousands of the lives of young people who come through that university, like me. Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for your service and your leadership, and God bless you and Peggy. ``Guns Up.''

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, the chief reason the ``American experiment'' in liberty and democracy has been so successful is our belief in God-given, inalienable rights. One of these fundamental freedoms is an individual's right to ``keep and bear arms.'' While the original intent of the Second Amendment to the Constitution was the defense against an abusive, tyrannical government, the central principle is to empower Americans to protect themselves, their families, and, as we witnessed in the Sutherland Springs shooting, their communities. Statistics show annual reductions in murder rates as concealed carry laws have gone into effect and that violent crime has decreased as gun ownership has increased. In fact, according to Gun Owners of America, citizens defend themselves with lethal force against criminals twice as often as police do every year. The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which I cosponsored, simply allows law-abiding citizens who are licensed to carry a firearm the freedom to travel between States, closes gaps and strengthens due process regarding our national criminal background check system, and maintains the reasonable prohibitions that are in place today, like keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent a rural district in west Texas that is home to 14 million acres of farmland and thousands of hardworking farmers and ranchers. These men and women are feeding and clothing the American people. They are bolstering our economy and they are strengthening our national security. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I am committed to delivering results that are in the best interest not only of west Texans, but all Americans. I am doing that with my neighbor and strong leader of the Ag Committee, Mike Conaway. As we craft the next farm bill, there are a few priorities that, if achieved, will put our United States farmers and ranchers, and our country as a whole, in the strongest competitive position. The first is that we must maintain America's food and fiber independence from other countries, which, like energy independence, is a national security imperative. To achieve this objective, we must maintain a viable and responsible safety net for all commodities, which means the committee must work in a bipartisan way to get cotton back in under title I of the farm bill. We can never again let the World Trade Organization dictate agriculture policy to the United States. Addressing the gaping hole in the current agriculture safety net for cotton and fixing other shortfalls and risk management for both crops and livestock will ensure a strong, viable agriculture sector for the United States and rural America. Ultimately, we must maintain appropriate programs to mitigate against unforeseen global market changes and commodity prices, ensure against adverse weather events, and maintain access to credit so farmers across the country can continue to supply America with abundant and affordable sources of food. Additionally, as Texas is the top cattle-producing State in the Nation and represents $80 billion in annual cash receipts nationwide, maintaining key livestock disaster programs are equally important to a responsible and effective safety net for our ag producers. Second, our rural communities need greater access to broadband communications to be viable in the modern era. Increasing access to broadband is fundamental to the survival of rural America. It is necessary to support critical infrastructure, such as healthcare and education, and for overall economic sustainability so that we can finally close the digital divide between rural and urban America. Let me put it to you this way: no rural America; no food, fuel, and fiber for the American people. Third, we need another generation of farmers and ranchers. The American agriculturist is facing tough times. The average age of a farmer is nearly 60 and the number of people involved in ag production in their thirties and forties continues to decrease dramatically, with less than 1 percent of the American population involved in ag production. The math doesn't look promising. Operating expenses continue to rise and farmers, particularly the young ones, have less equity to finance their operations. Farmers of all ages need a dependable and flexible operating loan structure with loan amounts that are useful. We must work to ensure that the USDA has the flexibility it needs to extend credit in the most meaningful way. Fourth, innovation makes it possible for the farmer and rancher to continue to operate. Ensuring adequate and equitable research funding for agriculture colleges across the country is key. Let's not just pour all of our money into land-grant institutions just because they are land-grant institutions. Let's fund the best ideas. It is call meritocracy. That is what our country was founded on. As former vice chancellor of research at Texas Tech University, I saw some of the best and most innovative ideas spawned from research go to market and make a difference for our economy and the quality of our lives. Lastly, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program needs a more focused accountability. As we craft the next farm bill, we should continue to monitor the effectiveness of all programs, especially SNAP, which accounts for 80 percent of all spending in the farm bill. While the intent is well-meaning, the unintended consequence is an increase of recipients who are work-capable adults without dependents, accounting for nearly 30 percent of all recipients. It is imperative to require that able-bodied adults work in order to receive government assistance not just in SNAP, but all government programs. Mr. Speaker, in closing, our farmers and ranchers are central to the vitality and security of this great Nation. This legislation is extremely critical to the success of our farmers. By including the priorities I have outlined today in the next farm bill, we can ensure a safer, stronger, freer America for our children.