Susan Brooks

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the terrible consequences ObamaCare is having on working families. In my district, Zionsville Community School Corporation was forced to cut hours for substitute teachers, instructional assistants, and other staff because of the employer mandates. Recently, one Indiana school administrator who had just cut coaches', aides', and assistants' hours asked, ``Did they really think about the seventh- and eighth-grade basketball coach or the substitute teacher or the part-time instructional aide'' when they wrote this law? Schools shouldn't be forced to cut back on services for kids because Washington is too stubborn to roll back a failed initiative. While 12 million Americans are still looking for a job, schools are cutting hours and, consequently, people's pay. A recent study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that ObamaCare is the number one concern for small businesses, and soon our children and families will learn it's the number one concern for school systems. Mr. Speaker, this law is hurting our students, our school systems, its workers, and our economy. We must repeal it.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, June 1st marked the beginning of the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has once again predicted an ``active or extremely active'' hurricane season this year, with the potential for 13 to 20 named storms, of which 7 to 11 could become hurricanes. In fact, less than two weeks into hurricane season, we've already seen our first named storm, Tropical Storm Andrea. As the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I rise today to urge citizens in hurricane prone areas to take steps to prepare themselves and their families. This is also a good time for citizens not in areas susceptible to hurricanes to consider the threats to their areas; be it from tornadoes, earthquakes, flooding, or other severe weather. Many of the steps necessary to prepare for hurricanes are the same for other hazards. I urge all Americans to develop a disaster plan; assemble an emergency kit, including medications, important documents, and food and water; and become familiar with the evacuation routes and emergency management officials in their areas. Unsure of what to do to get prepared? There are resources online that can help. In my home state of Indiana, Hoosiers can visit the Indiana Department of Homeland Security's ``Get Prepared'' site at www.in.gov/ dhs/getprepared.htm. Information is also available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov. The Department of Homeland Security's Ready program has useful information on ways to get prepared at www.ready.gov. Through this site resources are also available for kids, businesses, and non-English speakers in 12 languages. Information on ways to plan and prepare is also available from the American Red Cross through its ``Be Red Cross Ready'' module at www.arcbrcr.org. Severe weather can occur at any time, with little notice. Super Storm Sandy, the tornadoes in Oklahoma, and the recent flooding in my congressional district are proof of the devastation that disasters can have on our nation. The time to prepare is now. Taking some simple steps to prepare yourself, and your family, can make all the difference when disaster strikes.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Improving Postsecondary Education Data for Students Act. I am the mother of a current college student and a recent college graduate as well as a former general counsel and senior vice president at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. I personally and professionally understand the difficult and often life-defining decisions our young people make when they decide where to attend college. Students want to make the most educated decisions they can, but currently, they struggle to access and process all of the data they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their futures, and it's not because there is a lack of data being reported. Currently, the Federal Government requires colleges and universities to report overwhelming amounts of information. As Congressman Messer has already said, rather than having institutions across the country spend over 850,000 hours and almost $31 million to fill out all of these required Federal surveys, why not allow our higher ed institutions to spend those hours and those dollars doing a better job serving our students in classrooms, advising students and figuring out ways to lower tuition costs? The problem is that the Federal Government is not requiring the right information and putting it in a readable and understandable format for students. This bill directs the Department of Education to conduct a survey on which factors students and families want and need when researching their postsecondary options. It's common sense. I appreciate that it's a bipartisan piece of legislation that will benefit students and our higher ed institutions. This bill is simple, and it helps Congress improve transparency as we approach the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. I applaud the work of my fellow Hoosier and colleague Mr. Messer, and I urge the adoption of this important bill.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security's Transportation Security Subcommittee, I am proud to be a cosponsor of this commonsense piece of legislation that will increase accessibility and privacy for our wounded warriors at airport checkpoints. This legislation directs TSA to develop and implement a process to facilitate the ease of travel and, to the extent possible, provide expedited screening through our Nation's airports for severely injured or disabled members of our Armed Forces and veterans. The last thing our heroes need is to face unnecessary scrutiny or hassle, or be forced to answer endless questions about their conditions, when all they want to do is board a plane to fly home to their loved ones or maybe to a job interview. This bill would ensure that our wounded warriors--those dedicated men and women who have been severely injured while fighting to protect our Nation--are treated with the highest dignity and respect when traveling through our Nation's airports. I was pleased to find out that shortly after Administrator