Rodney Davis

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate my friend Matt McLemore for twenty-five years of dedicated service to WTIM radio in my hometown of Taylorville, Illinois. For nearly three decades, Matt has been an integral part of WTIM's commitment to bringing news to the Central Illinois community, serving as the host for the station's morning news show. Matt first began at WTIM as a news director for the station in 1990, and shortly after began his role as the WTIM Morning Show host, where he became a household name to many of his listeners. In my years in Congress, I have had the pleasure to be featured on Matt's program a number of times to discuss the work I do in Washington on behalf of the many Central Illinoisans that tune into his show. To honor Matt and his time with WTIM, the station will celebrate ``Matt McLemore Day'', an all-day, on-air party on April 2, 2015. Matt, I thank you for your time with WTIM, your impact on the Taylorville community, and your service to thousands across Central Illinois. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today on a motion offered pursuant to this order, it adjourn to meet at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 30, 2015, unless it sooner has received a message from the Senate transmitting its concurrence in H. Con. Res. 31, in which case the House shall stand adjourned pursuant to that concurrent resolution.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 10) providing for the reappointment of David M. Rubenstein as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of H. Res. 171, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a former staffer for his service to this House, my office, and to the people of Illinois. Tim Butler, who most recently served as my district chief of staff, left my office recently to represent the people of the 87th House District in the Illinois General Assembly. Tim was an asset to my team from day one, as we set out to make sure every constituent in the Thirteenth District knew we were there to serve them by getting answers from Federal departments like the VA, listening and acting on legislative ideas, and much more. Under Tim's leadership, we opened five district offices, helped more than 1,500 constituents through casework, and launched 10 advisory boards, just to name a few of our team's accomplishments during my first term. Tim began his service in the House in 1991 with the Committee on Education and Labor, and after leaving the committee, he worked for then-Congressman Ray LaHood for 14 years. It was during his time with Congressman LaHood and my time as projects director for Congressman Shimkus that Tim and I met and became friends. With his dedication and record of success helping constituents in Congressman LaHood's office, I knew he would be a perfect fit for mine. Tim's leadership in my office will be missed, but I know he will provide the same level of exemplary constituent services representing the people of the 87th District in the Illinois General Assembly. I thank Tim for his service to this House, and I congratulate him on his new opportunity to serve the people of Illinois.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a man who was dedicated to protecting and serving the public. Kenneth Lehr, the fire chief for the village of Medora in Macoupin County, Illinois, died in the line of duty earlier this month. Chief Lehr was entering his 21st year as a member of the Medora Fire Department and had served as fire chief since 2006. While preparing to respond to a 911 call on February 5, Chief Lehr was struck by a firetruck that was heading to the scene. This tragic event reminds us all to never forget the selflessness and sacrifices our first responders make on our behalf, especially when many give their lives for our safety. Earlier this month, more than 500 first responders, family, and friends packed the gymnasium at Southwestern High School in Piasa, Illinois, to pay their respects to Chief Lehr. Some firefighters traveled more than 2 hours to honor Chief Lehr. Friends and coworkers of Chief Lehr noted his unwavering willingness to help others, both as fire chief and as a member of the Medora community. Chief Lehr is survived by his wife, one son, and three grandsons. My thoughts and this House's thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the Medora community as they continue to mourn.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time in order to offer closing remarks.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Illinois (Mr. Bost), my friend and colleague.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support for this commonsense amendment. When I go back and speak to my educational professionals and also as a father of three teenagers in the Taylorville, Illinois, public school system, it is constantly about: How do we make sure that Washington stays out of running our schools in our local school districts? That is what is so great about other provisions in this ESEA reform package. My colleague Mr. Rokita and my colleague Chairman John Kline have put measures in place that will fix some of the problems that many of us have seen through the implementation of No Child Left Behind over a decade ago. Local control matters, and in this instance, this clarifies that local control and locally negotiated collective bargaining agreements are not superseded by bureaucrats here in Washington, D.C. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from the great State of Indiana (Mr. Rokita), my colleague and friend.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer this amendment that would protect the voices of our educational professionals and also maintain local control, which is what reforming the ESEA program is all about, especially in my district. This amendment simply protects the savings clause of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to ensure that nothing in Federal law can be construed to terminate or overturn a State or local collective bargaining law, memorandum, or other agreements. The savings clause predates No Child Left Behind and has been in existence for more than 20 years. In addition, 34 States, including my home State of Illinois, Mr. Chairman, explicitly allow collective bargaining for teachers, education support professionals, and other higher education faculty. The amendment does not expand collective bargaining rights that exist in current law. The bottom line is this amendment provides certainty to local and State entities that the current collective bargaining agreements will remain in place. This amendment is supported by many here in Washington and many teachers and educational professionals that I have spoken with, including those at the Illinois Education Association and the National Education Association. