Jim Banks

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Trine University. A recent article by ABC 21 in Fort Wayne recognized the accomplishments of the University. There has been a school of engineering at Angola's Trine University since 1902 and if you think a small-town college can't leave its mark on the world, think again. Within the walls of the university's Brock Center stands the Hall of Innovation, a hall of fame, really, honoring over two hundred Trine alums who have more than 900 patents to their credit and many of their inventions we can't imagine doing without. Robert Dietz, Class of '52, invented the ground fault circuit interrupter, that electrical outlet you find in bathrooms that keep you from being electrocuted. Ralph Freathy invented the record changer, the device that lets you stack records eight or ten high for continuous music. Robert Molitor, Class of '42, invented the modern golf ball and Charles Montagna, Class of '49, invented the loop the loop racetrack for Hot Wheels cars . . . many of us remember that. Speaking of cars, Daniel Wisner, Class of '54, invented cruise control. ``A good solution made by a good engineer that has lasted the test of time,'' says Innovation One director Jason Blume. ``The engineers that have walked these halls and this campus in northeast Indiana, they're worldwide in impacting the world in every way that we can.'' The Hall of Fame isn't restricted to men. Judy Scheftic, Class of '84, developed a method for purifying metals and Angie Mannon, Class of '87, figured out a better way to cool automotive turbochargers and superchargers. 208 brilliant alums are honored here, another 23 will be added during homecoming week next month and many more after that no doubt. An impressive contribution to life on planet earth, made quietly and continuously in a bright little corner of 21 Country. ``If we look in the future this space is gonna be too small to have all the impact and innovation,'' says Blume. ``I don't know what we'll see in the next hundred years.''

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Design Collaborative, an architecture and engineering firm in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This year marks their 25th anniversary. Since 1992, Design Collaborative, and its team of architects, engineers, interior designers, and graphic designers has created projects in northeast Indiana, with work focused on higher education, healthcare, and workplace design. Over the last few years, it has developed a strong portfolio in the design of spaces for financial, recreational, multi-family housing, and civic clients. The company was founded by two architects and an engineer with dreams of improving people's worlds through the design of people-first places. Today, Design Collaborative employs over 60 people and is a model business for developing a culture and environment that attracts and retains talent to the region. They are also consistently and actively involved in the development of downtown Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana. Their work has helped make the Fort Wayne region a destination to live, work, and play. Over 25 years, Design Collaborative has designed thousands of projects in Fort Wayne and beyond, impacting clients in Indiana, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Design Collaborative has earned multiple honors, including the 2011 American Institute of Architects Indiana Chapter Distinguished Firm of the Year, 2015 Indiana Office of Small Business Entrepreneurship Companies to Watch, 2017 Professional Services Management Journal Circle of Excellence, 7-time Best Places to Work in Indiana, and multiple local and national design awards from organizations like the American Institute of Architects, American School and University Magazine, and Illumination Engineering Society. Since its beginning, Design Collaborative has always believed that the true measure of a project's success is the positive impact it has on the lives of the people who use it. Design Collaborative truly believes in people-first places. Its goal is to make life better for the people who live, work, learn, heal, or worship inside the spaces they design. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the entire team at Design Collaborative on 25 years of improving people's worlds through design, and wish them another 25 years and more.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, here in Washington, we are currently in the middle of an important debate on the Federal budget. It is clear that dramatic changes need to be made in the way that taxpayer dollars are spent. We need to get our Nation's fiscal house in order. As we consider important reforms, we would be wise to turn to my home State of Indiana. Last week, Indiana State Auditor Tera Klutz announced that our State currently has a rainy day fund of nearly $1.8 billion. Contrast that with a nearly $20 trillion national debt here in Washington. As Auditor Klutz noted in a press conference last week: ``Hoosiers can rest assured that their government takes the task of managing taxpayers' money seriously. Just like people across the State live within their means, Indiana has worked hard to spend less than we take in, invest in our priorities, and retain resources in the event of an economic downturn.'' To get our fiscal house in order, we need more of this Hoosier common sense in Washington. The attitude and approach that has worked well in Indiana should be a model for the Nation.