Ryan Costello

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. I want to thank the gentleman from Mississippi for his participation. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Hardy).

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman from Nevada for participating in tonight's Special Order. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Young).

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman from Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from New York (Mr. Zeldin).

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. That was excellent. Thank you, Mr. Zeldin. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from New York mentioned a minute ago about our constitutional obligation and the moral imperatives that we have to defend our homeland and our national defense, and I couldn't agree with him more. In that spirit, I want to start to conclude my comments by saying something I think most agree with, and that is we need to enhance our intelligence and our vetting process of those who come to our country, including potential Syrian refugees, to reflect the seriousness of threats posed by ISIS. I want to go into a little bit of information that is easy to come by if you have paid attention to this issue, as I have, and the reality of the situation on the ground in Syria. As a result of over 4 years of Syrian civil war, we are seeing the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, and we can and we will, as America, continue to be a leader in the provision of aid and relief. But we can't afford to put the cart before the horse when it comes to admission policies here. This year alone over half a million Syrian people are seeking refuge in Europe, and our European allies are looking to us for assistance. However, it is gravely concerning, I think, when your FBI Director, in this case, James Comey, said earlier this year that our government is unable to conduct thorough background checks on the 10,000 Syrian refugees that the administration will allow in the United States. His quote: We have no record of them, and you can only query what you have collected. Mr. Speaker, the concerns and objections that I am raising aren't just mine. They are the multitude of phone calls and e-mails that my office has received today and I suspect all Members have received today. It is not isolationist. It is not anti-humanitarian. It is common sense, and it is in the name of making sure that we are protecting our people and securing our homeland from threats. It is not unreasonable to conduct due diligence on who is coming into our country, and we can't move forward with a policy of admit first and ask later. We have to close the gaps in our screening process of refugees entering into our country. The Homeland Security Committee chairman, Mr. McCaul, recently introduced legislation H.R. 3573, the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act. It would make substantial improvements to our refugee program and enhance congressional oversight of the administration's refugee proposals. Many don't know that Congress right now does not have much, if any, say over our refugee admission policy. This bill is intended to change that. It would require, amongst other things, GAO to review the security gaps in the current screening process. The President, as I mentioned, has proposed resettling at least 10,000 Syrian refugees currently residing outside the Syria conflict zone in refugee camps to the U.S. this fiscal year. I quote from correspondence I had the opportunity to review today that Chairman McCaul wrote to the President: ``We remain concerned that these resettlements are taking place without appropriate regard for the safety of the American people.'' Nothing is more fundamental. Nothing gets at the core of what our Constitution is intended to protect as that statement. In his correspondence, Mr. Speaker, he cites to a couple pieces of testimony that he received this past summer from various officials. Leaders from the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the Department of Homeland Security have all said to our Homeland Security Committee that they lack the on-the-ground intelligence necessary to thoroughly vet Syrian refugees who seek to resettle here. National Counterterrorism Center Director Nicholas Rasmussen testified on October 21 that you have to rely on a vet. When you are vetting an applicant's information, his opinion is this: ``It isn't what we'd like it to be.'' FBI Director Comey explained during that same hearing: ``If someone has not made a ripple in the pond in Syria in a way that would get their identity or their interests reflected in our database, we can query our database until the cows come home, but nothing will show up because we have no record of that person. You can only query what you have collected.'' I mentioned a piece of that statement a little earlier. That is the full statement. And it gets to the point that, as we are concerned about our security and we are trusting the administration to properly vet those who seek to come here, we have to rely on intelligence, and our intelligence leaders are offering something less than full confidence that their intelligence on those Syrian refugees is something that we need to look a lot further at. That is what I think we need to do. Finally, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Johnson said: ``It is true that we are not going to know a whole lot about the Syrians that come forth in this process.'' Now, I know tomorrow at 5:30, I believe, we will have a confidential briefing from the FBI Director and our Director on Homeland Security. Mr. Speaker, my point here this evening was just to raise some issues that, frankly, were on the front of my mind and many others in my district and many other Members of Congress even before the tragedy that happened in Paris on Friday. What happened on Friday only reinforces in me and many others that ISIS isn't contained, and, in fact, a strategy of containment is actually a dangerous one; and further, as we are looking at the Syrian readmission policy, it cannot be allowed to remain as it presently is. Be it through legislation or be it through this administration's providing us more detail and allowing Congress and the American people to get a better understanding of what is and isn't happening I think would go a long way towards making us feel a lot safer. In fact, if reforms need to be made, if the program needs to be halted at the present time, then that is what should be done. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for participating in the Special Order this evening. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, as we look forward to celebrating Veterans Day on November 11, let me just thank every man and woman serving in our military and every veteran for your service to our country. You represent and reflect the very best in our country's values and ideals. This month, we also celebrate National Family Caregiver Month. Caregivers play a vital role, providing care and a sense of comfort and peace at trying times for Americans all over our country. While we recognize all caregivers, I rise today to specifically speak about individuals who dedicate their livelihood, love, and support to improving our veterans' quality of life. Caregivers of veterans assist with personal care needs and support their daily activities, including mental and physical therapies, managing of finances, transportation, and other essential duties. In 2010, Congress passed the Caregivers and Veterans Health Services Act, marking the needed investment in supporting the family caregivers of our veterans by creating the VA Caregiver Support program. This law, while beneficial, limits eligibility of the program to post-9/11 veterans only. I believe we should not limit the care of a veteran based on their period of service, but instead make the program accessible to veterans of all service areas, particularly our elderly veterans and their caregivers who presently do not have the benefit. In an effort to open the program to all veterans, I joined Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty to introduce the CARE for All Veterans Act, H.R. 2894. Earlier this year, I attended a town hall at the Southeastern Veterans' Center in Spring City, Chester County, where a Vietnam war veteran asked me why his caregiver could not have access to the support provided by the VA Caregiver Support program. I want to thank that veteran for raising this issue. On behalf of the estimated 214,000 pre-9/11 veterans in Pennsylvania, including 11,000 in my district alone, and veterans all across this country, I introduced the CARE for All Veterans Act with Congresswoman Esty. This legislation is a meaningful step to ensure our veterans receive the quality of care they need in the comfort of their own home from their loved one. H.R. 2894 responsibly grows the program to create an equitable system for our Nation's veterans and provide additional assistance to primary family caregivers of eligible pre-9/11 veterans. A coalition of veterans groups support the CARE for All Veterans Act, including the American Legion, Military Officers Association of America, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and VetsFirst. I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and, when the time comes, support this legislation on the House floor. Our focus must obviously be on making sure our veterans receive the care and services need. That means ensuring their loved ones and caregivers have the proper training, support services, travel expenses, health care, and respite care to provide the best in-home care for veterans. All caregivers, no matter the age of the veteran they serve, should have access to the VA Caregiver Support program. During a month when we recognize Veterans Day, we must also take a moment to recognize those who play an instrumental role in the life of a veteran: their caregivers. By passing this bill, we could make a big difference for the veteran and their caregiver. I am grateful to my constituents for bringing this need to my attention, and I call upon my colleagues to join me in this effort in supporting H.R. 2894.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is needed to keep interstate commerce moving and to correct a misguided rule issued by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Here, we are faced with an overactive judiciary legislating from the bench with very real and very adverse economic consequences as a result of this misinformed decision. Mr. Chairman, Congress has taken deliberate action in the past to preempt States from getting in the way of a nationally uniform set of rules for motor carriers. This amendment makes clear the intent of Congress that States can't impose their own requirements on drivers whose working hours and breaks are governed under nationally uniform Federal regulations. Mr. Chairman, under current Federal safety regulations, drivers who need a break are always entitled to take one. This amendment does not change that. Likewise, current Federal whistleblower laws protect drivers from carriers who stand in the way of that, and this amendment does not change that. But as a result of the Ninth Circuit Court decision, motor carriers will now be forced to plan their routes and services around the obligations of individual State break requirements. This will deprive businesses and drivers of the flexibility currently afforded under Federal law for interstate commerce. It will reduce shipping capacity. It will increase shipping costs, and it causes confusion and cost. If not corrected, who will pay the price for the decision of the unelected judges of the ninth circuit? In my district, it will be the small businesses and consumers who face higher prices, and it will prove more costly to transportation professionals whose livelihoods are directly dependent on an efficient and streamlined shipping and trucking industry.