Mike Coffman

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,208,277,938,656.01. We've added $8,581,400,889,742.93 to our debt in 7 years. This is over $8.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,203,643,099,493.25. We've added $8,576,766,050,550.17 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $7.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the career of Mr. Paul Cooke, for his selfless protection of the state and citizens of Colorado. Mr. Cooke served bravely in the name of fire safety and emergency services for over 40 years. Throughout his time as a servant to the people of Colorado, Mr. Cooke has organized teams of volunteer and career firefighters as a fire chief, he has instructed fellow servicemen at the National Fire Academy and has served as the director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. It is impossible to measure the number of lives Mr. Cooke has touched and affected, but I hope that I can speak for these people today and express our strong sense of gratitude. I thank Mr. Cooke for protecting our land, farms, and ranches. For protecting family homes and local businesses. And ultimately, for protecting the lives of Coloradoans throughout his career. I thank him for recognizing the importance of fire safety and for answering the call to serve in its name. Mr. Cooke is a model citizen, and I am inspired that the great state of Colorado is home to men and women like him. I am proud to salute Mr. Cooke with these words today, and I wish him happiness in his retirement.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Small and Disadvantaged Business Enhancement Act of 2016. In part, H.R. 4326 is the result of the outstanding joint effort between the House Veterans' Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and the Small Business Committee's Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce. Our investigative work and joint hearing on the improper, and at times illegal, use of purchase cards revealed billions of dollars worth of inappropriate purchases within the Department of Veterans Affairs alone. This work underscores the need for the reform legislation to be applied across the Federal Government. The bill requires purchase card procurements to be reviewed if they are above $3,500 and less than $150,000, and requires them to be properly entered into the Federal Procurement Data System. You might think this was already a clearcut requirement, but it wasn't. H.R. 4326 corrects this glaring loophole. The bill also spells out the role of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, a much-needed clarification. I encourage all Members to support this outstanding, bipartisan piece of legislation.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, April 10th marked the 37th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. This landmark legislation, one of Congress' great achievements, has guaranteed and continues to guarantee ongoing relations with our friend and partner, Taiwan. Taiwan's President Ma made a speech at the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (AmCham) Hsie Nian Fan celebration on March 30th, 2016. In the speech, President Ma pointed out that in the US-based Global Finance magazine's ratings of the world's richest countries from November of last year, Taiwan ranked 19th out of 185 countries worldwide. That put Taiwan right behind Germany, and far ahead of countries like France, Great Britain, Japan, and South Korea. Additionally, in the 2015 global competitiveness ratings published by the Institute of Management Development (IMD), in Lausanne, Switzerland, Taiwan ranked No. 11 in the world and No. 3 in the Asia- Pacific Region. Taiwan has created an enviable and thriving innovative economy. I give praise to President Ma's leadership. The United States and Taiwan enjoy a longstanding relationship that stems from our shared values: democracy, the rule of law, and free enterprise. Taiwan is a strong economic partner--in fact they are now our 9th-largest trading partner. In 2014, Colorado's exports to Taiwan reached $191.5 million. Taiwan is Colorado's 7th largest export market in Asia, and 14th largest export market in the world. Colorado companies have substantial opportunities to expand their business and cooperation with Taiwan. Equally important are the Taiwanese-Americans living in Colorado and the wealth of knowledge and entrepreneurial energy they bring. I offer my warmest and best wishes to the people of Taiwan on this 37th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. I also extend my congratulations to Dr. Tsai Ing-wen on her victory in the Taiwanese Presidential election. I look forward to the continued and growing friendship and partnership between the United States and Taiwan.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,203,187,186,595.43. We've added $8,576,310,137,682.35 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $8 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,221,297,840,432.89. We've added $8,594,420,791,519.81 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $8 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,234,006,195,713.79. We've added $8,607,129,146,800.71 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $7.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,064,879,099,682.52. We've added $8,599,349,440,294.10 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $8 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,223,197,501,336.14. We've added $8,596,320,452,423.06 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $7.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the ThunderRidge High School girls varsity basketball team on their stunning 5A State championship win over Highlands Ranch High School. ThunderRidge came out strong to clinch their fourth State championship in a dominating 47-32 victory. It was a game of defensive tenacity. The score held strong at 6-4 in the sixth minute of the game, something that Head Coach Matthew Asik ingrained in his team's game plan, saying that, ``If we play good defense, we can always be in a game.'' Senior Jaz'myne Snipes put 16 points on the board and hustled for 8 rebounds in the final game, which earned her the well-deserved title of tournament MVP. This was a thrilling game between two Highlands Ranch powerhouses. I am so proud of these two teams for representing the Sixth Congressional District of Colorado in the title game. Congratulations to both teams on a stellar season.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,205,597,413,856.96. We've added $8,578,720,364,943.88 to our debt in 7 years. This is over $8.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,202,994,410,080.31. We've added $8,576,117,361,167.23 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $7.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4336. In Colorado Springs, Colorado, a monument stands to honor the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs. With this legislation, we salute them today, and we recognize that we neglected to salute them for far too long. During World War II, more than 1,000 WASPs flew over 60 million air miles. Without official military recognition, families were forced to pay out of pocket to send 36 fallen comrades home. After the war, the United States continued to deny them military status despite their extraordinary service to our country. Today, we can help correct some of that injustice. H.R. 4336 would restore the right for these women to be buried at Arlington. These women paved the way for the women in uniform today. They endured gender-based discrimination for years, and they served and died just as other members of the military did. I believe they belong in Arlington.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support S. 2393. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2393) to extend temporarily the extended period of protection for members of uniformed services relating to mortgages, mortgage foreclosure, and eviction, and for other purposes.