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the most influential legislators in the history of the Indiana General Assembly, Luke Kenley, who has recently announced his decision to retire after 25 years of service representing District 20 in the Indiana State Senate. Senator Kenley was an invaluable resource and mentor during my 6 years of service in the State Senate, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from him. Senator Kenley has established himself as a champion of physical responsibility and limited government. His accomplishments are too numerous to fully list here, but since 2009, he has led the Senate Appropriations Committee, during which time Indiana passed five balanced budgets, cut taxes, invested in priorities, and built a substantial rainy day fund. And Senator Kenley has been the architect of our State's remarkable fiscal turnaround, and his impact on Hoosiers will be felt for generations to come. With a national debt approaching $20 trillion, I think it is fair to say we could use a lot more of Luke Kenley's style of leadership here in our Nation's Capital. I wish him well as he prepares to step down on September 30, and I thank him for his remarkable service.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, last week, as we celebrated our Nation's birthday, news broke that North Korea successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile's estimated range would put Alaska within reach. Like all Americans, I am deeply concerned by this development. North Korea's possession of an estimated 20 nuclear warheads and chemical and biological weapons makes it an urgent and imminent threat to the United States. While there are no easy options, our country must do more to deter the Kim regime. I strongly support building our missile defense programs, which is a priority in this year's National Defense Authorization Act, which the House is considering this week. I also support increasing sanctions against China and Chinese companies that support the Kim regime. At this critical time, all options, including military action, must be on the table. The threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea is too serious to simply maintain the status quo.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my strong support for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. As the most recently deployed veteran serving in Congress, serving in Afghanistan just 2 years ago, I know the national security challenges facing our country firsthand. While these challenges are not easily solved, this legislation represents a significant step forward. I want to take a moment and specifically thank Chairman Thornberry for his leadership and assistance to myself and other freshman members of the committee. Working together with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, the Armed Services Committee has crafted a bill focused on rebuilding and reforming the Department of Defense. By procuring what we need, fixing what we already have, and by being good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars by proposing new contract audit reforms, this bill begins the hard work of getting our Department back on the right track. While we cannot control the existential threats facing our Nation, we must ensure those in uniform are ready to address those threats when necessary. Moreover, as this week's tragic C-130 accident that claimed the lives of 16 servicemembers reminded all Americans, our servicemembers place their lives on the line each day.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. From giving our troops a well-deserved raise to funding our vital missile defense programs, I believe this legislation begins the process of rebuilding and reforming our military so we are ready for whatever comes next.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership of the Republican Study Committee. It is one of the great honors that I have in this Congress to serve with him and others to advocate for conservative principles to move our country forward. With a new Republican administration, many of the innovative ideas coming from this House now have a chance to become law and achieve real results for the American people. The contrast between this administration and the last one is most clear when it comes to prioritizing readiness for our Department of Defense and caring for our veterans. As those veterans in Congress know firsthand, shortchanging readiness on the front end will have long-term implications in the years that follow. We have the moral imperative to ensure that our young men and women who go into harm's way are never in a fair fight. We have an obligation to ensure that our forces are the best-trained, best-equipped, and best-led fighting force in the world. This obligation starts with prioritizing a stable and predictable budget and appropriations process. Our leaders in the Department of Defense must be able to forecast and anticipate training needs, and that means ending the trend of continuing resolutions that offer neither good fiscal discipline nor the ability to plan that our military leaders desperately need. Consider that two-thirds of our Army are not ready to deploy. Our Navy is smaller than it has been in 99 years, and our Air Force is the smallest ever and losing pilots at an alarming rate. These are not the marks of a ready force, and the work to rebuild must begin right now. However, it is important to look at prioritizing the needs of our servicemembers holistically. Just as we would not send them into harm's way without the training they need, we have an obligation to care for the injuries they sustained when they return home. Our veterans deserve and have earned the highest quality of care and to have that care delivered in a timely and efficient manner. Unfortunately, too often the VA does not have the power to