Larry Bucshon

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to ObamaCare for the reasons we've heard already here today. However, I would like to explain how this ``train wreck'' is affecting Indiana and costing good-paying Hoosier jobs. Indiana is home to over 300 medical device companies, creating over 54,800 jobs that pay an average salary of $59,706 per year, and the medical device industry provides $50 billion to Indiana's economy. Companies have already decided not to expand and many across the country have announced layoffs. The device tax is so dangerous that our friends in the U.S. Senate voted recently 79-20 to repeal the medical device tax, and last Congress the House voted in a bipartisan manner to repeal the tax. Yet we've heard from the White House that the President doesn't support repeal because they need the money to support ObamaCare. This tax is a job killer and stifles innovation. It must be repealed. ObamaCare is full of these types of examples. This near government takeover of our Nation's health care system is riddled with more taxes, burdensome regulations, and unintended consequences that are costing jobs and compromising the quality of health care available to Americans. Not to mention many full-time employees are being cut back to part time so that employers can comply with all the requirements of the law. My constituents are telling me that this is happening as we speak back in Indiana. Before coming to the House, I practiced medicine for 15 years. That experience tells me that this law fails to help patients get access to quality, affordable health care, prevents businesses from expanding, and is not helping us create much needed jobs. It also puts government bureaucrats between the patient and their doctor--government bureaucrats in an agency that is intrusive, untrustworthy and targeting American citizens based on politics. Yes, Madam Speaker, ObamaCare vastly expands the IRS and is dependent on the agency for its implementation. That's why I'm proud to stand here today with my colleagues to support our Nation's patients by voting to repeal this disastrous law so we can replace it with commonsense, patient- centered reforms.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Let me add a few final comments. Again, on the things that we can agree on, many of us agree on children up to age 25 or 26. A lot of us agree that we need to look at finding ways to expand the affordability of health care. Remember, this was supposed to bring down the costs. There are a lot of things that could be done to bring down the costs. There are a lot of things we could have agreed on, Dr. Roe, if we would have just worked together and not put in, what I would consider, a near government takeover of the entire system. I've been a practicing physician for 15 years, and if I count my residency, it's more than that. Imagine if you're out there as a physician today and you have to look a patient in the eye and you have to tell him, Well, I'm sorry. The IPAB told me that this is not statistically something that we can provide because, based on statistics calculated in Washington, D.C., it's not cost-effective for the Medicare system to provide this service anymore. This is going to happen, and I hope we all wake up in America and realize that it will happen. This happens in other countries that have government insurance. The Canadian system could not exist if it did not sit next to the United States. It's two-tiered. People come to the United States, if they have money, to get health care in a timely manner. The same thing is true in England. If you have money, you get private health insurance. If you don't, you wait for months. So this is bad for patients, and it's bad for business. There are things we could have done. It's a shame that we didn't and that we weren't consulted. With that, I want to thank the gentleman from Tennessee for this hour to talk about this.

Mr. BUCSHON. I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana.

Mr. BUCSHON. I would agree with that. And let me tell you, there are some things that we could have agreed on that we could have made some advances on in health care reform. Preexisting conditions, all of us agree. I had a patient that had Hodgkin's disease when he was in his twenties. He worked his entire life. He is now in his fifties. He needed bypass surgery. He was never able to get health insurance the whole time because of a preexisting condition. That's just wrong.

Mr. BUCSHON. They don't.

Mr. BUCSHON. I practice in southern Indiana where I get patients from southern Illinois, northern Kentucky, and southern Indiana. Every year, the Illinois Medicaid system ran out of money before the end of the year, September-October. They just ran out of money. No money for their Medicaid population. This is exactly what you are talking about, Dr. Roe, is that a system that is already broken and we are going to expand it. And what it's going to do is, like Dr. Fleming said, put a card in your pocket that says you have health insurance, but you don't have access to health care providers, except guess where. Through the emergency room, which is one of the biggest problems we are already trying to defeat.

Mr. BUCSHON. I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee.