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and congratulate them and their 2,000-plus members as they gather for their annual awards ceremony this week. For over 100 years, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce has brought these hardworking men and women together to better our community. Their commitment to excellence has earned them national recognition as America's first and only chamber to be two- time, five-star accredited and twice named Chamber of the Year. And as we say in Texas: ``That ain't braggin' if it's true.'' I want to recognize a few of our hardworking business leaders who are being celebrated this week: Ambassador of the Year, Danny Soliz; Volunteer of the Year, Kathy Timms; Business Person of the Year, Chris Lonngren; Business of the Year, Bayer Crop Science; and Entrepreneur of the Year, Shara Konechney. Congrats to all of these folks. Congrats to my friend, Eddie McBride. Mr. Speaker, I thank them for their leadership, and thanks to all of our small businesses. They are the heartbeat of west Texas, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, history is replete with examples of prosperous nations and powerful empires whose demise was not as a result of adversaries on the outside but, rather, the enemy within. Congress and our President face several challenges to ensure the next generation inherits a safe, strong, and free country. There is the rise of global Islamic terrorism, escalating nuclear threats, increasing geopolitical instability, the need to modernize our military and ensure it is prepared to address those threats, and, finally, the need to revive our economy and give more and better jobs to middle and working class Americans. While these are serious issues and they necessitate a sense of urgency and bold actions, they are all but irrelevant if we experience a sovereign debt crisis. This is not a hypothetical. This is a real probability, and if we stay on our current trajectory, we will all but assure our children and grandchildren will suffer the consequences. If the United States experiences a debt crisis, how are we going to fund a safety net for our agriculture producers and our most vulnerable? How are we going to have transportation and other critical infrastructure to support economic growth? And, most importantly, how are we going to give the tools to our men and women in uniform so they will be successful and safe? How will we fund these national priorities if our government is insolvent? Today, the United States is $20 trillion in debt--over 70 percent of GDP. That is roughly $165,000 per taxpayer. If all current policies stay in place, in the next 10 years, we will be $30 trillion in debt, or nearly 90 percent of GDP, the highest level we have seen since 1947, according to the CBO. We will have $1 trillion in annual deficit spending; and, get this, we will spend more on the interest on our debt than we will on national defense. Just to give you a sense of how quickly this debt is amassing, in the next 24 hours, we will have increased our debt $1.5 billion. I want to be clear. This is not a revenue problem. Just this past year, according to the monthly Treasury statement, the Federal Government collected record amounts of both individual income tax revenue and payroll tax revenue. The underlying issue here is runaway spending. We all know it. The American people know it. The lion's share of that spending is for mandatory spending. Mandatory spending is government spending on autopilot. Today, mandatory spending makes up 70 percent of the entire Federal budget. In terms of growth in spending, over the next 10 years, 90 percent of the growth will come from mandatory spending. We will never solve the national debt problem on discretionary spending alone. We must deal with mandatory spending, which means entitlement reform is the most serious and realistic opportunity to address our national debt. Many of our entitlement programs are nearing insolvency. Without immediate action, some of these important social safety net programs will not be there for the next generation. With 10,000 baby boomers entering retirement every day--the largest generational retirement in the history of the world--these critical safety net programs, like Medicare and Social Security, will be insolvent; Medicare by 2030, Social Security by 2034. We no longer have the luxury of kicking the can down the road. We are long overdue for action and we are fast approaching yet another debt ceiling. The debt ceiling has been in existence since 1941, 70 years, and every time very little has been done to rein in spending as a result. It was supposed to serve as a warning so that we pause and consider the risk of borrowing more money that 74 times we have effectively just blown past through it. We cannot continue to increase our borrowing capacity every time we hit the debt ceiling without some countervailing action to address our deficit and debt. At what point is enough enough? How far do we want to put our children and grandchildren in the debt hole before we decide that this is a moral obligation and this is truly a looming crisis? As Congress works to deal with the debt ceiling and our spending package that is here on the immediate horizon, it is important that we also introduce structural spending reforms. We need to have a balanced budget, for heaven's sake. We need to move some of the mandatory over to discretionary. We need to set targets for reducing our debt. And if we don't meet those targets because we don't have the courage to do it, then it should be forced on us to cut across the board until we get this debt down to a manageable size for our children and for the future of this country. Balancing our budget and reducing our country's debilitating debt is the challenge of the 21st century. It is my generation's greatest challenge. It is time for Congress to step up to the plate and get to work addressing the biggest problem facing our country. That means less partisan obstruction and thinking about our political futures and more courageous leadership and thinking about our children's future.