Mike Bishop

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a wonderful organization in my district, the Rotary Club of Lansing. This May, the Rotary Club of Lansing is celebrating 100 years of service above self. The club was founded on May 29, 1916, and has been dedicated to many community and international service projects ever since. Over the past 100 years, Lansing Rotarians have provided over $2 million in grants for local and international projects. Such projects include the Rotary Veterinary Clinic at Potter Park Zoo, the Hospice of Lansing Residential Facility, annual support to the H.O.P.E. Scholarship Program for Lansing at-risk youth, and the reconstruction of a school in Sri Lanka after the tsunami. Lansing Rotarians also support the efforts of Rotary International in its fight to eradicate polio throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate the Rotary Club of Lansing on 100 years of service. I thank the Lansing Rotarians for their commitment to the people and their service to the Lansing community.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking my friend from South Dakota for her leadership in holding the IRS accountable for what we are seeing today. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3724, the Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act, to join in the outrage with my colleagues today on what we are seeing at the IRS. With tax day hitting earlier this week, I think this is an ideal time to highlight the need for continued oversight and, perhaps, ramped-up oversight of the Internal Revenue Service. Last February, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reported that the IRS had a tendency to rehire former employees with serious misconduct and performance issues. In their review, they found more than 100 former employees were rehired by the IRS despite having significant performance and misconduct problems, like willfully failing to file tax returns: a rather important thing for most of us, but apparently not for IRS employees. Mr. Speaker, the families in my district and I are 100 percent fed up with adhering to a standard that the IRS doesn't even hold their own employees to. We simply will not tolerate the rehiring of incompetent individuals who fail to do their job in the first place. It is time to put a leash on the IRS and prevent taxpayers from further double standards and further abuse. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 3724. Again, I thank my colleague from South Dakota for her excellent leadership on this. I look forward to open debate and voting on this matter as soon as possible.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the outstanding accomplishments of Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, who was recently awarded the esteemed Ferris E. Lucas Award of 2016 for Sheriff of the Year from the National Sheriffs' Association. As a lifelong resident of Oakland County, I can tell you that our sheriff's department is well-known around the country because of the outstanding work by Sheriff Bouchard and his world-class team of dedicated deputies. He is the kind of leader all families want to keep their families safe. I have known Mike Bouchard for many years, and I know that, every day, he looks forward to going to work to serve the men and women of our local communities, and he does an outstanding job of it in utilizing his professionalism and compassion for people. In serving Oakland County for over 17 years, Mike Bouchard was selected among a field of more than 3,000 sheriffs for this prestigious award, and I can tell you he absolutely deserves it. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have such a selfless, all-around good guy keeping the families in my district safe. Thank you, Mike, for your commitment to the people you protect and to the entire community. We are grateful for your service.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge an outstanding pharmacist in my district, Beverley Yachnin. A resident of Rochester Hills, Beverley has recently been named the 2016 Pharmacist of the Year by the Michigan Society of Community Pharmacists. This is a huge honor, and Beverley is actually the first pharmacist from my district to be awarded this prestigious distinction. This is not, however, Beverley's first time being recognized for her work as a pharmacist. She was previously honored by the American Pharmacy Association with a One to One Patient Counseling Recognition Award in 2012, and two honorable mentions for the same award in 2008 and 2010. Pharmacists play an important role in all of our lives. Our community is greatly enriched by Beverley's dedication to customer service and patient safety. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have such an outstanding pharmacist working and living in my district. Thank you, Beverley Yachnin, for your commitment to the people you serve and our entire Rochester community.