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to provide certainty for our educational professionals. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Bost), who has been a fighter for those in education throughout his tenure as a State representative in Illinois. He and I have worked together on these issues for over 20 years. Since I offered my closing remarks before he spoke, I will take this opportunity, before I lose my voice completely, to yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, for the past eight weeks, I have had the privilege of hosting Emma Jakeman as an intern in my office as part of the Uni-Capitol Washington Intern Programme, which brings students from ten of Australia's premier universities to Capitol Hill. From the very beginning, Emma displayed dedication and good time management in the office. She is very bright with excellent people skills and a thirst for knowledge of the American legislative process. Many times, Emma was the first to volunteer to assist with memos or legislative research and was always delighted to help in any way. She made the office a warm, welcoming place with her positive attitude and bright smile. Proud of her nationality, she was all too happy to enlighten me and my staff with knowledge of Australian food and traditions, even sharing with us a pavlova in celebration of Australia Day on January 26th. Although I was only able to have her in my office for a short time, Emma will always be a valued member of Team Davis. I am thankful and proud to have had the opportunity to have hosted such a bright young student in my office. I hope she is able to return to Australia with fond memories of her time on the Hill and I wish her the best as she finishes her studies at Monash University.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor Donna Wiltshire who recently retired from the United States Department of Agriculture after serving Illinoisans for over 43 years. In 1971, Ms. Wiltshire began her career with the Farmers Home Administration as a Clerk Stenographer on the State Office's Housing Staff. After 15 years, she was promoted to Single Family Housing Specialist where she proudly served Illinois for the remainder of her career. She cherished opportunities to posit her own thoughts and to hear the ideas of others, creating a vibrant and constructive working environment for all around her. Ms. Wiltshire's dedication and passion for rural development is seemingly unmatched and has not gone unrecognized by her colleagues. Ms. Wiltshire worked tirelessly to assist families with the home ownership process, knowing that home ownership has a lasting effect on families and communities. In her retirement, Ms. Wiltshire looks forward to spending more time with her four grandchildren and continuing her life of service through her church. I am proud to honor Donna Wiltshire today and would like to wish her a happy and fulfilling retirement and thank her for her service and dedication to the entire community.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Well, thank you to the gentleman from Florida for actually putting this Special Order together tonight and also for yielding me time. You brought up a great number of issues that I think are very important to many of us, regardless of whether or not you represent 800,000 constituents in Florida or--like me--800,000 constituents in central and southwestern Illinois. I will tell you, David, that the other night, I was cleaning out one of my son's pockets in his jacket because I was throwing it into the laundry, and I pulled out a copy of the Constitution that he got at school. I flipped through it, and I reread article I, article II, article III, and the Bill of Rights. You learn something new each time. What you don't forget is that our forefathers who created this great institution understood that it took equal powers. It took equal branches of government to produce the freedoms that we here in America sometimes take for granted. It is exactly what you said about let's work with each branch of government. We can disagree without being disagreeable. You address so many issues. I would like to actually talk back and forth on some of those. Let's start with the invitation to Prime Minister Netanyahu. We have a tremendous disagreement on whether or not the United States should unilaterally enter into negotiations with the terrorist State of Iran. I worry. I worry what it means for America and what it means for our closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, if Iran finally was given access to a functional nuclear weapon. What would they do with that? Whom would they provide that technology to? It is something in a geopolitical sense that we have to be concerned about in our position as Members of Congress. These are issues that we have to put a check and balance on the administration to ensure that we are working towards what is the common goal for our allies. I think that Prime Minister Netanyahu's being invited to this great institution to come here to address the United States Congress, to address 435 Members of this House and many others, to talk about how we are working together as allies, I don't think that is an insult. Frankly, Mr. Speaker, I say: What took so long? Why did it take the Speaker of the House to put the invitation out? Why did the administration continue to block this? These are the types of issues that we as an equal branch of government have to address in this body. That is why we are happy to talk about many of the other issues. You mentioned Guantanamo Bay. I am a proud cosponsor of your bill that is going to ensure that this administration cannot negotiate away the United States' ownership of Guantanamo Bay, regardless of whether or not the President is going to--which I think is a terrible policy-- regardless of whether or not the President is going to clear out Guantanamo Bay of the terrorists who are there because they want to hurt Americans. I think we need to ensure that there is a law of the land that does not allow this administration to negotiate away a very important base in Cuba that protects Americans. Mr. Speaker, these are the types of issues, foreign policy issues-- ISIS is one that I know we will be able to discuss tonight and others-- but I am happy to begin a discussion on whatever it is you think is most important when it comes to America's foreign policy and our ability to be that oversight branch, that equal branch to the executive branch.