Michael Burgess

Mr. BURGESS

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

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 443) recognizing the importance and effectiveness of trauma-informed care, as amended.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of Representative Mike Gallagher's H. Res. 443, which recognizes the importance and effectiveness of trauma-informed care. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, trauma results from an event or a series of events that cause intense physical and psychological stress reactions. The individual's functioning and emotional, physical, social, and spiritual health can be severely affected. It is important that health providers understand the nature and impact of trauma when caring for their patients. H. Res. 443 highlights the work of States in trauma-informed care and encourages the Federal Government to build on the States' momentum by identifying opportunities to embed this approach to care within current Federal health operations. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher), the principal author of this resolution.

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

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. This is an important resolution. I urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. 1986 was the last time our Tax Code was refined. I had been practicing medicine for 5 years. Now, some 31 years later and after 15 years in Congress, the reformation of our Tax Code has made a profound difference in our country. Mr. Speaker, it is not lost on me that the rhetoric prior to the vote on the conference report on the tax bill was pretty negative. The idea was to sow doubt in the minds of people who would be affected by the tax bill, to sow doubt in the minds of people who would otherwise be wanting to vote for tax relief for tax improvement. And I will have to tell you something: after that vote--and Mr. Mitchell referenced Southwest Airlines and American Airlines--I cannot remember having ever had the positive feedback for a vote that I have taken here in this Congress like there was for this tax vote. In my own Walmart, the week after Christmas, people were coming up to me saying, ``I work for American Airlines,'' or ``I work for Southwest Airlines.'' I have a lot of families in the 26th District of Texas who work for American Airlines or Southwest Airlines, and they all got $1,000 bonuses because of the tax relief that we had provided. Again, I cannot ever remember having that much positive reinforcement on a bill that, quite honestly, the rhetoric going into it was pretty negative. The benefits have been immediate, as indicated by the increases in salaries and bonuses paid to employees. And Southwest Airlines, in addition to the bonuses to their employees, donated $5 million to charity, as well as made some capital improvements. FedEx, which, of course, employs people all over the country, but has a big hub in the district that I represent, is going to spend $133 million increasing hourly wages, as well as $67 million on programs for salaried employees, and, get this, $3 billion on their pension plan and capital improvements. That is a pretty big turnaround. The good folks at Peterbilt trucks, located in the 26th District of Texas, received over $170 million in tax benefits in the fourth quarter of 2017, as a direct result of this tax bill. Peterbilt also estimates that its 2018 effective global tax rate will be reduced by up to 8 percent and that the lower corporate tax rate and accelerated depreciation will, indeed, stimulate capital investment. The increased prosperity of these and other companies will subsequently improve the financial situation of their employees. Coupled with a nearly doubled standard deduction, income for most individuals and families will, in fact, increase. Chairman Brady mentioned filing taxes on a postcard. Mr. Speaker, when I first came to Congress, I really wanted us to enact a flat tax. I still do. But I will take the improvement that we have gotten, the gift of time, back to, what, 85 to 90 percent of tax filers who no longer are going to have to keep up with that shoebox full of receipts and spend quality time with their accountants every March and April as they prepare their Federal tax return. We are going to allow people to pay for necessities, without having to worry about other discretionary items and services, often provided by small businesses. Local improvements in economic condition will not only benefit Main Street business owners, but I like to say it is going to benefit Elm Street business owners. That is the small business off of Main Street. It is going to allow people to spend money across State lines. Increased financial mobility will inject capital into the market and continue the growth of our economy. Look, we are right on the verge of some pretty significant and profound economic changes that are going to be beneficial, I predict, to all Americans. This is an important time in this country, time for us to get to work and deliver for the American people.