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous materials on S. 2393.

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2393, the Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Servicemembers Act of 2015. This bill was introduced by our colleague from Rhode Island, Senator Whitehouse, and passed the Senate in December. This bill would extend, through December 31, 2017, mortgage-related protections for servicemembers who are called to Active Duty under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Specifically, these protections would prohibit a bank or mortgage company from selling, foreclosing, or seizing a property owned by a servicemember without a court order for 1 year after a servicemember returns from Active Duty. This protection allows servicemembers the opportunity to avoid foreclosure or seizure during this 1-year period following their service, giving them the opportunity to hopefully get back on track with mortgage payments. In 2008, the report produced by the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves found that the threat of foreclosure is a stressor that should not be placed on members of the Armed Forces upon their return to civilian life. Today, as a shrinking Active Duty force leaves more and more operational responsibilities to the Guard and Reserves, these home foreclosure protections are more important than ever. This year it is expected that more than 10,000 members of the Army National Guard and Army Reserves will cycle through to Europe, nearly double the number of last year. Many thousands more will serve in other theaters of operation all over the globe. I believe it is essential that we ensure members of the military returning home have plenty of time to regain their financial footing, particularly when they have selflessly given up their civilian jobs to deploy with their Guard or Reserve units. This protection has been extended several times by Congress and has been considered a noncontroversial extension of existing authorities. Without our action on this bill, the protection would slip to only a 90-day period of foreclosure protection and could impact servicemembers as early as the end of this month. I would also note that the mortgage industry is supportive of this extension. I thank them for their advocacy and for their continued support of veterans and active and reserve servicemembers. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the work of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fincher) for their work on this issue, as they also had similar bills to S. 2393 pending before this body. Once again, I urge all Members to support S. 2393. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Valor Christian High School's varsity girls swimming and diving team on their 4A State championship win. It was a thrilling win for Valor. The team scored 320 points to catapult past their competitors in the quest for the State championship title. Senior Brooke Stenstrom showed tremendous leadership and dedication in her record-breaking 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 200 medley relay, earning her the title of ``Swimmer of the Year'' in the State's 4A classification. Freshman Abbie Erickson finished fourth in the diving portion of the competition, contributing to the team's total points and ultimate State win. Ms. Lori Stenstrom, the swim team's head coach, led a tremendous effort all season long to get the team ready for their State championship performance, earning her the title of ``Swimming Coach of the Year.'' I am honored to congratulate these young women on their State championship win.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 124, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,124,286,688,944.60. We've added $8,497,409,640,031.52 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $7.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,090,880,799,021.63. We've added $8,464,003,750,108.55 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $7.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,125,455,057,425.90. We've added $8,498,578,008,512.82 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $8 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $19,080,123,823,020.74. We've added $8,453,246,774,207.66 to our debt in 6 years. This is over $7.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.