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I rise to ask for a simple bipartisan amendment along with my fellow Transportation and Infrastructure Committee member, Representative Dan Lipinski of Illinois. This amendment would make a minor modification to the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects grant program. This amendment would not change any dollar threshold or increase funding to the program, nor would it increase the cost of the overall bill. Under the program set forth in the bill, large grants, as they are defined, meaning those in excess of $100 million, are eligible for four types of programs: one, freight projects on the National Highway Freight Network; two, highway or bridge projects on the National Highway System; three, intermodal or freight rail projects on the National Multimodal Freight Network; and, four, railway-highway grade crossings and grade separations. However, the bill sets aside 10 percent of program funding for small projects defined as those projects that are less than $100 million. However, the bill only allows one of the previously mentioned four programs, freight projects on the National Highway Freight Network, to be eligible for this reserved small project funding. Madam Chair, in my home State of Pennsylvania, the structural integrity of our aging bridges and roadways is a major concern of my constituents and a personal priority of mine. I seek to add the other three programs to be eligible under the small projects definition. So I ask: Should a $50 or $95 million project to restore a crumbling bridge have less of a shot at program funding than a $100 million project? Or for the 55 short-line railroads in Pennsylvania, including three in my district, if they would otherwise be eligible for program funding to improve roadway grade separations, why should they not be eligible to compete for those dollars set forth for small projects? Madam Chair, this amendment addresses this discrepancy. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Madam Chair, I urge support for this meritorious amendment. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak to all the student athletes, the parents of student athletes, athletic trainers, and coaches out there: Sports build character. I want to make sure we are using technology, science, data analytics, and best practices to keep our student athletes practicing, performing, and competing in a safe and responsible manner. I recall, as a former high school and college athlete, the pregame and prepractice routines that my coaches used to require before we could start to play. And while sports provide great enjoyment for athletes, fans, and coaches, they also pose health risks; some of them are unavoidable, but some are preventable. By utilizing data and technology, we can establish best practices so our athletes can remain healthy and compete, and our sports teams can succeed. We can do that and still make certain injuries more preventable in the process. In 2015, we have watches that provide real-time data on our heart rate, caloric intake, and blood pressure to smartphones that can then be shared with coaches, parents, and physicians; and that is just an Apple iWatch or a Fitbit. Data analytics and sports go hand in hand these days, from mathematical algorithms as to what quarterback will be most successful on a Sunday afternoon, to the data of building a winning baseball team. Today's athletic success is fueled by skills, knowledge, and teamwork, both on and off the field. Just as we find ways to incorporate technology and data to ensure our next generation of athletes can remain healthy and playing well into old age, we must also encourage investments in the research, innovation, and technology to continue to build upon these already great achievements. One aspect of this can be found in using data analytics to better understand athletic injuries in our children and student athletes: for example, preemptively identifying vulnerabilities and assessing the lasting impact of other injuries so we can design equipment and enforce rules to most effectively avoid the likelihood of such injuries, but do so without compromising the integrity of the competitive sports we all enjoy watching or participating in. Health professionals, coaches, trainers, and parents can utilize this data to bring about greater awareness of sound practices that can keep our student athletes healthy and in the game, not on the sidelines. Every preseason we read in our local newspaper about a student athlete who suffered a concussion during football or soccer practice. In 2013 alone, over 1.2 million children visited emergency rooms for sports-related injuries, and nearly 8 percent of these emergency room visits were concussion-related. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to introduce H. Res. 112, a resolution, the Secondary School Student Athletes' Bill of Rights, which encourages greater communication, coordination, and teamwork among coaches, parents, teachers, and medical professionals to ensure that our children receive adequate training, safe equipment and facilities, and immediate, on-site injury assessment. The very data and tools we use to generate information like RBIs or yards per carry can be used to study incidence of injury, the impact of certain dietary habits on developing athletes, better training practices, and a host of ways to improve the safe and responsible athletic experience for our youngest athletes. With the support of over 100 diverse organizations dedicated to improving the health of our student athletes, including the National Athletic Trainers Association, the American Football Coaches Association, the American Heart Association, the National Association of State Boards of Education, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, H. Res. 112 is just one step towards encouraging and emphasizing the use, sharing, and incorporation of data and innovation in improving the safety of athletes and avoiding injury. While that effort deals with on-the-field success of our student athletes, just as important is making sure we are giving our next generation the tools they need in innovation and analytics. In Congress, we should enable continued research by making a commitment to providing the next generation of innovators with the tools to learn, develop, and ultimately succeed. Indeed, STEM skills, the foundation of innovation, lies in a dynamic, motivated, and a well-educated workforce equipped with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As a member of the Congressional STEM Caucus, I will continue to be an advocate for continued funding of STEM curriculum in schools so that we can equip the next generation of scientists and mathematicians with the tools to succeed. STEM classroom lessons can be applied to sports and the data- collection process. Our STEM students will play a major role in leading the way for greater success on the field. The bottom line, we must all work together to continue to keep our favorite athletes and our children and our teams on the field and in the game, prevent injuries, and encourage lifelong habits that will allow our children to lead healthier lives. By encouraging the use of technology, we can ensure our student athletes, our athletic trainers, our parents, and our coaches have the tools needed to keep our athletes healthy and on the field instead of on the sidelines.