Pistole testified before the Transportation Security Subcommittee on TSA's efforts to advance risk-based security, TSA began to offer expedited screening services to severely injured members of the Armed Forces and veterans, provided they contact the TSA in advance of traveling. While I support TSA's newly adopted protocols, I feel this bill is necessary because it codifies current TSA policy and ensures that it will remain intact during future administrations. Mr. Speaker, this bill not only benefits severely injured and disabled members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans, and their accompanying families, but it also supports the TSA administrator's intent to develop a more risk-based method of screening for all passengers. Expedited travel for our military heroes is an important step toward reasonable transportation security reforms that will allow us to focus precious taxpayer dollars on the unknown travelers and the real threats. As we look forward to this upcoming Memorial Day, let us honor the all-too-often painful sacrifices our wounded warriors have made for our Nation by adopting this important and commonsense piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1344) to amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) to provide expedited air passenger screening to severely injured or disabled members of the Armed Forces and severely injured or disabled veterans, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. On behalf of myself, as well as Congressman McCaul, the chair of the Homeland Security Committee, we would like to commend Congresswoman Gabbard of Hawaii not only for her service in moving this issue, but for her military service. I'm very proud to be serving with her, and we are so pleased that this is being done in such a bipartisan manner. The Congresswoman from Hawaii and I have enjoyed a new strong friendship, and I hope there are many more bills to come that we can work on together. I must say that we know that there are so many brave men and women throughout this country who have been severely injured while fighting. In fact, according to the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University, there are 6,800 working-age civilian veterans in Indiana, alone, who have had the most severe service-connected disability rating. And this past weekend when I was out at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in honor of Armed Forces Day on Sunday and as we swore in the young men and women who have agreed to step up and serve in the National Guard and they were reporting to basic training that day, I knew that this bill was on the House floor this week. It was quite emotional to see these young men and women who we know between them and their families are providing the most incredible sacrifice. I am just very pleased that we are working on this bill in this manner. To sit by while one of these heroes--and to me, all of these young 18-year-olds to 22-year-olds that I saw in front of me are heroes. We pray that they will not be injured. But those who are injured and who provide that incredible sacrifice cannot be treated like potential enemies here at home, and particularly at our airports. It should put us all to shame. Our wounded warriors are a special group of citizens in this country. They are a trusted group of citizens, and we can and must do more to treat them as such and to recognize their commitment to our Nation. With the Memorial Day holiday fast approaching, this bill is a timely tribute to their sacrifice. I must also say that this weekend at the Indianapolis 500, before the race, it is the most moving ceremony when our armed services march down Pit Lane, and the quarter of a million people that will be there say it is probably the most moving ceremony they have ever witnessed. So we look not only for safety this weekend at our race, but it is a wonderful reminder of the incredible sacrifice all of the men and women in the military give day in and day out. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1344, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi: Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1344, the ``Helping Heroes Fly Act.'' Mr. Speaker, at the outset, I would like to commend the gentlewoman from Hawaii, Representative Gabbard, for introducing this thoughtful, bipartisan legislation. I also commend the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. McCaul, for working diligently to have this bill receive timely consideration by the House. We owe a great debt to the women and men who have served to defend our freedom. Those who were injured or rendered disabled because of their service, in particular, deserve our deepest gratitude and respect. They deserve to be treated with the upmost respect and dignity upon their return home. Unfortunately, when it comes to flying domestically, all too often, the security screening experience for injured and disabled veterans is anything but respectful and dignified. H.R. 1344, the ``Helping Heroes Fly Act,'' seeks to improve the screening experience for these brave men and women by requiring the Transportation Security Administration to develop and implement a process to facilitate the ease of travel and provide expedited screening to these members of the Armed Forces and veterans. It specifically requires consultation with organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project, American Legion, and Paralyzed Veterans of America that advocate on behalf of service members and veterans. Importantly, to help ensure consistency across the aviation security system, it also requires training for screeners on the protocols for screening injured and disabled service members and veterans. Passage of this legislation is the right thing to do to for those who sacrificed and were injured while serving our nation.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. If the gentlewoman from Hawaii has no further speakers, I'm prepared to close once the gentlewoman does.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to a distinguished gentleman who has also served his country admirably in the military and is someone who serves on the Homeland Security Committee with Congresswoman Gabbard and me, the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins).

