Kevin Brady

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 157, I was unavoidably detained to cast my vote in time. Had I been present, I would have voted ``No.'' personal explanation

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of a dedicated community leader and a dear friend, Dr. Ann Snyder. Ann's knowledge, faith, and understanding have always been her guide, which may explain her numerous accolades. A committed public servant, Ann served as President and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands and the Interfaith Community Clinic for over a decade. Today, she serves on The Woodlands Township and Convention and Visitors Center boards, as well as numerous others. Ann earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Colorado State University, her Master of Education degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia, and her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Baylor University. Her past service as Chair of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, President of The Woodlands Rotary Board, and President of the National Charity League Board, in addition to her work on the boards of the YMCA, Friends of the Library, Junior League, and The Woodlands Junior Golf Association, perfectly illustrates why she was named one of Houston's Most Influential Women in 2015. Our future leaders hold a special place in Ann's heart. Whether they were students in her classes at the University of Houston, budding scientists participating in the Education for Tomorrow Alliance 'science fairs, students in the Conroe Independent School District where she served on the Board of Trustees, and students at Lone Star College where she served on the facilities review committee. It is too numerous to name all the organizations Ann has helped faithfully guide. A devoted member of The Woodlands United Methodist Church, Ann's many community honors include: Hometown Hero, Montgomery County Woman of Distinction, South Montgomery County Person of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Rotary International's Service-Above-Self Award, The Woodlands Paul Harris Award, Rotary Hall of Fame, and many more. In 2013, the Conroe Independent School District ensured that future generations would know of her service by dedicating the Ann K. Snyder Elementary School. I am proud to recognize my friend and community hero, Ann Snyder, who continues to show us exactly what servant leadership should look like by striving to make our community a better place to call home.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I honor the Pregnancy Assistance Center North (PACN) for more than three decades of dedicated work to empower women and men to choose life-affirming healthcare options, address health issues for medically underserved women, and build healthy families in the northern Houston suburbs. In January of 1986, a small group banded together with the common goal of helping families struggling with unplanned pregnancies. Members of this group poured out their compassion on those families, and demonstrated their willingness to serve by donating tools for education, support, and resources to the new ministry. PACN served its first clients in February of 1987. These families were welcomed into donated office space and later, Sunday school classrooms of partnering churches. From that early network of eight churches, support has now grown to include over seventy-five church partners and nearly one-thousand financial supporters. The organization, which started with just $100, now operates two full-service medical clinics totaling almost 15,000 square feet and provides top-notch well-woman care on an annual budget of just over $1.25 million, all without a single tax-payer dollar. In its early years, PACN served just 360 clients each year. Today, an average of 7,000 clients visit the clinics annually, receiving pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STI testing and treatment, women's health exams, post-abortion support, and material assistance for those who choose to give birth and raise their children. By placing their focus on empowerment through education, PACN's education and counseling programs provide clients with the tools they need to break free from past decisions, chart a new path for their lives, and begin building strong family legacies. Each week, over 130 volunteers give their time to PACN. They are the backbone of this organization, each one possessing their own story of why they choose to invest in The Cause for Life. Their assistance to this organization's mission cannot be overstated. I am proud to recognize PACN's mission to bring about positive change in northern Houston by providing a community of support, which allows women and men to confidently choose life.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on roll call No. 103, I was unavoidably detained to cast my vote in time. Had I been present, I would have voted YES.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 104, I was unavoidably detained to cast my vote in time. Had I been present, I would have voted YES.