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to begin by thanking the gentleman from Flint, Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for his leadership in this matter and for raising our attention to this. Also, I would like to thank Chairman Upton for his leadership for the Michigan delegation in bringing us together and putting aside any partisan differences to address a need of our great State and, also, for the children and families across our country. I have spent my entire life in the State of Michigan. I was born there and raised there. Many generations before me were the same, born and raised in Michigan. My current family, my wife and my three kids, also live in Michigan and will also, I am sure, see to it that their children live there as well. When I learned what happened in Flint, I was absolutely heartbroken. Frankly, it frightens me to think that a failure of this magnitude could happen in the 21st century and in our State. Can you imagine not being able to drink the water from your own tap? What if you weren't able to bathe or take a shower because of fear of what might be in the water? The anger and the frustration is palpable, and it should be. My district borders on Congressman Kildee's, and I can tell you firsthand the crisis not only affects and impacts the community of Flint, but the entire Great Lakes State. For weeks I have seen local high schools, veterans groups, and concerned citizens--you name it--people from all over Michigan, rising up to address the crisis and to help the residents, the families, and children of Flint. When it comes to local, State, and Federal leadership, we must do everything possible to help as well. Every single one of us here today has a duty to ensure families and children are safe and have access to the essentials, the most basic of which is clean drinking water from household faucets. Sure, we can point fingers and play the blame game. But when it comes down to fixing it, we must do so fast. We need more action than words. We need solutions. What Chairman Upton and Congressman Kildee have proposed is a first- step solution to ensure this won't happen again. First and foremost, this legislation makes sure the EPA will step in and notify the public when they know concentrations of lead in drinking water are above Federal requirements. It also streamlines communication between utilities, the States, the EPA, and the affected customers. The entire delegation of the State of Michigan and Congress agree that this is a crisis. But to be clear, this is not a Democratic or Republican issue. I would say shame on anyone who attempts to capitalize on this issue or use the families of Flint in this crisis to further their own personal agenda. This is about common sense and delivering solutions to these children and families. I ask my colleagues on behalf of both sides of the aisle to join Michigan and help us take action.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reflect on the career of an outstanding public servant in my district, Margaret Dunleavy. Mrs. Dunleavy retired at the end of 2015 after serving Livingston County as their clerk for 19 years. In her capacity as county clerk, Mrs. Dunleavy has been responsible for overseeing elections in the county as well as maintaining vital records and all circuit court records. She was first elected in 1996, and the voters of Livingston County chose her as their clerk in four additional elections. Her role as county clerk was not Mrs. Dunleavy's first public service experience. She previously served as the Hartland Township, Michigan, clerk and deputy clerk. Mrs. Dunleavy will be remembered as a hardworking, professional, ethical, and highly qualified clerk. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work with her, and I wish her all the best in her future retirement. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent such a dedicated public servant in Michigan's Eighth District. Thank you, Mrs. Dunleavy, for your commitment to Livingston County.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reflect on the career of an outstanding public servant in my district, Margaret Dunleavy. Mrs. Dunleavy retired on December 31, 2015, after serving as the Livingston County clerk for 19 years. In her capacity as clerk, Mrs. Dunleavy has been responsible for overseeing elections in the county, as well as maintaining vital records and all the circuit court records. She was first elected in 1996, and the voters of Livingston County chose her for their clerk in four additional elections. Her role as county clerk was not Mrs. Dunleavy's first public service experience. She previously served as Hartland Township clerk and deputy clerk. Mrs. Dunleavy will be remembered as a hardworking, professional, ethical, and highly qualified clerk. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work with her. I wish her all the best in her retirement. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent such a dedicated public servant in Michigan's Eighth District. Thank you, Mrs. Dunleavy, for your commitment to Livingston County.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of today's reconciliation bill. While it is true we have voted to repeal ObamaCare before, there is a reason why we continue to do so. We are actually listening to our constituents. Every one of us has heard ObamaCare horror stories, including freshmen like me who have been here just for a year. I continue to be inundated by grave concerns raised by families and businesses in my district. One individual wrote to me and summed it up this way: ``Mr. Bishop, the Affordable Care Act is anything but.'' He explained that his family of four went from an overall $5,000 deductible to having the same deductible per family member in addition to having his premium doubled. ``Where is the affordability?'' he asked. Another small-business owner from the small town of Fowlerville in my district called the other month to say that her rates for her family had more than doubled in just the past 2 years. I could go on, but we know the story all too well. Simply put, Mr. Speaker, the President's healthcare law is crushing our families and local communities. I urge my colleagues to heed their concerns and support this reconciliation package.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Smith), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Marino).

