Michael Burgess

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Yesterday the Rules Committee reported an impeachment resolution that was hastily drafted without Republican input with just 24 hours' notice for review. Last night we offered, on the Republican side, 17 amendments. Unsurprisingly, none were adopted. Despite assurances that all Members will have access to materials supporting the Articles of Impeachment, to date, Chairman Schiff has ignored 72 bipartisan requests to view Ambassador Volker's transcript, but pursuant to rule XI, clause 2(e)(2), committee records are the property of the House, and thus, Members of the House should have access. Last night at the Rules Committee, it was stated that perhaps Republicans were not requesting the information at the right time, so we have to ask: When is the right time to ask to view our own House records? Republicans requested an authorizing vote, and now we will have one. However, this process has not been open and transparent, and it diverts from precedent set in the two most recent Presidential impeachment investigations. As a result, this investigation will be conducted with no minority input. A Presidential impeachment investigation is a national trauma. All Members must take this constitutionally vested power seriously, and Americans deserve to be represented in this process. Unfortunately, neither serious nor equal consideration, nor full access to records appear to be a criteria under which the Democrats are willing to conduct this investigation. That is a shame, and it renders this process a sham.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to Mr. F. Charles Emery II of Lewisville, Texas on the event of his retirement as Chairman of the Board of the Denton County Transportation Authority. Charles and his wife Elaine, both of whom I have considered friends for decades, have served Denton County in a variety of ways and left an indelible mark on our community. In addition to a successful career in real estate development, Charles was a member of the Lewisville City Council, an active member of the Lewisville and Dallas Chambers of Commerce, and a member of a variety of boards and commissions that touched almost every facet of our region. A man of great faith, Charles has been a dedicated member of the Denton Bible Church, where he and Elaine are long-time supporters of its choir program. Charles is also a proud veteran, having served our country in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard. And I know Charles would not let me forget his dedication to his beloved alma mater, Texas A&M University. However, in a life that includes many achievements, Charles' most lasting contribution to our region may be his role as the father and chief architect of the Denton County Transportation Authority, which provides vital public transportation services throughout North Texas. Charles worked tirelessly with state lawmakers to fine-tune the legislation signed by then-Governor Rick Perry in 2001 that created Denton County Transportation Authority as an entity. He then spent the next year going door-to-door in every corner of Denton County in support of a local ballot measure to confirm creation of the agency. It was approved with a 73 percent majority. I remember early in my Congressional career, Charles did not hesitate to lend his expertise on local transportation issues. Once Denton County Transportation Authority was formed, Charles agreed to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors and for the next 17 years, he proceeded to lead the agency down a path of providing quality services to a transit-dependent constituency in a financially sustainable manner. After concentrating on bus service for the first 10 years of existence, Charles and his colleagues at Denton County Transportation Authority expanded the agency's footprint to include commuter rail with the 2011 opening of the 21-mile A-Train, which connects Denton County to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Light rail system in Carrollton. Charles quickly became a staple in the North Texas transportation community and offered his insights and service to a number of entities, including the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition, the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition. For his efforts, Charles was recognized with the ``Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member Award'' in 2007 by the American Public Transportation Association, the premier association representing the interests of the public transportation industry in North America. It is a privilege to recognize my friend Charles Emery for his dedication and commitment to his fellow North Texans, and I congratulate him on this well-earned honor.