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. This week is National Law Enforcement Week and, as chair of the Homeland Security Committee's Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee, and as someone who's worked closely with law enforcement as a former deputy mayor of Indianapolis and U.S. Attorney, I want to mark this moment. Men and women of law enforcement run into the most difficult situations while the rest of us are trying to get out. They spend their lives in harm's way to keep the rest of us out of it. When I toured the flood damage just last month in Grant, Howard and Tipton counties, I learned the police had gone door to door to make sure that everyone had evacuated. When I was U.S. Attorney, I spoke at the funeral of Officer Jake Laird, who was shot and killed by a mentally ill gunman. Officers ran in to save a neighborhood under siege. Historically, Indiana law enforcement has lost 406 individuals in the line of duty. These men and women gave their lives for their fellow Hoosiers. We are forever grateful to them and to their survivors, and honor their memories by supporting and honoring their service and those who proudly wear the badge.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Thank you to the gentleman from Indiana for organizing this. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 45, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. ObamaCare is bad for the young and for the elderly. I recently received a letter from a high school senior in my district. She noted that her family's out-of-pocket premium costs have risen $7,000 in recent years while their deductible has increased tenfold. She said she is worried about how she is going to pay for health care on her own in the future. She is right to worry. According to a study published by the American Academy of Actuaries' magazine, 80 percent of Americans under the age of 30 will face premium increases because of ObamaCare. The costs of ObamaCare are more than monetary. Americans will also have fewer health care choices because of it. Specifically, the Independent Payment Advisory Board will threaten the options available today to Medicare recipients. This board of 15 officials will get to choose which treatments and which procedures Medicare will reimburse and which it will not. What a doctor prescribes or what a patient needs will come second, if at all. The IPAB is unelected and won't report to Members of Congress or to any elected official. The budget for this board is given directly by the executive branch. IPAB doesn't even have to justify its finances to the public. My friends on the other side of the aisle like to say Republicans want to change Medicare as we know it; but, in fact, it is ObamaCare that is changing Medicare, putting bureaucrats in charge of decisions that should be between senior citizens and their doctors. Repealing ObamaCare will right this wrong for the young and for our seniors. I urge the adoption of this important bill.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support on behalf of moms and dads and those who aren't parents that would be possibly impacted by the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013. Currently, private sector employees do not have the same choice their public sector counterparts have enjoyed. Specifically, there are so many obstacles that prevent workers from being able to take comp time in lieu of cash wages. This commonsense piece of legislation removes those barriers and gives the private sector working moms and dads more flexibility. We are getting ready to celebrate Mother's Day this weekend, and I wanted to make special note of the difficulties working moms have finding a job that respects their family choices and pressures. I recently finished a book--talking about books earlier--called ``Leaning In'' by Facebook's COO, Sheryl Sandberg. She says, ``Too many standards remain inflexible and unfair, often penalizing women with children.'' She notes that 50 percent of employed mothers are unable to take time off to care for a sick child. She also discusses a Human Rights Watch study that found parents delayed having their babies immunized or dealing with their own health issues because they can't get time off. The study found parents believe ``there is virtually no protection for workers seeking flexible schedules.'' The bill on the floor now would give those working moms and dads the flexibility they want, need, and deserve. This empowers working parents to make the right decisions for their family. If dad can take work off for a doctor's visit, mom can choose to take cash if that's what she decides. If he can't, then she can choose to take the comp time. It gives them that flexibility. As a woman and a mom who has worked in the public sector and the private sector, I know firsthand how this does help working parents, and it helps those government workers attain that flexibility they deserve. It's time we bring that flexibility to the private sector. It's the 21st century. We have to reform our workplace. This bill helps us accomplish that. I urge adoption.