Charles Dent

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Miller for his leadership on this. I rise to oppose the substitute amendment. But I want to express my gratitude to the chairman for the work that he and the Veterans' Affairs Committee have done, all the work they have put into this legislation to prevent another VA catastrophe by making sure that the Choice Act funds we appropriated last year can be used for related veterans' community care expenditures. This bill will ensure that no veterans hospital or care for any veteran will be jeopardized due to the VA's continuing mismanagement of the influx of patients that followed last year's passage of the Choice Act. Once again, Congress is providing the VA with all the resources they require to provide timely, quality care to our veterans and their loved ones. It was only about a month ago that we were informed by the Department that there was a shortfall of the magnitude of almost $3.4 billion, and here we are today remedying this problem. The bill also proposes something that is sorely needed: the consolidation of the myriad programs VA uses to provide care outside their facilities. Veterans are confused. VA employees are confused. Doctors are confused. Reimbursement rates are not standardized. We need to make sure that the non-VA care program is thriving so that patients can get the high-quality care they deserve in their homes, in their home communities, right where they live. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, I will continue to devote time and attention to pinpointing the VA's future funding needs and maintaining vigilant oversight of their appropriated taxpayer dollars. The VA must develop systems that give us accurate and on-time information and engage with Congress in a transparent and timely manner. We cannot and should not continue to lurch from one VA funding crisis to another. What we have seen is terrible management and a terrible disservice to our veterans by the VA in many of these cases; we need to fix it. I believe the Secretary is a good and honorable man trying to do his best, but the taxpayers deserve better, and our veterans most assuredly do. I urge passage of this bill. I thank the chairman and the leadership of the committee.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Representative Clark of Massachusetts be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 836.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring recognition to the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This legislation, signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990, serves as a sterling example of the great things Congress can accomplish for the American people when we work together with amity in a spirit of cooperation. The ADA codified important rights for those of our fellow Americans with disabilities. It made us a stronger, more diverse and more inclusive society. By lifting restrictions it elevated hopes and by removing barriers it opened up opportunities. Good Shepherd, a nationally recognized rehabilitation center, located in my hometown of Allentown, will be holding a year-long series of art and cultural events in conjunction with the Lehigh Valley Arts Council highlighting accessibility and inclusion for persons with disabilities in the arts. I ask the House to join me in commending both Good Shepherd and the Lehigh Valley Arts council for the outstanding services they provide to the people of my community. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I ask that we all take a moment to reflect on the achievement of the Americans with Disabilities Act itself. The creation and passage of such well-thought-out, beneficial and bipartisan legislation like the ADA Act should always be the goal of the House.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I just want to address something that was stated by one of the previous speakers from Washington State who made a comment to the effect that the medical device industry supported that tax. Well, that is a statement that is simply not based in fact. In fact, what happened, as I recall, Senator Baucus helped impose the tax on the industry because he felt that they were not providing enough at the table in terms of concessions for the ACA. In fact, since they weren't doing enough at the table, the medical device industry was placed on the menu. They fought this tax vigorously. There is no letter to indicate they had any support for this tax. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation to repeal the medical device tax. However you feel about the 2010 health care law on the whole, we can all agree that the legislation has its flaws. Again, one of the most glaring deficiencies in the law is the medical device tax, designed to extract $26 billion from the industry over 10 years. This new law is already stifling critical innovation and threatening high quality jobs in my district. More importantly, it is increasing costs for consumers on products which are an absolute necessity of life for those who rely on them, such as prosthetics, pacemakers, and artificial hearts. Costs are also being passed on to consumers at all levels through increased insurance premiums and bills from medical providers. The medical device