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I thank my dear friend and distinguished colleague from the State of Louisiana for his strong leadership and for hosting us this evening, this Special Order, on such an important issue. Madam Speaker, tax reform in west Texas and in rural America is about giving our hardworking and middle class families a break in allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned money. According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, our plan would increase wages by over 3 percent, create roughly 1 million new jobs, and raise the after-tax income of the average middle-income family by nearly $2,600. It is about simplifying the Tax Code and reducing the burden on taxpayers so that they don't have to spend a combined almost 9 billion hours and $100 billion just to prepare their taxes every year. Under our plan, 9 out of 10 Americans, as my colleague mentioned, will be able to file their taxes on a form as simple as a postcard. It is about getting off the backs of our job creators, which are our small businesses, and letting them create more jobs for their communities. Our plan would reduce the tax rate on our Main Street job creators to the lowest it has been since World War II. It is about making America competitive again by leveling the playing field for American producers and manufacturers. Our plan would lower the corporate tax rate and bring jobs back to America, and it would also boost the average American household income by $4,000 and, in some studies, as high as $9,000. It is about giving our family farmers and ranchers a reason to invest in new tractors and equipment, combines and cotton strippers, so they can do what they have been doing: be more productive even at feeding and clothing the American people. This plan allows our farmers and ranchers, as well as our small businesses, the ability to write off the full cost of new technology and equipment immediately, and it is about eliminating the duplicative, unfair, and un-American death tax that prevents family farmers, ranchers, and small-business owners from passing down their hard-earned American Dream to the next generation after they paid taxes on it their entire lives. Today, more than 70 percent--listen to this--more than 70 percent of family businesses don't make it to the second generation; 90 percent don't survive to the third generation. That is unacceptable. Tomorrow, Madam Speaker, marks an historic moment, the likes of which we haven't seen in over 30 years, to change the current economic trajectory of this country and restore freedom and opportunity for all hardworking American families. Let's seize it. Let's deliver on our promise, and let's give much-deserved relief to the American people and a much-needed boost to the American economy.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support 76 years of celebrating God's Word during National Bible Week. No other book has sold more copies or changed more lives than the Bible. Abraham Lincoln said: ``In regard for this great book, I have this to say, `It is the best gift God has given to man. All that the good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book.' '' May we always remember the impact the Bible has had on this country and on our democracy. May we govern according to its timeless precepts and principles, and may God bless these United States of America.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, before I go back to the great State of Texas today, I just want to say happy Veterans Day to our men and women who have sacrificed and served so bravely. I want to say, from all those who I represent in west Texas, thank you for giving up your day so that we could have our tomorrow. You represent the very best of our American values, and we are the most powerful, the most prosperous, and most generous Nation in the world. We are the most free Nation in the history of the world because of you. God bless our veterans and God bless America.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 3949, yet another piece of bipartisan, commonsense legislation that will serve our veterans. In the transition from deployment to employment, apprenticeship programs have proven to be extremely successful. Roughly 20,000 veterans are actively training or participating in these programs, and their employment outcomes are nothing short of impressive. According to VA's data, over 90 percent of veteran apprentices are employed after completing their programs with an average starting wage of over $60,000. Over their lifetime, apprentices see an increase in compensation of over $300,000 as compared to their peers. These programs aren't just a win for our veterans, they are a win for taxpayers. Every dollar invested in apprenticeship programs sees a return in benefits of $35. While it is clear to see the advantages of apprenticeship programs, like in many parts of VA, this program is hampered by needless burden and bureaucracy. Currently, private employers who offer these programs in more than one State have to register with each State individually. Burdened by