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 $18,152,638,934,294.38. We've added $7,525,761,885,381.30 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 $18,152,650,688,229.10. We've added $7,525,773,639,316.02 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 $18,152,658,224,184.62. We've added $7,525,781,175,271.54 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 thank the gentlewoman from Missouri, Vicky Hartzler, for her leadership on the Armed Services Committee and on this critical issue. I rise today in strong support of the National Defense Authorization Act, and I urge my colleagues to override President Obama's veto. This bipartisan bill provides essential pay and benefits to the men and women serving in our military today. Expanded retirement options for our troops, greater protections against sexual assault in the military, and increased cybersecurity defense funding are among some of the most important authorizations included in the NDAA. For the Sixth Congressional District of Colorado, the NDAA also contains provisions and language that help Buckley Air Force Base. Buckley not only plays a critical role in our Nation's defense, but it is the largest employer in my district. Finally, the NDAA also includes language to prevent the transfer of GTMO detainees to U.S. soil. Last week, a delegation from the administration surveyed potential locations for GTMO detainees in Colorado. Along with most Coloradans, I remain adamantly opposed to this move and strongly support the language in the NDAA. There is absolutely no reason to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp only to finance the incarceration of enemy combatants in the United States. This legislation is too important to our Nation and to Colorado to become the subject of political games by the White House. Once again, this bill must become law, and I urge my colleagues in the House to override the President's veto.

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 $18,152,669,947,434.69. We've added $7,525,792,989,521.61 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 $18,152,705,110,034.31. We've added $7,525,828,061,121.23 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, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $18,150,545,316,215.04. We've added $7,523,668,267,301.96 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 $18,150,557,110,995.00. We've added $7,523,680,062,081.92 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 opposition to the Obama administration's announcement last week that the President is considering transferring detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into my home State of Colorado. Closing Guantanamo Bay was an ill-advised campaign promise in 2007 made by the President, a promise made before he began receiving classified intelligence updates. In fact, as of March 2015, the Director of National Intelligence reported that 29 percent of detainees released from Guantanamo have engaged in or were suspected of engaging in terrorist or insurgent activity. Those who remain in Guantanamo are ``worst of the worst.'' So it is safe to presume that, if released, an even higher percentage of them will remain a threat to our national security. I struggle to understand why we would close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp only to finance the incarceration of enemy combatants within the United States. Ever since 2012, Congress has passed and President Obama has signed annual restrictions against the transfer of prisoners at GTMO to the United States. The same restrictions are found in the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act passed by the House last week, despite President Obama's promise to veto that bill. There is broad bipartisan opposition to President Obama's plans to transfer GTMO prisoners into the United States, both among Members of Congress and the American people. For our Nation's security, I implore President Obama to sign the National Defense Authorization Act when it reaches his desk and halt his reckless plan to place many of the world's worst terrorists on U.S. soil, where they will have all of the due process protections provided to the American people and, thus, could be released through our court system.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, as the people of Taiwan celebrate their national day, Double Ten Day, on October 10th, I would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to them. 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 now almost two years running. In 2014, Colorado's exports to Taiwan reached $191.5 million, a 32.6% increase from 2012. 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. These accomplishments have been greatly aided by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and I am proud that it now calls Denver home. Equally important are the Taiwanese-Americans living in Colorado and the wealth of knowledge and entrepreneurial energy they bring to Colorado. The Taiwanese-American community has thrived in the Centennial State and has served as an economic engine for the 6th Congressional District. Furthermore, our students represent a bright future and it has been my honor to work closely with the Colorado Chinese Language School, which is organized by the Taiwanese community, by presenting certificates to excelling students at their ``Year-End'' celebration. Given the increasing importance of Taiwan's trade with the rest of the world, it is in our best interest to see Taiwan and its 23 million people enjoy a balanced trade partnership that is fully integrated in global and regional trading regimes. Taiwan should be allowed to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), as it is a close ally and an important economic engine of Asia-Pacific. Additionally, I support a Bilateral Investment Agreement between the United States and Taiwan to provide greater protections for investors, while fostering confidence and encouraging movement in other items on the trade agenda. I believe the United States should continue to enhance our friendship with Taiwan and we in Congress must to do everything in our power to enrich this valuable relationship.