industry currently supports over 75,000 jobs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Several of the companies affected by the new tax are located in my district, including OraSure Technologies, Olympus, Boas Surgical, and B. Braun. In fact, B. Braun CFO Bruce Heugel recently testified before the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care that his company has been forced to drastically reduce investments in research and development and also has had job losses as a result of the medical device tax. In fact, they are not building a new headquarters because of this tax. These are good paying, 21st century jobs, and this Congress should not support policies that will kill them or send them overseas. Mr. Speaker, the medical device tax is a punitive tax, and it is creating disincentives for companies looking to stay competitive, hire domestically, and create lifesaving new technologies. It is past time that Congress repeal this onerous new tax, and I urge my colleagues to support the Protect Medical Innovation Act. Let's get rid of this thing once and for all. Let's excise the excise tax.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise today and congratulate my constituents residing in the Borough of Shoemakersville on the occasion of the 250th Anniversary of its founding. Shoemakersville, located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, was founded by Henry and Carl Shoemaker in 1765. Henry and Carl were sons of German immigrant, Jacob Shoemaker. When Henry and Carl arrived in the area that was to become Shoemakersville they found a dense forest land. It was Henry who built the first stone house at the site. This house stands to this day at the corner of Main & Miller Streets. The area flourished, becoming an important hub on the Schuylkill Canal. The Canal allowed for the transportation of vital anthracite coal that fueled the industrial boom in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during the middle of the Nineteenth Century. With steady growth, the residents of the region decided to formally incorporate as the Borough of Shoemakersville on September 12, 1921. Mr. Speaker, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the residents of Shoemakersville on this momentous anniversary celebration. The story of Shoemakersville is the story of growth and prosperity fueled by hard work and the determination to overcome adversity that is the very essence of the American story. On behalf of the House and my colleagues, I congratulate the people of the Borough of Shoemakersville on the occasion of the 250th Anniversary of its founding. God bless them and may they continue to know freedom and prosperity.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Again, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment that would provide $9 million for inward-facing cameras on Amtrak trains. This is absolutely essential, I believe, to helping us hopefully prevent and--certainly, after the fact--determine the causes of these types of tragedies when they occur. I wish we weren't at this point, but we need to do this. It is important. Amtrak wants to move in this direction. The National Transportation Safety Board has urged this for some time. And it is now time that Congress act. So, again, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. I have an amendment at the desk I would like to offer.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I certainly appreciate the comments of the gentlewoman from Ohio, and I understand the difficult choices here. I do intend to work with her and any other concerned Members about these offsets and maybe find a way to alter them at some point, but I just didn't have time to do it tonight. Again, I believe this is a reasonable amendment and it will do what we need to at least help with respect to the inward-facing cameras on Amtrak trains. At this time I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Lance), my friend, who is a frequent Amtrak rider himself.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer this amendment to increase Amtrak's capital account by $9 million, which is the amount that we are told it will cost to equip all of Amtrak trains with inward-facing cameras in their engine cars. It has been over 3 weeks since Amtrak Northeast Regional number 188 derailed just north of Philadelphia, killing at least eight people and injuring over 200. We still do not know exactly what caused this tragic accident, but had the train been equipped with an inward-facing camera, we very well might. This is a simple and relatively inexpensive reform that the National Transportation Safety Board has been advocating for years, and it is past time that we act. Like the infamous black boxes on airplanes, inward-facing cameras on trains would provide inspectors with critical information after an accident. Northeast Regional 188 was traveling over twice the posted speed limit on the stretch of track where it derailed. I should also let you know, I rode on that same regional train that morning, from Wilmington, Delaware, down to Washington, so I know this particular line, the Northeast corridor. I travel it regularly, so I am very much personally interested, as are so many of my constituents and friends in the northeastern part of the United States. Had an inward-facing camera been installed on that train, we might now know whether that was due to some mechanical failure, negligence on the engineer's part, or perhaps some medical incident beyond his control. With that information in hand, we would be that much closer to taking the appropriate steps to ensure that this never happens again. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims of this tragedy and their loved ones, and we owe it to them to do everything we can to prevent future incidents like the one we saw in Philadelphia. The installation of inward-facing cameras in all Amtrak trains is an important step in that direction. I would like to thank Chairman Diaz-Balart and his staff for their support and for working with me to identify an acceptable offset, especially given the extremely tight constraints under which this bill was drafted. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this amendment. I also would like to say, I know that the offsets are of some concern to some of the Members. We are going to do our best to try to work with them on that matter. At this time, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker. I want to acknowledge the two-day visit to the nation's capital by administrators, faculty and students of Northampton Community College (NCC), which has three campuses in northeastern Pennsylvania. Led by President Dr. Mark Erickson, the delegation toured the U.S. Capitol and other historical sites throughout the city, and incorporated lessons on the benefits of being involved in government and advocacy. Just Born Quality Confections in Bethlehem--makers of the popular Peeps and other delicious candies that are made in my District--was the lead sponsor of their trip. Matt Pye, Vice President of Trade Relations & Corporate Affairs, hosted the group at the National Confectioners Association (NCA) to outline career opportunities and explain the association's advocacy agenda of NCA's member companies. Joining Dr. Erickson on the NCC trip were: Students: Andreola, Brandon--Liberal Arts, Political Science--Effort, PA Barksdale, Khabira--Secondary Education--East Stroudsburg, PA Berry, Stephen--Liberal Arts, Political Science--Kunkletown, PA Cimera, Rachel--Secondary Education--Bethlehem, PA Galarza, Jose--Biological Science--Easton, PA Garcia-Caro, Elisabet--Liberal Arts, Political Science--Allentown, PA Grifone, Patrick--Business Administration--Easton, PA Joseph, Fitzgerald--Biological Science--Henryville, PA Martinez, Brandy--Liberal Arts, Sociology--Blakeslee, PA Maxwell, Emmanuel--Biological Science--Easton, PA Perez, Stephanie--Theatre--Bethlehem, PA Rahming, Rodney--Business Administration--East Stroudsburg, PA Reahl, Rachel--General Studies/Veterinary--Bethlehem, PA Rosengarten, Aaron--Liberal Arts, Political Science--Easton, PA Soltys, Adam--Web Development--Northampton, PA Staff: Bohr, Deb--Director, Center for Civic and Community Engagement Saturen, Myra--Writer/Editor Walz, Rebecca--Director, Alumni Engagement and Annual Fund Whitaker, Helene--Vice President, Administrative Affairs Alumni: Glick, Cindy--Northampton Community College Alumna 1992 I would like to commend schools at all levels that come to Washington, D.C. for a mix of education, history and advocacy. Civic education and citizen engagement are vital to our democracy, and I am delighted my staff and I were part of NCC's visit.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life of Christian R. Long. Unfortunately, but fittingly, Mr. Long passed away over the Memorial Day weekend, our solemn holiday for remembrance and recognition of the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Mr. Long saw front-line service in Europe with the 44th Infantry Division during World War II. Raised in Lebanon County, which is home to many people of Pennsylvania German (Dutch) ancestry, Mr. Long was also assigned as a German-language interpreter. What could be more Pennsylvanian? After the war, he was determined to learn a trade. He worked as a carpenter for over 40 years building and renovating homes and other properties for Carlos Adams in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Mr. Long, who was known as ``Christ'' (pronounced ``Krist"), was a lifetime member of The American Legion. He enjoyed gardening, hunting, fishing, and trapping. His carpentry skills and love of the outdoors enabled him and his sons to buy land and build a hunting cabin, primarily using recycled building materials, in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. He also built his own home, as well as constructed and renovated residences, decks and boat docks for his children. Born on March 12, 1924 in Harpers, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Christian Adam Long, Sr. and Mary Hoover Long. He grew up in Lawn, Pennsylvania. Mr. Long was a devoted father and husband; he and Pearl Weaver Long of Palmyra were married April 27, 1947 and she preceded him in death on January 14, 1995. They reared their family in Campbelltown, Pennsylvania. He is survived by four children, seven grandchildren, five great grandchildren, six step-grandchildren and five great step grandchildren. Ronald Reagan aptly recognized in his first inaugural address that, ``Those who say that we're in a time when there are not heroes, they just don't know where to look.'' Mr. Long was one of those everyday heroes who made our country the great nation it is today.