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 623) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to establish a social media working group, and for other purposes.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 623, as amended.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As disasters become more frequent and severe, it is critical that emergency managers and citizens take advantage of new technologies to send and receive critical information. Social media has become an essential tool in the preparedness, response, and recovery for all hazards, whether natural or manmade. We saw how critical social media was in relaying information following Hurricane Sandy, the Boston Marathon bombing, and, just a few weeks ago, during Hurricane Joaquin and the historic flooding in South Carolina. Social media helps reach people in need, helps get the right information into the hands of the public, helps organize volunteers, and can be a source of critical on-the-ground information to decisionmakers. H.R. 623, as amended by the Senate, would require DHS to establish a social media working group to enhance the use of social media to support preparedness, response, and recovery of all hazards. This group will be required to report to Congress on an annual basis on its findings, emerging trends, and best practices. I commend the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) for sponsoring this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Far too many families fall victim to domestic violence. In fact, one in four women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives. I want to recognize and thank the organizations, their staff, and their volunteers across my district for what they do to help victims of domestic violence. To cite just one example, Mr. Speaker, last week the Berks Women in Crisis held their annual Silent Witness Project march and ceremony to honor and remember victims lost. A group of about 75 people marched from the Berks Women in Crisis center to the Reading Area Community College, carrying 25 red silhouettes of women, men, and children killed due to domestic violence. Each cutout held a brass shield with the summary of that victim's story. By spreading awareness of these horrors of domestic violence and encouraging victims to speak up, we can and must help reduce the number of women victimized. I applaud the efforts of this annual ceremony and march and want to let them know that their work is recognized by the community. Indeed, the work of all the organizations, their staff, and volunteers is critical.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last week, the Nation saw a very important program expire, the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I rise today to encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with me and call for a vote on a full and continued permanent reauthorization of the LWCF. For 50 years, this critical fund has added value to my district and to so many across the Nation. Last week, inaction by Congress led to the expiration of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and I believe it is critical that we renew our commitment to the fund. The fund helps our communities protect critical lands by providing State and local governments with necessary funding and flexibility to develop and improve the very land on display for everyone to enjoy. Nowhere is it more critical than in my home State of Pennsylvania. Over the past 50 years, Pennsylvania has received approximately $300 million in land and water conservation funding for protection in many areas of national significance, such as Gettysburg National Military Park, the Paoli Battlefield, the Brandywine Battlefield, Valley Forge National Historical Park, and John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. Not only have we seen the LWCF at work on the State level, we have also seen its benefits at the local level, including the Birdsboro Waters Forest Legacy Project, protecting critical woodlands at the East Coventry Wineberry Estates, expanding Shaw's Bridge Park in East Bradford Township, and enhancing the Pottstown Borough Memorial Park with a new dog park, pavilions, restrooms, ballfields, and walking trails. The outdoor recreation industry, Governors, mayors, sportsmen, small- business owners, conservation leaders, landowners, ranchers, farmers, and millions of Americans are united in a push for permanent reauthorization and full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund because it provides an economic benefit to our region and across the country. The LWCF gives a boost to the $646 billion recreation economy and serves to protect our national parks and other public lands from being destroyed. Indeed, in one such study, the Outdoor Industry Association has found that outdoor active recreation generates $21.5 billion annually in consumer spending in Pennsylvania alone. Outdoor recreation supports over 219,000 jobs across the State and generates $7.2 billion in wages and salaries. It also produces $1.6 billion annually in State and local tax revenue. Outdoor recreation benefits the Pennsylvania economy. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that each year over 5.4 million people participated in hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching in Pennsylvania, contributing $5.4 billion to the State economy. Additionally, the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance Program provides matching grants to help States and local communities protect parks and recreation resources. Nationwide, the LWCF has benefited countless counties in America, supporting over 41,000 projects. The State assistance 50-50 matching program acts as the primary investment tool to ensure that all can enjoy hiking, biking, running trails, community parks, and playgrounds. Approximately $4 billion in LWCF grants have been awarded to States, including $4.27 million for 34 total projects in Berks County, $4.78 million for 30 total projects in Chester County, $2.8 million for 49 total projects in Montgomery County, and over $800,000 for 11 projects in Lebanon County. These are all counties in my congressional district. Our public lands and outdoor recreation areas are an integral part of our heritage, civic identity, and local community. I believe the Land and Water Conservation Fund is one of our most important conservation programs and an excellent example of a bipartisan commitment to the safeguard of our natural resources and cultural heritage, and we must reauthorize it. As an original cosponsor of H.R. 1814 to permanently reauthorize the LWCF, I look forward to working with my colleagues to preserve our public lands so that current and future generations may continue to enjoy and appreciate them year-round. I respectfully call upon my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to work for a bipartisan solution to reauthorize this very important program.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work of Terry Boston, President and CEO of PJM Interconnection, LLC headquartered in Audubon, Pennsylvania. Since 2008, Terry Boston has attentively served his role as the CEO by leading his team--600 of which are located in my district--and oversees the largest power grid in North America. As a result of his leadership, 51 million residents across 14 states, and many in PA-06, have access to reliable, affordable, and high quality electricity. Mr. Boston and his team truly keep the lights on for millions, and for that we are grateful. Mr. Boston has served a notable career as the President of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, Inc., immediate past president of the GO 15, past chair of the North American Transmission Forum, and the Executive Vice President of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Further, Terry recently was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional honors for an engineer. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Mr. Boston on his distinguished career and wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, too many children grow up in today's society without basic essentials: food, clothing, proper shelter. Many times this is the result of a lack of child support payments from an estranged parent. I have a young boy, and I can tell you he takes a lot of energy out of my wife and me. We do everything we can to support him to our fullest with love and all the basic essentials, but not all children are that lucky. Some are due child support payments that they don't receive. I know our local district attorneys do a lot in furtherance and sheriff's departments do a lot in furtherance of collecting those child support payments, but Congressman Poliquin's commonsense measure here, the Child Support Assistance Act, is going to help State and local enforcement agencies aid families in collecting child support payments in a timely manner. How is that going to happen? It is going to allow enforcement agencies to obtain consumer reports on negligent parents in a more expeditious manner. Consequently, that is going to streamline the process and better enforce the collection of child support payments. I believe Representative Poliquin stated it very eloquently just a moment ago. This is something that we can all get behind. It is for the good of this country. It is for the good of children across America. Let's be proud as we ensure that our children have the resources to succeed, with this legislation being a positive step in the right direction.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. A majority of this House thinks this deal is bad, a majority of the Senate thinks this deal is bad, and a majority of the American people think this deal is bad. We have not had any input, and the effort here today is to simply make a bad deal a little less bad. The idea behind Mr. Meehan's bill is to provide restitution to American victims. It is not just any American victims. It is the victims of Iranian terror. $150 billion is going to flow to Iran. It seems to be common sense that the first $43 billion should instead be paid to the victims of Iranian terror. Joseph Cicippio was one of those victims. He lived right outside my congressional district. He spent 5 years in brutal captivity before being released in 1991. A vote for this bill today is a vote for the victims of Iranian terror. I also want to say Congressman Meehan's congressional district is right next to mine. I want to thank him for his thoughtful, creative approach and his leadership in this country and in this House on this bill.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 209, the Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act, legislation that I have cosponsored. We must continue to ensure barriers do not stall patients from participating in rare disease clinical trials. This bill will continue to encourage rare disease patients, even those receiving Social Security Income or Medicaid benefits, to participate in clinical trials without jeopardizing their eligibility for those benefits. All patients should have access to these important and often lifesaving trials that will advance medical research and work towards improving their health. The Senate has taken the important step to pass this legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to advance this commonsense, bipartisan initiative and send it to the President's desk for his signature. I thank the chairman and all those involved in the House for their work on this.