the difficulty and trail of paperwork that this creates, many employers only choose to participate in a limited way or they just don't offer them altogether. H.R. 3949, the Veterans Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform Act, or the VALOR Act, authored by my good friend and colleague, Congressman Ro Khanna, streamlines the registration process for employers, which, in turn, encourages them to participate and leads to more opportunities for our veterans. Given the tremendous sacrifice our veterans have made for our country, we should do everything we can to ensure that they have access to good jobs, and the VALOR Act does just that. I would like to thank Mr. Khanna again for his hard work and his leadership on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss H.R. 3562 and ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to improve our services for those who have ``borne the battle": America's disabled veterans. Currently, if a disabled veteran in VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program needs adaptations made to their home due to the limitations of their disability, then it is their vocational rehabilitation counselor, someone who has no experience or training in home construction, who makes such arrangements for these adaptations. In addition to the lack of core competency in home adaptations, these counselors have experienced a significant and steady rise in their job counseling caseloads, so their focusing on this home construction takes away from their primary function as a vocational counselor. This has resulted in inefficiencies for disabled veterans who now have to wait in line, and it is costing taxpayers more money. While these are master's degree-level counselors who provide great services to our veterans every single day, they do not have the expertise to understand how to build a wheelchair ramp, affix a grab bar to a wall, or implement other home adaptations. This bill would simply transfer these responsibility's to VA's Specially Adapted Housing program, where they deal with these kinds of construction projects every day. This change is needed. It will save the taxpayers money, and, most importantly, it will help our disabled veterans immensely by ensuring that they have the right people on the job to address their service- connected disabilities in a timely fashion. Mr. Speaker, as we head into Veterans Day this upcoming weekend, I just want to take a moment of personal privilege and say what an honor it has been to serve on the VA Committee and chair the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, and I want to thank, especially, the chairman for that opportunity. It is humbling to know that in some small way I can do my part on behalf of the people of west Texas to serve those who put their lives on the line for all of us. Veterans represent the very best of what this country was built on: service before self. I say this because, at a time when our country's culture and political environment seems so divided, the one thing that continues to bring us together as Americans is our servicemembers and veterans. When they raised their right hand and swore an oath to defend their fellow citizens, they did not care if we were from a red State or a blue State, Republican or Democrat. They did it for love of country and to protect not only their family and friends, but also the stranger whom they will never meet. That is why I am also very proud that, when we consider veterans legislation as we are doing today and tomorrow, we are doing the two most important things expected by all Americans: working together to solve problems, and delivering on our promise to the American people. I believe that the cumulative effect of commonsense measures such as the bill that we are considering today are helping to deliver on those promises. I want to thank Chairman Roe, again, and also House leadership on both sides for helping us bring this bill through our committee and to the floor. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I would be remiss if I didn't also thank the leadership of my ranking member, friend, and fellow west Texan, Mr. Beto O'Rourke, in getting this bill introduced and to where it is today. I know that our fellow Americans would strongly agree with me that our veterans, especially our disabled veterans, deserve the very best services their country can provide, and this bill is another step towards doing just that. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to pay tribute to a living legend: my friend and colleague, Congressman Sam Johnson. Recently, we had the opportunity to honor him by renaming the Texas Tech University Vietnam Archive as the Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive. Nobody in the United States Congress enjoys more esteem from his colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, than Sam Johnson. His legacy of service is awe-inspiring. Twenty-nine years in the United States Air Force, combat missions in Korea and Vietnam. Nearly 7 years as a POW, roughly 3 of those years in solitary confinement. There are many forces in politics that pull us from pillar to post, and many interests that compete for our time and attention. There is one force that drives this man--it is his desire to fight for the future of this country. And there is only one interest, and that is only what is in the best interest of all Americans. I am grateful to Texas Tech for honoring Congressman Johnson's service and sacrifice, and I am proud of the example Sam has set for all of us who serve in the people's House.