Ben Cline

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, we stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela, and I share many of the comments of the gentlewoman from Florida, but I must rise in opposition to H.R. 549. H.R. 549 statutorily designates Venezuela for inclusion in the broken program known as Temporary Protective Status. Pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of DHS can designate a country for TPS if there are circumstances that would prevent the safe return of aliens to that country or if a country is temporarily unable to adequately handle the return of its nationals. When DHS does so, nationals of the designated country who are inside the United States on the date of the designation, whether legally or illegally, may apply to stay here and receive employment authorization. DHS has estimated there are 270,000 such Venezuelan nationals currently in the United States, over 100,000 of whom are here illegally. TPS is usually initially designated for a period of 18 months and then redesignated in 18-month increments after the Secretary reviews the conditions in the country to determine whether the conditions for the initial TPS designation continue. If the Secretary determines the country no longer meets the conditions for the TPS designation, the Secretary is required by law to terminate the designation. There are currently over 415,000 TPS recipients from 10 different countries in the United States. Despite the fact Congress intended TPS to be a temporary protection, over time it has become a permanent, automatically renewed status with some countries being designated for TPS for decades. For instance, Honduras was initially designated for TPS back in 1999 due to Hurricane Mitch which struck the country in October of 1998. Somalia was initially designated in September of 1991 based on armed conflict. The current administration applied the law under section 244 of the INA regarding mandatory termination of TPS designation if the conditions no longer exist, and terminated TPS for Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador. The DHS Secretary gave those populations at least 12 months to wind down and prepare for departure, but a lawsuit was filed, and activist Federal courts issued an injunction. I oppose H.R. 549, but do not do so lightly. There is no doubt that the people of Venezuela are suffering. They are in a dire situation as a result of the socialist policies of long-time President Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolas Maduro. But I hold out hope for a regime change in Venezuela, and I know the administration is watching this situation closely. If Congress is, nevertheless, inclined to statutorily designate Venezuela for TPS, we should not do so without reforming the process to ensure renewal is not a rubber stamp; otherwise, we risk being in the same position we are currently in regarding other TPS designations. No other administration will terminate it, and 25 years from now, Members of Congress will call for green cards for Venezuelans here on TPS. Another concern is two Federal circuits, the sixth and the ninth, have held the mere grant of TPS is an admission for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The effect of those rulings is that TPS holders who were meant to be here temporarily can now get a green card pursuant to family or employment-based petition even if they entered the country illegally. Also problematic is the fact that the fee for a TPS application is statutorily capped at $50. Last week, the Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee held a hearing regarding the long wait times for processing immigration benefits applications. Large volume is the biggest driver of longer processing times, but there is also not enough money to hire additional staff. Since it is a fee-funded agency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services should be allowed to set the fee commensurate with the cost of application adjudication, which is obviously more than the mere $50. Lastly, I must point out the glaring hypocrisy of designating a country for temporary protective status after the majority recently passed H.R. 6, which created a green card path for 417,000 aliens in the country on temporary protected status. If the majority had its way, Congress would amend the INA to remove the word ``temporary'' from the TPS statute and just start handing over green cards immediately. Madam Speaker, I oppose H.R. 549. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her remarks and for her sharing the concerns of the president for the socialist regime of Maduro. I would note that there are very few detained noncriminal Venezuelans with removal orders, and there is no mechanism currently in place for directly removing aliens to Venezuela. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her remarks against the socialist regime of Maduro as well. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Brooks).