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 99, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 42) disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to drug testing of unemployment compensation applicants, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.J. Res. 42, currently under consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Next Wednesday, February 22, will mark 5 years since the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act was signed into law. This 2012 law has made important reforms in the unemployment insurance system, improvements that were specifically designed to help more out-of-work Americans successfully return to the workforce. This included a key provision which overturned a 1960s-era ban by the Department of Labor on drug screening and testing of unemployment insurance applicants. Unemployment insurance serves those that have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. It seeks to promote swift reemployment through several key requirements. Namely, to be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, applicants must be able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work. So if a worker loses his or her job due to drug use, that worker is not truly able to work. In addition, if a worker cannot take a new job because they can't pass a mandatory drug test from their employer, this worker is not truly available to work either. In recognition of this issue, the 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act allowed but did not require States to drug screen and test certain unemployment applicants, specifically those seeking a job or an occupation that regularly required new employees to pass a drug test. I was proud to lead this effort in 2012 because I knew it would have a meaningful impact on the lives of many Americans struggling with drug use. The goal is simple: get the incentives right in unemployment insurance so that Americans can confront and overcome these challenges. With a growing number of employers now requiring drug tests for new workers, we wanted to empower these out- of-work Americans to be ready to pass that drug test, take that new job, and get back on the path to earning their own success. My home State of Texas was one of the first to step up when this provision was established by the 2012 law. They even changed their own laws to get ready. But before this provision could be implemented by States, the law required the Department of Labor to issue a regulation defining those occupations that regularly conduct drug testing. The intent was to match real-world expectations from employers. In a 2012 hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means' Human Resources Subcommittee, an official from the Department of Labor assured us the rule could be drafted quickly and according to congressional intent. Well, despite those assurances, months went by with no action from the Obama administration. During that time, the Ways and Means Committee held another hearing on this issue and even sent a letter to the Department of Labor in anticipation of the regulation. We urged them to craft the rule broadly, which was consistent with what we were hearing from businesses. In October of 2014, more than 2 years after the law was passed, the Department issued its proposed rule. Counter to our recommendations, the draft rule was incredibly narrow. So narrow, in fact, that States like Texas would be severely limited in their ability to successfully implement an unemployment insurance drug testing program. Again, the Ways and Means Committee made our concerns known to the Obama administration by submitting a public comment on the draft rule, calling for significant revisions. We made clear that the proposed rule did not faithfully adhere to the intent of Congress, and these same concerns were also echoed in other public comments from prominent stakeholders. Two more years went by. Meanwhile, Congress continued to press the administration to revise the rule so it followed the intent of the bipartisan law. That brings us to August of last year, when, at long last, the Department of Labor published its final rule. And just like the proposed rule 2 years earlier, it ignored the intent of Congress. It disregarded most of the comments and the concerns of stakeholders. Above all, the final rule directly undermined the ability of States to implement this important bipartisan reform that would help unemployed workers in their quest to find a good-paying new job. So on his way out of office, former President Obama flat out refused to implement the law he signed in 2012. Instead, he directed the Department of Labor to issue a regulation that effectively blocks States from taking action. Mr. Speaker, the American people are sick of Washington not keeping its promises. They are sick of unaccountable Federal bureaucrats abusing their authority to undercut the will of Congress and the American people. And this eleventh-hour regulation by the Obama Department of Labor is a prime example of just that. The debate we are having today is not about the merits of drug testing unemployment insurance applicants. That is now for the States to decide because, in 2012, Congress passed a law providing them--not the Federal Government--with the ability to do so. This debate is about placing a check and balance on blatant executive overreach that all but prohibits States from moving forward with this reform. More importantly, it is about ensuring that the will and the intent of this body is upheld. In closing, I thank the House for its consideration of H.J. Res. 42. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith) be permitted to control the remainder of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my congratulations and best wishes to Ms. Karen Spar on the occasion of her retirement from a lifetime of dedicated service at the Congressional Research Service. Since she began her career in 1980 at CRS, Karen has risen from an analyst to the head of the Children and Families Section and eventually the Division of Social Policy's first Division Research Coordinator. In her early days as an analyst, Karen worked on major legislative initiatives of American social policy, including the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, the Job Training Partnership Act of 1983, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, and the Adoption and Safe Family Act of 1997. As head of the Children and Families Section, she supervised work in many of these same policy areas, including income support, child care, nutrition assistance, housing, child welfare, vulnerable youth, child support enforcement, poverty, and others. Her