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, if the United States is going to maintain the ability to feed and clothe our own people and fuel this American economy, we need a strong and sustainable rural America like the district I represent in west Texas. What would this country be without the hardworking energy and agriculture producers in small towns across this great land? The heart of small-town sustainability is access to healthcare. There are over 5,000 hospitals in the United States, and roughly half of them are in rural America, serving one out of every five Americans. Without access to basic medical services, communities in America's breadbasket and energy basin would not survive. Hospitals serving rural communities face unique challenges: an aging population, low patient volume, higher percentages of Medicare beneficiaries, to name a few. Each translates into a higher per-patient cost which has left 41 percent of rural hospitals operating at a loss. On top of this problematic patient volume and patient mix, ObamaCare has heaped a backbreaking $54 billion in additional regulatory burden in unfunded mandates. Since 2010, the year ObamaCare was enacted, 80 rural hospitals have shut down, 11 of which were in my home State of Texas. If this rate continues, in less than 10 years, an unimaginable 25 percent of our Nation's rural hospitals will close. That would cripple rural communities across this country and deliver a devastating blow to our agriculture and energy economy, affecting all Americans, including our neighbors in urban and suburban America. For some Texans, the nearest hospital is already 100 miles away. In an emergency, this distance can mean the difference between life and death. Point of fact: 60 percent of all trauma deaths occur in rural America, despite the fact that rural America only makes up 20 percent of the country's population. Here is a startling fact and outright scary scenario: one-third of rural hospitals have been deemed vulnerable to closure. If all 673 of those hospitals were to close down, it could result in over 130,000 jobs lost and almost $300 billion in GDP lost. When unemployment goes down and wages go down in those small towns, folks move away in search of better opportunities. In order to sustain the critical lifeline hospitals provide for our rural communities, I have introduced H.R. 4178, the Healthcare Enhancement for America's Rural Towns Act, or the HEART Act. Why? Because small towns are the heartbeat of America; the heart of our food, fuel, and fiber production; the heart of traditional American values. This legislation extends two programs vital to the sustainability of rural hospitals and the community they deserve: the Low-Volume Adjustment program and the Medicare-Dependent Hospital program. These programs account for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of all Medicare expenditures, but they go a long way to ensuring that rural community hospitals with a higher percentage of Medicare patients have adequate funding to serve the unique populations. By extending the Medicare Low-Volume Adjustment program for 2 years, and for the first time permanently extending the Medicare-Dependent Hospital program, we can provide the assurance and continuity that our rural hospitals desperately need in order to serve our communities in the future. Just as importantly, we do this in a way that is budget neutral and without spending any additional taxpayer moneys. Let's pass this legislation. Let's protect the heart of rural America and give our community hospitals the certainty that they need to keep our people and our communities healthy.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the people of west Texas, home to 14 million acres of farmland, making it one of the largest agriculture production regions in the world. I have spent a lot of time with these plowboys and cowboys over the years, and I can tell you this: these men and women don't work our land and our cattle for the money, and they certainly don't do it for recognition. But today is National Farmers Day. Let's pause and pay tribute to the American farmer. Farming was man's first profession. Farming saved and sustained our first colony at Jamestown. Farming helped fund the Revolution, securing the very freedoms we have and cherish today. Farming has allowed us to feed and clothe our own people, and that food and fiber independence has contributed to America being the most powerful, most prosperous, and most generous Nation in the history of the world. God bless our farmers.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a fallen hero, Officer Floyd East, Jr. Officer East was a police officer for the Texas Tech University Police Department. On Monday, October 9, Officer East completed his final patrol to protect and serve. Officer East has been described by friends as someone you could rely on and someone who was always there to help or just listen. No doubt, he represented the very best of the values of Texas Tech. His loss reminds us that policemen and -women put their lives at risk every day. He left behind a loving wife, Carmen, who generously allowed him to dedicate his life to keeping us safe. To his children, Ana and Monica: Our prayers are with you. Scripture tells us that ``there's no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for his friends.'' That was God's greatest gift to this world and that was your dad's greatest gift. Our Red Raider family is behind you, and we will never forget Floyd and how he held the thin blue line. God bless your family.