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As was said earlier, there are very few detained noncriminal Venezuelans with removal orders, and there is no mechanism currently in place for directly removing aliens to Venezuela. Madam Speaker, we stand with the people of Venezuela in their fight against the socialist regime of Nicolas Maduro. We recognize that only through change in leadership and a change in direction will Venezuela change course and begin to rebound, in terms of adopting economic reforms and abandoning the socialist policies of the Maduro regime. We stand with the people, and we stand ready to embrace the newly elected President, should he take control of the country. But this bill, H.R. 549, is a bill that is simply not appropriate for the circumstances right now. This broken TPS system that we have would not be sufficient to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who would seek to use it. Suffice it to say, it is similar to helping people by throwing them a raft full of holes. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 549, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I speak in support of the bill, and I want to thank the gentleman from Rhode Island for his leadership on this issue. We should all honor and support America's veterans and their families. The HAVEN Act does that by making sure disability and death benefits received by veterans and their families receive special protection during the difficult process of bankruptcy. I also want to thank the gentlewoman from Georgia for her leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I would simply state that the HAVEN Act makes the Bankruptcy Code work better and more fairly for our Nation's veterans and those who depend on them; so I encourage my colleagues to support the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the bill and I want to thank the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), the sponsor, for his support of this important legislation which would provide National Guard members, Armed Services reservists, and their families continued flexibility to qualify for greater debt relief in bankruptcy. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the bill. I want to thank the gentleman from Rhode Island for his leadership on this issue. The bankruptcy system is a critical component of our economy. It provides an important step, an important safety net for households and entrepreneurs when they need a fresh start. It also stabilizes and encourages lending, because it is a tried-and-true way for creditors to recover as much as feasible when things go wrong for borrowers. It is particularly important that the Bankruptcy Code work for small businesses. Small business owners are the backbone of communities across our country. It is their risk-taking that drives the creation of new jobs in America. When they need the Bankruptcy Code's help to reorganize their debts and keep their businesses going, the Bankruptcy Code should be there as a tool to help them. That is why I am particularly happy that the House today considers the Small Business Reorganization Act. This important bill offers long- needed reform of Chapter 11 in the Bankruptcy Code to help small businesses, and I am proud to introduce it, along with Chairman Cicilline. I want to thank the full committee chairman, Chairman Nadler, and Ranking Member, Mr. Collins, for their support for this legislation and for being original cosponsors this term. Mr. Speaker, this bill promises to finally make Chapter 11 work for the entrepreneurs whose small businesses are critical to life in communities across this Nation, and I encourage all my colleagues to support the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of S. 504, the LEGION Act, and I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from California, for his leadership on this issue. I am proud to stand here today in support of our Nation's veterans. One hundred years ago, Congress chartered The American Legion because it recognized, as our veterans returned home from World War I, we must provide for them. The American Legion has advocated for our veterans, servicemembers, and their communities ever since. In the last century, The American Legion has grown to nearly 2 million members around the world. The group is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and has 13,000 offices, including one in every State, advocating to State and Federal officials. The American Legion now provides thousands of dollars in scholarships to help students attend college, and grants for the study, prevention, and treatment of various diseases. They have also been at the forefront of the fight to improve mental health services for all, but particularly for our troops who struggle as they return home. Beyond The American Legion's rich national history, it has held a special place in my home State of Virginia for many decades. The American Legion Department of Virginia was also chartered in 1919, with 91 local posts and several thousand members. In the intervening century, it has grown to 212 posts and over 33,000 Legionnaires, and it provides a variety of services to veterans and their families. Today's legislation makes necessary amendments to The American Legion charter to include all existing members and opens it to all future members of the Armed Forces who are honorably discharged, separated, or continue to serve. It provides future flexibility to enable The American Legion to continue to provide opportunities for our servicemen and -women. It also enables The American Legion to serve the next generation. I would like to thank Congressman Correa again for his partnership on this legislation and his support of The American Legion and our servicemen and -women. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, school principals are more than just managers of educators and school activities. These individuals become students' friends, mentors, coaches, and advocates. Today, I have the distinct honor of recognizing Dr. Mark Crummey, principal of Highland Park Elementary School in Roanoke, Virginia. Dr. Crummey was recently named Elementary Principal of the Year by the Virginia Parent Teacher Association. Dr. Crummey has over 25 years of experience in education. As both an educator and administrator, his life has been dedicated to service. His quarter century of experience continues to enrich the lives of the students who pass through the doors of Highland Park. During Dr. Crummey's tenure, students have shown improvements in both grades and test scores, a testament to his and the staff of Highland Park Elementary's efforts. Mr. Rogers once said: ``Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me.'' I agree with that statement and want to recognize Dr. Crummey as a hero in our community. His continued dedication to the students of Highland Park Elementary is commendable, and I congratulate him on this incredible honor.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member and the chairman of the full committee for their work on this issue, and I thank all those who worked on what has been a bipartisan effort. This is exactly the type of substantive issue that we should be focused on in the Judiciary Committee. On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked America and our way of life. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks in New York, northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania. When the shocking images of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon first appeared on television, first responders were already on the scene. In the weeks and months that followed, these first responders and construction workers worked hard to find victims and to clear debris. At the time, they were told the air was safe to breathe. They and the American people found out later that wasn't true. The health impacts for those who worked and lived in lower Manhattan in the months after the attacks are real and, in many cases, have been crippling and even deadly. That is why Congress passed legislation in 2010 to open the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund to first responders, construction workers, and others. It covers the cost of treating illnesses associated with exposure to toxins following the attacks. During the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties hearing last month, we heard from those suffering from illnesses tied to their service after the 9/11 attacks. Those who testified moved me and the Nation as they discussed the illnesses that have beset them nearly two decades after the attacks. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of legislation to renew the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund permanently. In honor of the sacrifices of James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez, this bill is called the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer, and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act. It honors thousands of others like them who have succumbed to their 9/11-related illnesses. Madam Speaker, now is the time for us to move this bill. I urge the Senate to pass it after the House, and I urge the President to sign it.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table H.R. 3401, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment. This bipartisan bill passed the Senate with 84 votes and could be sent to the President's desk for his signature today.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, today I would like to recognize James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. JMU was recently announced as having the highest postgraduation employment rates out of all of Virginia's colleges and universities. This is an outstanding accomplishment for one of the Commonwealth of Virginia's largest colleges. Institutions like JMU educate students and prepare them for opportunities that they might not have had without a college degree. Graduates of 4-year colleges have completed the work and are now tasked with the responsibility of finding employment. Fortunately, for recent graduates, demand for talent is high and unemployment is at a record low. Congratulations to JMU on this monumental achievement. Go Dukes.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, America would not be the greatest Nation in the world today without the valiant effort of our military personnel. The reason we are the greatest country in the world is because we have the strongest, most dedicated men and women on the frontlines defending our freedoms. Unfortunately, many soldiers come home with scars: some visible, some not. Today, I want to take the opportunity to recognize two veterans from Virginia's Sixth District who started an organization called the Living Waters Farm Initiative. Travis Coyle and Mark Lambert returned home from the war in Afghanistan and began experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. After receiving help through the Department of Veterans Affairs, equine therapy, their faith, and realizing that sufferers from PTSD do not have to bear this burden alone, Travis and Mark decided they would like to provide similar support to other servicemembers. The Living Waters Farm Initiative was started to provide those living with PTSD a supportive community that can stand together and learn from others with firsthand experience. They already have horses and goats at Living Waters Farm and hope to add a garden soon. As PTSD Awareness Month begins, I want to thank Mr. Coyle and Mr. Lambert for their service and dedication to other veterans.