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 49th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, composed of 141 high school seniors who have excelled in academics or the arts. I am especially proud that a student from my district, James Y. Wang, has been selected as one of two students from Indiana for this prestigious honor. These outstanding young people are selected by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars as a result of their academic success, community service, leadership, and commitment to excellence. Each state will send a young man and a young woman to Washington, DC, on June 16, where they will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion. This achievement is a wonderful reflection of the quality of academic instruction in my district and of the hard work and dedication of the students. I would like to congratulate not only Mr. Wang, but also University High School in Carmel, Indiana, and Derek Thomas, who has been recognized as an outstanding educator. As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I know how important it is to our nation's future to encourage academic excellence in high schools across the country. We must do everything we can to support our great educators and train a generation of students ready to succeed in a dynamic 21st century economy. The winners of this unique competition are an inspiration to their peers, educators, and parents throughout Indiana's 5th District and across the nation. Once again, congratulations to Mr. Wang, Mr. Thomas, and University High School. I am very proud of you.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Coach Paul Patterson on the occasion of his retirement. Coach Patterson has led the Taylor University Men's Basketball team for an incredible 34 years. In that time, he's recorded 734 victories and an astonishing 28 winning seasons. As he finishes his illustrious career, Coach Patterson is ranked eleventh all-time among men's collegiate basketball coaches in wins, and has won more games than any other collegiate head coach in Indiana's history. Given the Hoosier state's tremendous basketball legacy, Coach Patterson's accomplishment is all the more impressive. Coach Patterson has not only won games, but also helped form young men who are champions both on and off of the court. He has been recognized as the Coach-of-the-Year twelve times, and 24 of his players have been named to the prestigious NAIA All-American team. This outstanding accomplishment is a reflection of the quality and character of Coach Patterson's players as well as his exceptional talent as a coach and mentor. As the daughter of a high school football coach, I understand the time commitment and personal sacrifices required to lead young athletes to victory, and applaud Coach Patterson's years of leadership. On behalf of the constituents of the Fifth Congressional District, I congratulate Coach Patterson on the occasion of his retirement. Thank you, Coach, for your 34 years of dedicated leadership with Taylor University. Best wishes to you as you pursue new challenges in the many bright years ahead of you.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Creekside Middle School in Carmel, Indiana in celebration of the team of students who placed first in the National Science Bowl, sponsored by the United States Department of Energy. The National Science Bowl is an annual competition designed to encourage the best of our nation's young students to develop an interest in science and mathematics and to make contributions in those fields. It is a competition that promotes discovery, innovation, hard work and a commitment to a better tomorrow. For all of these reasons and many more, I am so proud that a team from Indiana's 5th District won the national championship. It is a wonderful display of the best of Indiana's young minds. Over 5,000 middle school students from 1,023 teams across the country participated in this event, making Creekside's win all the more impressive. As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I also want to acknowledge how important it is to our nation's future to encourage and raise a new generation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics--STEM--leaders. For America to maintain its competitive edge in our global marketplace, we must pursue STEM excellence with a sense of urgency and passion. Students like those at Creekside give me hope that we'll accomplish this vital mission. Their outstanding work is an inspiration to students, educators and parents across the nation. Once again, congratulations Creekside, I am very proud of you.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Having served in the city of Indianapolis city government, as well as working for the Federal Government as a United States Attorney and serving my citizens, that's what I thought Federal Government, city governments, and local governments were supposed to do--and State governments. And I've worked at a State higher ed institution. That's what public institutions are supposed to do. They are supposed to serve, and they are supposed to serve citizens. Many of us travel by air frequently, and we're grateful with the relative ease which air travel allows us to visit, whether it's distant loved ones or travel to conduct business. Government is vitally important in the service to citizens in air travel. But once again, the Federal Aviation Administration is finding it more important to play politics with air travel and air service than to serve the citizens, which is what government is supposed to do. The FAA has decided to implement President Obama's sequester by furloughing employees, like their air traffic controllers--vitally important to the service and safety of our country--and causing delays in up to 40 percent of U.S. flights. This isn't the only way the FAA could save money. There are many other ways the FAA could save money, and they were provided the flexibility to save that money. But instead, in 2010 alone, the FAA spent $8 million on employee conferences. There are many ways they are not serving us.