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our colleague and my fellow Texan, Sam Johnson. This week marks 45 years since he returned to freedom after enduring nearly 7 years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, Vietnam. Each February, we are reminded of the heroism, perseverance, and leadership that Sam Johnson displayed during his time as a prisoner of war. We are also reminded of the persistence of Sam's family and their joy and the joy of our north Texas community and the American people when Sam returned home to Texas in 1973. Sam Johnson has served our country selflessly--first through his distinguished Air Force career, and then here in the House of Representatives. Since he was elected to the House in 1991, he has been an advocate for our Armed Forces, our veterans, and American freedom. Mr. Speaker, 15 years ago, I gave my first floor speech, marking 30 years since Mr. Johnson returned home. Today it is a distinct privilege to honor my friend and mentor on his 45th ``returniversary.'' Sam Johnson, welcome home.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Shirley Spellerberg, former Mayor of Corinth, Texas as she prepares to relocate to North Carolina after almost three decades of service to her home State. Born and educated in Waco, Texas, Shirley married her late husband, USAF pilot Herman R. Spellerberg while he was on leave from PanAm Airlines. When Herman came home from his tour of duty in Korea and returned to PanAm, he and Shirley resided in Pasadena and Miami for several years each. During this period, Shirley honed her speaking and leadership skills as a passionate conservative activist, hosting a conservative talk radio program ``Speak Out Miami'' and on television as a conservative counterpoint to her liberal feminist co-host on the weekly show ``To The Point.'' Shirley and Herman returned to Texas in 1979 when Herman retired from PanAm. A Life Member of the NRA and active with the Eagle Forum, Shirley soon reengaged as a conservative activist in Denton County, quickly joining several local Republican Party organizations and serving from 1998 to 2006 as part of the statewide party as SREC. Shirley is also known for her steadfast leadership to the City of Corinth. Except for a break between 1989 and 1990, she served the City as Mayor from 1983 to 2001. Shirley's leadership shaped the City as its population grew tenfold from approximately 1,200 to 12,000 during her terms as Mayor. It was also during this period that Shirley influenced the long-term direction and economic development of the community with the adoption of the City's Home Rule Charter in 1999 and the 2000 opening of North Central Texas College's Corinth campus. Shirley Spellerberg is a Denton County institution. I have appreciated her counsel and opinions provided throughout my service in Congress and I have sought-out and appreciated her wisdom and experience when facing particularly thorny legislative decisions. While we have not always been in agreement, I have always respected her faith, commitment to community service and her dedication to conservative principles. On behalf of the 26th Congressional District, I wish her much happiness in the support of family and I value our shared commitment in leaving a strong, proud and stable country as a legacy for our grandchildren.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, we all teach our kids. We teach them how to stay safe and how to respond in an emergency. They learn things like stop, drop, and roll for fires; don't talk to strangers; look both ways before you cross the street; and dial 911 in emergencies. Unfortunately, there is no lesson explaining that on some phones you must dial 9 to get an outside line before you dial 911. Other phones even have additional numbers, and they are not the same for every phone system. Multiline phone systems like those found in offices--our offices, hotels, and hospitals--make our lives easier by condensing multiple lines into a single phone. One feature of multiline phone systems is that, in order to get outside of the internal lines, you must dial a specific code or set of digits. It doesn't seem like a big deal or even necessarily life threatening, but to this young girl trying to save her mother, that is exactly what a multiline phone system in Marshall, Texas, became. We have heard the story. In 2013, Kari Dunn was stabbed by her estranged husband while her daughter attempted to dial 911 multiple times. She knew the number to call to save her mother's life, but she didn't know to dial 9 to get an outside line. She didn't realize what a multiphone system represented. The emergency personnel subsequently were not getting notified in time. The Energy and Commerce Committee marked up this bill in a previous Congress and supported its passage into law. I was grateful to support the bill back then. I am grateful to Mr. Gohmert for continuing to press this issue. I look forward to voting for this again. This tragedy occurred in Texas, but it could have happened anywhere. In emergencies, every minute counts. We must remove obstacles to emergency response, and this bill does just that.