Ander Crenshaw

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California, the chairman of the House Administration Committee, Mr. Lungren.

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I seek time in opposition, although I'm not necessarily opposed.

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion.

Mr. CRENSHAW. In response to your question, I think it is in order, Mr. Dicks. I know that I, Mr. Honda, and you as well, Mr. Dicks, could strike the last word and make a comment or two if you'd like. Mr. Honda might want to say a word.

Mr. CRENSHAW. Madam Speaker, I want to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this motion to recommit and vote for this very good bill. Now, I'm not surprised that the Democrats don't like this bill. This funding bill spends less money than last year, and last year's bill spent less than the year before. So for 3 straight years we've reduced spending in the legislative branch. We've reduced spending on ourselves. So don't tell us we haven't shared in the pain. We are doing in this bill what we ask every agency or State government to do. We are doing in this bill what every American family does. We are setting priorities. We are tightening our belt. We are reining in spending. We are doing more with less. No wonder they don't like it. So I say let's pass this bill, reject this motion to recommit, and cast a vote for fiscal responsibility by voting ``yes.'' I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CRENSHAW. I think this is a good bill. I think it has been adequately explained. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CRENSHAW. That's an excellent question. We ought to take a little time.

Mr. CRENSHAW. No, I don't think there is anything that makes it an emergency. I think, clearly, like a lot of these projects that ought to be funded, the Architect has a long list of projects, and this is certainly one of those, so we want to be able to deal with that. It is a priority of this subcommittee, and we've talked about that. We want to make sure, as soon as we can, that we'll have the money to do that.

Mr. CRENSHAW. I know there is an amendment that is going to be offered by Mr. Gosar from Arizona, and I understand that he is just outside the Chamber at this very moment. So I thought I would take a minute, while he comes to the floor, to just remind everyone of the great job that this subcommittee has done in working through all of the issues in order to bring them before the House. There are several amendments that are going to be offered here today, and we will certainly take those into consideration. From my standpoint, some of those amendments are good amendments, and there are some that I will oppose. As we begin that process, I just want to, once again, thank everyone who has spent so much time and energy in bringing this to the House floor. In recognizing that this is the branch that funds the House of Representatives, which encompass all of the agencies that we look to to give us support, we wanted to make sure that they have adequate funds, because when they do a good job, it helps us to do a good job.

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. CRENSHAW. As you know, phase one is in process, and that's the skirt of the dome. You can see some of the work that's being done there. The next phase is much more expensive. I think it's a little over $100 million. As you know, we have an inauguration that's coming. So, during the inauguration, I would hope that we wouldn't have a lot of construction going on to impair the view of that beautiful dome. It is my desire that, as soon as the inauguration is over, we can find the funds, which is a priority of this subcommittee. We might even break that up into two or three phases, but certainly that work needs to be done. As you have often pointed out, when you look up and see that magnificent structure, it looks wonderful. But when you get up close, there are some problems that we need to deal with. We want to deal with those as soon as we can, so I think it's just a matter of priority.

Mr. CRENSHAW. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include tabular and extraneous material on H.R. 5882.