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Chairman, for too long Congress has been allowed to play by a different set of rules than the American people in regard to how we budget. No one lives in a world where there is seemingly an endless supply of money, that is, until you enter the fantasy world of Washington, D.C. However, hardworking American families, businessmen, and businesswomen live in the real world. They have to budget. They have to prioritize and make trade-off decisions: wants versus needs, what is good and what is essential. The bottom line, they have to live within their means. But, apparently, our government has been exempt from such basic principles of fiscal responsibility under which we the people must live. The prevailing budget philosophy over the years among our representative leaders has been as follows: as long as we can borrow it, you can bet your bottom dollar we can spend it. And spend it they have. This borrowing-and-spending delusion has left us on the brink of bankruptcy. We are $20 trillion in debt, which puts our country in the worst debt position in the history of America, and this with the sacred constitutional charge to secure liberty for our posterity. That means give freedom to our children. Mr. Chairman, there is no freedom with this level of debt. If we don't do something about this looming debt crisis and stay on our current spending trajectory, in less than 10 years, we will be at $30 trillion in debt. We will have $1 trillion in annual deficit. We will be spending more--get this--on our interest on the debt we owe than on national defense. Mr. Chairman, enough is enough. I rise in support of this budget, a budget that begins to rein in this reckless spending, a budget that funds our national priorities and our core responsibilities and initiates a historic opportunity for tax relief for middle and working class families. Let's stop spending our children's future and stop pretending that they won't inherit a disaster as a result. Let's live in the same reality as every other American. Let's focus on our main mission as a limited Federal Government by rebuilding our military, by maintaining our infrastructure, and by securing our food supply so we can maintain the ability to feed our own people. Let's unleash our job creators from the highest tax burden in the free world. Let's allow our families and individuals to keep more of their hard-earned money, and let's hand this country safer, stronger, and freer than we found it. Mr. Chairman, let's pass this budget.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I cannot think of a more important issue to get right than protecting the God-given souls of the unborn and their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I will never forget listening to the heartbeat of my first child, Nathan. I cried all the way to the car, praising God for this miracle, and the words of the Psalmist came to me: ``You formed me in my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb.'' Currently, the United States is one of only seven developed countries that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks. That puts us on the same moral equivalent, in this regard, to China and North Korea. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 36. I stand with the vulnerable and the voiceless, and I kneel in submission to the author of life and ask for His blessings on this country and this initiative.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Madam Speaker, in 2014, four MS-13 gang members brutally murdered a 14-year-old boy from Texas with a machete. Just this year, two MS-13 gang members laughed and waved at the cameras as they faced trial in a Houston courtroom for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of young girls. These are just two examples that reflect the horrific and gruesome reality of what gangs across this country are capable of. There are as many as 100,000 gang members in my home State of Texas, several of whom are linked to Mexican cartels, who help them distribute drugs and traffic people and weapons. Nearly 60 percent of identified prison gang members in Texas are serving sentences for violent crimes, including homicide, robbery, and assault. MS-13 is one of the most dangerous gangs in our State, with almost 500 members throughout Texas. They have been described by the Houston police chief as a ``transnational terrorist organization,'' the ``worst of the worst,'' and a ``cancer.'' It is State and local law enforcement officers like him, as well gang task forces, who are on the front lines, putting their own lives in danger to deal with these heinous criminals. Today, I rise in support of Mrs. Comstock's bill, which will do what we should have been doing a long time ago, and that is giving local entities the ability to expeditiously deport gang members who are here illegally and ensure they never are able to come back to the United States. Our first job is to keep Americans safe. H.R. 3697 certainly improves the prospects of that.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize the Ports-to-Plains Alliance on 20 years of hard work to ensure a voice for rural communities in America's heartland and for educating others on the importance of building out infrastructure around feeding, fueling, and clothing America's cities in urban areas. Let me start by recognizing the hard work and the leadership of my dear friend and predecessor who left big shoes for me to fill, and that man is Randy Neugebauer, who is, in my mind, the father of this great initiative. And we in west Texas and up and down the backbone of this country owe him a debt of gratitude. I extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to Congressman Randy Neugebauer. For those who aren't familiar, the Ports-to-Plains corridor runs north and south through the center of America's heartland, from my State of Texas to Montana, through New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and North Dakota. It is strategically located to create jobs and increase economic efficiency by connecting rural areas to urban America, regional trade centers, and international transportation facilities. Within the Ports-to-Plains service area, there are three congressionally designated corridors, high-priority transportation corridors, consisting