Mr. BUCSHON. Thank you, Dr. Roe, for yielding. It's great to be here with many members of the Doctors' Caucus and again remember the focus of what we are trying to do here is focusing on the patient, what's best for the American people and our patients. It's already been quoted a number of times today--I've got a couple other quotes. Senator Schumer also said: The Affordable Care Act could cause rates to go through the roof. That's exactly what we are seeing in the private health insurance. I won't repeat Senator Baucus' statement about a train wreck. But Senator Rockefeller also said: It's so complicated, and if it isn't done right the first time and it's not being done at all, it will just simply get worse. What I'm going to focus on now and the rest of the time is what this means to employers and people that have employer-provided health insurance and what this law is going to do to employers. Let me focus on first what the city of Long Beach, California, just came out and said recently. They are going to be limiting most of their 1,600 part-time employees to fewer than 27 hours a week on average. So these are employees that had a 40-hour workweek and now they are being cut to less than 40 hours to comply with the law. You say, Why would that happen? Well, because city officials say that without cutting payroll hours, new health care benefits would cost up to $2 million more next year and that expense would trigger layoffs and cutbacks in city services. This is a city in southern California. This isn't an isolated event. Regal Entertainment Group, the Nation's largest movie theater chain, with over 500 movie theaters operating in 38 States, recently said they plan to cut many nonsalaried employees back to part-time to comply with ObamaCare. In a memo to company managers, Regal stated: To comply with the Affordable Care Act, Regal had to increase our health care budget to cover those newly deemed eligible, based on the law's definition of full-time employee, which is 30 hours or above. To manage this budget, all other employees will be scheduled in accord with business needs in a manner that will not negatively impact our health care budget. That needs a translation. The translation is: everybody is getting cut back to less than 30 hours, and they are going to see their income dramatically drop. There are other examples. The State of Virginia, Palm Beach State College in Florida, and CKE Restaurants, among others. I have an example in my district. We got an email the other day. A constituent said she and 52 other employees at a school district in my district in Indiana were recently informed that their hours will be cut to 28 hours a week because the school can't afford to comply with the health care law. Municipal government officials are telling me, city government officials are telling me in my district this may hit city government, municipal government, county government, and school districts. This is just people being cut. Now, let's talk about people losing their health insurance. Here's a chart right here that says we were promised that everybody could keep their health insurance. Here are some, what I consider, conservative estimates of the number of Americans who are going to lose their health insurance after full implementation of the law. Why is that? Well, because I talk to small business owners all the time who have more than 50 employees. I talked to one young man who has been very successful in starting a business and creating jobs. He says, Not only will I probably not be able to afford it and have to just pay the penalty rather than complying with the law, but I don't know a small business owner that I've spoken to--this is his words--that is not going to pay the penalty and not going to jettison their employee- provided health insurance. All of those employees are going to be forced to go to these State- based exchanges, which aren't set up and which are going to cost more. The gentleman from Maryland just talked about that about half an hour ago. People aren't even going to be able to afford it, so employer-provided health insurance is going out the window. I think estimates like this are very conservative, according to the people that I've talked to.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I'm here to comment on the administration playing politics in an attempt to maximize the impact of his sequester on the American people and, in this case, the aviation system and the traveling public. The FAA's operating budget has grown by nearly 110 percent, more than double in the last 17 years, as domestic flights are down 27 percent. The FAA's share of the sequester represents $600 million of their $16 billion annual budget, about 5 percent. Does anyone out there believe a Federal Government bureaucracy can't find this level of savings without affecting the American people? Well, I don't. Rather than furloughing air traffic controllers to make a political point, the FAA should cut wasteful and unnecessary spending. Mr. Speaker, these cuts should not significantly impact the aviation system, but the administration is failing to show leadership and is trying to score political points.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of our coal industry and the men and women who work in the industry. I grew up in a small town in Illinois, 1,400 people, Kincaid, Illinois, where my dad was a United Mine worker for 36 years. All of my friends' parents worked in the coal mine. Coal created good, middle class jobs for those who lived in my hometown. I've been down in these mines in my hometown when I was a kid, and recently in my district now in southwestern Indiana. I've met the proud, hardworking coal miners, and I've seen the impact their hard work has on the local economy. In 2010, Indiana mined around 36 million tons of coal and consumed nearly 65 million tons. Currently, Indiana has more energy underground in the form of coal reserves than the entire United States does in oil and gas reserves. Indiana's demonstrated coal reserve base of over 17 billion short tons is enough to maintain the current level of production in Indiana for 500 years. The reserve base for the entire Illinois Basin, which includes Indiana coal, is over 130 billion tons, enough to meet the entire U.S. coal demands for the next 100 years. Eighty-eight percent of all electricity generated in Indiana is from coal. And I'm proud to say that all of that coal production is in my district. This natural resource is vital to our State's energy industry and supports over 3,300 direct mining jobs and approximately 12,000 indirect mining jobs. Twenty-seven percent of Indiana's GDP is from manufacturing dependent on coal-fired electrical generation. Mr. Speaker, we cannot deny that coal is vitally important to Indiana's economy, as well as our Nation's. Despite the immense impact coal has on