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, we bring before the House today the 2013 appropriations bill for the Legislative Subcommittee. This is a bill that spends $3.3 billion, which is approximately 1 percent less than last year. That's a $33.4 million reduction from last year. I think all of us know that we are living in difficult economic times in this country. Taxpayers want to know that when they send their money to Washington it's being spent wisely. We also know that government needs money to provide services, but right now government needs something more. The government needs a sense of discipline to rein in spending. The government needs a commitment to make sure that every task of government is accomplished and completed in a most efficient and most effective manner, more so than ever before. Our subcommittee took this philosophy to heart, and we had a series of hearings. We listened to the Agency heads as they came before us and talked about their needs, their wants, their priorities. We considered all of that and made some very difficult, some tough, but I think workable, decisions that allow us to move forward. I would remind the Members that over the last two cycles we have reduced spending on the Legislative Branch Subcommittee funding bill by almost 8 percent, and after we finish this bill, we will have decreased spending by nearly 9 percent. So let me just give you all a summary of the highlights of this bill. First and foremost, we fund the House of Representatives at $1.2 billion. That's the same level as last year. It's the same level that was requested by the House of Representatives. When people say, ``Well, why didn't you reduce the House any further?'' I would remind Members that over the last two cycles we have reduced funding for our own House by 10.5 percent. The Members' office accounts--the so-called Members' Representational Accounts--are funded at last year's level. Once again, when people say, ``Why didn't you cut those again?'' I would remind Members that we have cut those. The appropriations have been reduced by 13.5 percent for the office accounts. That takes us back to 2008 levels, which is a substantial cut. We have certainly led by example. We have tightened our belts. We have reined in spending, and I think we can be proud of that. We also have language that allows Members, if they don't spend all of their office account, they can reduce the national debt with their leftover funds. The Capitol Police receive about a $20 million increase. That will allow them to reduce the backlog in training that they have. It will also alleviate some of the salary shortfalls, because this is a year where we have the two national conventions and we also have the inauguration. The Congressional Budget Office receives a very slight increase to acquire some much-needed equipment. The Architect of the Capitol, which we fund, actually receives the largest reduction, about a 10 percent reduction. The Architect brings to us a series of projects that he would like to see funded. We can't fund them all, but we give priority to those that deal with health and safety issues because so many people work in the Capitol complex, so many visitors come here every year. This subcommittee was concerned about the fact that we don't have the money right now to continue the rehabilitation of the Capitol dome, that great symbol of freedom that we see every day. We have spent $19 million to begin that rehabilitation project, and it's about $100 million to finish that. I'm confident we'll find the money very shortly and complete that project. If you look at the Library of Congress, they receive a very modest increase. The Government Accountability Office, the so-called watchdog of this Congress, they receive a slight increase to allow them to add 21 new full-time equivalent personnel. That will allow them to continue to write the reports that they write that tell us whether we're spending the money wisely or not. And I think it will allow them to continue to meet the ever- increasing demands that we, as Members, place on them. The Government Printing Office receives a cut, again, for the third straight year. They're doing a much better job of dealing with binding and printing of the information that they provide for us. So, in a nutshell, Mr. Chairman, that summarizes the bill. I want to be sure and say thank you to all the members of the subcommittee, both the Democrats and Republicans, for the work that they put in to bring this bill before us today. I want to say a special word of thanks to my colleague, Mr. Honda, the ranking member. I thank him for his bipartisan spirit as we work together to fund these agencies that we depend on every day. And, finally, I certainly want to express the gratitude of all the members of the committee to our staff, both the Democratic side and the Republican side, for the tireless effort they put in to bring this bill before us. So with that, Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH08JN12.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH08JN12.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH08JN12.003