remove substandard employees who are failing our veterans. The overwhelming majority of VA employees are hardworking and dedicated to their jobs, and it is simply not fair to these employees that the VA cannot hold substandard employees accountable. But with a Republican President in the White House, our veterans will finally see real accountability in the VA with passage of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act. With passage of this bill, there will be a new and expedited process to remove employees who are failing to properly serve our veterans, while maintaining the due process rights of VA workers, as well as their right to appeal. It would also implement stronger protections for whistleblowers, ensuring that no employee is intimidated into silence. Mr. Speaker, we now have a chance to make sure our Armed Forces have the means to protect our country and ensure all veterans receive the quality of care they deserve.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, this year a family owned and operated construction company in northeast Indiana is celebrating its 125th year in business. Since 1892, Michael Kinder & Sons, owned and operated by the Kinder family, has been working on planning, designing, and building projects in and around Fort Wayne, Indiana. A company that began with just three construction workers and an old mule has grown to become a leading regional construction firm. Over the years, Michael Kinder & Sons has completed thousands of projects and transformed skylines across northeast Indiana. The Michael Kinder & Sons team has constructed important industrial facilities, houses of worship, health- care facilities, senior-care residences, college campuses, and commercial buildings. The company has made it a point to support local charities and has offered leadership to local non-profit, education, and faith-based boards. Guided by its motto--``We will serve our clients' needs--no matter how large or small--by providing quality services in the commercial and industrial marketplace''--Michael Kinder & Sons has been an important part of northeast Indiana's fabric for 125 years. I congratulate the entire Michael Kinder & Sons team on their success and wish them many prosperous years ahead.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, President Trump will embark on his first international trip as our Commander in Chief. I am very pleased to see that one of the first countries our President will visit is Israel, a nation that is a cherished American ally and a beacon of freedom in a troubled region. This visit comes at an important time, as recent comments by an administration official created uncertainty as to whether the U.S. Government considers the Western Wall to be within Israeli territory. Located in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, the Western Wall is one of the holiest sites in the world and a place where millions have gathered to pray and seek the presence of God. Jewish tradition teaches that the Western Wall was an integral part of the Temple Mount and has been an important site in Judaism for more than 2,000 years. It is vital that the United States Government recognize the Western Wall as part of Israel and that the President should affirm that position during his upcoming trip. I am hopeful that recognizing the Western Wall will be part of a process to formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, in light of this morning's long overdue executive order on religious freedom and free speech, I rise today to thank my colleagues in Congress on their support for a thorough reform of the Johnson amendment, which has hindered the ability of faith-based nonprofits and churches from engaging in free speech and exercising freedom of religion. Since 1954, the Johnson amendment has given the IRS the broad authority to censor the free speech of pastors, churches, and other tax-exempt organizations across America. The IRS' vague interpretation of prohibited forms of speech under this law has led to uncertainty about what speech constitutes a formal violation. Furthermore, when the Johnson amendment was originally adopted, it was passed without debate, committee hearings, or any other procedure we use in Congress today. We need to allow America's churches, pastors, and other faith leaders to speak freely on all spheres of life, including relevant political candidates and elections. We need to return free speech back to our spiritual leaders and faith-based organizations without fear of government censorship. Thank you, Mr. President, for acting to ensure that America's churches will again be a safe place to discuss all important matters in life. While today's actions are a strong start, there is more work to be done to protect religious freedom in the United States of America.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on important issues like these. Unfortunately, my home State of Indiana is no stranger to severe weather. As we enter peak tornado season, my constituents are vulnerable to tornado outbreaks which could lead to loss of life and destruction. Protecting lives and property from severe weather needs to be a top priority at NOAA. I am glad we are addressing this issue for that reason today. This legislation will greatly improve our ability to predict severe weather, like the tornadoes that affect my district, through a focused program to enhance forecasting. When mere seconds make the difference between life and death, my constituents deserve the most accurate and timely forecasts available, and I am confident that this legislation will help give them that information. I am also pleased that this bill gives NOAA the ability