our economy, onerous Federal regulations can often be an obstacle for this industry. I'm pleased to say that the administration actually recently responded to a request by myself and our two Indiana Senators to give a permit to a company creating 100 jobs in my area, but this is unusual. The coal industry under this administration should not have to navigate the overaggressive and ideological regulatory climate coming out of the EPA. The Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, recently proposed outlandish rules that are nearly impossible to follow. As has been previously stated, they can't be followed. There's no technology that will meet these standards. These proposed rules are oftentimes, as I just stated, impossible to meet, and they fail to examine the science. I was a heart surgeon in my previous career, and I can tell you I didn't practice medicine based on ideology or anecdote. I practiced based on scientific fact. Many of the regulations do not have the backing of science. Madam Speaker, we need a sound energy policy that supports our Nation's coal industry to lower the cost of electricity, create jobs, and make our businesses more competitive internationally. I'm proud to stand here today to support coal in Indiana and across America, and I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for holding this Special Order.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and respect an American hero. Today, the Korean War Medal of Honor winner from Washington, Indiana, Lt. Col. Don Faith, was finally put to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Forced to assume command of a small U.S. Army task force, due to his superior being killed in combat, Lt. Col. Faith put together a plan. Renowned as ``Task Force Faith,'' Lt. Col. Faith was responsible for maintaining a more defensible position. Grossly outnumbered and surrounded by Chinese People's Volunteer Forces, Lt. Col. Faith continued to rally his troops, and personally led an assault on a CPVF position. Lt. Col. Don C. Faith Jr. was awarded the highest U.S. military honor for valor, the Medal of Honor, during the battle of Chosin Reservoir in 1950 for his heroics and leadership. I rise today to celebrate the life, honor, leadership and incredible sacrifice of a true American hero. An honor to which we all owe a debt of gratitude. May God bless you, Lt. Col. Don C. Faith Jr.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act. This legislation provides much-needed clarity for employers, employees, and other stakeholders affected by the unconstitutional actions of the National Labor Relations Board. The issue here is the Constitution. You're hearing from the other side of the aisle that this is about policy disagreements with the NLRB decisions or about how previous Presidents have done recess appointments similar to these. They're wrong on both accounts. They're attempting to reframe the debate and confuse the American people about what this really is about. Previously, the Senate was not in session when previous Presidents made appointments, and decisions by their appointees were accepted as constitutional. In this case, the Senate was in a pro forma session. They were in session, and this has precedent that has been stated already here today. In 2007, Senator Reid announced that the Senate would be coming in for pro forma sessions during the Thanksgiving holiday to prevent recess appointments. I guess my friends on the other side of the aisle only want to follow the Constitution when there's a Republican in the White House. Appointments at that time in 2007 would have been unconstitutional, as these appointments are now. The American people deserve a Board that will fairly and objectively administer the law without bias towards management or labor. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1120, the appropriate congressional response to help ensure certainty and fairness in America's workplaces.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exceptional Hoosier, dedicated public servant, and a good friend of mine, Martin Mumaw III--a man with a strong desire to help others and a man who has been a tremendous asset to the Eighth District of Indiana. Martin has dedicated over 40 years of service to Indiana, the Eighth District, and Daviess County Republican Parties. He is currently serving his fourth term in elected office as Daviess County treasurer. He also has worked with many civic organizations and within the Republican Party as precinct committeeman, county chairman, and member of the Eighth District Central Committee. His public service and civic engagement have been a means by which Martin has improved the lives of those around him. His dedication and service led former Indiana Governor Robert Orr to name him ``Sagamore of the Wabash'' in 1988, an award for distinguished public service. While his public service has been tremendous, Martin is probably best known for his fellowship, kind heart, and sense of humility. He's never met an enemy and is the first to extend a helping hand. I'm proud to stand here today to honor Martin's history of service, a history to which we all owe a debt of gratitude. God bless you, Martin Mumaw.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Madam Chair, we are here today to discuss the positive reforms within the SKILLS Act. Our Nation's current job training system is broken. The SKILLS Act will give state and local governments more flexibility by consolidating 35 existing federal employment and training programs into a single Workforce Investment Fund. This will end the long line of bureaucratic red tape, lower costs, and increase the representation of employers on local workforce boards. I have received numerous letters from Hoosier small business owners asking me to support the SKILLS Act. The reason? This bill unites the local small business community by enhancing their involvement in career development programs, closing the skills gap, and providing more job opportunities in this struggling economy, which saw the GDP decline in the fourth quarter of 2012. Our founding fathers believed that reducing the size and scope of the federal government and restoring power back to the states and this bill matches that theme. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development echoes our message that states need the flexibility to rein in bureaucracy and provide our workers with a more dynamic, flexible, and efficient network of job training services. Currently, Indiana uses their funds on programs like: A youth summer program that combines in-the-class training and internships, or the state funded Western Governors University . . . Indiana's nursing program. These programs apply funding where it is needed most--helping Hoosiers find jobs. These are just a few, in a long line, of positive impacts upon which the SKILLS Act could improve. Empowering state governors to consolidate additional employment and training programs and services at the state level provides the flexibility that governors need to distinguish well planned and broad reaching initiatives that are best for their states. The SKILLS Act helps put Americans back to work. I, and the majority of the members of the Education and Workforce committee, stand committed to advance job training reforms that are fiscally responsible and produce a positive ``return on investment'' of taxpayer dollars. Walking out, as the minority chose to do during our committee markup, simply casts a cold shoulder on much needed reform in our workforce training programs. I urge my colleagues to support the SKILLS Act, to give hardworking Americans the training and education they so badly need.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on their upcoming National Day on October 10th. Taiwan has always been one of the most loyal friends and allies of the United States. Over the last few decades, the relationship between the United States and Taiwan has grown into a strong. Taiwan's cooperation with the United States in fighting global terrorism has earned the trust of the American people and boosted exchanges and friendship between our two nations. Such robust relations also extend to trade and Taiwan's military needs. A strong Taipei-Washington relationship is in the best interests of both and the stability of East Asia. This year, we celebrated the 33nd anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, the cornerstone of our relations with Taiwan. Furthermore, Taiwan has been an important trading partner of the U.S. Its imports of U.S. products and services have created thousands of job opportunities for our people. Many more thousands of Taiwanese students study at U.S. colleges and universities and Taiwanese tourists choose the United States as their number one overseas destination, outside of destinations in Asia. For all these and other reasons, we thank the Taiwanese people for their friendship and close ties to us. Hoosier's of the 8th District also have an important, mutually benefiting relationship. Indiana exported products worth nearly $220 million last year, making Taiwan the 21st largest importer of Hoosier- made goods. As of 2011, Taiwan intends to purchase $4 billion worth of soybean and corn from Indiana; benefiting Hoosier farmers in one Indiana's most important industries, agriculture. Additionally, Hoosier businesses such as Eli Lilly, the world's biggest producer of psychiatric medications, and Cummins Engine, the world's largest producer of diesel technology, both have operations in Taiwan. I am pleased to see discussions with Taiwan have recently resumed in the hopes of producing a free trade agreement between our two countries. On Republic of China (Taiwan)'s forthcoming National Day on October 10th, 2012, I hope our relations with Taiwan will continue to grow and flourish. May U.S.-Taiwan relations remain strong forever. Congratulations.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. BUCSHON. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Chairman, my amendment addresses timing. Timing is important when it comes to this issue because the public needs to know and this Congress needs to know what the science is before the rule is finalized, not after the rule has already been essentially finalized and the public comment period has passed. I had direct experience with this recently with the coal dust regulation. After the rule was essentially finalized, I asked for the data myself and was denied the data claiming that there would be HIPAA violations if they released scientific data on black lung disease, for example, that this coal dust regulation was based on, which is not true. I'm a physician, and there are scientific studies released every day in journals across America that show X-rays and other things of patients without names on them, and they don't violate HIPAA regulations. I think the timing of this is important because if the rule is finalized, even if you see the science, it makes it very difficult to overturn the rule and the opportunity has passed for peer review and congressional review of the science behind a proposed rule. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Chairman, coal provides affordable domestic energy that supports millions of direct and indirect jobs. In my State of Indiana, 90 to 95 percent of all electrical power comes from coal. This keeps the costs of energy down, and it attracts millions of jobs to my State through our manufacturing industry. This amendment would require that the Secretary or any other Federal official proposing a rule under this act publish with each rule the scientific studies the Secretary or other official relied on in developing the rule. This amendment is simple, and it will ensure that rules being issued are based on valid scientific studies that can be peer reviewed and replicated. This amendment should be supported by everyone in this body who values sound science and who wants to ensure transparency with the rulemaking process. Federal agencies are promulgating more rules each year that control greater aspects of our personal and professional lives. Often these rules are pages long, instituted with little or no congressional input, and can have a devastating effect on job creation and our economy. It is important for all Federal agencies to provide to the public the science and research behind proposed rules. It enables the scientific community and the general public to scrutinize how unelected Washington, D.C., bureaucrats are writing rules that increase costs for businesses and hurt our economy. I have personally met with numerous government officials, such as those from the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and have discussed their rulemaking process. More than once, I have been told that proposed rules related to the coal industry are based on scientific studies and data--most recently, the underground coal mine dust regulation. I have asked to see these studies both in private meetings and in committee hearings, and I have never been provided with the scientific data that they say supports the new rule. As a scientist and medical doctor, nobody understands the importance of good science more than I. Whether it is in medicine or whether it relates to public policy, good science makes for good policies. It's important for the Members of this body and the American people to be able to review the science and the studies that contribute to Federal rulemaking and to know that every rule and regulation is based upon sound science. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, requiring that we have a transparent rulemaking process that allows every concerned American to review the science behind a proposed rule.