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, to save lives at the border, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 3056, an emergency supplemental to provide critically needed funding for the humanitarian crisis at the border, and I ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank the American people for sending a message to this Congress that they do not want the pay raises for Members of Congress to go through. However, their work is not done, and they need to keep it up. They have successfully delayed the Legislative Branch appropriations bill from being considered as part of this omnibus bill that is going to be considered tomorrow, but it has only been delayed. It hasn't been removed just yet, so stay on the phones, stay on the emails, and stay on Facebook. Get in contact with Members of Congress to let them know that their constituents don't think that they deserve a pay raise. They have more work to do. There is much to be done, in terms of addressing the crisis at the border and continuing in the economic success that we have. Instead, we have many committees that are holding officials in contempt of Congress. We have more to do, so I ask the American people to keep up the great work.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time, and I want to recognize the gentlewoman from Texas for her remarks because, as a fellow member of the Judiciary Committee, we all stand for the rule of law. I, too, carry a Constitution with me. The Constitution explicitly creates a system that is representative of the people, where the people are elected by their constituents to come up here and represent their views in Congress and vote for them. It is not to come up here and to hand off control, to hand their vote to the majority leader, to the Speaker, and to the majority whip and let them vote for them and for the people of their district whether or not to go to court. The votes to enforce subpoenas, the votes to hold in contempt should be votes of the Representatives of the people. That is why this resolution today is such a travesty. Mr. Speaker, I have only been a Member of this body for a few months, and I was proud to be named a member of the Judiciary Committee, but unfortunately, the circus that I have witnessed over the last few months is shocking, as the Democratic majority tries to find some reason, any reason, to impeach this President now that the Mueller investigation has wrapped up with no crimes found. If they want to go back and repeat the last 2 years of the investigation, the millions of dollars, the hundreds of subpoenas, they are certainly entitled to do that, but I would argue it would be a waste of time for the American taxpayer and the American people. Mr. Speaker, we had a hearing earlier today on the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, and the chairman did a masterful job of arguing in favor of that legislation, of which I am a cosponsor. It is bipartisan legislation. It is going to be marked up tomorrow. That is the way that this Judiciary Committee should operate. Instead, we have hearings with empty chairs for the Attorney General, we have a hearing with an empty chair for the White House counsel. Finally, yesterday we had a hearing with people in the seats, but they were all MSNBC and CNN commentators. Mr. Speaker, this is a travesty of justice. I would urge my colleagues to defeat this resolution.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. I am in its current form.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, this amendment will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Mr. Speaker, the American people are sympathetic, forgiving, and reasonable people. They understand the idea of providing some type of certainty and stability for the approximately 700,000 DACA-eligible recipients who were brought to the United States by their parents at a young age and who otherwise have played by the rules while growing up in this country. Mr. Speaker, what they don't understand is providing green cards and a path to citizenship for violent gang members, national security threats, and those who, through their disdain for our laws, thumb their noses at Lady Liberty and the Constitution of the United States. They definitely don't understand why this bill treats men and women at the Department of Homeland Security like they are the dangerous ones, preventing them from receiving and utilizing readily available information in order to remove gang members, national security threats, and other public safety threats from our country to keep our families, our communities, and our Nation safe. This motion to recommit simply says that if an alien has been designated a danger to Americans, then they don't deserve to become an American. It provides that aliens whose applications are denied on the basis of criminal activity, national security risks, or as violent gang members are automatically referred to the Department of Homeland Security for a determination of removability from the United States. Under this bill, information about criminal activity provided in an application for a green card may not be used for the purpose of immigration enforcement, even if the application is denied or withdrawn. In practice, this means that, if an applicant has a murder conviction or if the applicant is a gang member and DHS knows about it because of the application, they can't refer that person for removal. It is just wrong. The perverse and practical effect of H.R. 6 is that criminal aliens, gang members, terrorist threats, and other public safety threats who could be denied a green card will simply stay in this country, as if we are simply a sanctuary nation. Mr. Speaker, some cities might want to be sanctuary cities, but most Americans want safety from crime, not sanctuary for criminals. This MTR also does not affect the stay of removal provisions in H.R. 6 or the provisions relating to finality of adjudication in the bill. Thus, the alien cannot be removed until they have exhausted their appeals and received a final decision on their application. If Democrats see fit to exclude criminals, national security risks, public safety risks, and gang members from receiving green cards, then they should vote for this motion to recommit to ensure those dangerous aliens are also denied a safe haven in the United States. I am sure most of the individuals who will take advantage of the provisions in this bill respect the U.S. Constitution