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lungren), the chairman of the House Administration Committee.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate The Republic of China, Taiwan, on its presidential inauguration, which is taking place on May 20, 2012. President Ma Ying-jeou of the Chinese Nationalist Party was re-elected to a second term on January 14, 2012. That day marked another successful election for the people of Taiwan and the many accomplishments of President Ma over the last four years. Under President Ma's leadership, Taiwan has become a true economic success story. Unemployment has remained low at 5.3 percent. At the same time, salary, wages, and well-paid jobs have risen. Taiwan is currently the world's 18th largest economy with a GDP of U.S. $501.7 billion. In addition, on April 29, 2009 the World Health Organization invited Taiwan as an observer at the World Health Assembly; which is a significant step forward for Taiwan's international standing and the health of the people of the East-Asian and Pacific region. Over the past four years, President Ma has strived for Cross-strait peace, stability, and improved relations between Taiwan and China. Today, there are direct flights, postal services, and new shipping routes between Taiwan and China. In addition, a landmark free trade agreement with China has slashed tariffs on hundreds of goods and produced numerous job opportunities for both Taiwan and China. Equally important, Taiwan has worked hard to maintain a longstanding U.S. security partnership. The Taiwan Relations Act has been instrumental in maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Taiwan Straits and the Western Pacific since its enactment in 1979. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working closely with our allies to find solutions for ensuring Taiwan's long-term security, and to deepen our dialogue with the people of Taiwan. I applaud President Ma's dedication to maintaining peace and stability for Taiwan and his support for our shared democratic values; and I look forward to working with him during his second term.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the Centennial anniversary of the American Red Cross Life Saving Corps' outstanding volunteer services to the beach communities in Duval County, my hometown. On April 29, 2012, the members of the Volunteer Life Saving Corps will rededicate the Station at Jacksonville Beach and its new training wing, which will enhance its life-saving mission. Created in 1912 by locals who saw the need, the U.S. Volunteer Life Saving Corps was established to protect lives along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline and became Florida's first chartered American Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Corps on April 17, 1914. Today, we celebrate a century of uninterrupted beach guard services each Sunday and holiday throughout the summer season. Beginning with the first class, volunteers have been required to undergo a vigorous training regimen and meet the high physical and mental standards established by the Corps before they are allowed to stand watch on our beaches. My father, McCarthy Crenshaw, was a proud member of this Corps. For the past 100 years the American Red Cross Life Saving Corps has protected our beaches and has built a long- lasting working relationship with our community, which benefits both our local residents and visitors as they enjoy the surf. Florida's northeast coastline has 20 miles of gorgeous beach and the Life Saving Corps has a long, rich history of protecting those who come to swim or surf. The first station built for the Corps was established on April 6, 1913, at Pablo Beach. The Corps was comprised of 19 volunteers equipped with a surf boat and life lines. Over the years, the Corps has recorded over 1500 ocean rescues, logged 1,300,000 volunteer hours, made 1700 life-saving assists, and administered first aid to 26,000. The faces of the Corps change each year, but the mission remains the same as the summer of 1912 when the first Life Saving Corps posted the beach watch. It is my honor to bring this historic commemoration of a century of service by volunteers in the American Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Corps to the attention of the United States Congress and to invite Members to join me in extending our appreciation.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Sesquiquadricentennial, or 450th anniversary, of the French expedition commanded by Huguenot Captain Jean Ribault landing in Florida at what is now Jacksonville, my hometown. Seeking the right to worship freely and with the support of the French Crown, Ribault sailed toward the New World and dropped anchor along the North Florida coast. His arrival on April 30, 1562, marked the beginning of French history in Florida. The next day, May 1, the crew sailed north and came to ``a leaping and breking of the water, as a streme falling owt of the lande unto the sea.'' They had discovered the mouth of a majestic river that Ribault named the River of Maye. We now call that river the St. Johns River, but the Village of Mayport and Naval Station Mayport owe their names to the original River of May. Greeted by indigenous, Mocama-speaking Timucua Indians, Ribault and his crew entered the river, rowed ashore, and planted a column in honor of their King, Charles IX, claiming the land for France and marking a spot for future settlement. This French landing predates the settling of Jamestown by 45 years and occurred 58 years before the Mayflower arrived in Plymouth. Two years later on June 22, 1564, a second sailing expedition, under the command of Rene Goulaine de Laudonniere, established the first French colony in the present-day United States of America near the mouth of the river. It was named la Caroline for the French King Charles IX. A fort was built in the colony or land of Charles to protect settlers. While there undoubtedly will be continued debate as to where and who claimed the first celebration of thanksgiving, we do know that the French Huguenots of the la Caroline colony celebrated a day of thanksgiving on June 30, 1564, and shared a meal with the Timucua Indians. Today, this landmark is operated by the United States National Park Service as Fort Caroline National Memorial. Beginning with this first settlement and continuing until today, France and Florida have built a long-lasting relationship through consular representations, trade, cultural and educational exchanges, and tourism, all of which benefit both the French people and the people of Florida. Florida has a long, rich maritime history dating back at least 12,000 years, but the documented history of the French coming to this long, flat peninsula is also cause for celebration. Many exciting activities are planned including the rededication of the Ribault Monument at Ft. Caroline National Memorial and the French Navy mooring two goelettes, the Etoile and the Belle Poule, in downtown Jacksonville. Consul General of France in Miami, Gael de Maisonneuve, and other French and American dignitaries will be on hand for this historical celebration. It is my honor to bring this historic commemoration to the attention of the United States Congress and to invite Members to join in the celebration.