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am, again, so proud to be joined by my colleague from Florida and my colleague from California. When we talk about ISIS, this is a true threat to Americans abroad. I have never in my lifetime seen such a savage organization who finds it entertaining to show the death of innocent civilians. Let us also recognize that most of the civilians who have been killed by ISIS have been fellow Muslims. So it is not something that we here in America with our freedoms that we enjoy can comprehend. I think we have to do everything we can to eradicate them, to destroy them and ensure that they never get a foothold in any type of nation-state whatsoever because their plans will be to do one thing, and that is to kill Americans. Part of our job as Members of Congress is to come here and make some pretty tough decisions. These are decisions that none of us, when we stood up to get sworn in in this institution, thought we would have to make, but they are decisions that the American people demand that we make. We are being demanded to ensure that America remains safe here in the homeland and Americans should remain safe abroad. The President talks about a trajectory of peace. I don't know what he is looking at. It seems like a flat line of destruction to me. We have an opportunity now to put forth an Authorization for Use of Military Force, something I never wished that we would vote on in this House, but we are forced to by the failures of the foreign policy coming out of this administration in dealing with ISIS. I stood on this floor and I said I am willing to stand with the President, who told me this strategy of using air superiority and working with our allies on the ground was going to work. It is clearly not working. The last thing I wanted to do was stand here and offer up an opportunity for American Special Forces and ground forces to partner with allies to go in and defeat ISIS, but it may be the only chance we have. And this Authorization for Use of Military Force, I like the fact that it may expire in 3 years. Let it be reauthorized. But the fact of the matter is we need the President to stand up and be the Commander in Chief. We can put any piece of paper in front of him and his administration that we want, but if he is not willing to do the job and be the Commander in Chief, to destroy, defeat, and ensure that America remains safe here and abroad, then he is not doing the job that he was elected to do. We will do our job. We will pass an Authorization for Use of Military Force, and we will give the President the opportunity to fight ISIS, but we have to make sure that our men and women in the military are the ones who are put at the forefront of what matters most, and the only thing that we should consider is that the American military, our soldiers, our men and women who fight for our freedoms, should be given the opportunity to do what they are trained to do. Let's not play politics with destroying ISIS. Let's actually allow our men and women in uniform to do just that. They can do it. They have done it throughout history, and that is exactly what we need to continue to do in this institution. Let's work together. Let's make this happen.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Well, like my colleague, Mr. Jolly, I look forward to the Prime Minister's address, too. It is really beyond what I thought serving as a Member of Congress we would see here, and it is the sheer pettiness of the fact that the Speaker of the House invited the Prime Minister and many decided to say they are going to boycott this. Do you know what--boycott it. If that is your idea of your freedom of speech, go ahead. We will fill the seats. We will make sure that Prime Minister Netanyahu understands that America stands with him and his nation as our greatest allies in the Middle East. When that happens, he will come here, he will be received with a reception that is worthy of the Prime Minister of Israel, and I am just honored to be able to sit in this room and to hear why our bilateral relationship is of the utmost importance. Mr. Speaker, I wish we didn't have this pettiness here in this Congress because I think the American people are sick and tired of the infighting. I think they are wanting us to govern together. This is just one more example that goes out to the American people that tells them that people in Washington in this institution can't get along. I hate to say it, but they are wrong on many issues because we do get along, but on this one, it is so important that we show respect to our greatest ally. Mr. Speaker, I notice we have been joined by our colleague from California (Mr. Valadao), who I think wants to participate in this discussion on Prime Minister Netanyahu also.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. I thank the gentleman again for organizing this opportunity. I just want to remind all of our fellow colleagues, it is a privilege to serve in this great institution. These decisions that we will make will not be easy, but the decisions we make will be judged in history as to what happens here and what the future holds. Let's make sure that we make our forefathers and those who follow us proud to be Members of Congress. Let's do the right thing.