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. DENT. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to stop overbearing Department of Energy regulations from driving up the cost of ceiling fans and increasing energy consumption as a result. I offer this amendment, along with my colleagues Mrs. Blackburn of Tennessee and Mr. Rokita of Indiana, both of whom have been very engaged on this issue. The Department of Energy is currently considering a proposed rule, entitled, ``Standard Ceiling Fans and Ceiling Fan Light Kits,'' which would impose increased efficiency requirements for ceiling fans sold in the United States. This regulation, if implemented, would have the effect of increasing the cost of ceiling fans, in some cases by nearly double, thereby reducing the purchase and use of ceiling fans by American consumers. The end result, ironically, would be heavier reliance on central air-conditioning and, thus, increased energy consumption. Ceiling fans, by their nature, are already an extremely energy- efficient method of cooling a home or a business, using between 20 and 100 watts during operation, compared with a central A/C unit which typically uses between 3,500 and 5,000 watts. That is an order of magnitude less energy, which can save a household up to 14 percent on cooling costs. The Department of Energy's proposed standard is regulatory solution in search of a problem. Now, the ceiling fan industry has already demonstrated a strong commitment to energy efficiency, as evidenced by the dramatic increase in ENERGY STAR certified ceiling fans on the market over the past decade. The industry continues to develop energy-saving innovations, such as a redesigned motor, which uses up to 70 percent less electricity than the traditional ceiling fan motor. This has all taken place absent the heavy hand of government regulation. At a time when homeowners across the United States are trying to reduce energy usage and cost, we should not increase the price of ceiling fans by setting unrealistic and unnecessary efficiency requirements on an already efficient product. Ceiling fans can help reduce dependence on foreign energy sources and ease the strain on our national power grid during the time of year when it is most heavily taxed. Madam Chairman, I would simply state that ceiling fans are an inexpensive, easy way to reduce cooling costs, and the Federal Government should avoid taking actions that will stifle innovation and, ultimately, drive consumers to less efficient methods of cooling their home and business. I would urge all my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment to stop this burdensome government regulation, and encourage reduced energy consumption through increased efficiency. Madam Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

Mr. DENT. Madam Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Rokita).

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress, we have a serious responsibility to exercise proper oversight. This bill has long enjoyed broad bipartisan support and was brought up through an open process that allowed all voices to be heard and all opinions to be considered. Now, I was proud to work in a bipartisan manner with Ranking Member Bishop on this bill. He is a good friend and a good man and a good partner. We considered, together, 715 Member requests while drafting this bill, of which 562 were from Democratic Members, and we did our best to accommodate the Members on both sides of the aisle. I believe we did. We were successful. We then considered 43 additional amendments, proposals yesterday and all last night. This motion to recommit could have been offered at anytime during this debate, but they chose to do it tonight. By the way, I should let you know, too, the bill that we are going to be considering passed last year with all but one vote. The bill that we are going to be considering spends 6 percent more than the one last year. I want to say something about the motion to recommit. It reflects the administration's continuing efforts to deflect their management failures at the VA on the Congress. And the gentlelady who just spoke said this bill cuts spending. Well, it does not. It is a 6 percent increase over last year. It is not a cut. Yes, I know the administration doesn't want us to talk about the $930 million cost overrun at the Denver VA medical construction project, and there are others. I know they don't want us to discuss the pervasive neglect and mismanagement at the Philadelphia VA regional office, and of course, they don't want us to discuss the atrocious failure to serve countless veterans in Phoenix. I know the administration doesn't want us to talk about the cost overruns in Denver, Orlando, or wherever else they may occur--New Orleans. They don't want us to talk about the problems in Philadelphia, where the inspector general, just 2 weeks ago, provided a laundry list of horrible failures. Most of all, they don't want us to talk about or discuss the atrocious failure to serve countless veterans in Phoenix, many of whom, tragically, paid for