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedicated service of Mr. Gary Sinderbrand as Chairman of the National Board of Trustees for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America over the last three years. Joining the National Board of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America in 2003, Mr. Sinderbrand has passionately committed to meeting financial goals and a rigorous research agenda while accomplishing an extraordinary number of professional milestones and achievements. Mr. Sinderbrand is a veteran of the New York investment banking community and currently serves as managing director with Wells Fargo in Manhattan, New York. He is also an active volunteer pilot for Angel Flight and Veteran's Airlift Command. As a parent of a child with Crohn's disease, Mr. Sinderbrand has shown great commitment and leadership to raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease, a debilitating disease that currently does not have a cure to eliminate the suffering of over one million Americans. Under Mr. Sinderbrand's leadership, the Foundation has been able to focus on new research initiatives including the Microbiome Initiative, Genetics Initiative and CCFA Partners, which has helped advance the science and bring us one step closer to cures for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. While we still do not have all the answers, there is hope. An increasing number of genes have been identified, eight in 2007 alone. In 2011, that number grew to more than 70 genes identified, and with new technological advances researchers are working furiously to find cures. Together, we've made our mark on Capitol Hill with the newly formed Congressional Crohn's & Colitis Caucus promoting awareness and support for the cause. We've identified funding sources at the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health and have successfully restored funding at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the IBD Epidemiology Program. These are no small feats in such challenging times. Mr. Sinderbrand has set the bar high, and I'm confident he has put the Foundation on the right path for continued success in the future. I am grateful for his commitment to the National Board of Trustees for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America at a time when the field of inflammatory bowel disease research is achieving such great success.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I thank the chairman for yielding the time, and I thank him for his leadership. I urge all of my colleagues to support this conference report because I think it takes another step to change this culture of spending that we've had in this town to a culture of savings. And we actually spent less money this year than we spent last year. When you look at the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, which I chair, you'll find that we reduced spending this year by 7\1/2\ percent. In fact, the money that we spend on the legislative branch is less than we spent last year, it's less than we spent in 2010, and it's less money than we spent in 2009. When you look specifically at the House of Representatives, which we are all a part of, the last two cycles we have reduced spending on the House of Representatives by over 10 percent. When we ask other agencies of the Federal Government to do more with less, to rein in spending, to tighten their belt, be more effective and be more efficient, we have not exempted ourselves from that, and we have led by example. Every Member's office account in this body has been reduced by 10 percent these last 2 years. The leadership offices have had their funding reduced by 10 percent, and the committees as well, even the Appropriations Committee, has been reduced by even more than 10 percent. So I think this is another step forward to fund our priorities but exercise spending discipline. I certainly want to thank my ranking member, Mr. Honda, for his cooperation and hard work and thank all our staff members for their dedication and commitment, and I urge my colleagues to support this very good bill.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of Dr. Lawrence A. Solberg, a Floridian who has dedicated his professional life to biomedical research and medicine. Having published numerous articles in various publications and scientific journals and received professional recognition and honors from a number of organizations, Dr. Solberg has accomplished an extraordinary number of professional milestones and achievements. Dr. Solberg is a hematologist currently in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the Research Operations Management Team and Chair of the Clinical Research Subcommittee of the Mayo Clinic in Florida. Dr. Solberg previously served as Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program of the Mayo Clinic in Florida. As Professor of Medicine in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Dr. Solberg has shown great commitment to educating our next generation of physicians and researchers, while continuing treatment of patients and his own research. Service to the greater community is another attribute of Dr. Solberg's career. This is reflected in his service as Chair of the Board of Directors of Community Hospice of Northeast Florida for six years. Community Hospice of Northeast Florida is one of the largest non-profit hospices in the United States operating in 5 counties and serving up to 1000 patients, including 100 children, every day. For the past four years, Dr. Solberg has chaired the Committee on Practice of the American Society of Hematology and has led the Society's efforts to educate Members of Congress about hematology and issues of concern to practitioners, such as Medicare physician payment, reimbursement of chemotherapy drugs, and the importance of clinical trials. In this capacity, Dr. Solberg has visited with me and my staff to educate us about the critical issues facing hematologists and patients in Florida and throughout the United States. Dr. Solberg has advised the Food & Drug Administration about how to address the current shortages of life-saving drugs; and has served on both public and private sector panels addressing how to improve the quality of care for patients. Dr. Solberg is a superb advocate for his patients and his profession and his work has helped enhance the health and wellbeing of Floridians and all Americans. I am grateful for his lifetime contribution to field and practice of hematology.