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McGovern for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today, we consider a resolution to once again assert the position of the House of Representatives with respect to the Armenian genocide that occurred between 1915 and 1923. This resolution cites previous United States recognition of the killing of Armenians, including in 1951, 1975, 1981, and 1984. Numerous resolutions have been introduced in the House and Senate that did not pass both Chambers. In addition, Congress has twice designated April 24 as a National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man, specifically referencing Armenia. The United States has clearly indicated its support to the Armenians. While there is historic precedent for recognizing the Armenian genocide, passing such a resolution today could complicate the situation with a NATO ally. Previously, this has resulted in protests at and around the Incirlik Air Base that have affected our men and women in uniform who were stationed there. While the desire to recognize the Armenian genocide is laudable, these events took place over 100 years ago. It remains unclear why we are urgently considering this resolution. The Committee on Foreign Affairs did not conduct a hearing or hold a markup before we voted last night in the Rules Committee to bring this to the floor today. Representative Schiff introduced this resolution on April 8 of this year, 2019, so we are left to wonder why we wait until there are 11 legislative days until expiration of the continuing resolution to fund the entirety of the Government of the United States on the discretionary side, why we are willing to suspend that to consider a nonbinding resolution. Democrats continue to bring to the floor legislation that is either not urgent or has no chance of passing the Senate and becoming law. There are bipartisan policy areas in which Republicans stand ready to work with Democrats for the benefit of the American people. The most pressing issue, of course, is the continuing resolution expiration. While the House did pass 10 of the 12 appropriations bills, they were constructed largely without Republican input on the Appropriations Committee, resulting in highly partisan provisions that actually prevented any Republicans from being able to support these bills when they came to the floor. One of the most important appropriations bills providing funding for the Department of Homeland Security has not received consideration by the full House. We are facing a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. That is real. That is right now. This situation got so bad in early summer that Congress had to pass a supplemental appropriations bill to last year's appropriation just to provide the basic necessities for those in the Customs and Border Protection custody. While this temporary funding influx helped alleviate a number of people in our border facilities and the Office of Refugee Resettlement shelters, it did not make any policy changes that would actually address the root cause of this crisis. If Democrats are unwilling to provide funding to secure our border, we should consider disincentivizing people from making the dangerous journey in the first place. There are people who die along the way. Others are seriously injured or become ill. Still others become victims of human trafficking. Additionally, the cartels are profiting big time off of these vulnerable individuals, taking a cut from two-thirds of southern border flows. The penalty for not paying off the cartel is death. Rather than incentivize this type of activity, could we not focus our efforts on combating the drivers of irregular migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras? We can also send a message that if you come to the United States without legal documentation, you will not be permitted to remain herein definitely. To change this, Congress could pass a bill to reform our asylum laws and provide more resources to clear the backlog of immigration cases, a backlog that is approaching 1 million cases. Another area where Congress could be spending our valuable time is discussing solutions for the cost of prescriptions and pharmaceuticals. There is bipartisan consensus that we could cap out-of-pocket costs for our seniors in Medicare part D. This is a policy that we can and should draft together. In fact, we had a bipartisan Committee on Energy and Commerce and Committee on Ways and Means request for information on the topic of restructuring part D last May. If we work together in a thoughtful, bipartisan, bicameral manner on restructuring the part D benefit, the President would sign that legislation. He has even said that is a top priority. And our constituents would see lower out-of-pocket drug costs. But what do we get? We get H.R. 3, Speaker Pelosi's partisan drug pricing bill, which sidelines achievable drug pricing policies that were in the works prior to the release of H.R. 3. Additionally, last week marked the 1-year anniversary of President Trump's signing the SUPPORT Act into law. This legislation provides realistic solutions that span the breadth of the opiate crisis, from prevention and treatment to education and enforcement. This legislation will improve treatment for those with substance use disorders, fight deadly fentanyl, bolster the efforts of our agents at the international mail facilities, and provide vital resources for new and innovative alternatives for the treatment of pain. In a time when our country seems so divided, Congress was able to put political differences aside and put patients first to find solutions to address this crisis. As it stands now, the SUPPORT Act is another tool in the toolbox for communities and Federal agencies to successfully combat the opioid epidemic. We could be having discussions on how to build on that success and ensure timely and effective implementation of the SUPPORT Act so we could continue to help those affected by the more than 130 American overdose deaths each and every day. Instead, we are spending our time considering a nonurgent, nonbinding resolution. American consumers are