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. During this debate, my friends from the other side of the aisle have raised several false alarms about the alleged harms of this bill. The alarm bells that should be ringing for all Americans, however, is the alarm bell about the damage the dead weight of Washington regulation is piling on American jobs and wages. All rhetoric aside, the question that needs to be asked is, at the turn of this new year, where do American jobs and wages stand? The Investor's Business Daily reports that we have just concluded 8 years of zero real wage growth for American workers and families. That means zero wage growth for the entire Obama administration--0.0. What about jobs? Ninety-four million Americans above the age of 16 are out of the workforce--completely out of the workforce. Labor force participation has fallen sharply for working-age Americans. And we would have created about 6 million more jobs if the so-called Obama recovery had just been as good and as strong as the average recovery since World War II. The Obama recovery, instead, is the worst recovery from recession in a postwar era. The near $2 trillion of annual regulatory costs crushing our economy's ability to create new jobs and higher wages is a critical part of this problem. Mr. Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill to help deliver new jobs and better wages to America's workers and families. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, the United States and Taiwan enjoy deep and close relationship that covers areas including security, culture, and trade. Taiwan has played a significant role in promoting democracy in the East Asia and contributed to international development, humanitarian missions, and regional stability, such as in the South China Sea. Earlier this year, Taiwan President Ma proposed the South China Sea Peace Initiative, calling on claimants in the region to resolve disputes peacefully through international laws, in particular the freedom of navigation and overflight, and consultations based on equality and reciprocity. I appreciate his leadership and efforts in promoting regional peace and stability. On December 12, 2015, Taiwan's Minister of the Interior flew to the Taiping (Itu Aba) Island, which is the largest natural island in the Spratly islands and administered by ROC (Taiwan) government since 1946, and reiterated President Ma's South China Sea Peace Initiative. We encourage any efforts that contribute to lower regional tensions and hope all the parties involved will work together to maintain regional peace.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 3594) to extend temporarily the Federal Perkins Loan program, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would too like to voice my appreciation to Chairman Kline and the ranking member for their hard work on this legislation. I am a father of three children in the K-12 education system in my hometown. And I think all of us would agree here that we have a moral obligation to ensure the best possible educational environment for our children. Unfortunately, the past 25 years have seen student achievement actually go down. We can blame that on a lot of things. There is plenty of blame to go around. But the best question that we can ask today is: What is Congress going to do about it? And the answer, I believe, begins with the Every Student Succeeds Act. It is a bipartisan bill that helps to limit the role of Federal bureaucrats, restore local control, and empower parents. The Wall Street Journal has called this ``the largest shift of Federal control to the States in a quarter-century.'' And they are precisely correct. It gives more flexibility back to local school districts and gives States the right to set their own standards. So if a State wants out of Common Core, they would have the option to do that. What is more, parents can get information on local school performance so they can do what is best for their children. And when it comes to holding schools accountable, State and local leaders will get that responsibility back, as they should. But, above all, this bill replaces the No Child Left Behind Act. I think we can all agree that our current system is broken.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. So let's make a difference here today and adopt a smart public policy. Do it for our children. Make sure that they have an excellent education. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the achievements of a school in my district, Pine Knob Elementary School, in Clarkston, Michigan. For generations, Americans have held on to the longstanding belief that their children's future should be better than their own, and the key to a brighter future starts with the best education possible. Pine Knob Elementary School embraces that vision by setting their students on a path to success early on in the educational experience. Teachers and faculty are focused on emphasizing personal growth in addition to excelling in numerous areas. They encourage students to think outside the box and be kind to one another all along through the process. Their mentorship goes beyond the classroom where teachers assist with a variety of clubs and activities that their students participate in after school. In addition to student council or the broadcast news, kids can join a computer coding club where they can learn to write programs. It is popular choice among students today and, obviously, a highly sought-after skill in today's workforce. Above all, these students love learning. The results are in the 96 percent attendance rate their school has held for several years. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to see Pine Knob Elementary School become one of the 335 schools in the country to earn a Blue Ribbon Award this year, a highly regarded symbol of excellence. I applaud their effort, and I wish their school many more years of success.