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, today is the first day of Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are diseases that collectively are known as inflammatory bowel disease. They are painful; they are incurable; they attack the digestive system; and they affect about one out of every 200 people in our country. A few weeks ago, Congressman Jackson and I formed the Crohn's and Colitis Caucus to raise awareness in the Congress and to fight for additional Federal support, and Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week is part of that effort. Today we will file a House Resolution which will support this awareness week. And hopefully, as we work with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, all Americans will use this week, this time to join in this fight to raise awareness to increase research and to find a cure for this debilitating disease.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to make my colleagues aware of some legislation that I filed this week, along with 28 original cosponsors, Democrats and Republicans. The legislation was filed in the Senate, as well, so it's a bipartisan, bicameral effort. It's going to be known as the ABLE Act, Achieving a Better Life Experience. This is legislation that will paint a brighter future, make a brighter pathway for individuals with disabilities to meet the uncertainties that they face. I think we all recognize that individuals with disabilities, be it autism, be it Down's syndrome, they face tremendous challenges today. They face struggles, both financial struggles and personal struggles, that most of us can't even imagine. And they face those struggles without the advantage that our Tax Code offers for a lot of people in our society. For instance, if you want to save for college, you can set up a tax- free savings account. The proceeds grow tax free, and you can use those moneys to pay your college tuition. If you want to save for retirement, you can set up a tax-free savings account. Those proceeds grow tax free, and you can use those dollars in your retirement years. If you want to save for medical insurance premiums, you can set up a health savings account and that account has tax advantages. And yet there are no vehicles like that for individuals with disabilities. You can imagine, there are real-world examples where individuals with disabilities, they receive certain government benefits; but if they accumulate more than $2,000 of assets in their own name, then they're penalized. We have examples of individuals who have had to say ``no'' when somebody wanted to give them a birthday check, to say ``no'' when somebody said I'd like to help you with your housing. We have to ask ourselves, is this any way to treat those among us who are the most disadvantaged? Of course it's not. The answer is, no. That's why we have created this legislation. That's why we proposed this ABLE Act. It's very simple; it's very straightforward. It's understandable. What it does is allow individuals with disabilities to set up a tax-free savings account as long as those proceeds are used for qualified expenses like maybe special equipment, maybe educational needs, maybe transportation or housing. It's only fair that we make our Tax Code deal with the injustice that goes on today. It's trying to make that Tax Code more fair to treat everyone more equal. I think those of us who are more fortunate have an obligation to help those who are less fortunate. So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to take a look at this. Again, it is bicameral, bipartisan; and it shows that we can work together to meet the needs of those among us who need our help. It is much needed and it's long overdue, and I hope we can pass it this year.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the bipartisan, bicameral Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2011. The ABLE Act is a much needed, long overdue, savings tool for individuals with disabilities. I would like to thank my colleagues in the Senate, Senator Casey and Senator Burr for their tireless efforts to introduce a companion bill in the U.S. Senate. I would also like to thank Representative McMorris Rodgers for her pivotal role in crafting this meaningful legislation. The federal government gives American families a helping hand in saving for the future. Accounts with special tax advantages help people save for college, retirement, healthcare and other life events--but people with disabilities have different challenges for the future, some face decades of expenses that most of us cannot even imagine. Yet, they do not have access to the same advantages that our tax code provides others. The average cost of raising a child with a significant medical disability is more than $1 million over the course of the child's lifetime. Continuing education, transportation, housing and medical care make up some of the predictable costs on that staggering bill. ABLE accounts would relieve some of that burden by allowing parents with disabled children or family members of disabled individuals to invest through a tax-deferred 529 account that could be drawn from for these future expenses. No longer would parents have to stand aside and watch as others use IRS-sanctioned tools to lay the groundwork for a brighter future. They would be able to do so for their children as well. The ABLE Act amends Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the establishment of ABLE accounts for the care of family members with disabilities through tax-free savings accounts. Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan, bicameral legislation tackles the unfairness in our tax code head-on by creating tax free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. ABLE accounts will make long-term health, greater independence, and a fuller quality of life a possibility. No longer would individuals with disabilities have to stand on the sidelines and watch others use IRS-sanctioned tools to lay the groundwork for a brighter future. The cost to reform the U.S. Tax Code to offer ABLE accounts would be minimal, but the positive impact for individuals with disabilities, their families and others who are struggling to cope with an uncertain future would be sizable. We must move beyond the policies of the past that force individuals with disabilities to live in poverty. The ABLE Act allows individuals with disabilities to save, work, and earn just like any other American. As citizens of this great and prosperous country, we must speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Helping disabled Americans ``achieve a better life experience'' is a step forward toward equality with every other American--and it's a step worth taking.