concerned about their online privacy. The passage of California's Consumer Privacy Act has led to a patchwork of State privacy laws that do not reflect the reality that the internet doesn't know State lines. We need one national standard, perhaps consider Federal preemption, and promote a cross-border data flow as American businesses seek to do business at home and abroad. You could even argue that e-commerce is the reason that the Founders drafted the Commerce Clause in the first place. Again, Republicans stand ready to work with Democrats, but we have not been invited to engage in any substantive discussions. Congress also could pass and, in fact, must pass the United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade, the USMCA. This was negotiated to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. This agreement is possibly the most impactful policy that Congress could pass this year. The administration has negotiated with Canada and Mexico over the past 2 years to produce the best trade deal possible. The USMCA increases market access for American exports. It levels the playing field for the American worker and brings important intellectual property protections into the 21st century. Millions of jobs and billions of dollars' worth of trade are waiting on the passage of this bill. If Speaker Pelosi brought the USMCA to the floor today, it would pass before the week was out. Unfortunately, the Democratic majority is slow-walking this USMCA and doing harm to our Nation's farmers, workers, and small businesses. There is no reason to continue to delay a vote on this agreement. In addition, securing the USMCA would give the United States additional authority with the ongoing negotiations with China. Providing full appropriations for the Federal Government, addressing the humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border, working to lower prescription drug prices and provide continued support to combat the opioid epidemic, negotiating a strong Federal privacy law, and passing the USMCA are all urgent policy priorities that could receive bipartisan support. And yet, we are delaying action on these necessary measures to consider a nonurgent, nonbinding resolution that simply reaffirms what has remained clear United States policy regarding Armenia. I hope my fellow Democrats on the Rules Committee and in the House of Representatives will soon prioritize legislation that will help the American people. I urge opposition to the rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, Republicans will amend the rule to suspend the ongoing impeachment inquiry until we achieve operational control of our southern border. As I previously stated, we are experiencing a humanitarian and security crisis on the southern border. In August, Customs and Border Protection apprehended over 64,000 individuals who lacked legal documentation to enter this country. Apprehensions are on track to reach over 1 million individuals attempting to cross into the United States along our southern border this fiscal year. The House should prioritize securing our southern border and stemming the flow of irregular migration over a politically motivated impeachment inquiry. Until operation of the border control is achieved, the House should suspend the impeachment inquiry. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Mr. Speaker, I would just point out that this Congress has acted on this in the past. H.J. Res. 148 passed in the 94th Congress. A joint resolution to designate April 24, 1975, as a National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man passed the House April 8, 1975. And then again, H.J. Res. 247 from the 98th Congress, a joint resolution to designate April 24 as a National Day of Remembrance of Man's Inhumanity to Man, passed the House 10 September 1984. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to point out that the gentleman had said that he did not want to see this issue politicized. I would just simply note that this resolution could have been brought to the floor under suspension of the rules and likely passed with a large bipartisan majority under suspension of the rules. The difficulty that I have today is that we are spending the time on a rule bill for this bill that would have passed under suspension when we, in fact, have some pretty important things out there hanging over us. One of those things, of course, is funding the entire Federal Government so we don't end up in another government shutdown, and the other is to somehow resolve this question of impeachment that has bogged down this body for months, if not years. Mr. Speaker, as I previously outlined, there are other important, time-sensitive priorities. Once again, we have 11 legislative days remaining before the continuing resolution expires. In place of a nonurgent, nonbinding resolution, we could be finding a way to ensure that our government remains open and that Americans continue to receive the Federal benefits, services, and paychecks on which they depend. I ask my fellow Democrats to prioritize the needs of the American people, and I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question and ``no'' on the rule. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As an author of the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act of 2019, also known as the EMPOWER for Health Act, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 2781. This moved with strong bipartisan support through regular order in the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health Subcommittee. As the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee in the last Congress, I made it a priority to get this bill to the House floor. While I succeeded in doing so, the Senate did not take up the legislation; so I hope, this year, with plenty of time and plenty of runway, the Senate will reauthorize these critically important programs. This legislation reauthorizes the title VII health professions workforce programs for fiscal years 2020 through 2024. Title VII programs have expired, but they continue to receive appropriations. In fact, in fiscal year 2018, the appropriations levels for these programs actually increased. Reauthorizing these physician workforce programs will provide the needed stability to those who depend upon this funding. Title VII of the Public Health Services Act includes programs that are vital to building and maintaining a well-educated, well-trained physician workforce. The EMPOWER Act reauthorizes the funding for Area Health Education Centers at more than $40 million a year. These centers are critical in providing both medical education and healthcare services to medically underserved areas. The bill also reauthorizes programs that incentivize diversity in the physician workforce, including the Centers of Excellence program which this bill authorizes at a level of $24 million per year. This particular program provides grants to medical schools that have a disproportionate number of minority students for the purpose of expanding the school's capacity or to improve curriculum. Primary care is an important aspect of our Nation's healthcare system, and now many Americans receive the majority of their healthcare services through primary care centers. H.R. 2781 reauthorizes funding for our Primary Care Training and Enhancement Program at more than $50 million a year. This program provides grants to hospitals and other professional schools to develop and operate supplemental primary training programs. Lastly, this bill aims to strengthen our workforce that cares for our geriatric population. This bill makes strides towards modernizing the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement program and the Geriatric Academic Career Awards. With an aging population, our workforce needs to be adequately trained in handling the unique needs of our seniors. These two programs enable physicians and other providers to be able to achieve that training. I want to thank Representative Schakowsky and the staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee for their work on this legislation. Reauthorizing title VII is long overdue, especially in a time when our existing physician workforce is struggling to keep up with the demand for healthcare services. Madam Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers and am prepared to close. This is a good bill. It was a good bill last Congress when we passed it then and sent it over to the Senate. The authorization on these programs has expired. They are continuing to receive funding. The people who depend upon these programs deserve the certainty that reauthorization would allow. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I support H.R. 728, the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2019 which was introduced by Mr. Joyce, our Republican lead of Ohio. This bill reauthorizes the title VIII nursing workforce programs for fiscal years 2020 through 2024. Title VIII programs, in addition to the title VII physician workforce programs, have actually expired, but they have continued to receive appropriations. According to a Health Resource and Services Administration report on nursing workforce projections in 2017, the future supply of and demand for nurses will be affected by a host of factors, including population growth, aging of the Nation's population, overall economic conditions, expanded health insurance coverage, changes in healthcare reimbursement, geographic location, and health workforce availability. The demands for RNs are projected to increase by nearly 800,000 between 2014 and 2030. Texas is projected to face a shortage of all types of nurses by 2030. Registered nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse-midwives will fall short of demand year after year from now until 2030. This is an issue that we are facing across the country, and H.R. 728 can help fix that. While our appropriations process has continued to fund these programs, without authorization there remains uncertainty regarding how much money the program will receive each year. These programs range from providing our advanced practice nurses with additional educational opportunities to increasing nursing workforce diversity. In the midst of a nursing shortage, we must ensure that our healthcare system has the capacity to educate and retain a qualified workforce and also allows for career advancement. This bill includes grants for nurses of different levels of education to obtain further education to advance within their profession. Additionally, this legislation reauthorizes loan repayments, scholarships, and grants for education, practice, quality, and retention. These provisions are essential in educating and retaining a qualified nursing workforce. Madam Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 728, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce), who is the Republican lead on this bill.