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues to support this legislation. I want to thank the gentleman for his sponsorship. I am proud to be a cosponsor. Thirty-one years ago, one Michigan family's sleepless worry became a heartbreaking reality. Their son, brother, and father, U.S. Army Warrant Officer Kenneth Welch, was one of two U.S. servicemen to lose his life in the bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. U.S. judgments later found that the act of terrorism was sponsored by the Iranian regime. For its crimes, that regime was ordered to pay damages to the family of Kenneth Welch. Not surprisingly, however, not one dime has been paid to the family. Yet today, in this country, we find ourselves dealing with an administration that wants to lift sanctions. Mr. Speaker, I am beside myself to think that this is the Nation that we have become. America is built on bravery and freedom, and that is because of the unwavering strength and sacrifice of men and women in the military. I am forever proud of our soldiers, and I know my colleagues here today are, too. That is why we cannot let the Iran terror continue. We need to do whatever we can to address the victims like Ken Welch.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I take the floor today to honor our ally the Republic of China (Taiwan) on their National Day. Since World War II, the United States and Taiwan have had a very close relationship and friendship. The United States and Taiwan enjoy a longstanding relationship that stems from our shared values: democracy, the rule of law, and free enterprise. Not only an important security partner, Taiwan is also a strong economic partner--in fact, our 10th-largest trading partner of the United States, and the 5th largest export market in Asia of my representing state--Michigan. Taiwan always shares America's democracy, freedom, and awareness for human rights. To protect these values, the United States has willingly supported Taiwan's security over the years. We have provided Taiwan aircraft, vessels, vehicles, technology, and many other necessities to protect themselves. In addition to self-defense, these tools are being used to demonstrate that Taiwan is our security partner in the Asia Pacific region. Many Americans believe in a strong U.S. relationship with Taiwan. I would like to see the continuing support for Taiwan and policies that would promote our relationship going forward.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3594) to extend temporarily the Federal Perkins Loan program, and for other purposes.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill, H.R. 3594.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and rise in support of the Higher Education Extension Act of 2015. Mr. Speaker, this week, several provisions of the Higher Education Extension Act are set to expire, including the Perkins Loan Program. For several decades, the Perkins Loan Program has provided low- interest-rate loans to college students with severe financial need. If we allow this program to expire, it would be at a time when our Nation's higher education system is failing many students trying to earn a college degree and a lifetime of opportunity and success. College costs continue to soar, new rules and regulations discourage innovation and deny access, and students are struggling to complete their education, not to mention find good-paying jobs. This is a very bleak reality facing students from my home State of Michigan and across the country. The American people deserve better. Students and families in my district and across the country deserve better, and my three children, who will one day in the not-so-distant future begin their college careers, deserve better. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Extension Act presents Congress an opportunity to strengthen higher education for students, families, and taxpayers. My colleagues and I have already proposed a number of responsible reforms that promise to promote innovation, strengthen transparency, and help students complete their education. Members are also working to streamline the confusing maze of financial programs so that students can get the support they need. As we continue our efforts to reauthorize the law, now is not the time to turn our backs on the students who rely on the Perkins Loan Program for their college education. Now is the time to help meet the immediate need of students in Michigan and across our country, and the Higher Education Extension Act of 2015 will do just exactly that. This bipartisan proposal will extend for 1 year the Perkins Loan Program, allowing participating colleges and universities to continue to service their borrowers. It will also allow current Perkins recipients who remain in the same academic program to be eligible to receive those funds through March 2018. The legislation will also extend other provisions in the Higher Education Extension Act that aim to support students, institutions, and policymakers. Finally, let me note for my colleagues and the American people, by reforming the Perkins Loan Program, we ensure that this legislation is fully paid for, at no additional cost to taxpayers. I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort with the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan), who shares my commitment to helping other students achieve their dream of a college education. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Higher Education Extension Act of 2015. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan

Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as I noted earlier, this effort is supported by local leaders in American Samoa. It is supported by employers in American Samoa, and, most importantly, it is supported by the working men and women of American Samoa. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.