leadership efforts shaped a disparate group of policy areas and analysts from different backgrounds. They became a coherent and highly effective research group to support Members from both sides of the aisle. Of special importance to the Committee on Ways and Means, Karen has been a major contributor to nearly every one of the 23 editions of the Committee's Green Book, going back to its creation in 1980. She has contributed sections on child care, child welfare, and the Social Services Block Grant. For more recent editions, she managed the extensive contributions from CRS and helped shepherd it into its new electronic format, which has enabled the Committee to publish it on a more frequent and consistent basis. On behalf of especially the many Members of the Committee on Ways and Means who benefitted from her thoughtful work over her decades of service, I say thank you and congratulations to Karen Spar on an outstanding career. She truly has made a difference, which is a testament to her hard work and dedication. I wish her nothing but the very best for all that awaits her in the future.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Sam Proler's 100th birthday. The world was a different place when Sam Proler was born a century ago. The oldest of nine children, Sam was born to Ben and Rose Proler during war times. Sam started working at the age of 13 and was later joined by his brothers. Through hard work, innovation and perseverance, the Proler's achieved the American Dream-- Proler Steel Corp. What would become the country's largest scrap metal recycling operation, Proler Steel Corp, NYSE (PS), started from a meeting between Sam Proler and Henry Ford. It was that meeting that led to an idea that there could be a better way to recycle used cars. Through research and modifying mining machines, Sam Proler did what no one else had done before--he figured out how to melt entire vehicles in mere seconds. At that time, the recycling industry could not keep pace with the numbers of discarded cars each year. His invention was a game changer that helped reinvent the steel industry, and this led to the employment of hundreds of thousands of workers in the United States at more than 35 plants. Because of Sam Proler, used cars and appliances gained new life as recycled steel. In fact, his patented process is known around the world as ``Prolerized'' scrap. Sam Proler is one of America's original, innovative recyclers long before it was popular to be environmentally conscious. His innovation helped shape an American industry and protect our environment. When you go to sell a used car for recycling, remember the name Sam Proler. Because of him, that car will be recycled into steel in a process that saves energy, conserves our nation's natural resources and protects our environment. We know his lovely wife Marie, daughters Nina and Joyce, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are incredibly proud of what he has accomplished in his century. As we wish Sam Proler a Happy 100th Birthday, America also says thank you to one of our nation's innovative citizens.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of John W. Wiesner. On January 26, 2017, the Wiesner family lost a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather, and our district lost an icon. Those who knew John W. Wiesner are better people today thanks to his wise counsel. His philanthropy, business, faith, and family are all admirable examples of what to aspire to because John made the most of his 88 years. While known locally as the chairman and CEO of the Wiesner auto dealerships, John's story is admirable. Born in Richmond on November 13, 1928, John was raised in Hempstead where he met and married his childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth. Shortly after, they started a family and built an automotive empire. A graduate of Southern Methodist University and member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, John went from working in his father-in-law's Sorsby Motor Company to later purchasing it in 1954. John and Elizabeth moved to Conroe in the 1970's and purchased the Buick Pontiac Dealership. Throughout the last few decades, the Wiesner dealerships continued to expand, employing over 500 people in Conroe, Huntsville, Tomball and Rosenberg. A consummate gentleman, John leaves a legacy to be proud of with his son, Don, his six grandchildren and great-grandchild. However, because John did not showcase his good deeds, the full extent of his philanthropy may never be known. As a Mason, a Shriner, a Paul Harris Fellow, Sam Walton Business Leader, Time Magazine Quality Dealer, Man of the Year, and Key Man-- just to name a few of his many accolades--family, faith, and doing business the right way mattered the most to my friend. Since 1974, Don Wiesner has been working alongside his father who was proud to welcome the 4th generation to serve in the family business. It is no surprise that the Houston Business Journal acknowledged the Wiesners as a top 10 Family Owned Business in Houston. John's community spirit lives on in his dedication to the First United Methodist Church in Conroe and numerous boards and organizations from the YMCA, County Fairs, the Appraisal District, Youth Services, Economic Development, Chambers, Rotary, the Salvation Army, American Heart Association, Junior League, the performing arts, scholarships, the American Cancer Society, Boy Scouts, Crime Stoppers, Montgomery County Performing Arts, National Dealer Council, Houston Automotive Dealers Association, GMAC Dealer Advisory Board, Texas Automobile Dealers Association, Pontiac-GMC Division Dealer Council, South Central Region Dealer Council, Nations Bank Conroe, Conroe Symphony Orchestra, and more. When I served as a local chamber executive, I had the privilege of working alongside John on key projects such as the creation of the North Harris Montgomery