and obey the laws of this Nation, but history has proven that criminal aliens, gang members, terrorists, and other public safety threats apply for immigration benefits all the time. If they didn't, we wouldn't have to have section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which makes such aliens inadmissible. Even under DACA, under President Obama's program, criminals have applied. In fact, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, almost 8 percent of total DACA requesters, 59,786 individuals, had arrest records, which included such offenses as assault and battery, rape, murder, and drunk driving. And 199 individuals who requested DACA had 10 or more arrests. H.R. 6 also provides green cards to gang members. Criminal gangs are a scourge on our communities, preying on vulnerable populations while committing a vast array of criminal acts. H.R. 6 should not give gang members a foothold in the U.S. by fast- tracking them to a green card. This MTR makes it easier for DHS to deny the applications of gang members by making it an eligibility requirement that an alien is not a gang member and by explicitly permitting DHS to take into account the information found in gang databases. Hear me clearly: No matter what Democratic colleagues may say in the next few minutes, if Members don't vote for this MTR, they cannot look their constituents in the eye and honestly say that criminals will not get green cards. If the Democrats want to prevent such dangerous individuals from getting green cards, they must vote for this MTR. To do otherwise is to prevent a commonsense change that will ensure the safety of law-abiding Americans, as well as those who are seeking to be part of the greatest nation on Earth, the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her remarks. She alluded to a number of reforms to our legal immigration process, and yes, I stand ready to work with the gentlewoman on those issues, but none of the legal reforms that are necessary to balance this legislation are in this bill. In fact, this bill is called the American Dream and Promise Act, but if we are looking for reforms that will secure our border, we are dreaming. The only promise being kept is the promise to put people who are here illegally ahead of legal immigrants in line for citizenship. It is a grave disappointment and a violation of this document, the Constitution of the United States. The American people might think, when tuning in, hey, great, we are finally addressing immigration, so maybe we will find a way to secure our borders. But this bill has no language to secure our borders, no language to build the wall, no language to help children and families in terrible conditions at the border, no language to reform our asylum programs or our visa programs to make them more efficient, and no language to stop the thousands of caravans of illegals crossing over the border, over 5,000 each and every day. Instead, it does the exact opposite. It incentivizes illegal immigration. It incentivizes the dangerous journey that these families are taking. We have heard a lot from the other side about individuals here illegally who are achieving, but we can cite every individual who is currently facing enormous danger, children facing enormous danger on this journey to the border, one in three women who are facing sexual assault on this journey to the border, families right now who are deciding whether or not to put their children at risk of death by marching up to the United States because they are hoping that there is an incentivized program like this in place when they get here. We need to take action to control our border. We will never stop the flow of illegal immigration coming into this country until we get serious about securing the border and until we follow through on the enforcement mechanisms that Congress has and continues to put in place. Until we do that, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and cartels will continue to thrive. This bill is unfair to immigrants who have obeyed the law to enter our country legally. America welcomes all who are coming to our Nation who respect the rule of law and want to contribute to our society. Unfortunately, they will be left to wait while USCIS attempts to process the millions of applications that today's legislation would authorize. It creates a system that is ripe for fraud and abuse. It includes a laundry list of unverifiable documents that can be used to obtain green cards. Mr. Speaker, there is nothing in this legislation that fixes what is wrong with our immigration laws. This is the wrong way to go. I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will quit playing politics with people's lives and work with this side of the aisle to fix our broken immigration system and replace it with a system based on merit.

Mr. CLINE

Mr. CLINE. Madame Speaker, I rise today to recognize 100 years of the American Legion and specifically Post 13 in Staunton, Virginia. In March of 1919, Congress chartered and incorporated the American Legion as a veteran's organization that works to strengthen communities while encouraging patriotism and honor. The American Legion is dedicated to its fellow servicemembers and veterans. Soon after its national charter was passed, a group of veterans of World War I gathered at the YMCA on Main Street in Staunton, Virginia, to organize a local American Legion post. This year, in 2019, that post celebrates its centennial. For the past 100 years, the Clemmer-McGuffin American Legion Post 13 has shown unwavering support to veterans, servicemembers, and the communities of Augusta County and Staunton, Virginia. This Staunton American Legion post is named after two local servicemen, Augusta County resident Jay F. Clemmer, and Staunton resident Robert A. McGuffin. Both young men were students at the Staunton Military Academy and were killed in 1918 during World War I. Today, I recognize the Clemmer-McGuffin American Legion Post as they celebrate their 100 years of assembly in the Shenandoah Valley.