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce as it marks 30 years of service to the North Texas community. Formed in 1986 as the Roanoke Business Association, this organization has enjoyed significant growth, expanding service to include Argyle, Haslet, Justin, Northlake, Trophy Club, and Westlake. In its 30 years of service, the Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce has also grown from eight founding members to more than 420. These members--past and present--have worked diligently to create, promote, and enhance growth for the business community. Since its inception, the Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce has sought to positively impact leadership, stewardship, and business relationships for the benefit of all six of the communities it represents in the Northwest Metroport region. There is no doubt that the Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce leaders and members have made meaningful contributions to their communities and the North Texas region, and I am grateful for their steadfast service.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, we are here today considering a continuing resolution that will provide dollars for the Federal Government and our national defense, but it also will finally accomplish reauthorization of funding for several important healthcare programs. These extensions are long overdue, and I urge Members to support this legislation so that our Nation's healthcare providers will have stability to continue their normal operations. The House passed many of these provisions last November. That is when we passed the Championing Healthy Kids Act. However, since House passage, the legislation has been stalled without action in the Senate. Fortunately, the Children's Health Insurance Program was reauthorized in the last continuing resolution. It seems like a long time ago, but it was only 3 weeks ago. However, we did not complete the public health or Medicare extenders. The continuing resolution that we are debating today includes funding for other important healthcare programs, such as community health centers, the National Health Service Corps, and Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education, all of which expired at the end of September. The continuing resolution provides a 2-year extension of funding for federally qualified health centers. One in 13 individuals nationwide relies upon a community health center to receive necessary healthcare services. The Community Health Center Fund plays an important role in supplementing the services that the federally qualified health centers are able to deliver to underserved communities by providing care to all Americans, regardless of their income or their ability to pay. The legislation we are considering also includes a 2-year extension of other important public health programs, including funding for the National Health Service Corps, the Family-to-Family Information Centers, the Personal Responsibility Education Program, the Special Diabetes Program for Type 1 Diabetes, and the Special Diabetes Program for American Indians. The package also delays the $5 billion in cuts to many hospitals in many of our districts across the country from the Affordable Care Act- mandated Medicaid disproportionate share hospital reductions for the fiscal years 2018 and 2019. I am certain that other Members have heard from their hospitals, as have I; hospitals in our districts whose ability to remain open and operational and continue to provide care could be jeopardized by these cuts in the so-called DSH payments. This delays but does not fix a problem that ObamaCare created for safety net hospitals that provide care to citizens of our country who most need this care. The committee is committed to continuing to work on this, but this 2-year extension is important. The bill also includes important Medicare extenders. The extension of the ground ambulance services and cost reporting requirements will allow our emergency responders in urban, rural, and superrural areas another 5 years of certainty in receiving their add-on payments. Similarly, home health providers will receive a 5-year extension of their rural add-on Medicare payments, and certain low-volume hospitals will continue to receive the payment adjustment for an additional 2 years. This health extenders package permanently repeals a provision in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. This provision sought to cap Medicare- covered outpatient therapy services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. The cap was never fully put into effect, but repealing the therapy caps will allow for certainty and stability for Medicare beneficiaries and providers of these services. Many of us have heard about the importance of repealing the cap. One of my priorities as chairman of the Health Subcommittee has been to improve the value of our electronic health records for doctors and for patients. Electronic health records have promise to streamline the sharing of data amongst patients and their doctors, but they have not yet fully lived up to this promise. Adoption of electronic health records is growing, but the meaningful use program, as established in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, has burdened providers with stringent requirements. In an effort to reduce that burden, this bill we are considering today removes the mandate that the Secretary of Health and Human Services make the meaningful use standards more stringent over time. I believe we have squeezed all the blood we can out of this turnip, and it is time to let our doctors be doctors. This will permit the Department to evaluate in other ways. Lastly, this package contains important provisions that aim to improve care for individuals suffering from chronic diseases. The Senate has already passed these provisions in their CHRONIC Care Act.