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, since 1943, every President has declared March as ``Red Cross Month.'' This year is no exception. As the Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I recently was able to visit the National Red Cross, along with the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee--Mr. Payne, Jr. from New Jersey, to learn about their operations and show our support. During the visit, we learned that each year the Red Cross responds to about 70,000 natural and man-made disasters, ranging from small incidents, like house fires, to large- scale disasters like Hurricane Sandy and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Additionally, the Red Cross, through numerous blood drives, provides approximately 40 percent of the Nation's blood supply. The visit also provided us with the opportunity to tour the Digital Operations Center. The Digital Operations Center is the first social media-monitoring platform dedicated to humanitarian relief. The Digital Operations Center equips the Red Cross to better share safety and preparedness tips during natural disasters and aims to empower communities suffering during disasters to use social tools to seek help. After visiting the Digital Operations Center, I was very impressed with how the Red Cross has begun to leverage social media and uses smartphone apps to keep citizens informed before, during, and after disasters. I am personally thankful for the Greater Indianapolis Red Cross chapter and its volunteers. This chapter has truly embraced the Red Cross ethos of turning ``compassion into action.'' Just last year, volunteer Disaster Action Teams responded to more than 500 house fires and assisted over 700 families in recovering from emergencies and disasters. Additionally, more than 30 volunteers from East and Central Indiana were an integral part of the Red Cross' relief operations after deadly tornadoes struck Southern Indiana in March of last year. These examples highlight just a few of the capabilities a typical local Red Cross chapter can offer. In the upcoming weeks, when you are back in your Congressional District, please take a moment to thank your local Red Cross for all the work they do. The Red Cross is vital to our Nation's ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, regardless of the size, and they deserve our appreciation.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate the Indiana Wesleyan University Women's Basketball team for winning the NAIA Division II National Women's Basketball Championship. The IWU Wildcats from Marion, Indiana defeated the Davenport University Panthers, winning their second national title in seven years. The Wildcats played in the spotlight of the NAIA throughout this phenomenal season, which ended with a winning record of 35-3. Since the 1999-2000 season, Coach Steve Brooks has demonstrated outstanding leadership while serving as the head basketball coach. Last year, his leadership both on and off the court was publicly recognized when he was selected as the RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA NAIA National Coach of the Year, and this year he was honored as the NAIA Phyllis Holmes Coach of the Year, an honor he also received in 2007. As the daughter of a high school football coach, I understand the time commitment and personal sacrifices required to lead young athletes to victory, and applaud Coach Brooks' leadership. In recognition of their achievements, one of the Wildcats was named to the NAIA All-American First Team, while another teammate was chosen as a NAIA All-American Honorable Mention. This outstanding accomplishment is a reflection of the quality and character of IWU's players as well as their exceptional athletic talent. The coaches and players of the IWU team exemplify the highest virtues of the community: teamwork, loyalty, sportsmanship, and dedication. Once again, congratulations Wildcats, we are very proud of you. We look forward to cheering you on through another great season next year.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The people of my Congressional District and the State of Indiana are forever grateful for Ivy Tech's commitment to preparing Indiana residents to learn, live, and work in a diverse and globally competitive environment by delivering professional, technical, and lifelong education. Since its founding on March 15, 1963, Ivy Tech has become the largest statewide community college system in the United States, with 31 degree-granting campuses and 125 diverse areas of study. Today, Ivy Tech is the fastest-growing institution of higher learning in the State of Indiana. Over one million Hoosier students have passed through its doors on the way to a better life and increased opportunities, and 97 percent of these students stay in Indiana, working to make our State a better place to live and contributing to the health and productivity of our communities. Annually, Ivy Tech creates almost $8.2 billion in cumulative economic benefit for Indiana. Undoubtedly, Ivy Tech has made significant contributions to the development of the Hoosier workforce, and its programs and training are designed to suit the specific needs of our communities and employers while providing options to students at an economically affordable rate. Ivy Tech is leading the way in making the dream of a higher education a reality for Hoosier workers and students from all walks of life. Every year, 200,000 students benefit from an Ivy Tech education, and the college has set for itself the ambitious goal of 50,000 graduates annually by 2025. As the former Senior Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development and General Counsel at Ivy Tech, I was especially proud to be part of the college's Accelerating Greatness 2013 strategic plan, which succeeded in changing lives while making Indiana great. I look forward to an even brighter future for Ivy Tech Community College and the students it serves. Congratulations on 50 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Indiana!

