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 $18,152,689,167,905.61. We've added $7,525,812,118,992.53 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 $18,152,717,537,302.13. We've added $7,525,840,488,389.05 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 $18,152,758,771,144.62. We've added $7,525,881,722,231.54 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 wish to welcome the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, TECO, to the city of Denver. The establishment of this important office in Denver is a testament to the strong relationship the people of Colorado have developed over the years with the people of Taiwan. Colorado counts Taiwan as its 6th largest Asian trading partner and its 13th overall trading partner. Locating this office in Denver not only reflects the depth of our current relationship with Taiwan but will surely contribute to deepening our trade, education, and cultural ties in the coming years. My district in Colorado has a growing Taiwanese population and their presence greatly enriches the district economically, culturally, and civically. Taiwanese entrepreneurs, business community, civic leaders, and students contribute greatly to our community. Over the past 50 years Taiwan has also proven itself as a significant political, economic, and security partner of the United States and I fully expect that strong relationship to grow even stronger in the years to come. Having Taiwan as a meaningful partner clearly benefits both of our citizens, and I am proud that Colorado now has a direct relationship with Taiwan through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. I look forward doing whatever I can to further enhance our close and growing relationship.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, Dr. Steven A. Loomis of Littleton, Colorado. Dr. Loomis will soon be elected the 93rd president of the American Optometric Association (AOA) during their 118th annual meeting on June 27, 2015, in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Loomis is a graduate of Pacific University College of Optometry and owns Mountain Vista EyeCare and Dry Eye Center in Littleton, Colorado. He was first elected to the American Optometric Association Board of Trustees in 2007, and elected President-Elect at the 117th Annual AOA Congress & 44th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting in June 2014. Dr. Loomis has continuously proven to be a leader in his profession at the local, state, and national levels. In addition to his duties as President-Elect, Dr. Loomis is chair of the AOA Building Committee and serves as a member of the AOA Agenda, Executive, and Personnel Committees. Dr. Loomis' enthusiasm for optometry and commitment to excellence in eye and vision care has earned him this prestigious national office. I take great pride representing Dr. Loomis in Colorado's Sixth Congressional District and I join his family, friends, and colleagues in congratulating him on this achievement. I am confident that he will have a very successful term as president of the AOA and I wish him the very best of luck.

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 $18,152,758,342,047.24. We've added $7,525,881,293,134.16 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 honor the life of a great public servant to the State of Colorado, State Representative John Buckner of Aurora, Colorado, who recently passed away. I have had the honor of knowing John Buckner for the last 30 years. We first met in 1985 when we were both members of the first Leadership Aurora class sponsored by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. At that time, I was a small-business owner and John Buckner was an educator with the Cherry Creek School system. I found John Buckner to always be soft-spoken, warm, and passionate about his dedicated leadership in public education. State Representative John Buckner had that same passion in representing his constituents in the Colorado General Assembly, and his loss will be felt by our entire community.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 1568) to extend the authorization to carry out the replacement of the existing medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Denver, Colorado, to authorize transfers of amounts to carry out the replacement of such medical center, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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 $18,152,768,664,619.57. We've added $7,525,891,615,706.49 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 $18,152,778,985,959.44. We've added $7,525,901,937,046.36 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 $18,152,809,942,589.13. We've added $7,525,932,893,676.05 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 $18,152,841,401,259.20. We've added $7,525,964,352,346.12 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 $18,152,851,678,150.27. We've added $7,525,974,629,237.19 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 ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 2496) to extend the authorization for the replacement of the existing Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver, Colorado, to make certain improvements in the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, Memorial Day is a day to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation. I can think of no better time to remember one of those brave, young men who made the ultimate sacrifice as he trained to protect the values that we as a nation hold so dear. An elite member of the Naval Special Warfare Group 1, Special Warfare Operator 3rd Class Jason Kortz distinguished himself consistently throughout his life and during his short military career. Hailing from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, he graduated from the University of Denver. Most recently, Jason set himself apart when he was selected as the honor man of his basic underwater demolition SEAL class. Tragically, this true patriot and consummate professional gave his life in defense of our Nation when he died during a training accident on March 18, 2015. On this Memorial Day, please join me and the family of Jason Kortz to pause and reflect on the ultimate sacrifices that warriors like Jason have made to uphold all that we value as a nation.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this amendment. In March of 2014, the Director of National Intelligence reported that 29 percent of detainees released from Guantanamo Bay have engaged in or were suspected of resuming their roles as terrorists. Those who remain in Guantanamo are the ``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. The need for a place to detain enemy combatants unfortunately will not go away anytime soon, so, unquestionably, we need a facility like Guantanamo. As we engage an enemy with no respect for borders, we must not move them to our maximum security prisons while the courts determine how we should legally proceed. For our Nation's security, I implore you to vote ``no'' on this 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 $18,152,446,693,102.28. We've added $7,525,569,644,189.20 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 am here today to ask my esteemed colleagues to stand with me in declaring, Let our DREAMers serve. Let the young men and women who were brought here as children, through no fault of their own, serve their country. Let them serve the country that educated them. Let them serve the country they love. Their ability to serve benefits us all. It provides an expanded pool of willing and capable applicants helping to uphold and even increase the rigorous standards to enlist in our military. The Army recently tripled its pool of immigrant applicants, and DREAMers should be a part of that pool. To those who claim that this is amnesty, I have a simple message. As a Marine Corps combat veteran, I can assure you, Parris Island ain't amnesty. As my late father, a career soldier, told me, serving your nation in uniform is the highest expression of American citizenship. From German immigrants serving in the Continental Army at Valley Forge to over 100,000 who have been naturalized through the military since 2002, immigrants have always been a part of our fighting forces.

Mr. COFFMAN. If DREAMers want to put their life on the line for this Nation, we should give them the opportunity and honor their willingness to serve. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Brooks amendment, which would strip this provision from the NDAA.

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 $18,152,456,926,656.13. We've added $7,525,579,877,743.05 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 $18,152,487,619,906.99. We've added $7,525,610,570,993.91 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, on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $18,151,898,676,069.23. We've added $7,525,021,627,456.15 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 $18,151,908,849,687.15. We've added $7,525,031,800,774.07 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 $18,151,939,363,157.16. We've added $7,525,062,314,244.08 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.