Mr. BURGESS. One of the most important pieces of this package is the extension of the Independence At Home Medical Practice Demonstration Program, which allows participating high-need Medicare beneficiaries who have multiple chronic conditions to receive Medicare coverage for home-based primary care. This program is currently in its fifth year and has been found to save Medicare dollars, but Medicare needs more time to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. This health extenders package has responsible offsets. One of these offsets would allow for Medicare reimbursement of outpatient physical therapy or occupational therapy services provided by a therapy assistant. These providers are reimbursed at 85 percent of the physician rate, and therapy assistants must have a State license and abide by Medicare supervision requirements. Additionally, lottery winnings and other lump sum income of over $80,000 would count toward income eligibility under Medicaid's modified adjusted gross income rules. In certain cases, individuals could remain eligible if being ineligible would lead to undue medical or financial hardship. Similar to the Championing Healthy Kids Act, this bill modifies the level of funding in the Prevention and Public Health Fund. By law, this fund is required to receive $2.5 billion in annual appropriations, which must be used for prevention, wellness, and public health initiatives administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. If Congress does not direct the funds toward specific efforts, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has the authority to spend the dollars however he or she deems fit. While we are redirecting these taxpayer dollars, the overarching purpose of the fund is still there to improve the health and wellness of Americans through existing mechanisms, and community health centers will do just that. With this spending offset, we are using the Prevention and Public Health Fund for what is intended: investing in America's well-being.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce as it marks 60 years of service to the North Texas community. The Northeast Tarrant Chamber works diligently to connect area business leaders, local city administrators, Tarrant County representatives, elected government officials and area non-profits to aid the growth and advancement of economic development in Northeast Tarrant County. Established in 1957 as the Haltom Richland Chamber, this organization has enjoyed significant growth in the span of its service. The Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce has a rich legacy of dedication to its members. In fact, eight of its members have been a part of the Chamber for more than 50 years. Just last month, it reached a milestone of 1,000 members. Over the last 60 years, the Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce has achieved a long list of accomplishments. For example, the Chamber has honored more than 500 local Hometown Heroes from area non-profit and community organizations who give their time and efforts to serve their Northeast Tarrant County neighbors. Additionally, it has awarded more than 200 annual scholarships to area high school seniors totaling over $200,000 in scholarship money distributed to deserving students, and has educated and graduated over 500 Leadership Northeast participants. There is no doubt that the Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce leaders and members have made meaningful contributions to their communities and the North Texas region, and I am grateful for their steadfast service.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives will vote on a continuing resolution to reopen the federal government and fully fund the Children's Health Insurance Program. I will be unable to be present for the vote in order to attend the funeral of my wife's mother. It is important that I be with my wife at this critical time. Although I will not cast a vote, my support for this legislation is clear. I voted for the continuing resolution on January 18, 2018, and have voted in support of Children's Health Insurance Program funding on four separate occasions. After a senseless government shutdown, I will be grateful that a conclusion will be reached and funding for our military, vulnerable children, and essential government services will be restored.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 44. Stated against:

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, a quick history lesson: CHIP, 1996, a bipartisan offering; a Democratic President, Bill Clinton; a Republican Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich; as part of welfare reform, we are going to move people from welfare to work. But what do we do about the children? If those parents are moved into employment, they are going to lose their Medicaid. Their children will be lost at sea. So CHIP was created. CHIP was created as a block grant program, maximum flexibility to the States. It was authorized for 10 years. Then when the Affordable Care Act passed, CHIP was authorized for 10 years; funded for 5 years, but authorized for 10 years. We are finishing up that tenth year of authorization with this bill. I actually wanted only a 2-year bill as we started. I compromised. Committee Democrats wanted a 5-year bill. Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans wanted a 5-year bill. We gave you a 5-year bill. We funded community health centers. We delayed the DSH cuts that were part of the Affordable Care Act that our hospitals back home were saying we can't manage. Remember, everyone was supposed to be able to lay down in the Elysian Fields of ObamaCare, except they are not, so our hospitals are tasked with taking care of uninsured and underinsured patients. We need to delay those DSH cuts. But here is the thing that really strikes me. We passed a 5-year bill through this House. Two dozen Democrats voted for it. And then the Congressional Budget Office, between then and the end of the year, said: With the repeal of the individual mandate, it just got a lot less expensive; and, in fact, if you will broaden it out to a 6-year window, you will return money to the Federal Treasury. What that tells me is that ObamaCare is so bad and makes everything so expensive and the States can do it cheaper. Okay. The CBO put it on sale, and we should buy. And we brought it back to you on the floor, and the 2 dozen of you who said, ``We liked it before when it cost more,'' said you didn't like it when it actually returned money to the Treasury. I don't know how we can intuit what you will take. We gave you a good bill. It was part of a 3- or 4-week continuing resolution. It is not that hard. Let's pass it. Let's do the right thing for America's children, our military, and Federal workers across this country.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exemplary work of Mr. James Gandy and congratulate him on his retirement. Mr. Gandy has served as the President of the Frisco Economic Development Corporation (FEDC) for 22 years, and in that time, has witnessed firsthand the economic boom that transformed Frisco from a small farm town to the economic hub it is today. During his tenure, the FEDC facilitated more than 345 projects with an economic impact of $31.1 billion to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan area. As a result of his work, more than 27,000 direct on- site jobs have been created, amounting to one fifth of the jobs in Frisco today. Mr. Gandy played a key role in bringing the Stonebriar Centre Mall and globally recognized brands--including the Dallas Cowboys--to this once-small town. As a direct result of the completion of these projects, Frisco is the proud host to more than 6 million visitors per year. Mr. Gandy's record of achievement does not stop there. This Frisco community leader was integral to forging public-private partnerships to create sports and entertainment venues, including the Ford Center at the Star, the Dr. Pepper Ballpark and Arena, the Toyota Stadium, and the Frisco Superdome. As a result of his hard work, Mr. Gandy has received attention not only at the local level, but also from around our state. Under his leadership, the FEDC was awarded the 2017 Economic Development Leadership/Innovation award from the North Texas Chapter of CoreNet Global. The Dallas Business Journal, in the year 2012 and 2015, ranked the FEDC as number one among North Texas economic development agencies, and the FEDC was recognized as high performing in both 2013 and 2016 by Atlas Advertising. He is truly an exemplary North Texas leader. Before serving on the FEDC, Mr. Gandy served on the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Seguin, and as the President of the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce. It is clear that Mr. Gandy has worked tirelessly to bolster the Frisco economy. Under his leadership at FEDC, the City of Frisco has seen an increase of the tax base of 38 times what it was when he took office. On behalf of the citizens and businesses of Frisco, I want to thank James Gandy for the unparalleled impact he has made on the city and wish him a very happy retirement.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exemplary work of Fire Chief Mike Duncan in his service to the City of Roanoke, Texas as we mark his retirement. During his sixteen years as Fire Chief in Roanoke, he has been a committed leader in his community. Chief Duncan was a seasoned fire fighter when he joined the Roanoke Fire Department as chief in 2001. He first began his firefighting career in 1974 with the City of North Richland Hills Fire Department. Since that time, he has served his community tirelessly in a variety of leadership roles. Throughout his years of service, Chief Duncan earned certifications as a Master Firefighter, Advanced Fire Inspector, a Fire Service Instructor II and as the Department Head for the Fire Department. He is a leading member of the Denton County Fire Chiefs Association where he served as Treasurer for 11 years, the Tarrant County Fire Chiefs Association where he served as President in 2004, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Fire Protection Association, the North East Fire Department Association and the International Code Conference. Chief Duncan has devoted 43 years to protecting his neighbors. For more than four decades, he has put strangers' safety above his own, and we are indebted to him. I am deeply grateful for his service to the City of Roanoke and North Texas, and I wish Chief Duncan and his family the best in his retirement.