Community College (now Lone Star College System). This is just one example of how John's involvement helped make our community a better place. John and Elizabeth, their sons Howell and John III, are together again in the loving arms of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. This bill is pro- life, it is pro-family, and it is pro-taxpayer. I want to thank Representatives Chris Smith and Diane Black for their unwavering leadership in bringing this bill forward. Among other important actions, what I am excited about is this bill finally makes the Hyde amendment permanent. This important and longstanding policy prohibits taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortions through Federal programs. For many years, it was the policy of America that, whether you were pro-choice or, as I am, strongly pro- life, your taxpayer dollars would not be used for the controversial act of abortion. Taking this action now is especially important given that, under the Affordable Care Act, taxpayer-funded health insurance subsidies have been funneled toward health plans that do cover abortion services. The bill before us today will ensure that taxpayer dollars aren't used in any form to cover elective abortions. This policy will be permanent, and it will apply governmentwide, including to the Affordable Care Act. Right now, House Republicans are working to repeal this failed law and put in place a 21st century healthcare system Americans deserve. By passing this bill, we can also take immediate action to protect life and taxpayer dollars from the law's harmful impacts. For me, this is a family issue. My wife and I are proud parents of two adopted children. We have a family only because two women in two very difficult situations chose life. It is important that our government and the laws that represent us encourage those choices and encourage and protect innocent lives. This bill today takes such an important step forward. Madam Speaker, I want to thank, again, Congressman Smith and Representative Diane Black for their leadership. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my congratulations and best wishes to Ms. Carmen Solomon-Fears on the occasion of her retirement from a lifetime of dedicated service at the Congressional Research Service. Carmen's knowledge of American social policy, and especially in recent years involving the complex and important child support enforcement program, is nothing short of encyclopedic. Indeed, in stretching back to the late 1970s, Carmen's career at CRS spans most of the history of the child support enforcement program as well as other key social welfare programs of our time like SSI and TANF/AFDC. So if at times it seemed like Carmen was personally familiar with every word, comma, and footnote in the Social Security Act, it may be because she helped write so much of it during her outstanding career. And what history she has seen and helped shape during that time. From the 1988 Family Support Act to the landmark 1996 Welfare Reform Law to the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act, Carmen has played a key role in all of the major social welfare reform legislation of the past generation. But she has done more than just assist Congress in crafting the law. She has worked diligently to help us explain what detailed provisions of law mean to real people, both through her interactions with our personal office staff as well as her summaries of child support and other program policies that appeared in CRS reports as well as literally dozens of issues of the Ways and Means Green Book. This all speaks to her outstanding skills in legislation and policymaking. But there is much more to Carmen than that. She is truly one of the nicest people you will meet on Capitol Hill, or any other place for that matter. Her ready smile, easy laugh, and thoughtful counsel are a key part of her success, putting people on both sides of the partisan aisle at ease in trusting her always sound guidance. On behalf of especially the many Members of the Committee on Ways and Means who benefitted from her thoughtful work over her decades of service, I say thank you and congratulations to Carmen on an outstanding career. She truly has made a difference, which is a testament to her wisdom, hard work, and dedication in everything she does. I wish her nothing but the very best for all that awaits her in the future.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Chair, this bill is a critical first step in our effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and deliver relief to the millions of Americans who continue to be hurt by this failing law. The Affordable Care Act has helped some, but it's also inflicted tremendous harm to families and small businesses nationwide. And the damage grows bigger each passing year. Out of pocket cost are skyrocketing--often more than $10,000 a year. Choices have disappeared. And control over your personal health care decisions--whether it's which doctors you can see or which health plan you can have--is gone. It doesn't belong to the American people anymore. Instead, Washington is now in control of people's personal healthcare decisions. It doesn't have to be this way. The American people sent a clear signal in November. They are sick of this law because it hasn't improved their care, lowered their costs, or kept its promises. They want the Affordable Care Act repealed and replaced with a 21st century system--one based on what patients and families want and need, not what Washington thinks is best. Today, with this legislation, we have an opportunity to send a clear signal of our own: Relief is on the way. That's what I want to say to all of my constituents in Texas. People like Bill in The Woodlands, who just had his health plan canceled for the second year in a row. People like Lauren in South Montgomery County whose premiums just went up to $900 