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. I would first like to thank the leadership of Congresswoman Foxx. I stand here today not just as a Member of Congress but as a former community college administrator. As senior vice president and general counsel for Indiana's largest public college system, I led statewide workforce education and training efforts aimed at putting thousands of Hoosiers back to work. I also served on Indiana's State Workforce Board, which administers the funds set forth in the SKILLS Act. My experience in the workforce development arena taught me a very important lesson: Americans of all ages and backgrounds have the ability to be anything they want to be, but they need a flexible support system that prioritizes people and not bureaucracy. This is bureaucracy and this is what our current system looks like. That's why Congress must pass the SKILLS Act. We have a chance to empower millions of individuals to lead more fulfilling lives by finding meaningful work, and we must take that chance now. This is the time to choose people over paperwork and workers over waste. My own district is home to several global manufacturing and life science leaders. I recently sat down with employees from Dow AgroSciences, headquartered in Zionsville, Indiana. One by one, its employees told me we have to make better, smarter investment decisions in workforce development and education for our Nation to succeed and for our companies to succeed. How can we be a Nation that spends over $18 billion a year on job training programs--over 47 job training programs--and yet have almost 3.6 million jobs going unfilled? So we have jobs that are unfilled because we have a system that doesn't work. This isn't good enough for America. We can do better, and the SKILLS Act can take us on that path. The SKILLS Act can and will put people back to work. It is leaner. It provides a roadmap for success that can fuel a 21st century workforce. It removes roadblocks that prevent workers from receiving in-demand training, and it gives local leaders the flexibility to provide more funding to high-performing programs. Every step of the way, it ensures more of every dollar we spend goes to training people rather than to the government bureaucracy administering all of the 47 different programs today. House Republicans are ready to show we can put skilled American workers over government bureaucracy by passing the SKILLS Act. I support passage of this rule and the underlying bill.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ellen K. Annala for her 23 years of service as President and CEO of the United Way of Central Indiana. The people of my Congressional district and the State of Indiana are forever grateful for Ellen's contributions and commitment to making the United Way what it is today, a powerful force for positive local development. Over the years, Ellen's leadership has been critical in providing community leaders with the vision and necessary resources to discover new solutions and address the needs of our state and ensure the welfare of our citizens. As the first female leader of the United Way of Central Indiana, Ellen has been instrumental in bringing together Hoosier leaders from all walks of life to make our communities better places to live. Due to Ellen's strong leadership, the United Way is making tomorrow a better place by helping children today. She has tirelessly promoted early childhood learning by partnering with Indianapolis Public Schools in an effort to dramatically increase the number of children performing at grade level by sixth grade. Today, the United Way of Central Indiana is even better equipped to support many of the region's rural communities as a result of Ellen's guidance. She has opened offices and brought resources to the five counties surrounding Indianapolis, giving the United Way the unique ability to respond to local needs. On behalf of the grateful constituents of the Fifth Congressional District, I congratulate Ellen on the occasion of her retirement. Thank you, Ellen, for your 23 years of dedicated leadership with the United Way of Central Indiana. Best wishes to you as you pursue new challenges in the many bright years ahead of you.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. I rise in support of VAWA. Yelling. Name calling. Black eyes. Bruises. Belts. Broken bottles. Children scared and crying in the corners, crying for it to stop. The lies and coverups to friends and family. A family out of control. And then the abuser gains the control and says, ``I'm sorry,'' ``I love you,'' ``I won't do it again,'' ``I'll change.'' So the victim stays again and again and again, year after year. The cycle of violence goes on from generation to generation, just like Brittany from Tipton County, Indiana, abused by her drug-addicted mother and married a man also the victim of severe child abuse. After they married, the cycle of violence continues. Brittany's husband verbally and physically abused her while their children watched. She is in every one of our districts, whether you're in a poor family or a rich family, whether you're in the city, in the country, or on the farm. We as Members of Congress have the power and the control to change her life. When Brittany finally took control and made the call, it was VAWA funds that made sure that the cops that responded recognized