Liz Cheney

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Madam Chair, I would like to start by thanking my dear friend and colleague, Ms. Foxx, the Republican leader of the House Education and Labor Committee, for her tremendous work and leadership on behalf of all American women and families. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 7, the so- called Paycheck Fairness Act. This should be called the ``Pay the Trial Lawyers Act.'' Madam Chair, my State of Wyoming launched the fight for women's equality and rights when we became the first jurisdiction in the world to grant women the right to vote 150 years ago. Here in this Chamber, 100 years ago, the House agreed that women should have the right to vote on a national basis. Leaders of the women's suffrage movement were fighting on behalf of women's rights. They were not fighting to provide greater payouts to trial lawyers. We should honor those women, and the generations of women who came after them, by defeating this sham bill. The bill my Democratic colleagues have put on the floor today offers no new protections for women in the workplace. It paints job creators, many of whom in the Trump economy are increasingly women, as evil. Republicans know that economic policies that generate growth, create jobs, and increase wages benefit women and men. Our policies empower women and facilitate the success of women-owned businesses, which account for roughly 9 million jobs and $1.7 trillion in revenue. Madam Chair, today's bill is just the latest example of the misguided and damaging policies Democrats in this body are attempting to pursue. They claim to be ``for the people,'' but in the nearly 3 months that they have been in charge, they have embraced socialism; they have enabled anti-Semitism; they have passed legislation that violates the First Amendment and the Second Amendment; and they have repeatedly refused to take steps necessary to protect the lives of babies after those babies are born. Now, Madam Chair, they are telling us they are fighting for women when really they are simply fighting for trial lawyers. We have seen this movie before. The Democrats are not really for the people. They are for the government and for the special interest groups that support them. The American people know better, and we deserve better. Madam Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on this bill, and I call on my Democratic colleagues to come together with us, to work with us, so that we can actually make real progress for America's women and their families.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate First Sergeant Ian McClure, U.S. Army, for being named the 2018 Allied Command Operations Military Member of the Year. A 2003 graduate of East High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming, First Sergeant McClure went on to serve in the Army Special Forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mali, and he is now stationed at NATO Special Operations headquarters in Belgium. First Sergeant McClure was selected for this award because of his superior performance and professional excellence. I am proud that General Scaparrotti recognized First Sergeant McClure's significant contributions to the success of alliance operations. Sergeant McClure exemplifies the best that Wyoming and our country has to offer, and I thank him for his service and his sacrifices for our freedom. Again, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate First Sergeant Ian McClure on this prestigious honor and for being a brilliant example for the entire State of Wyoming.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Scott Talbott on his retirement as Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. I have had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Talbott for many years, and his tireless work to ensure hunting and recreation in Wyoming remains available and open to the public is much appreciated. A third-generation Wyoming native, Mr. Talbott spent much of his adult life working to protect and preserve wildlife in Wyoming. During his 34 years at the department, Mr. Talbott has served in several positions working his way up to eventually serve as Director. It has been a privilege working with Mr. Talbott to ensure stewardship of Wyoming's world-class wildlife. Again, Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate and thank Scott Talbott for his years of dedicated service to the people and wildlife of Wyoming.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Casper Chapter of Future Farmers of America on their victory at the National FFA Farm and Agribusiness Management Contest. Future Farmers of America is a national organization dedicated to educating and encouraging young people on the importance of sustainable farming and agribusiness. The young men and women of the Casper Chapter have distinguished themselves among chapters from all across the nation. They truly are some of the best that Wyoming has to offer. They are the future of agribusiness in Wyoming, and the country. Again Madam Speaker, I extend my congratulations to the Casper Chapter of Future Farmers of America on their victory and applaud their commitment to an industry that is vital to our nation.