the VA's mistakes with their own lives. The Obama administration has controlled this government for 6 years. It is time that they take responsibility for the VA's failures and allow us to move forward with this bill to increase the services and resources available to our veterans and servicemembers. For the administration to say they would veto this bill because we provided a 6 percent increase for the VA over enacted levels, instead of a 9 percent increase, is the sort of incendiary threat that can only make sense here in Washington. Only here in Washington can a 6 percent increase be called a cut. Everywhere else in America, that is called an increase, 6 percent above last year. Congress should not be expected to behave like potted plants and simply accede to the President's request that does not adhere to the budget caps that he signed into law himself. By the way, just for some numbers, the bill provides $48.6 billion for VA medical services--$3.4 billion above last year's level--plus we provide advance funding for fiscal year '17 at $51.7 billion. Our bill is a good bill in its current form. It targets the needs of homeless veterans, caregivers who sacrifice their time and livelihood to care for their injured servicemembers, and those veterans waiting too long for decisions on their disability claims. In all these areas, the bill provides every dollar the administration requested, but that good news story apparently doesn't fit the gloom and doom narrative of this administration which, once again, doesn't want to acknowledge the management failures at the VA, and they are saying a 6 percent increase is a cut. We know better. The American people know better. The veterans know better. It is time that we reject this motion and support the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise and report the bill back to the House with sundry amendments, with the recommendation that the amendments be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, do pass.

Mr. DENT

Mr. DENT. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. I just wanted to let the gentlelady know that we support the amendment, which was accepted last year. I know the gentlelady is offering it to reaffirm the congressional obligation to provide veterans the assistance they need to avoid homelessness. I accept the amendment.

Mr. DENT. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the gentleman's amendment. I certainly share Dr. Roe's frustration with the VA Congressional and Legislative Affairs Office stalling the delivery of important information Congress has requested to fulfill its oversight responsibilities. Frankly, the only time I have seen that office act with lightning speed was in its delivery to all Members of the House last week in an inaccurate and critical portrayal of this appropriations bill. So, again, I support your amendment.

Mr. DENT. I object to the unanimous consent. I don't know which amendment we are talking about here.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, section 512 has been included in the MILCON- VA bill for several years, and it is part of the overall policy discussion involving Guantanamo Bay. Identical language is also carried in the 2015 appropriations bill. Again, I respectfully request that the we reject this amendment. I would also add that, at Guantanamo Bay, we have about 120 prisoners there. Among those who are at that facility are Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. I believe he is the man who also confessed that he decapitated Dan Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter. He was gruesomely executed by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. He is a high-value detainee, and there are other high-value detainees there. Many of the prisoners down in Guantanamo are Yemeni, but we certainly can't send them back to Yemen. It is also clear to me that many of these prisoners are very difficult to try and too dangerous to release, so I urge opposition to this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I would also like to remind the Members that Bowe Bergdahl was exchanged for five detainees at GTMO who have been sent elsewhere outside the United States and outside of Guantanamo. It is hard to keep eyes on these folks who have been released in exchange for Bowe Bergdahl, who has actually been charged with desertion. I also want to remind Members that, a few years ago, former Mayor Bloomberg of New York City agreed to allow certain detainees to be brought back to New York City for trial. Then, apparently, the mayor must have spoken to his police commissioner, who thought that that was a really bad idea because it would have choked off much of southern Manhattan, and it would have been extraordinarily expensive. It would have been a mistake. Again, I urge that we reject this amendment and maintain the facility at Guantanamo Bay. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to state, too, that the underlying legislation does not include any funds to close the naval station at Guantanamo Bay, a facility I have visited. I also should point out, as the distinguished ranking member just stated, Mr. Bishop, that the naval station is a key strategic location for SOUTHCOM, and I would support the gentleman's amendment.