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 $17,258,824,690,537.53. We've added $6,631,947,641,624.45 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,258,482,479,004.37. We've added $6,631,605,430,091.29 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,263,040,455,036.20. We've added $6,636,163,406,123.12 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,293,019,654,983.61. We've added $6,666,142,606,070.53 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 support of H.R. 357 and, in particular, section 13, which encompasses my legislation, the Infectious Disease Reporting Act. Section 13 imposes necessary requirements on the Department of Veterans Affairs to report infectious disease outbreaks at their medical facilities. These requirements are a response to infectious disease problems at VA facilities that were uncovered by my subcommittee's investigations last year. The investigations highlighted a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires' disease at the Pittsburgh VA from February 2011 to November 2012 which tragically caused the deaths of at least five veterans and afflicted as many as 22 others. According to medical experts, timely disease surveillance is critical to infectious disease control; and delayed, incomplete, or inconsistent disease reporting can compromise an effective public health response and result in further infectious disease outbreaks. Although it has become clear that these deaths could have been prevented with proper procedures, the VA failed to act appropriately within widely accepted medical practices. Surprisingly, the VA is not required by current law to report the incidence of infectious diseases at their facilities to State and local public health officials. As one of the Nation's largest health care providers, VA should set the standard for infectious disease reporting. However, they do not even participate in infectious disease reporting like all other medical facilities within a particular State, creating a public health risk to those localities with VA facilities. In response, section 13 requires the VA to report each case of an infectious disease in accordance with the laws of the State in which the facility is located.

Mr. COFFMAN. And failure to report will subject the VA facility to State penalties. These penalties are vital to ensure the VA will comply with and improve their reporting requirements. Given the VA's recent inadequate responses to infectious disease outbreaks, it is imperative that Congress and our veterans demand improvements. Therefore, I urge full support of section 13 of H.R. 357, as well as the passage of the entire bill.

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 $17,263,279,883,739.66. We've added $6,636,402,834,826.58 to our debt in 5 years. This is $6.6 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 $17,261,485,887,733.09. We've added $6,634,608,838,820.01 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 Obanna took office, the national debt was $10,626,877,048,913.08. Today, it is $17,287,251,611,151.62. We've added $6,660,374,562,238.54 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,287,251,611,151.62. We've added $6,660,374,562,238.54 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,282,527,565,175.09. We've added $6,655,650,516,262.01 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,281,164,714,573.43. We've added $6,654,287,665,660.35 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 trillion in debt our Nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, this week I introduced legislation that will amend the Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare, to prohibit a bailout for the insurance industry that is currently authorized under section 1341 and section 1342 of the Affordable Care Act. The American people have had enough of bailouts for Big Business. It is time for this culture of corporate cronyism that has become a dominant part of Washington, D.C., to stop. My legislation, No Bailouts for the Insurance Industry Act of 2014, would amend the Affordable Care Act to repeal section 1341, the ``reinsurance'' fund, and section 1342, the ``risk corridor'' provision. Together, both can provide for a massive taxpayer bailout to cover the insurance industry losses. The taxpayers should not be on the hook for the failures of ObamaCare. Any reasonable person can see that this scheme isn't going to work, and the American people should not be forced to bail it out once it fails. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of the No Bailouts for the Insurance Industry Act of 2014.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the students at Cherry Creek School District's Grandview High School for their victory in the Classroom Law Project's We The People competition on December 16, 2013. Grandview will now move on to Washington, DC, where they will represent the great State of Colorado in the national contest. The knowledge of democracy and the Constitution demonstrated by these young men and women is inspiring. It always encourages me when younger generations take an interest in government and I am privileged to represent these bright young students in the House of Representatives. This team has studied hard and I look forward to seeing them compete for our home state. I am certain they will represent Colorado well in the national competition and wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Grayson Abele, Sofia Carrillo, William Coleman, Cierra Cowden, Samuel Ehrhard, Jacob Fogleman, Selamawit Gashaw, Renee Hansen, Tae Woo Kim, Emily Neff, Khoa Nguyen, Riley Purnell, Margeaux Reed, Paul Salame, Jordan Shank, John- Rudolph Smith, Zachary Talpas, Ande Troutman, and Jonathan Woronoff for their achievement at the Colorado State We The People competition and to wish them the best of luck at the national level.