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, I thank very much my colleague, Mr. Cole, for his tremendous leadership on this issue and all others as the leading Republican on the Rules Committee. Madam Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, we will move to bring up H.R. 336, the Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019. I urge the House to vote on this bill, whose companion passed the Senate with bipartisan support this month. Bringing this legislation to the floor, Madam Speaker, is not a partisan maneuver; it is an urgent matter of national security that requires action by this House. H.R. 336 includes two bills that enhance our security cooperation with Israel and Jordan, key U.S. allies in the Middle East that are active in the fight against terrorist organizations in the region. H.R. 336 also reaffirms America's unwavering support for Israel with the Combating BDS Act, a bill that empowers State and local governments to counter discriminatory anti-Israel boycotts. There should be no doubt, Madam Speaker, about the bipartisan nature of each of these bills. The Israel security assistance legislation passed the House by voice vote in September. The Jordan defense cooperation bill passed the House by voice vote last February. The Syria sanctions bill passed the House by voice vote just last month. And last Congress, Senator Marco Rubio's Combating BDS Act gained the support of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and a number of other Democrats on the Senate side. Most Democratic Members continue to stand with Republicans in rejecting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, BDS, campaign. These Members understand, as the Republicans do, that this is a campaign that too often seeks to delegitimize and demonize Israel. So, Madam Speaker, why not hold a vote on H.R. 336 that contains a bill called the Combating BDS Act? BDS is a campaign whose adherents have time and time again revealed their anti-Semitic motives. This is a campaign that directs its followers to avoid certain products merely because they are made in Israel. Armed with economic warfare tactics, supporters of BDS seek to isolate and punish the only Jewish state. That, Madam Speaker, is the dictionary definition of discrimination. Opponents of the Combating BDS Act often cite First Amendment objections to this legislation, but the truth is, this bill would not prohibit individuals or companies from speaking out in support of the BDS movement, nor would it prohibit them from boycotting Israel. The Combating BDS Act applies to entities, such as companies, and their conduct. This bill cements what should be an obvious point: States have the right not to contract with companies that engage in discriminatory conduct against Israel.

Ms. CHENEY. In fact, many States already have laws on the books that promote that right. At its core, the Combating BDS Act protects and empowers States in their efforts to counter a hateful anti-Israel movement. There is no reason not to hold a vote on H.R. 336, which also includes legislation that authorizes security assistance to Israel and extends our defense partnership with Jordan. Helping our key allies in the Middle East ensure their security should not be controversial. Madam Speaker, we are now at a moment in this House, at a moment in this body where we are facing real anti-Semitism from the other side of the aisle. It is time that we all come together as a body in a bipartisan manner to stand against anti-Semitism, to condemn it, to ensure that everyone understands it has no place in this House, in this body, or in our public discourse. These bills that we are offering today, if the previous question is defeated, are those bills that will recognize and symbolize American leadership and define American leadership. I hope Democrats will choose our security and our closest allies over partisanship and bring H.R. 336 to a vote.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because every American should know that we are now at the point where the Democrats are demanding that ICE release dangerous criminals onto the streets of the United States. First, they demanded that we not build a wall. Their leader said that would be immoral. Now they are demanding that we release dangerous criminals we have already apprehended. Mr. Speaker, they are threatening to shut the government down, they are so committed to this position. Most Americans know their government's most sacred obligation is the defense of the Nation. The Democrats want to abolish one of the very agencies tasked with this responsibility. This is a backdoor effort to do so. Under this latest proposal, ICE has said they could be required to release as many as 15,000 criminals on to our streets. The far left radical positions of today's Democrats are threatening the security of our Nation. It is time to build the wall, secure our borders, support our law enforcement, and keep dangerous criminals off our streets.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and Republican leader of the Steering Committee, Mr. Collins, as well as my colleague, Mr. Cohen from Tennessee, for their work on this important issue. I thank Chairman Nadler, of course, for helping to bring this important bill to the floor. Of course, I echo my colleagues' fond words for my predecessor, Congresswoman Lummis, and all the work she did over the years on this issue and so many others for our great State. I thank them the opportunity to speak on this important bill. Mr. Speaker, the Equal Access to Justice Act was enacted in 1980 for good reason: to ensure that private citizens could obtain legal representation in cases against the Federal Government, in cases where it was deserved. While the Equal Access to Justice Act serves that important purpose in holding these Federal agencies accountable, in the past 20 years, we have seen this process abused too often by outside organizations. This program was intended to help everyday citizens seek justice, but those seeking profits have also had access to this program. They have effectively turned the Equal Access to Justice Act into their own personal wallet through frivolous lawsuits. This program was never intended to be a slush fund for serial litigators. Making matters worse, the perversion of the Equal Access to Justice Act is funded by American taxpayers. Americans are footing the legal and attorney's fees of groups that are impeding critical activities, especially on Federal lands in my home State of Wyoming and in others. It is clear that the