a month. Families like the Thomas's in Montgomery, who say they have paid over $24,000 this year for the poorest-quality care they have received in their adult lives. The Thomas's say it'll be $30,000 before their insurance contributes a dime. To the people of my district--to Bill, to Lauren, to the Thomas family--and to the millions of Americans across the country who are suffering because of the Affordable Care Act: Relief is on the way. We are working to deliver health care solutions that truly lower costs, increase choices, and put Americans back in control of their own health care decisions. That all starts today. It starts by passing this budget legislation and taking the crucial first step to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Calman Cohen on his retirement after a distinguished and productive career. Dr. Cohen built on his public service at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Senate by leading the Emergency Committee for American Trade for many years, an organization of leading U.S. companies with a mission to support economic growth through the expansion of international trade and investment. He has effectively represented his member companies by working with Members of Congress and many Administrations on a broad range of trade and investment issues, including all major trade agreements during his tenure as well as Trade Promotion Authority. He has vigorously defended the needs of U.S. companies and their employees as they strive to compete in today's global marketplace, achieve market access for their exports, and create jobs here at home. I send my best wishes to him, and his wife Susan, who is always by his side, during his retirement.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge and express my deep appreciation to Lori Harju for 25 years of government service the last five dedicated to serving me and the people of Texas' 8th Congressional District. Lori began her career working for her local Congressman, Guy Vander Jagt of Michigan. She grew up not far from the shores of Lake Michigan, in the town of Kaleva, and misses it to this day. I can't tell you how many times I've seen pictures of Lake Michigan, and of her many nieces and nephews as they have always been displayed in her office and on her screen saver. She brought with her to Washington the upper Midwest values of hard work, common sense, and humility--perfect attributes for working for a Member of Congress. From Representative Vander Jagt's office, Lori moved on to work for some of this body's most prestigious Members. She worked for Congressman Dave Camp of Michigan, who served as Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee, and for Congressman Phil Crane, another one of the Ways & Means Committee's most powerful and storied Members. Lori then moved to a senior political position in the Administration of George W. Bush, serving as the head of congressional affairs at the Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. I was fortunate to be able to hire Lori at the end of President Bush's second term. Few people know Congressional procedures or how to get things done in Congress like she does. She originally served as my Legislative Director, and later became my Chief of Staff When I became Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee a little over a year ago, I asked her to help on the Committee as my Senior Advisor, because of her vast experience working with Ways and Means Committee members. Indeed, Lori has now worked for three senior Members of the Ways & Means Committee, a record few congressional staffers can match. I have always relied upon Lori's counsel and appreciate her forthrightness and her integrity. Lori has always served with humility and grace. I hope Lori will now have a little more time to spend with her family near the shores of Lake Michigan, but I also hope, as she leaves government service and begins the next phase of her career, that she won't move far and will continue to offer her valuable counsel. I and the rest of this House will miss her.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, if ever a public servant deserved a peaceful, happy retirement, it is our sheriff and my dear friend, Tommy Gage. Tommy may have been born across the border in Arkansas, but we are glad he got to Texas as quickly as he could. In the more than half-century since graduating from Galena Park High School, Tommy Gage has been about service. After serving aboard the Heavy Cruiser USS St. Paul during the Vietnam War, seeing both the world and action, my friend signed up for a different kind of service. After graduating from the Houston Police Academy in 1970, Tommy Gage began serving in this Fifth Ward on the Northeast side. His assignments included patrol, recruiting, investigator, and as a solo motorcycle unit. In 1982, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office welcomed Tommy Gage as a jail deputy. Over the years, he worked a variety of assignments including patrol, academy instructor, SWAT, detectives, detective sergeant, and academy commander. In 1996 Sheriff Gage went to work and served in that capacity until his election as Sheriff When Sheriff Gage was sworn in on New Years' Day in 2005, there were just over 450 employees at the sheriff's office. Today, that number has nearly doubled in an all-out effort to protect and serve. From starting the county's first motorcycle traffic unit, which now includes seven motorcycles, a canine unit now with seven canines, to an aviation unit that includes a Cessna 210 aircraft and two Aeryon Sky Ranger unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) fully licensed by the FAA, Sheriff Gage's MCSO has set a high bar. I know our local events are the safest, friendliest congressional gatherings in the country in no small part due to our sheriff. For a sheriff known for his white hat and colorful Texas neckties, his