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Again, this is one of those bills that passed out of the Subcommittee on Health last Congress, passed on the floor of the House, and, for some reason, didn't see action over in the Senate. This year, it needs to, for all the reasons we have heard articulated here today. I also am obligated to mention that my district in Texas is home to one of the largest and best nursing education programs in the country at Texas Woman's University. I would also be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the work done in the last Congress by Lois Capps, who was our colleague at the time, who is no longer in Congress, but it was always her passion to see this bill passed. Madam Speaker, I urge passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 2115, the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts and Real-Time Beneficiary Drug Cost Act. This bill includes three provisions that passed through the Committee on Energy and Commerce in July as part of a larger transparency package, at that time called the METRIC Act. The first provision aims to hold pharmacy benefit managers accountable in the negotiation of rebates by requiring the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to make rebates, discounts, direct and indirect remuneration fees, and other information available on a public website. This policy includes a requirement that this information be displayed in such a way that it maintains the confidentiality of individual drugs and plans. What I believe is the most important provision is the one that requires prescription drug plan sponsors to include real-time benefits information in electronic prescribing in Medicare. As a physician, I recognize how important it is for doctors to have as much information at their disposal in prescribing appropriate medications for their patients. Madam Speaker, I thank my fellow Texans, Jodey Arrington as well as Pete Olson, for bringing forth this policy. In the past few years, we have begun to see the success of the 21st Century Cures Act actually come to life. New treatments and new cures are coming to the market at an exciting pace, providing great promise for America's patients. It is important that doctors be able to see and compare the prices of these medications so that they can help their patients assess their options. Price transparency at the point of prescribing will provide physicians with information regarding what would or would not be covered under their patients' insurance and would help them discuss what would be the most affordable options that are available to their patients. While there are a lot of factors that doctors must consider when prescribing their patients' medications, medication adherence is essential. If patients cannot afford their drugs, the stage is set for a lack of adherence to the recommended regimen. We have all heard the stories of patients showing up at the pharmacy counter to pick up their prescriptions, at which point they learn it is unaffordable. This policy would help reduce the number of prescriptions left at the pharmacy counter, not picked up due to cost concerns. The American Medical Association testified at our drug supply hearing in May that ``access to accurate patient coverage and cost-sharing information at the point-of-care would streamline the process, reduce burden for the physician and the patient, and speed delivery of the most appropriate care.'' I agree with that statement, and I am pleased this legislation would improve access to real-time benefits data, further informing quality and doctor-patient decisionmaking and improving patient access to affordable medications. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support H.R. 2115, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), a pharmacist by profession and a very valuable member of the Health Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington), coauthor of this legislation.

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Gianforte), a valuable member of the Health Subcommittee.

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, by Representatives Engel and Tom Reed and cosponsored by many Members of the House. This helps build our palliative and hospice care workforce by establishing and supporting palliative care and hospice education centers through Federal grants, while enhancing research in palliative care at the National Institutes of Health. 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in hospice care for some time during 2017. With the American population aging, we need to be sure that our workforce is prepared to handle the influx of patients transitioning into palliative and hospice care. The bill's sponsors and advocates have worked hard for the past few years to get this legislation to the President's desk. As the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee last year, I made it a priority to move this bill. I also think that this bill complements the House of Representatives' work on the opioid crisis. It is appropriate that we are passing this bill now as we come to the 1-year anniversary of passage of the SUPPORT Act. The bill before us today could address the issue from a different angle. With the growing scrutiny on doctors prescribing opioids in the midst of the opioid crisis, we must remember that there are patients with legitimate chronic pain. While the use of opioids can lead to substance use disorder, these patients still need access to their pain medications, particularly if they have been successfully maintained and managed on opioids in close consultation with their doctors. This bill will ensure that we have a palliative and hospice care workforce that is adequately trained to manage patients with serious illness, which frequently includes some aspect of chronic pain or the need for pain relief. I am disappointed that we did not include a provision that stakeholders believe is necessary in order for this bill to become law. Senate language included this small but necessary change, and I expect that this issue will be resolved prior to the bill's arrival at the President's desk. Mr. Speaker, with a commitment to including this legislative language, I urge Members to support H.R. 647, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed), the co-author of the bill.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), a valuable member of the Health Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.