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan for hosting this Special Order to raise awareness for an issue that impacts constituents in all of our congressional districts. We can all agree that, as Members of Congress, we need to prioritize our veterans. We also need to raise awareness about the invisible wounds many of them face. I am speaking about post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, which can and often does lead to thoughts of suicide. Mr. Speaker, we also need to make sure that the loved ones of these veterans have the support they need so that they may best help those who are suffering from these invisible wounds. I have been here 9 months. The House has taken some very positive steps to help veterans since I have been here and improving suicide prevention programs. It has been said by several Members already here on the floor today, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, a commonsense bill that is going to increase access to mental health by creating a peer support and community outreach pilot program. It is going to boost accountability with mental health care by requiring an annual evaluation of VA mental health and suicide prevention programs. It is proof that, when we put party politics aside around here, we can get good things done. We should all be proud of that. I would like to direct Members' attention to H.R. 2915, the Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, which has been just passed out of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. It is time to bring this bill to the floor. It will direct the VA to identify mental healthcare prevention programs and metrics that are effective in treating female veterans as part of the evaluative process required by the Clay Hunt Act, and it would require the VA to accommodate a veteran's obligation to not properly disclose classified information. Mr. Speaker, suicide prevention programs are key to maintaining continual engagement with veterans and communities, as well as to raise awareness and to help intervene, when necessary. I would also add, let's keep in mind the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs, which I serve on, with many other hardworking Members who are working in a consensus-oriented fashion. We need to make sure that the Transition Assistance Program is working for our veterans. We need to make sure that, from a veterans' hiring preference program, that that is working. We need to make sure that we are utilizing the best that the private sector has to offer for workforce development training for veterans returning to civilian life. We know that there is an unfair stigma associated with those who may need to seek assistance with mental health. Part of the value of why we are here today is to raise awareness and help reduce that stigma and say that we understand that there are challenges for veterans returning to civilian life and we are here to help. We want to raise awareness. We want to make sure that the programs that we have in place are working. We are going to continue to do that. I applaud those who helped organize this Special Order here today, and I am honored to participate in it.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague Mr. Dent to thank and honor a Berks County innovator for his leadership and dedication to the community. Mr. Speaker, DeLight Breidegam, Jr., passed away last week at the age of 88. He was cofounder and chairman emeritus of East Penn Manufacturing. Under his leadership, East Penn grew to be Berks County's second largest employer. The company is nothing short of an American success story. East Penn began as a dream of the Breidegam family following World War II. DeLight frequently cited the shortage of batteries during the war as the spark to start the business. Along with his father, they soon started their battery business in a small, one-room creamery. Since then, the Breidegam family has been committed to producing batteries. I had the good fortune to meet with DeLight about a month ago. The value that he placed on his employees was palpable in speaking with him. I must say that it is a very, very special thing when you hear someone speak about their employees in the way that he spoke so lovingly of his, still calling and speaking with them every single day. He will be missed. He is a tremendous, tremendous asset, as is his company, to the Berks County community; and while we are sad for his passing, Mr. Dent and I wish to recognize him for all his great and positive accomplishments in the community.

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, should those filing a frivolous lawsuit be held accountable to the victims of that frivolous lawsuit? I think most people would say yes. There are hard-working Americans and small businesses across this country spending tens of thousands of dollars, collectively millions of dollars every year defending themselves from frivolous lawsuits. A frivolous lawsuit, as it is defined, has no basis in fact or in law, no basis whatsoever. A judge can make a determination--must make a determination--whether a lawsuit is frivolous or not upon the question being presented and yet not award damages even upon a finding of a frivolous lawsuit. That just doesn't make sense, and it is not fair to the victims of frivolous lawsuits. The bill that we are voting on here stands for something very basic. A judge shouldn't be allowed to deny damage awards to the victim of a frivolous lawsuit. A vote for this bill is a vote to reduce the filing of frivolous lawsuits; a vote for this bill is a vote to protect the integrity of the judicial system; and a vote for this bill is a warning shot to anyone who thinks that filing a frivolous lawsuit is a way to extort money. It has been said--and I practiced law--what is the nuisance value of this claim? In other words, what would you advise your client to just pay the other side to make a frivolous lawsuit go away because of how costly it is and how much time you spend worrying and preparing? Lawsuits can be very intimidating to a defendant, and those who have a good faith claim will litigate it out, and the judge won't find there to be anything frivolous about it; but when it is frivolous, those filing it should have to pay. This is very, very common sense. A vote for this bill is standing on the side of small business and preserving the integrity of our judicial system.