Equal Access to Justice Act needs modernizing, and H.R. 752 is the first step toward that goal. This legislation still affords citizens, organizations, and other affected parties the same right to financial rewards in a prevailing lawsuit, but it finally would establish transparency and accountability for these funds. Under H.R. 752, an online database detailing funds awarded to prevailing parties, the agency, and the party involved in the case, and a description of these claims, will be made available to the American people. This provides accountability and transparency not only to outside organizations, but to our Federal agencies and, most importantly, to the American people. The American people have a right to know how their hard-earned money is spent, and this legislation takes a crucial step toward doing just that. I am pleased, Mr. Speaker, to support this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations to University of Wyoming professor Dr. John Tanaka on his retirement. Dr. Tanaka has dedicated his life to researching range and land management practices that improve and restore lands and ranches throughout the West. Dr. Tanaka has received multiple state and federal research grants and has made major contributions to improving sustainable range management practices. After nearly 40 years of dedication to range management and rangeland science, Dr. Tanaka will be retiring and will have the opportunity to relax and enjoy all that Wyoming has to offer. The University of Wyoming and the many ranchers and landowners who have benefitted from his pioneering research are incredibly grateful for Dr. Tanaka's years of service. Again, Madam Speaker, I would like to extend my congratulations to Dr. Tanaka on his long career and his retirement.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations to Johnson County Sheriff Steve Kozisek on his retirement. Sheriff Kozisek retired after 46 years of dedicated service for the people of Wyoming. After serving his country in the U.S. Army, Sheriff Kozisek began his distinguished career as a police officer in his hometown of Newcastle, Wyoming. Having served as Johnson County Sheriff for 16 years, Sheriff Kozisek has decided to lay down his badge and his gun and pursue a quiet retirement spending time with his wife and grandchildren. The people of Johnson County are incredibly proud of Sheriff Kozisek and grateful for his decades of service. Again, Madam Speaker, I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to Sheriff Kozisek on his retirement and I thank him for his dedication to service and helping others. It is men and women like Sheriff Kozisek that make the state of Wyoming great.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Republican Conference, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the House Republican Conference, I send to the desk a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations to the City of Green River for the 150th Anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Green River and the arrival of the Transcontinental Railroad. The City of Green River, Sweetwater County Historical Museum, and the Green River Chamber of Commerce continue to proudly honor this great town's history and achievements, including Thomas Moran's famous ``First Sketch in the West.'' Additionally, the Transcontinental Railroad played a pivotal role in not only the development of Green River but Wyoming as a whole. On May 10, 1869, the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads were connected, creating the Transcontinental Railroad. The railroad brought great change to Wyoming and our nation alike. It opened new doors to economic opportunity, new trade markets, and even helped create the Wyoming Territory. In Governor John A. Campbell's inaugural address to the Wyoming Territorial Legislature, he said, ``For the first time in the history of our country, the organization of a territorial government was rendered necessary by the building of a railroad.'' The Transcontinental Railroad was a historic achievement that continues to benefit the economy of our State to this day. Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my congratulations to the City of Green River for the 150th Anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Green River and recognize the historic significance of the arrival of the Transcontinental Railroad in Wyoming.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations to Dale Steenbergen for receiving the Chamber Director of the Year Award from the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce. The Wyoming Chamber of Commerce annual award recognizes directors that have had an outstanding impact and made significant contributions to the community. His selection for this award is a sign of his dedication to our community and his support of F.E. Warren Air Force Base, and I thank him for all he does. Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my congratulations to Dale Steenbergen for receiving the Chamber Director of the Year Award from the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Ms. CHENEY

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1049 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, during consideration of this resolution all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. General Leave