to incorporate data and forecasting skill from private sector companies like Harris Corporation in northeast Indiana, which employs about 450 engineers and technicians in my district. These talented professionals build the world's most advanced weather satellite instruments. Many government-operated systems are slow and costly, and the private sector can be used to fill critical weather data needs. Directing NOAA to integrate next-generation commercial solutions improves our ability to protect lives and property. The time to think outside of the government-only-weather-data box is now. That is why I applaud the chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Mr. Smith, as well as my colleague from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) for bringing this important legislation to the forefront. I look forward to its passage into law.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for sponsoring this legislation, the HONEST Act. I believe that this bill will take a very important step toward improving the quality of science at the EPA. This is incredibly important because this agency ensures that our air and water are clean, which is something that all Americans want and deserve. However, in recent years, the EPA has not been as transparent and forthcoming with the scientific data that the agency has used as the basis for costly regulations. That is exactly where the HONEST Act comes in. By requiring the agency to base its regulations on publicly available science, scientists and the American people will be able to examine the data and pursue their own scientific inquiry if they wish, improving the scientific integrity of the EPA. Transparency throughout all levels of the Federal Government is an important tenet of American democracy. I strongly support all efforts to provide the American people with more information on how our government works. This is most important when regulations that impact American jobs and the economy are involved. Critics of the HONEST Act claim that requiring scientific data to be public would compromise personal information. This is a false narrative. This legislation specifically protects that information by way of redactions. It is not the interest of Congress or the EPA to compromise anyone's personal data. Passage of the HONEST Act comes at a critical time for the EPA. Executive orders issued by President Trump require that the agency review and potentially revise a number of regulations from the past administration that were only partly based on science and that were never made public to the American people. We want to avoid similar situations moving forward, regardless of the administration. I urge my colleagues to vote for this legislation to promote a more honest and open EPA.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, let me first commend the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) for his leadership on this issue and so many others on behalf of our veteran population. As a veteran myself of the war in Afghanistan, I have a deep commitment to ensuring that my fellow veterans receive the proper care and treatment that they have earned by serving our country. That is why I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the VA Accountability First Act. This bipartisan legislation will give Secretary Shulkin the tools that he needs to change the dysfunctional culture of the VA. It has been 3 years since the wait list at VA facilities became public, yet too many of our veterans deal with VA employees who engage in misconduct that could endanger their lives. Too often, it takes months or even years to remove those employees. Worse still, sometimes these employees are not removed at all. Most VA employees, though, are hardworking and dedicated people, which makes it that much more unfair when the VA can't or won't hold bad employees accountable. We can and must do better, and this bill is a first step in that process.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. The bill would shorten the time it takes to fire a VA employee for misconduct, give the Secretary the discretion to both revoke bonuses previously paid to employees engaging in misconduct and reduce pensions of employees found guilty of felonies while on the job, and provide improved protections for whistleblowers. These are commonsense proposals supported by many veterans' groups. This bill is also supported by Secretary Shulkin. It is a no-brainer, and that is why I support it.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a historic accomplishment that took place this past Saturday night in northeast Indiana. As you may know, in Indiana, we love basketball. We affectionately refer to our passion for the game as Hoosier Hysteria. This is a special time of the year for Hoosiers. Every year, high school teams across our State compete in the annual Indiana high school basketball tournament. For one team, this year turned into a special season. Churubusco High School, located in Whitley County, first competed in the Indiana boys high school tournament in 1981. Over the years, many great players wore the Eagles uniform, but Churubusco High School never won a sectional title until this year. This past Saturday night the Eagles claimed the Class 2A Woodlan Sectional, winning Churubusco's first sectional championship trophy in the 99-year history of its boys basketball program. Eagle senior Luke Foote, who scored 26 points in the sectional championship game, said after the win: ``It is huge for the community knowing that history was made. It means a lot to the guys that put on the jersey before us. . . . `' I congratulate the Churubusco Eagles, head coach Chris Paul, and the entire Churubusco community on this historic accomplishment. The celebration of this sectional title is truly a century in the making.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for H.J. Res 43, which would overturn the previous administration's title X family planning funding rule. In December, the Obama administration finalized a misguided rule which dictates that States must send title X family planning grant money to abortion providers. Even more, this rule also threatens to deprive noncompliant States, such as Representative Black's home State of Tennessee, of all title X family planning funds. This politically motivated requirement was made neither in the interest of protecting life, nor in the interest of the States. Under the rule, States that decline to send title X funds to abortion clinics would lose their title X funding completely. If States make the decision they want to use their funding to affirm life, then they should be allowed to do so. This rule blatantly steps all over states' rights and goes out of its way to favor abortion providers at the same time. Let's ensure States continue to have the freedom and flexibility to make the right decisions for themselves. That is exactly what I have advocated for my entire career, both in the Statehouse in Indiana and again here on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. I express my strong support for the passage of H.J. Res. 43, introduced by Representative Black.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support a permanent repeal of the medical device tax. The more than 7,000 medical device companies in the United States contribute hundreds of billions of dollars to our economy every year, employing over 400,000 Americans, and creating lifesaving technologies that benefit patients around the world. Many of these device manufacturers are based in my district in and around Warsaw, Indiana, and we are proud that Warsaw is often called the orthopedic capital of the world. The vast majority of medical device manufacturers employ fewer than 50 people, with many generating little to no sales revenue. This is what makes the potential reinstatement of the 2.3 percent excise tax on medical device sales so harmful. This misguided tax would subject the medical device industry to one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world and eliminate thousands of jobs. Repealing this tax has broad, bipartisan support in both Chambers of Congress, and I urge my colleagues to make eliminating this tax a top legislative priority in 2017.

Mr. BANKS of Indiana

Mr. BANKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the innocent lives lost as a result of Roe v. Wade. It has now been 44 years since the Supreme Court made this unconstitutional ruling, and over that period of time, more than 58 million--I repeat, over 58 million--children have had their God-given right to life denied. Every single one of these lives was important and unique, and we grieve this loss. At the same time, we celebrate the fact that, increasingly, our culture recognizes the value of human life. A poll released last year found that a majority of young Americans support increasing restrictions that protect the unborn. Another recent poll found that 61 percent of Americans oppose using tax dollars to fund abortions in the United States. I agree with them, and that is why I support the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act that we voted on earlier today. I am pleased that it passed the House, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to quickly consider this important bill. But we must not stop there. We must work to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not continue to support the abortion industry, including Planned Parenthood, our Nation's largest abortion provider. Additionally, we must encourage the new administration to nominate a Justice to the Supreme Court who follows the Constitution and respects the most basic and fundamental right of every human being born and unborn: the right to life. As a father of three young daughters, these issues are personal for me. During my time in Congress, I will stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. I will protect and defend human life and advance these deep- and long-held values upon which our Nation was founded.

Mr. BANKS

Mr. BANKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for granting a waiver for James Mattis continuing his distinguished service to our Nation as our next Secretary of Defense. We live in deeply troubling times as America's standing in the world and our military readiness have both deteriorated significantly over the past 8 years. Whether it is only one-third of the active Army's brigade combat teams being ready for combat, or Marines being forced to pull spare parts from museum aircraft to repair their F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets. These are not the marks of a ready force. This moment requires trusted leadership and someone with a genuine understanding of what is required of our brave men and women to stand ready when our Nation calls. There is no one better equipped to understand the dangers that we face, how to repair our world image, and set us on a path to rebuilding our military than President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis. General Mattis embodies all of the traits we should look for when selecting a Secretary of Defense. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I look forward to working with him to put our military back on sure footing and help advance our Nation toward peace and stability. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the measure.