it. And I've done those ride-alongs, and they are the most dangerous calls cops can make. When VAWA funds are involved, they keep shelters and transitional housing open so those victims have a safe place to stay. When VAWA has funds, it trains sexual assault nurses who help those victims through the humiliating exams they have to endure that are so important so we have the evidence to put the abusers behind bars. When VAWA funds are involved, we have advocates in prosecutors offices and in courtrooms who are trained to help them through the painful, long, difficult court process. And when VAWA funds are involved, we have counseling services needed for the victims and their families to heal. VAWA gives victims a fighting chance to gain control of their lives. If VAWA doesn't pass, in my district Alternatives, Inc. will have to lay off two of their five victim advocates, shut down one of their offices and won't be able to serve the 700 victims in rural counties that they served last year. VAWA is a program that works. It's one of those Federal Government programs that works. This bill is not a perfect bill. No bill that Congress passes is perfect. But I will tell you the victims being attacked can't wait for perfect. The three women and the one man who die every day at the hands of their intimate partners cannot wait for perfect. I'm a freshman, and I'm asked all the time, Isn't there anything that Congress can agree on and get behind? I think we need to show the American people we can give control back to the women, men, and children who are subjected to the horrors of violence at the hands of someone who supposedly loves them. This shouldn't be about politics and fighting and about political party control. In my short time in Congress, I've seen too often that we lose sight of the people that we are here to protect and to serve. And it is about control. That's what their lives are about. I urge every Member to think of the victims. Take those statistics and replace them with the Brittanys in your district. Take control away from the abusers, provide it back to the victims with the control they need. Can't we be the voice that they don't have? We as Members of Congress have the ability to give control back to the victims, to give control to the cops, to give control to the sexual assault nurses, to give control to the victim advocates, to give some to the shelters and to the counselors. I'm asking this Congress to show the American people that we care. I do. Please pass this bill.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Section 4: ``The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.'' Section 5: ``Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.'' Section 6: ``This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.''

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, my message today is simple: On too many big items, Congress has been kicking the can down the road for years. It's time to supply real leadership on the most pressing challenges we face. This is the only way we can restore trust in Congress. We are fast approaching a dead end. The Social Security Trust Fund will be bankrupt in 20 years. Medicare and Medicaid are not on a sustainable path. It is wrong for us to make promises to the American people we know we cannot keep. We must address the drivers of our debt--Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security--not because these programs don't have merits, and certainly not because the seniors currently benefiting from them don't deserve what they've been promised, but because real leadership isn't about making the easy choice, it's about making the right choice. Social Security and Medicare alone account for 36 percent of our Federal spending, and both are going to keep growing because of our aging population. My friends on the other side of the aisle will talk about cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. And while I agree we must do that, we can't tell the American people that cutting and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse alone is enough to tackle the $16 trillion debt. That's not leadership. History shows us that unless we make the hard decision to implement changes that equal real savings now, it will not happen. We cannot afford to make changes in 7, 8 or 9 years. We don't have the luxury of more time. We're in a position to clearly see three obvious opportunities to make real, sustainable changes. First, we know we are approaching the debt ceiling. Second, sequestration will go into effect in 2 months, and third, funding for the government will expire March 27. These are opportunities to make real changes in spending. I'm excited to be representing Indiana's Fifth District, and I'm ready to get to work. There is no reason we need to wait until the eleventh hour to start talking about the tough decisions we must make for the future of our country. It is time we commit to saving these important programs for those who need them and getting our economic house in order for the future generations of my children and my grandchildren and our country's children and grandchildren. Let's be the Congress in this 113th Congress that chose to tackle real problems rather than handing them down to our children. Let's embrace right- minded solutions that can set us on a path toward a better and much more sustainable future.