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 $17,306,977,954,400.15. We've added $6,680,100,905,487.07 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,310,216,315,568.94. We've added $6,683,339,266,655.86 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 $17,308,849,523,342.94. We've added $6,681,972,474,429.86 to our debt in 5 years. This is over $6.6 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 Barr Benyamin, Jacqueline Brittain, Diego Sanchez, and Matthew McCabe for their dedication and hard work for the people of Colorado's Sixth District as interns in my Washington, DC office for the fall 2013 session. The work of these young men and women has been exemplary and I know they all have bright futures. They served as tour guides, interacted with constituents, and learned a great deal about our nation's legislative process. I was glad to be able to offer this educational opportunity to these four and look forward to seeing them build their careers in public service. All four of our interns have made plans to continue their work in public service next year with various organizations around Washington. I am certain they will succeed in their new roles and wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Barr Benyamin, Jacqueline Brittain, Diego Sanchez, and Matthew McCabe for their service this fall.

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 $17,222,454,811,203.79. We've added $6,595,577,762,290.71 to our debt in 4 years. This is $6.5 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 $17,234,005,998,603.93. We've added $6,607,128,949,690.85 to our debt in 4 years. This is $6.6 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I introduced, along with Representative Mark Takano, H.R. 1402, the Veteran Paralympics Act, and I am happy to see that this legislation is now poised to pass the House floor along with other important programs for veterans. My portion of this legislation will extend this joint program, operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Olympic Committee, that funds grants to adaptive sports programs for disabled veterans all across our country. Paralympic programs are adaptive sports for physically disabled athletes, and research has shown that Paralympic sports and other forms of physical activity are an impactful aspect for the successful rehabilitation for these wounded warriors. The Veterans Paralympics Act will ensure that disabled veterans in local communities throughout our country will continue to have opportunities for rehabilitation, stress relief, and higher achievement through adaptive sports. Currently, there are dozens of partnership organizations in Colorado and over 300 nationwide that are helping our veterans with their rehabilitation through adaptive sports. During committee hearings, I discussed the Veterans Paralympics Act with Charlie Huebner, the U.S. Olympic Committee's Paralympics chief. He stated that this extension would help more than 16,000 disabled veterans in communities throughout America receive adaptive sports rehabilitation. Mr. Huebner and I both emphatically agree that participation in adaptive sports and other athletic activities can help speed the rehabilitation process for disabled veterans, and this legislation, if passed, will ensure rehabilitative opportunities for disabled veterans in local communities throughout the country. I am proud to lead this effort to extend and support this important program.

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 $17,230,345,583,111.52. We've added $6,603,468,534,198.44 to our debt in 4 years. This is $6.6 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 $17,227,010,669,351.91. We've added $6,600,133,620,438.83 to our debt in 4 years. This is $6.6 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 $17,223,254,862,815.39. We've added $6,596,377,813,902.31 to our debt in 4 years. This is $6.5 trillion in debt our nation, our economy, and our children could have avoided with a balanced budget amendment.

Mr. COFFMAN

Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, last month I was joined by my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Kerry to express concern about a potential interim agreement with Iran. Two weeks ago, such a deal was reached. It is a bad deal. The world rolls back sanctions without Iran fully dismantling its nuclear weapons program. Sanctions have impacted Iran's economy, leading its people to elect a less confrontational President. This recent political shift, in addition to pressure from sanctions, drove Iran to the negotiating table. Regardless, the Ayatollah, the real power in Iran, continues spewing hateful language at Israel and the West. Now is not the time to ease sanctions that have been effective for a mere promise that Iran's nuclear weapons program will be temporarily suspended. The sanctions' intent was to prevent a nuclear Iran. Anything less than the complete dismantling of its nuclear weapons program is unacceptable.