of over 2,300 miles of highway and 38 million citizens. The Ports-to-Plains region includes States that lead our Nation's energy economy, with 7 of the top 10 States in oil production and 8 of the top 10 States in wind energy generation, producing over $44 million in agriculture goods, or about 22 percent of the United States' total production of agriculture. The Ports-to-Plains corridor annually generates over $166 billion in trade with Canada and Mexico, which is almost 20 percent of all U.S. North American trade. The bottom line is: Middle America provides the food, fuel, and fiber that strengthens and protects our Nation, but that is only true when we can get the product to market. Unfortunately, nearly half of this region consists of two-lane, antiquated roads that cannot safely and reliably handle today's traffic demands, much less future traffic demands. These roads were never designed to accommodate the kind of traffic and large trucks being used today, mainly by the energy and agriculture industries. The Ports-to-Plains Alliance, through its partnerships, has formed a strong voice for rural America promoting the importance of investing in its highway infrastructure. I am honored to share the significance of this corridor and its needs by chairing the newly created Congressional Ports-to-Plains Caucus alongside--and this is a bipartisan effort--my House co-chairs Representatives Smith, Gonzalez, Cuellar, and our counterparts in the Senate, Senators Heitkamp and Fischer. If we are going to continue to feed and clothe the American people and fuel this great economy, we must make the investment in our infrastructure, and we must make that investment in rural America. The return is incalculable, unmeasurable, unquantifiable, and we need to make that investment. If you want to make America great again, support the people of rural America, support the products of rural America, and God help us support the values of rural America. God bless America, and God bless America's beating heart in small towns all across this land.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, in light of this unprecedented natural disaster in Houston and Louisiana, along the Gulf Coast, I want to urge my colleagues to provide the resources necessary to help them recover. We need to move quickly and we need to move responsibly, and I just urge my colleagues to act, and act now. I am very proud of my fellow Texans for the way they have responded. I am proud of the leadership at the local level, at the State level, and I am proud, mostly, of the overwhelming, loving response of reaching out, neighbor helping neighbor, friends and folks in their community taking this responsibility head-on, not waiting on the Federal Government. We have a role, and the Federal Government ought to do all that we can to help those. Texas is a special place, Mr. Speaker. As you know, these folks are very self-reliant. They are committed to their communities, and they are committed to loving thy neighbor. It is not just a memory verse, it is a way of life in Texas. So, again, our thoughts and prayers are with our friends back home. I know my colleagues and neighbors in west Texas, in District 19, have sent first responder vehicles and personnel, food, and supplies. Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, has sent, for example, 12 tons of supplies and food. So we are with you guys. We love you. As Trump said, ``Texans can handle anything.'' He is right. God bless Texas, and God bless America.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 114, which will continue funding the Choice Program, an important reform to make sure that our veterans have access to quality care. For too long, our veterans, Mr. Speaker, have been trapped in a system that has failed them. They are in a single-payer system. We put them in a system that the Members of Congress wouldn't sign up for. For years, we haven't give them the same choice that we have given Medicaid patients and Medicare patients. The Choice Program isn't just common sense, it is common decency. We have asked these men and women to serve and to sacrifice for our freedom. They deserve the very best care. The only way they are going to get the best care is to have choice when they have geographic challenges or are waiting in line. We have all read the reports about how our veterans have waited in line, have gotten sicker, and some even died. It is unconscionable and unacceptable. I am so grateful that, in an institution that has a reputation of gridlock and dysfunction, we have a committee with leaders like Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz who will come together and put America first. So I am heartened by this and I applaud their leadership. I support this continuation of funding and the improved access to care for our heroes. I thank the chairman for the privilege of serving under the leadership of his committee.

Mr. ARRINGTON

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for his heartfelt comments about rural America. I am so proud to be shoulder to shoulder with him in this righteous cause. Mr. Speaker, I now have the greatest privilege of the night for me, because this man has been a mentor and a friend for many years and has probably done as much as anybody to welcome me and coach me up so I can represent west Texas to the best my abilities. He is from the 25th District of Texas, and he is an all-American baseball player. Let me tell you, he won back then and he is winning now. I am just so proud that he is on the side of rural America and helping rural America win in the outcomes of public policy so we can keep it strong and vibrant and keep America great. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams).

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of my Special Order.