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his work as the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee that deals with funding public health as well as medical research. I heard some comments about extension of the funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program at the beginning of the debate, and I wanted to come to the floor and remind people that the Energy and Commerce Committee did do its work as far as continuing the funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program. It completed its work. We delayed a little bit at the request of committee Democrats, we delayed a little bit at the request of the ranking member of the full committee, but we did deliver a product the first part of October. That product passed the floor of this House late October, early November. It passed with, of course, almost every Republican vote and over two dozen Democratic votes. It was, indeed, a bipartisan effort. It funded the Children's Health Insurance Program for 5 years, which was the Democratic request; the funding levels were requested by the Democrats; and it was offset in a responsible way. That bill is pending over in the United States Senate, and I, frankly, do not understand why the Senate minority leader will not release that bill for a vote by his Senators because it is, after all, Democratic Senators who represent States around this country that are going to suffer as a consequence of not passing this bill.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, late in June of 2012, like many Americans, I anxiously awaited a ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States while they were considering the constitutionality of the individual mandate. Of course, we were told during the run-up to that law, the Affordable Care Act law, that the individual mandate was not a tax; it was, in fact, just a requirement that everyone should buy the insurance. It seemed unreasonable under the Commerce Clause that that requirement, in fact, would be constitutional. Then, at the end of June, the Supreme Court made the ruling. I was probably right that it was unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause. But with some creative work, the Supreme Court said: It is a tax, and the Congress has the absolute power to tax; so, of course, it can stay in the law, and the law stands. So here we are today, considering tax reform for the first time in 31 years. And since the Supreme Court told us the individual mandate is indeed a tax, it is appropriate, it is right that the individual mandate be part of the discussion today. The House bill, when we passed it, did not include anything on the individual mandate; but the Senate, in their wisdom, sent it back to us with the individual mandate repealed. Now, make no mistake about it, the House has repealed the individual mandate any number of times over the last several years. The Senate has not. So the Senate has repealed the individual mandate for the first time. I say: Let's meet them where they are, let's pass this bill, let's repeal the individual mandate, and get on with making America great again.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I must confess, today I was astonished to read an article in one of the online magazines that House Democratic leadership had asked their Members to vote against this stopgap funding bill because of the stalemate over the funding of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. We just heard the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee detail the work that has already been done on this bill. Let me assure this Congress, there are probably people in here saying: What do you mean? We voted on this bill. We voted this bill out of the House weeks ago. It was offset. Everything that the Senate asked for, they were delivered: the 5-year timeframe, the funding levels the Senate asked for. They got everything they wanted. Yes, it was offset in a responsible fashion, but now we are told House Democratic leadership says vote ``no'' on this continuing resolution because we don't like the stopgap funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program. What in the devil do they want to happen? We did our work. We did our work. We had our legislative hearings on this bill in the summertime. We did delay things, unfortunately, 1 day. There was a shooting at a House baseball game--you may remember that--that caused us some delay, but we came back 2 weeks later. We got our work done. We had a responsible bill. It was reflective of everything that was requested by the Senate. It was offset, as was requested by a number of Members of this body, and it has languished over in the Senate since the early part of October. It is time for the Senate to take up and pass that bill so we don't have to have this continued discussion. This continuing resolution is important because it stops a problem that some of our States are going to face. It was completely unnecessary. The other body could fix it, and they should.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Uwe Reinhardt, a leading health economist whose work has shaped health care policy. Professor Reinhardt passed away this week at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy of scholarship and dedication. Professor Reinhardt was a longtime member of Princeton University. He started in 1967 as an assistant professor before rising through the ranks to become the James Madison professor of political economy and professor of economics and public affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School. Throughout his career, Professor Reinhardt became known as a leading expert in health economics. He served on the governing council of the Institute of Medicine and on the Physician Payment Review Commission, and won countless awards for his work. Born in Germany in 1937, Professor Reinhardt later moved to Canada. He earned his bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1964, and his Ph.D. in economics from Yale University. While I did not always agree with Professor Reinhardt, I always found him to be agreeable, and I always learned something from each encounter with him. He will be missed.