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 $18,150,568,904,537.03. We've added $7,523,691,855,623.95 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 $18,150,604,277,750.63. We've added $7,523,727,228,837.55 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, in 1982, I was with the United States Marine Corps off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon, waiting on orders to do evacuations of the U.S. Embassy and U.S. citizens and their families. Our assignment was done in August of 1982. We returned to the United States. I finished my 2 years with the battalion. The battalion went back out. This time, they took positions in the airport in Beirut, Lebanon. On October 23, 1983, a suicide bomber drove a truck laden with explosives into the marine barracks; 241 marines were killed that day. To my friends who died there--First Lieutenant Bill Zimmerman, Captain Bill Winter, Captain Joe Boccia, Master Sergeant Roy Edwards, Captain Mike Haskell--today is your day. Today is your day for justice. God bless you. God remember all of you.

Mr. COFFMAN. Today is the day for justice for these marines--and their families--who were lost on that day by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah bomber. So I want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for bringing this measure forward. I urge my colleagues not to forget those who have died and to remember this: when the Iranians say ``death to Americans,'' they mean death to Americans.

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 $18,151,025,702,418.99. We've added $7,524,148,653,505.91 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 to voice my support for the Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2015. This legislation will continue numerous programs of critical importance to our Nation's veterans, including a pilot program to increase women veterans' access to health care, nursing home care authorities, and measures to combat veteran homelessness. I am proud that this legislation will allow for the completion of the VA replacement hospital in Aurora, Colorado, an absolutely critical project which will serve veterans not just in Colorado, but also in Utah, Montana, Wyoming and parts of four other States. In spite of the incredible mismanagement of this project by the VA and a shocking lack of accountability for those responsible, completing the hospital in Aurora has been my number one legislative priority. We must not punish our Nation's veterans for the sins of incompetent VA bureaucrats. Finally, this bill would accomplish a goal that I have worked towards for over a year, getting the VA out of the major construction business once and for all. For decades, the Government Accountability Office has highlighted enormous construction management deficiencies by the VA. After the GAO highlighted hundreds of millions in cost overruns in April of 2013, the House passed my legislation, which would have handed over the worst VA projects to experts at the Army Corps of Engineers. Worse, billions of dollars have been wasted by VA on mismanaged construction projects which could have gone instead towards veterans' health care and benefits. I am proud that this bill will finally leave the construction management of large projects to the experts, organizations like the Army Corps of Engineers, and allow VA to focus back to its core competencies, providing health care and benefits to our veterans.

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 $18,151,061,200,913.26. We've added $7,524,184,152,000.18 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 $18,151,073,031,331.50. We've added $7,524,195,982,418.42 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 $18,151,084,928,227.59. We've added $7,524,207,879,314.51 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 voice my unrelenting support for our Nation's veterans who are suffering, often silently, with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and profound emotional pain. It is absolutely vital that we, as a Nation, address the crisis of veteran suicide. As a Marine Corps combat veteran, I can tell you firsthand that returning home to civilian life can be a difficult transition. Many troops used to the constant daily support of their comrades come home feeling isolated and alone. Many find themselves needing help that too often isn't there. Some units are hit particularly hard, like the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, a group that saw intense combat in Afghanistan and has continued to suffer casualties to suicide years after they have returned. 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, has seen a suicide rate 14 times higher than that of all other Americans. It is essential that, when our men and women in uniform return to the civilian world and need to reach out for help, somebody reaches back. We need to ensure that veterans get the mental health care they need, when they need it, not after waiting weeks or months for an appointment. We need to ensure that veterans who need medication get it and veterans who don't need medication aren't unnecessarily prescribed drugs with volatile side effects. We need to ensure that, when a veteran calls the VA's Veterans Crisis Line, somebody is available on the other end to listen. But I don't believe this is a problem that begins and ends with the Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans are in all of our communities, our schools, our places of worship, and our social clubs. All Americans should be willing to lend a hand when a veteran may be suffering silently. I share the sentiment expressed by VA Secretary McDonald earlier this year, and I know it is a statement in which my colleagues on both sides of the aisle would uniformly agree: ``Losing just one veteran to suicide is one veteran too many.''

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 $18,151,038,086,972.10. We've added $7,524,161,038,059.02 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 $18,151,049,785,935.02. We've added $7,524,172,737,021.94 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 $18,151,061,535,754.50. We've added $7,524,184,486,841.42 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 $18,151,085,083,623.06. We've added $7,524,208,034,709.98 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 $18,151,096,731,763.19. We've added $7,524,219,682,850.11 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.