changes to the local uniforms led to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office being named a best dressed agency in United States. While our sheriff is quick to give credit to his stellar team, numerous awards and personal honors would not have been possible without his servant leadership. Sheriff Gage has often said ``there is no greater honor than to finish my law enforcement career as a Texas sheriff.'' In making his mark here in Montgomery County, he has honored all of us. A life member of the Montgomery County Fair Association, East Montgomery County Fair Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4709, Texas Jail Association, the National Rifle Association, 100 Club, and Sheriffs Association of Texas, our beloved sheriff is a Chartered Member of Montgomery County Search and Rescue and a valued member of the Texas Police Association, Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Chiefs of Police, the American Legion Post Number 618, local civic groups and chambers, and the Harley Owners Group--Cut & Shoot Chapter. In their more than three decades of marriage, Tommy and Ollie Nell Gage have been blessed with 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild--all who have an amazing role model of how to be a servant leader. On December 31, 2016, Sheriff Gage is retiring after finishing his third term. I know Ollie Nell is going to be glad to have him home safely from over 46 years of law enforcement service.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 329, the Indian Employment, Training, and Related Services Consolidation Act of 2015. In particular, I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to work with Representative Young and the Natural Resources Committee to address some concerns I had with a previous version of the bill, and I'm grateful for the collaborative effort between our two committees so this bill can move forward today. Under current law, Indian tribes can combine funding for employment, training, and related services to streamline their administration of social service programs--often referred to as ``section 477 demonstration projects.'' Many times the dollar amounts received from the individual programs are rather small, so being able to combine funds with similar purposes allows tribes to achieve more effective economies of scale. However, in recent years these tribes have run into challenges as they have sought to operate these demonstration projects to best serve their members. The goal of H.R. 329 is to clarify confusion related to these demonstration projects, increase the flexibility Indian tribes have in consolidating these programs, and ensure accountability of taxpayer dollars. While I agreed with the general intent of the prior version of this bill, I was concerned that it may have unintentionally undermined important requirements in current law for programs under Ways and Means jurisdiction, such as TANF and child care. To balance the goal of increased flexibility for tribes with appropriate oversight and accountability, I asked Representative Young to amend the text to ensure the bill would not: Undermine important rules regarding how funds appropriated for specific purposes can be used; Eliminate requirements specifying how the spending of consolidated funds must be accounted for; and Change how funds authorized by the Ways and Means Committee are treated for matching purposes. First, I'm glad this bill now reiterates that agencies providing funding to tribes have the authority to approve or deny waivers of key program provisions. For example, this would mean the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could deny an Indian tribe's request to use federal child care funds for the purchase or improvement of land, as such use of child care funds is not permitted under current law. HHS could also forbid a tribe from using federal TANF funds to pay for medical services, something states and tribes are not permitted to do under current law. At the same time, agencies and departments, like HIS, are encouraged to waive program requirements when they will assist the tribe in streamlining the administration of their social service programs to better serve their members, as long as they don't undermine the central purposes for which the money was originally appropriated. Second, there was some concern that the bill would eliminate requirements that tribes report how they spend funds consolidated in section 477 projects. Mr. Young has modified the bill to reiterate that tribes must report how funds are spent, but that they will not be required to report spending by specific program. Since 2011, a tribal working group has worked diligently to simplify tribal financial reporting, and the group has recently agreed upon a unified financial report that allows tribes to report by category, instead of by program. This form allows taxpayers to understand broadly how dollars are spent, without requiring tribes to maintain complex accounting systems necessary to report on spending per the rules for each separate program. This form is now in use, and I hope this working group, or future iterations of it, will continue to engage, as needed, to ensure this form adequately serves all stakeholders in the same manner. Third, the earlier version of this bill allowed tribes operating section 477 projects to count federal funding received through HHS and the Department of Labor (DOL) to count as tribal spending for matching purposes. Because this would have allowed tribes to use federal funds as match to draw down additional federal dollars--and because it would have advantaged tribes operating these demonstrations compared to those not operating these demos--I asked that this language not apply to funding administered by HHS and DOL. Mr. Young agreed to incorporate this change, and I'm grateful for his willingness to do so. Finally, I'm glad we could work together to restore language in the bill regarding coordination between the Department of the Interior and other departments as these projects are approved. It is important that agencies work together to ensure tribes have the flexibility they need to streamline their services, while maintaining a balance between flexibility and accountability. Together, these changes will support tribes as they seek to better serve their members, while maintaining appropriate accountability of taxpayer dollars and ensuring funds are used to meet the goals for which they were appropriated.