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Absolutely. And it relates to the fact that sometimes the policies that are put in place through administrative rules or by this body hinder our ability to achieve the goals that Americans want us to achieve. We could build fencing, but you know there are many times people will find a way around that fence. And that doesn't mean let's not do it, but what it means is let's also enact policies that will not hinder our Border Patrol agents from actually doing their job. One of my colleagues from Illinois flies National Guard duty over the southern border and talks about how different groups will overwhelm a single Border Patrol agent. And understand that a majority of those who are trying to cross into America will get in. Some won't, but a majority will. And it is worth the risk to many. Frankly, if we weren't living in this great country, we would probably want to be here too. This is a wonderful country that is the beacon of hope for so many throughout this globe. But we also have to take into consideration the impact that it has in this country. And we need to make sure that we put policies in place that allow our border to be secure by making sure our Border Patrol agents have the tools and the ability to address the problem that both of you have addressed so well this evening. So thank you again for being here. Thank you again for being willing to stand up, because it is not an easy issue to talk about. It is not an easy issue because it has become so politicized. But I commend you for that because we have to stand up and take courage. We have to take courageous stances, and we have to take courageous votes that may not make all of our constituents happy. But these are opportunities to lead, and that is exactly why we all came to Congress. Again, thank you to my colleague.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank one of my newest colleagues, Congresswoman Martha McSally, who has shown true leadership on this issue because it is personal. It is your district. Just like many issues that we face in the Midwest are issues that you and I will talk about but you don't have to experience, but these are issues that you see and we hear about. You see many cases where the border is not secure, where drug cartels are coming through private property. We in Illinois cannot imagine someone walking through our backyard hauling drugs and criminals. These are things that we don't experience, but we have to experience as Members of this institution because every vote we take impacts every single citizen in this great country. I just am proud that you are willing to stand up and talk about the issues that matter most to this debate, and that is how we secure our borders, because once we do, we can fix our broken immigration system. We can fix the process that we already have, called the naturalization process, and ensure that we have a system that is going to work. My fear, though, is that many in this debate, they don't want to see this problem fixed because they want to use it as a political hammer. I will tell a personal story very quickly. I can remember doing one of my public meetings and having an organization come in and talk to me about their view of how we make our border more secure. As I was going to another public meeting, this organization decided to send members to my house and send the same message to my then 12-year-old son. Bullying tactics like that are not conducive to solving problems, not just in this institution but in this great country. That is why I am so proud to be able to stand here with both of you today and talk about the issues that are important, and the fact that we are willing to talk about it and find solutions and begin our address towards making those solutions real is the reason why we came to this institution. Thank you for your leadership, both of you, on many issues, especially this one. I hope, some day, I can follow in the footsteps of my colleague from California and visit your district and see the same things he did.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a great man and a great soldier. In 2013, I had the honor of meeting Fred Stolley and presenting him with the Soldier's Medal, the highest honor a servicemember can receive for an act of valor in a noncombat situation. Private First Class Stolley proudly served his country during World War II; and in 1944, he saved a fellow soldier from drowning. Stolley's commanding officer wrote a commendation letter praising him for saving the soldier who was twice his size and deeply troubled by the devastating news of losing his brother in combat. After the war ended, Stolley returned home to Decatur, Illinois. He worked nights, weekends, and, between classes, building houses and hauling water to graduate from my alma mater, Millikin University, with a degree in business. Out of respect for the soldier he saved, Stolley never requested a medal to recognize his act of heroism, but 70 years later, my office was able to present him with the medal in front of his family and friends. This week, we lost a hero. Fred Stolley passed away at the age of 90. It is because of people like him and all of our men and women in uniform that we are able to enjoy the freedoms that we have today. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they lay him to rest in Decatur this afternoon.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 12, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2014-2015 Illinois State University football team on an outstanding season. The Redbirds made it to the FCS National Championship game for the first time in school history. While they ultimately fell short with a heart wrenching 37 seconds to go, they made us very proud. The team captured their first conference title since 1999 and broke 16 school records. Those included most points in a season, total offense, rushing touchdowns, passing touchdowns, and most wins in a season. A number of individual Redbirds also received Missouri Valley Football Conference recognition. Head coach Brock Spack was named Coach of the Year, Marshaun Coprich was named Offensive Player of the Year, and Tre Roberson was named Newcomer of the Year. As a future Illinois State University Redbird dad, I look forward to the opportunity to watch these young players continue in their careers. Bloomington-Normal and all of Illinois are proud of the effort the team put forth this season. We look forward to their success next year. Go Birds!