Mr. BUCSHON. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. BUCSHON. May I inquire as to how much time I have?

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight some innovative health care programs being implemented by Applied Extrusion Technologies in Terre Haute, Indiana. AET Films is a leading supplier of specialized oriented polypropylene films in North America. In 2005, while being faced with ever increasing insurance premiums, they chose to take the path less traveled, empowering their employees through a high deductible health plan coupled with a health savings account. Over time they further implemented healthy employee incentives and education programs to help employees make better consumer-driven health decisions. The results of these programs have been irrevocable, as AET Films has seen near 0 percent premiums increases since implementation. With the Supreme Court's recent ruling, and our vote this week to repeal the Affordable Care Act in its entirety for the 4th time, it is important to understand the creative steps being taken in the private sector that lower health care costs, and incentivize better health outcomes--all without government control or interference. I commend AET for their innovation, and encourage the Senate and the President to join the House in repealing the Affordable Care Act, which dismantles innovative programs pursued by AET Films and job creators across the United States, and replace it with private sector reforms that lessen the cost of health care for all Americans.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3742.

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3742) to designate the United States courthouse located at 100 North Church Street in Las Cruces, New Mexico, as the ``Edwin L. Mechem United States Courthouse''.

Mr. BUCSHON

Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I rise again in strong support of S. 1335. I'd like to thank Mr. Graves, the gentleman from Missouri, the lead sponsor on the majority side, and Mr. Lipinski from Illinois, from the minority side, for bringing this bill to the House floor. I yield back the balance of my time.