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the provisions of H.R. 6439, the ``Tax Technical Corrections Act of 2016,'' as introduced today (December 6, 2016), make tax technical corrections and other corrections including clerical and deadwood-related corrections. The bill revises and updates H.R. 4891, the Technical Corrections Act of 2016, which was introduced on April 11, 2016. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Brady and incoming Ranking Member Neal have asked the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation to make available to the public a technical explanation of the bill (JCX-91-16). The technical explanation expresses the Committee's understanding and legislative intent behind this important legislation. It is available on the Joint Committee's website at www.jct.gov.

Mr. BRADY of Texas

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, I really do applaud the work of Representative Rouzer in this area and the bipartisan work of Senators Boozman and Warner. This is an area that could have easily been just swept aside over the years and never really addressed. The gentleman continued to raise the issue, bring it to our attention, and work through the legislative process. Again, I thank the gentleman for his very important leadership. I also thank the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Chairman Mac Thornberry, and his team for their approval of this measure and willingness to work with the author to bring this forward. I, too, thank the ranking member, Mr. Neal, and congratulate him on his naming as ranking member for the Ways and Means Committee. I look forward to working with the gentleman on these and other issues moving forward. On behalf of 14,000 veterans who deserve to get the dollars they earned from the Department of Defense, late is better than never. I applaud the efforts of Mr. Rouzer in doing that. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer), who is the author of the bill in the House. Besides his advocacy for small businesses and job growth, he is also a champion for our military, especially those who have been injured in combat.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5015) to restore amounts improperly withheld for tax purposes from severance payments to individuals who retired or separated from service in the Armed Forces for combat-related injuries, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5015, currently under consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we have responsibilities for all the brave men and women who protect and defend our great Nation, especially those who are injured in the line of duty. The bill we are considering today by Representative Rouzer does just that. Under our tax system, veterans who suffer from combat-related injuries are not required to pay taxes on the one-time lump-sum disability payment they receive when they leave the military. Unfortunately, errors in the Defense Department's automatic payment system have resulted in taxes being improperly withheld from these injured troops' payments--sometimes for years on end. As a result, thousands of combat-injured veterans--men and women who have sacrificed greatly for our country--have not received the full compensation they are rightfully due. The Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act provides an opportunity to right this wrong for veterans injured during their service. This legislation will allow veterans to recover income taxes that were improperly collected by the Department of Defense on certain disability severance payments. Under this bill, the Defense Department will be required to identify all the veterans who have been impacted by this problem. They will inform these veterans of the full amount that has been improperly withheld from their disability payments, and they will provide detailed instructions on how veterans can recover the money through an amended tax return. Our men and women in uniform and their families have sacrificed so much for our Nation. Errors like this are completely unacceptable and cannot be allowed to go unaddressed. I thank Representative Rouzer for his leadership on the Combat- Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act and his dedication. This legislation takes important action to ensure America's promises are kept to our combat-injured heroes and their families. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage. I reserve the balance of my time. Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, November 30, 2016. Hon. Kevin Brady, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 5015, the Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act of 2016, which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. In order to expedite this legislation for floor consideration, the Committee on Armed Services will forgo action on this bill. This decision is conditional on our mutual understanding that forgoing consideration in no way diminishes or alters the jurisdictional interests of the Committee on Armed Services in this bill, any subsequent amendments, or similar legislation. Please place a copy of this letter and your response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Sincerely, William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry, Chairman.