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my friends, my family, my neighbors, and my fellow Americans in rural communities all across this land. I am proud to represent 29 counties in rural west Texas. I am grateful that I grew up in a small town--the town of Plainview, Texas, a little farming community. We are the sum of many things and many contributions and influences, and I am thankful for the influences of that town. I am grateful to my coaches and my teachers. I was inspired by Ms. Becky Taylor, my first government teacher at Plainview High School. I have countless people to thank, and as I walk the Halls here, and as I stand on the floor of the House and cast my vote for the people I represent, I think about all of those people who have made an investment. You see, in rural America, they take responsibility for their community. They believe in making investment in all of those young people who are working their way through the school system, who have big dreams to make a difference in the world, and I was one of them. I pray I could be a champion for rural America. I pray I will be an effective legislator and that I will be a strong voice for a people that feel often that they don't have a voice. Maybe it is because we don't have the votes, and maybe it is because we don't have as many people, but what we don't have in numbers of people, we more than make up for in our contribution to this country in the food, in the fuel, in the fiber that we produce in rural America. The folks who I represent help put food on the table of all Americans. They put clothes on the backs of all Americans. They help fuel this great American economy. They give us energy independence. They allow us to have an affordable, safe, and abundant supply of food. We take it for granted. When you ask folks around the country, especially in urban and suburban areas, ``Where does your food come from,'' many answer, ``The grocery store or the food truck.'' My colleagues and I are standing today to speak about the virtue and the values of rural America and the contribution to this great experiment in democracy and liberty. We know that it is by the blood, sweat, and tears of farmers and ranchers all across this great land. I love everything about rural America, Mr. Speaker. I love the people, I love the values, and I love our way of life. We are not just the energy basin, and we are not just the breadbasket. We are the backbone of this country. If you lose rural America, then you lose something very special. You lose those traditional American values that are at the heart of the greatness of this country. They are counting on us--all of us who represent rural communities-- to fight for them. If you think about this Presidential election, more than 70 percent of rural communities and people living in rural areas in the swing States voted for our President. They felt voiceless and powerless. They felt like they were losing their country, and they wanted their country back. They were tired of political correctness. They were tired of do-nothing institutions and politicians that said they were going to change things and then--status quo. They know, as well as anybody, what is at stake in the next few years and the next several years. This window of time is special. They came out strong in support of our President because they wanted something different. They wanted results. Rural America defines leadership different than we do. They define leadership as working together to solve problems and deliver results. If you don't deliver results, you are not a leader in rural America. The proof is in the pudding. So I am especially excited about this opportunity in the life of our Nation. I am exceptionally honored to serve in this august body with so much history. I am overjoyed that I wear the rural America jersey when I stand on this floor. I am going to do all I can to fight for the future of this country, which means I am going to fight for rural America's traditional values, and I'm not going to apologize for it because, again, where we come from is a lot of who we are, and who we are is a whole lot more important than what we do. I am rural America. I am traditional values. I am from the land of farmers, ranchers, and public schoolteachers who believe they can have an impact on a kid and inspire him to believe he can change the world. You are looking at one of them. Mr. Speaker, I thank Miss Becky Taylor, I thank Coach Cunningham, I thank Coach Irlebeck, and I thank youth minister Karl Shackleford. I could go on and on. I stand on the shoulders of a lot of good people in small town, middle America, and I don't stand alone. I stand in the company of great men whom I have met since I have been here. I know a lot of Americans look at this United States Congress as dysfunctional and do- nothing, and do you know what? They are right in many ways. But I look at the individuals, and I see some of the most impressive, patriotic people who want to make a difference. I am thankful that in this fight for the heart and soul of this country, in this battle for the identity of our Nation, this constitutional Republic, I have got folks in the foxhole with me. To start my foxhole friends who stand on the side of rural America, I want to introduce a great American, a dear friend, and the president of our freshman class. He comes from a big swath of rural Michigan, Michigan's First District. He is a general, he is a soldier, he is a businessman, and he is a proud granddad. When I think of Jack Bergman, I think of a leader. He is a leader. I am proud to serve with Jack Bergman. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman).

Mr. ARRINGTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his wonderful, beautiful, and heartfelt words about where he comes from, how that shaped him, and how deeply he believes in the people in the country, as we say in west Texas. He talked about a lot of things. He talked about the folks who work the land, and he talked about traditional American values. Mr. Speaker, I think you are going to hear some common themes from my colleagues this evening. The gentleman also mentioned the burden of Big Government. I said, coming into this office and after 8 years of the advent and explosion of Big Government, that when our economy in urban and suburban is like a patient who is sick, the rural patients are in the ICU because small businesses, community banks, and family farmers bear a disproportionate burden when it comes to the trillions of dollars and the cumulative effect of all the rules and regulations out of the last year. So rescuing the American economy is about helping a sick patient. Rescuing the rural economy is getting the patient stabilized and off life support so we can live to farm, to fight, and to have the kind of quality of life that we love for another day. Mr. Speaker, I have got a good friend that I have made since I came to the United States Congress. The gentleman is from the 12th District of the great State of Georgia. He is a son of a farmer. I bet he knows something about working the land. I bet he knows something about a work ethic. I bet his daddy taught him something about that. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen) who is my friend and a businessman. The gentleman received the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award, and he will talk about rural America and why it is so important to making America great.