Mr. BURGESS

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Rules Committee for yielding. Today, the House of Representatives is considering tax reform for the first time since 1986. In the last 31 years, the world has changed a lot and it is time that we bring the Tax Code into the 21st century. This needed tax reform will put our country on a path to long-term economic stability and help hardworking families around the country get ahead. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will help American families in important ways. First, it focuses on Americans in the middle of the earning scale by doubling the standard deduction and creating a new family flexibility credit for nondependents. Taxpayers will be able to deduct even more from their taxable income, reducing the need for tedious itemization. In addition, the bill repeals the alternative minimum tax. This tax was never intended to be as broad as it has become, but because it was not indexed for inflation when it was introduced, many of us find ourselves having to calculate our taxes twice to see if we are ensnared by the alternative minimum tax. It is time for this one to go away. With decreased taxation, American families have more money in their pockets, resulting in greater contributions to the economy. The bill also alleviates some of the cost of raising children by expanding the child tax credit. It preserves the adoption tax credit so parents can continue to receive additional tax relief as they open their hearts and their homes to an adopted child. This bill reduces the number of tax brackets from seven to four, with rates of zero, 12, 25 and 35 percent for most taxpayers. It does preserve the 39.6 percent rate of the previous administration for the highest earners. These reforms will help simplify the Tax Code and make it more competitive for hardworking American families. I am grateful the Ways and Means Committee kept the step-up in basis, despite repealing the estate tax by 2024. The step-up in basis is an important component of estate planning when people are planning for future generations. This will allow people who may experience a tragedy to continue ownership of family property without bearing excessive penalties. Mr. Speaker, I am a supporter of the flat tax. I have introduced H.R. 1040 in every term that I have been in office, but I recognize this bill makes a lot of needed reforms and repeals some credits while maintaining those important to American taxpayers. Donors will still be able to make tax-exempt charitable contributions, employers will still be able to contribute to 401(k) retirement savings accounts, new homeowners will be able to deduct the interest expense on up to $500,000 of a mortgage, and no changes are made as to Social Security. I was actually hoping we could lower Social Security taxes. We couldn't. But we certainly do not increase Social Security taxes, despite what some of the fake news says. Students will continue receiving a credit through the consolidated American opportunity tax credit. Simply put, this bill will promote growth at middle-income levels, create a more favorable business environment, and continue important tax credits.

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following letter from Thomas Barthold to Chairman Kevin Brody: Congress of the United States, Joint Committee on Taxation, Washington, DC, November 14 2017. Hon. Kevin Brady, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Brady: You asked me to comment on the changes made by H.R. 1 as ordered reported by the House Committee on Ways and Means in the context of Clause 5(b) of Rule XXI of the House of Representatives. Clause 5(b) of Rule XXI sets special passage requirements for measures that amend subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of section 1 or section 11(b) or 55(b) of the Internal Revenue Code in a manner that imposes a new percentage rate of tax and thereby increases the amount of tax imposed by such section. H.R. 1 amends the relevant sections by eliminating the 10-percent bracket, which is obviated as a marginal rate as a result of the increase in the standard deduction provided in section 63(c) and makes general changes to the income thresholds at which the varying tax rate brackets apply and eliminating several other tax rates of present law. These changes combined with the increased value of the child tax credit (in section 24) result in virtually every taxpayer who formerly would have been in the 10-percent tax bracket having a lower tax liability under the changes that would be effectuated by H.R. 1 than they would under present law. Similarly, H.R. 1 eliminates the present-law 33-percent marginal tax bracket. As a result there are some taxpayers who would claim the standard deduction and had his or her last dollar of income taxed in the 33-percent tax bracket under present law but under H.R. 1 after claiming the increased the standard deduction would have their last dollar of income taxed in the 35-percent tax bracket. However, in each such case the taxpayer's total income tax liability is lower under H.R. 1 than under present law. For taxpayers who eschew the standard deduction under present law there is substantially greater variability in resulting tax liabilities. With the elimination of some deductions that taxpayers may elect to itemize under present law, it is not possible to say in all cases that these taxpayers have lower total income tax liability under H.R. 1 than under present law. However, by comparison to the case of a taxpayer claiming the standard deduction, the variability of these results is clearly a consequence of the changes to the tax base effectuated by H.R. 1 rather than a consequence solely of the elimination of the present-law 33-percent bracket. Because the House rule does not contemplate changes to the Internal Revenue Code as a whole and the interactions such changes have on tax liability, H.R. 1 requires a waiver of the rule's provisions. In its totality, the combined effect of the tax rate and income threshold amendments made by the bill, along with the increase in the standard deduction, would not, in and of themselves, result in an increase in the amount of tax imposed on virtually any filer as a result of these changes. I hope this discussion is helpful. Please contact me with any questions. Sincerely, Thomas A. Barthold.