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1049, which provides a structured rule for consideration of H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act, and a structured rule for H.R. 1635, the Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act. These bipartisan bills provide commonsense changes that will strengthen our economy by removing unnecessary regulatory burdens and improving financial counseling for our students. Student loan debt in our country hit a record high of $1.5 trillion in the first quarter of this year, Mr. Speaker. Furthermore, both the number and size of student loans are increasing, while the repayment rates are decreasing. Students are not receiving the proper counseling when they enroll in Federal aid programs. This has the potential to cost them immense amounts of money. Right now, schools are only required to provide entry and exit financial counseling to students who receive Federal loans. Often, the counseling offered does not give students a realistic understanding of their anticipated finances and income during their studies and after graduation, or information about other Federal aid programs they could turn to before a private loan. By enhancing the financial counseling offered and expanding it to students who receive Pell grants and to the parents of students who take out Federal loans to pay for their children's education, students will better be able to manage their finances and maximize their opportunities, saving themselves and the taxpayers money every single year. Mr. Speaker, we provide over $120 billion of Federal student aid every year, without providing adequate education and support about how to use those funds. This must change. With this bill, we will begin to give our students the tools and resources necessary to ensure they put themselves in the best financial position for the future. H.R. 1635 does just that. Additionally, the rule we are considering today makes in order several bipartisan amendments that are aimed at making this good bill even better. The rule that we are debating this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, also provides for consideration of H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act. This rule makes in order two Democrat amendments to this bipartisan bill which also will help strengthen our economy and create more American jobs. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the United States is now the world's leading producer of oil and natural gas. And my home State of Wyoming ranks sixth in production of crude oil, and eighth in natural gas production. However, despite the important and even monumental efforts by the Trump administration so far, uncertainty and burdensome regulations still stifle operations and further growth. Currently, the Natural Gas Act does not specify an amount threshold for the Department of Energy's lengthy regulatory process for the exportation of liquefied natural gas. This means that producers wanting to export a small amount of gas are forced to go through the same process as major producers. By providing greater regulatory certainty and a clear timetable for the process of exporting small amounts of LNG, we will better enable exporters to move forward with capital-intensive projects that create American jobs. We also are able, Mr. Speaker, through this bill, to preserve existing environmental laws and ensure that small-scale export facilities receive the proper review. Wyoming's petroleum industry directly employs over 7,000 people, with an annual payroll of over $668 million, contributing over $900 million to our economy. The small scale LNG export market is a growing sector of our economy with immense potential that can further expand the economic benefits the petroleum industry yields to my State and to the Nation. This bill will open up markets where large-scale exports are simply not economical and help jump-start growth in this important industry. H.R. 4606 places small-scale exports on a level playing field with exports to free trade agreement nations. Many of our neighboring countries are forced to rely on unstable or unfriendly nations for their energy needs because the regulations we currently place on our small-scale LNG exporters makes exporting to these nations uneconomical. Mr. Speaker, by reducing these regulations, U.S. LNG exports can play an important role in rebuilding parts of the Caribbean devastated by hurricanes in 2017, as well as provide a stable source of energy. It will also prevent our neighbors from having to turn, potentially, to our adversaries to meet their energy needs. Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of an energy boom that is revitalizing our economy. It is also putting us in a position where we can greatly assist our neighbor countries by providing them a stable source of energy and offering support in the event of a natural disaster. The current unnecessary and overly burdensome regulations on small LNG exporters prevent us from taking full advantage of this unprecedented growth in our energy production and industry. H.R. 4606 allows us to address this issue and to provide an additional boost to our economy. Mr. Speaker, the bills that will be considered under this rule are bipartisan bills that will help strengthen our economy and support our students. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this rule that will allow consideration of H.R. 4606 and H.R. 1635, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CHENEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the Rules Committee, Mrs. Torres, for her comments today. I think that Mrs. Torres and I both agree that Congress needs to ensure that we are playing our constitutional role, and that is why I find it particularly surprising that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to further empower the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is a completely unaccountable and, I would argue, unconstitutional agency. In fact, statutorily, Mr. Speaker, with the regulation of student loans under the Higher Education Act, Congress has charged the Department of Education with this obligation and responsibility, not the CFPB, and that is where we think it should belong. We don't think that the answer to congressional oversight and to increasing congressional oversight is to give further power to a completely unaccountable Federal agency. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins).