Rodney Davis

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind all Americans that we should pay our debts. I stand here today to pay a debt for a friendly wager I made with my colleague Joe Kennedy, and I rise to offer my congratulations to the Boston Red Sox for winning the World Series. The Red Sox overcame a 2-1 series lead and rattled off three straight victories to capture the 2013 championship. I certainly think that the Boston Red Sox showed the St. Louis Cardinals and the rest of the world why they are deserving of the slogan ``Boston Strong.'' However, I hope that this series win will forever erase the curse of the Bambino. Yes, Red Sox fans, no more excuses for losing.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 590 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted, ``yes.'' Stated against:

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, today I rise and stand here on behalf of my colleague and friend, John Shimkus, to congratulate the Edwardsville High School boys' soccer team for winning the IHSA State Championship for the second time in school history. The team, led by Coach Mark Heiderscheid, had a rough stretch in its season, going 0-2-2, but the team persevered and ended the season on a 15-game winning streak to become State champions. Last week, in the semifinals, the Tigers came back to stun tournament favorite Naperville Central by scoring three goals in a 12-minute span to win 3-1. In the finals against Wheeling, Edwardsville was led by its tough defense and held on for a thrilling 2-1 win to be crowned State champions. So congratulations to the players, coaches, and families of Edwardsville High School boys' soccer team, and best of luck for a repeat next year. Go Tigers.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the American public was sold a false bill of goods. Rachel, my constituent from Decatur, Illinois, recently contacted my office to let me know that the health care plan she had for her and her daughter is being canceled due to ObamaCare. She was provided with a list of options to replace that plan, but the cheapest would double her monthly premium and increase her deductible to $6,000 per person. Mr. Speaker, Rachel and her daughter had a plan, and they liked it. Now, she cannot afford any of the alternatives given to her. In her note to me, Rachel summed it up best: We were told we could keep our plan if we liked our plan . . . we are at a loss for how we will continue our health care coverage. Mr. Speaker, the last 45 days proved what many of us have been saying all along: this law is simply unacceptable, unworkable, and unaffordable. Period.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the FACT Act. This bill aims to address a fraud problem and ensure that true asbestos victims obtain maximum recoveries for their injuries. My district is home to many asbestos lawsuits. Currently, a lack of transparency has led to fraud in the asbestos bankruptcy trust system and diverted millions of dollars away from those who should have the ability to receive these recoveries. This lack of transparency discourages a free flow of information resulting in fraudulent claims that deplete funds that are intended for legitimate victims. This bill requires these trusts to file quarterly reports, which include the claimant's name, basis for the claim, payments made, and the basis behind those payments. It protects privacy by prohibiting disclosure of sensitive medical records and Social Security numbers. In order to help ensure future victims will have access to the money they deserve, these problems cannot be allowed to continue. This is why I stand today in support of the FACT Act.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the spirit of the American farmer. A 31-year-old farmer from Hammond, Illinois, tragically succumbed to cancer in September of this year. Kyle Hendrix was an avid golfer, farmer, and family man who left behind a wife and two young children. His untimely passing brought out the best in his rural Piatt County community. In the middle of the harvest season, his friends and family organized a tribute of over 60 tractors and other pieces of farming equipment that lined up along Bement Road to honor Kyle's life. And all of the equipment, worth millions of dollars, had the keys left in the ignition overnight without a single worry. Thanks to the photographer, Matt Rubel, who captured the moment, the story has now gone viral. Matt said: It seems to me that farming communities all over the country may still hold the key to what makes this country a shining beacon in a world of trouble. Matt, I agree. This rural community story is a tribute to rural American values. My thoughts and prayers go out to Kyle's family and friends, and may God grant him favor.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to my colleagues for standing here on this floor today to talk about this very important piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 992. It has been introduced by my friends Richard Hudson from North Carolina and Randy Hultgren from the great State of Illinois. I cannot respond to my colleagues who ask about what happened here in the last term, because I wasn't here; but I can tell you from my seat here in the U.S. House that this bill is a good bill and needs to be passed. It seeks to fix yet another unintended consequence of Dodd- Frank while still protecting against risky derivatives activities. This bill amends section 716, also known as the Dodd-Frank push-out provision. If implemented, section 716 would actually force banks to push out certain derivatives like ag-based swaps and equity swaps, which are very important to my agricultural-based district, and it would effectively drive up transaction costs. According to Ben Bernanke, this would actually make the U.S. financial system riskier. This bipartisan legislation passed the Ag Committee 31-14 and the Financial Services Committee 53-6. Let me repeat that. This bipartisan legislation passed 31-14 out of the House Ag Committee, and it passed 53-6 out of Financial Services. This is commonsense legislation that will help all Americans.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 568 I was unavoidably detained and would have voted ``no'' on Motion to Recommit. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to my colleague from the great State of Ohio. I am humbled to be here as a nonveteran, somebody who has not served our country in our military, but is so proud of those of you who have. And I am just honored to be able to be a part of this Special Order that you have arranged. Mr. Speaker, this is an opportunity that many in this country will take for granted as they are watching this tonight, and not know that it is because of the sacrifices of those like my colleague Brad Wenstrup, who have served their country so well, that give us the freedoms today to stand on this floor and debate the issues that will impact this country for generations to come. I would like to stand here as somebody who hasn't served to thank all of my colleagues who have come to this floor to honor those who have, who have served with them, those who have served our country and have had the opportunity to come home and, as we have heard tonight, those who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. So I would like to personally thank my colleague, Tim Griffin from Arkansas, for his service, not only as a member of our military, but as a Member of this Congress. I would like to thank my colleague, Todd Young from Indiana, for his service in the military, and also for his service in this body. I would like to thank my colleague, Joe Heck, Dr. Joe Heck, for his service for our Nation, not only in our Nation's military, but also in this body. I would like to thank Chris Stewart, my good friend and colleague from Utah, for his service for this country and our military and, again, for his service today as a Member of Congress. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank one who has yet to rise, Mr. Doug Collins, for his service to our country as a member of our military, protecting our freedoms, and also for his service to the citizens of Georgia. And, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you for your service in our Nation's military and for the service that you provide today for the great citizens in the great State of Michigan. Thank you on behalf of those of us who have not had the opportunity to serve. I want to say thank you for giving us this great Nation that we now have the opportunity to serve in this body. Mr. Speaker, I, again, am humbled to rise today to talk about our veterans and the sacrifices they have made to ensure the freedom of every single American, and I want to specifically mention a couple of folks. One is a good friend of mine who served our country in Vietnam, who came back injured and served my State, my great State of Illinois as a Member of the Illinois General Assembly. He still serves the citizens of Illinois today as somebody who is a pharmacist, works in the private sector; but my friend, Representative Ron Stephens from Greenville, Illinois, now spends his time, his spare time, raising money to help our wounded warriors. He walked miles upon miles over the last 2 years to raise thousands of dollars to help those who made it back home but paid a price. Representative Ron Stephens, thank you for your service in Vietnam, thank you for your service to the great State of Illinois, and thank you, sir, my good friend, for serving this country for our heroes who walk the streets with us today. And one of those heroes, as my colleague from Ohio mentioned, is someone who is not only a good friend of mine, but he works for me in my office in Champaign, Illinois. His name is Garrett Anderson. Garrett was on patrol in Iraq, ran over an IED. Garrett sacrificed his right arm. He sacrificed time away from his family, and he sacrificed the road to recovery for the freedoms that we enjoy and take for granted every day. Garrett now works with the veterans who are trying to access the benefits that they were promised; and Garrett was out here with me a few weeks ago as we stood here and did an unprecedented, bipartisan Special Order that honored all 79 living Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. We stood here with my colleague, Tulsi Gabbard, who has also served her country and continues to serve her country today in this body. We stood there side by side, making sure that we honored every single recipient. These are our heroes, and I was humbled to see men and women from both parties come here to honor those who have served our country and showed acts of heroism. But since that time, Mr. Speaker, we had someone else awarded, given the Congressional Medal of Honor, and I would like to stand here today because he didn't have the opportunity to have his story told until now. I would like to honor today the heroic efforts of the newest Medal of Honor recipient, Captain William D. Swenson of the United States Army. Captain Swenson would have made the 80th living Medal of Honor recipient. However, Sergeant Nicholas Oresko passed away on October 4, leaving the number of Medal of Honor recipients at 79 still. My thoughts and prayers are with Sergeant Oresko's family and friends. Captain Swenson, though, was awarded the Medal of Honor for extreme bravery at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty in the Kunar province in Afghanistan on September 8, 2009. Captain Swenson's combat team was ambushed as it moved into the village of Ganjgal for a meeting with village elders. The enemy began unleashing a barrage of fire onto the team. Captain Swenson immediately returned fire and directed his Afghan border police, while simultaneously calling in suppressive fire. Surrounded on three sides by enemy forces, Captain Swenson coordinated air assets and medical evacuation helicopter support to allow for the evacuation of the wounded. He ignored enemy radio transmissions demanding surrender and maneuvered uncovered to render medical aid to a wounded fellow soldier and moved him for air evacuation. With complete disregard for his own safety, Captain Swenson unhesitatingly led a team in an unarmored vehicle, exposing himself to enemy fire to recover the wounded. Captain Swenson's team returned to the battlefield amidst enemy fire again to recover three fallen marines and one fallen Navy corpsman. His exceptional leadership and gallantry during 6 hours, 6 hours of continuous fighting, rallied his teammates and effectively disrupted the enemy's assault. It is for his unwavering courage and heroism that I am proud to honor the actions today of Captain William D. Swenson. And I would be remiss, Mr. Speaker, if I did not mention the role that one of our other colleagues and veterans and heroes who have served this great country in the military and who serve this country now in this body, my colleague, Duncan Hunter, who played a role in making sure that Captain Swenson was awarded this great honor as the now 79th living recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Thank you, Mr. Wenstrup, for what you have done for veterans tonight and what you continue to do every single day that you are here. May God bless you. May God bless all those who you have honored this evening, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I would like to offer my thanks to Chairman Shuster and also to Subcommittee Chairman Bob Gibbs. They have done a wonderful job with this bill. It is a bipartisan bill. I rise today as a cosponsor and a proud supporter of WRRDA. I like to actually call it WRRDA, since we have got the extra R. Reform matters; and in this bill it shows that we can move things forward and we can make a difference. But I have got to tell you, Mr. Chairman, it is good to be back here governing this week and focusing on commonsense policies like this one here today. Why is WRRDA critical? Because our waterways provide a cost-effective, fuel-efficient way to move our goods, and we must maintain and support U.S. infrastructure. I come from a district that borders the Mississippi and is blessed with productive farmland; 81 percent of our U.S. ag exports are waterborne, and with trade expected to double by 2021, we must rebuild our capacity. With a $60 billion water project backlog, I believe this program provides a solution to move projects forward; and, again, I am proud to support and cosponsor this bill. I look forward to helping this committee advance this important legislation through this process and have this bill signed into law by the President.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I love the discussion about school nutrition programs. I have spoken to many superintendents in my district who used to run programs in their cafeterias where kids would eat the school lunches. Now those once profitable programs are not profitable anymore. Some school districts are opting out because of the stringent rules and requirements to reduce calories and serve food that kids won't eat. Let me also, for the Record, Mr. Speaker, state that we are missing an important part of any equation in tackling childhood obesity, and that is exercise. Illinois, my home State, is the only State in the Nation that requires physical education in K-12. Maybe we make that part of the debate, too. As I wrap up this Special Order, I want to thank everyone, all of my colleagues, for coming down and talking about the importance of this 5- year farm bill. It cannot be said enough that farmers have decided on their own to help us save billions in your tax dollars. Twenty billion dollars is what the farmers of this country have given up in direct payments to really allow us to balance our budget and put a down payment on the national debt. There are some other crucial aspects of this bill, Mr. Speaker, that we don't talk a lot about in the ag sector, but it is about the rules and the regulatory process. I was happy to introduce an amendment that actually gives the Department of Agriculture a seat at the table when those at the EPA decide to come up with rules like maybe treating milk spills like oil spills from the Exxon Valdez. Mr. Speaker, I ask you one question: Which one of those spills could be cleaned up with cats? You know the answer and I know the answer, but when they come up with crazy ideas like this, we believe that the United States Department of Agriculture also deserves a seat at the table to say--in a good, commonsense, Midwestern way, Hang on a second here. Let's think about this. That is why an amendment like that is crucial to a farm bill like this, because it is crazy ideas like that that cost our farmers their livelihoods in some cases. Mr. Speaker, this is a bill that is going to save taxpayers billions. It is reforming crucial agricultural programs. It is putting us on a path to certainty for America's agricultural future. There are some in this body, Mr. Speaker, that believe we shouldn't be involved in ag policy in this country. Well, my response to them is: Do you want America to be a food exporter, like we are now, or do you want to import our food supply? We know the answer to that, Mr. Speaker. The answer--the solution to make sure that doesn't happen--is getting this bill through a quick conference committee, bringing it back to the floor of the House, and ensuring that all our family farmers and all those who rely upon the ag economy for their livelihood are put first. Mr. Speaker, with that, I thank everyone who has been involved in this process--my staff, many interns that have worked for me to put this Special Order in place. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to my colleague, Mr. Benishek. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for again allowing us this opportunity to talk about how important ag is going to be in our economy. Let's talk about how important this farm bill is to get passed and how we are not that far apart when it comes to the differences in the funding levels with the Senate bill that should be conferenced. And let us not also forget--let us not forget that agriculture isn't just important to the Midwest. It is also important to States like Michigan, where my colleague who just spoke was from. We have heard from individuals from California, from Georgia, from Montana. Ag is a nationwide issue, and we have seen nationwide success in agriculture. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Yoder), my good friend and colleague.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, thank you, and thank you to my colleagues who have joined me here today to talk about an important piece of legislation that seemingly has gone by the wayside, like many, many other important issues, because of the dysfunction of Washington right now: a farm bill. Many here in America don't realize that our current farm bill has expired. But we have an opportunity to pass a food, nutrition, and jobs bill that Congress is supposed to authorize every 5 years. But since it expired on September 30, the good news, though, is that there is still an opportunity to get this 5-year farm bill passed; and when we do, we are going to be able to give our farmers and producers the tools they need to do what they do best. We can do this before next planting season. Why do we need a farm bill? To promote and grow our economy, to provide certainty to our farmers and producers, and to give them the tools they need to succeed. For example, crop insurance. Mr. Speaker, crop insurance is working. I even had the opportunity to talk to Secretary Vilsack in one of the hearings on our Ag Committee, and he agreed with me that crop insurance is working. This farm bill strengthens crop insurance, which strengthens our economy, because it strengthens agriculture. Ag is one of the bright spots in our Nation's economy right now, Mr. Speaker. That should not be forgotten, which is why it is crucial that we pass this farm bill. We have other policies within that bill that are very crucial to my district and many districts throughout this Nation: conservation, ag research, and trade. As we stand on the floor today, many of the farmers I represent are out in the field. Mr. Speaker, it is harvest time. That is why we are down here today: to let our producers know we have not forgotten and that we are still fighting for that 5-year farm bill. Farmers used to just have to worry about the uncertainty of the weather. Now, Mr. Speaker, they have to worry about the uncertainty of Washington. That is unfortunate, but it is something that we can correct when we work together. Mr. Speaker, I came here to govern. I sought a seat on the Ag Committee because I knew we would have an opportunity to leave our mark on this jobs legislation. We want to get this job done so that our farmers can continue to get their job done. I appreciate the many colleagues who have already spoken before me and the rest who are down here today for this farm bill Special Order, as well as many others who have helped move the farm bill forward. And before recognizing my colleagues so that they may share with those watching why we must advance a new farm bill, I want to talk about why the farm bill is important to the district that I represent. In central and southwestern Illinois, agriculture is key to our local economy. It is 14 counties in central and southwestern Illinois that I am proud to serve here in Congress on their behalf, and it is home to some of the most productive and costly farmland in America. It is also home to many in the agribusiness sector: ADM, the University of Illinois. My district is home to the largest gathering of ag producers and agricultural-related products in the country. This is the Farm Progress Show that was just completed in Decatur, Illinois, in July, a whopping success. Sloan Implement is in the 13th District of Illinois. GSI, another global leader, one of the largest employers in my district, and it happens to be the largest employer in my home county of Christian County. Kraft Foods in Champaign, Illinois. The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center in Edwardsville, at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, also plays a crucial role for jobs, innovation, and energy independence in our area. These are just some of the reasons that Congress needs to keep working together to advance a 5-year farm bill. And let's not forget, again, what a bright spot agriculture has been on our Nation's economy. Every $1 billion in ag exports supports nearly 8,000 American jobs. Earlier this year, the USDA, they projected $139.5 billion in ag exports. That is more than 1.1 million jobs supported by American agriculture. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from the great State of Michigan (Mr. Benishek), my good friend and my colleague.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. My colleague, Mr. Yoder from Kansas, brought up so many great points of why it is crucial to have this debate here on the floor of the House. It seems as though farmers get a bad rap. There is a lot of talk on this floor about growing our economy; and, frankly, ag has been a bright spot in our economy, Mr. Speaker. It is just like Washington. Because of inaction of--a lot of times, Republicans and Democrats--we are not able to continue to allow them to grow their portion of the economy. It just seems like the right hand works against the left sometimes here in Washington. I just want to see us put some good Midwestern common sense that many of us learned right on the family farms in the Midwest, right here to work and into action in Washington, D.C. Speaking of common sense, I want to introduce my good friend, my colleague from the great State of Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I do want to address something that my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) brought up. He talked about research. Research in agriculture is crucial to our ability here in America to continue to feed the world. We feed the world from America's farms, and it is under-appreciated and taken for granted. Part of this farm bill is a research title, where the Agricultural and Food Research Initiative through the National Institute for Food and Agriculture was reauthorized. Other ways we strengthen and promoted ag research in this bill are doing things like providing new research funding for specialty crops, beginning farmers, and organic agriculture. We have improved accountability and transparency of the ag research programs, and we have harmonized policies under the various competitive grants programs to improve program efficiency and reduce wasteful spending. Many of my colleagues are talking about ag leading the way in reducing spending here in Washington. Our farmers need to be congratulated for that. The University of Illinois, in my district--another land grant institution--uses many of these public research programs. Our students are being trained on how to make our food supply safer and better; and through AFRI, the University of Illinois has conducted cutting-edge research aimed at improving food security, achieving more efficient crop production, and promoting animal health through livestock genome sequencing. Let us not forget, Mr. Speaker, the Southern Illinois University Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center. This is an example of a public-private partnership that is working, where public funds were used in its initial construction; but private entities are doing cutting-edge research to make our Nation's fuel supply cheaper and make our Nation's security better. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend and colleague from the great State of Indiana (Mr. Messer).

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to my good friend and colleague, Congressman Luke Messer, a true leader on so many issues here in Congress and for the Midwest. Thank you for being here today to talk about how important agriculture is to our economy. I know much has been brought up about crop insurance. Some who don't represent agricultural districts think crop insurance is a program that is wasteful, that it is welfare for farmers. Let me remind everyone, Mr. Speaker, that before we had the crop insurance program, farmers didn't have to have skin in the game. They have to pay premiums just like we have to do for life insurance, auto insurance and other types of insurance. This is what makes America work. This is why crop insurance is working. Before this program, we would have supplemental, ad hoc disaster assistance, and Members of Congress who served before many of us would come to this floor and pass bills to fund disaster assistance. Let me remind you, Mr. Speaker, that those weren't budgeted. At a time when decisions were made to basically put the financial future of our country in jeopardy decades before now, they were still passing disaster assistance bills that cost taxpayers billions. Crop insurance changed that. Farmers have skin in the game. They pay their premiums, and it stops us--it stops Congress right now--from spending beyond its means. It has been said before that this farm bill is an example of how Washington begins to work once again. We are looking toward our financial future, and we are looking to balance our budget through bills like this farm bill. We are going to begin to put a down payment on the unsustainable $17 trillion of debt that your kids, Mr. Speaker, and my kids shouldn't have to pay. With that, I yield to my friend from my birthplace State, the great State of Iowa. He is my good friend and colleague and a leader in ag policy, Mr. King.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. I thank the gentleman from Iowa. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that once again this Chamber is moving forward with yet another bill to fund our government. Today, we're ensuring that all Federal employees are paid so their families are not harmed during this time. I know how these families feel because I was a Federal employee for 16 years. I am also proud to represent Scott Air Force Base in the metro east area of Illinois. Whether they are Active Duty, civilian, Reserve, Guard, or retired, we must take care of our military. The House has already acted to ensure that these men and women are paid; but, unfortunately, this administration has chosen needlessly to furlough workers. Today, I stand with these hardworking men and women, and I also stand against this administration that always seems to find a way to make situations like this as painful as possible. We have been told to make things difficult for people as much as we can, said a park ranger this week to reporters. I had a similar experience a few months ago with an airport in my district that was at risk of losing their control tower, even though we told the administration how they could shift the money around. To solve this problem, Mr. Speaker, we had to stand on this floor and pass a bill, and now that tower remains open. Congress had to pass a bill and has to pass a bill now to stop this behavior, and I am offended by the punitive behavior of this White House then and today. Mr. Speaker, I stand with all military personnel.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, this has been a tough week for my constituents, a tough week for all Americans. I've been reflecting on the goals I set when I decided to run for office a little more than a year ago. I came here to tackle the growing debt that is saddling our country. I want to make sure that we reform the way Washington spends money, and I want a better and more responsible America for my children and your children. Madam Speaker, I hate the bickering that has consumed this institution. I dislike the fighting. But even more, I dislike the $17 trillion in debt that's preventing American exceptionalism. It is unacceptable that last year our country spent a trillion more than we had. It is unacceptable that our President does not want to talk about how we get out of the red or the fact that ObamaCare will add another $1.3 trillion to our deficit. We had historic spending reforms in this House and have begun the process to reprioritize how Washington spends your tax dollars. I will continue my efforts to get our fiscal house back in order. I will continue to advocate that we return to a constitutional appropriations process and begin passing all of our spending bills. One of the most important powers the Constitution outlines is in article I. It is for Congress to control Federal spending. We must get back to that system of checks and balances that our forefathers designed and the Constitution demands.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, thank you to all my colleagues who've been trying to work hard to do what we came here to do, which is to govern. It's a disappointment to me that we're in a situation like this where government will begin to shut down. That's not good for America, that's not good for our districts, and that's not good for the hardworking taxpayers of this country. But I got to see politics at its worst over the last few days. We put forth a solution to stop a government shutdown. We asked for some simple corrections, simple changes to a law that many in this country-- an overwhelming majority--say is going to be a train wreck. Even Democrats in the Senate say this law, as it is implemented, is going to be a train wreck. Why did we do it now? Because today is the day that the ObamaCare exchanges open. Our opportunity to fix the problems that even many on the other side of the aisle see may have ended today. That's why we sent a bill that said defund ObamaCare, like many Americans want, but avoid a government shutdown. The Senate said: We're not going to talk. We don't want to listen. So we said: Let's just delay it for a year, just like the President has delayed it for Big Business and many of his political allies. The Senate again said: No, we don't want to hear from you. We don't want to talk. And we said: Let's just delay the individual mandate, because the President and his political allies don't have to follow the law that was passed long before I got here. Again, the Senate said no. And what pains me the most as a brand-new Member of Congress is when we asked the Senate last night to keep the government open but get rid of their own special congressional perk--an exemption in their own health care plan--they again said no. That no was a thumb right at the American people. That no cut right through the fabric of our communities in this country when the Senate said they deserve a special perk more than anyone else in America. That's shameful. That's why we're here today. We've put forth the plans to keep government running. And I believe we are going to continue to do that on our side of the aisle. It's time for the American people to demand governing, not just out of our side of the aisle, but out of both sides of the aisle. We need to demand leadership out of this administration. We need to demand leadership from the Democrat-controlled Senate. What this has become is politics. It's become a blame game. Who's going to be blamed for this government shutdown? I guarantee both sides are going to be polling on this issue to determine who's going to get an advantage. Politics should not determine policy in this institution. Politics should not come before governing in this institution. And I think the American people should demand action from everyone, and they should demand it now.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you to the gentlelady from Arizona for putting this Special Order together. It is a true privilege to stand here to highlight an issue that needs to be dealt with here in America. Mr. Speaker, our veterans are those who have protected our freedoms that allow us to stand on this floor and debate the issues of the day. Without their sacrifices, we wouldn't have the America that we know today. I am surprised when I read the statistics about veteran suicides. The number that dies by his own hand each year is greater than the official number of all U.S. war deaths in more than a decade of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Between 2005 and 2011, over 49,000 veterans have taken their lives, and more than 69 percent of all veteran suicides were among those 50 and older; and nearly one in five suicides nationally is a veteran, even though veterans only make up 10 percent of the U.S. population. We need to take steps to ensure that our veterans have the mental health sources they need. We need to make sure that we raise awareness and do away with the stigma of suicide so that veterans feel comfortable finally reaching out for help. When soldiers are scared to come forward about their mental health problems because they think they will be labeled a ``coward,'' they continue down a dark and lonely path that eventually could lead to suicide. Instead, we need to ask our struggling veterans to ask for help. As my colleague from Illinois just mentioned, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a crisis line that since 2007 has answered more than 890,000 calls and has made over 30,000 rescues. In 2009, they added a chat line for text, and over 108,000 texts have been sent. These are the types of resources that we need to provide those who have provided so much protection and freedom for us here in America, and I stand here today to work with my colleagues across the aisle to make things happen. Thank you again to the gentlelady from Arizona.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. I thank my colleague for yielding time. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act. The unfortunate reality is that one in seven people in this country is on food stamps. Spending on the program has doubled since 2008, and the number of Americans on SNAP has doubled since 2003. Just as I believe that we must take care of fellow Americans who truly need the help, I also believe that we must address fraud and abuse in the SNAP program and provide opportunities and encouragement to put people back to work. When unemployment declines, the number of food stamp recipients still increases under our current system. This is simply unsustainable. It's time for some real change. This bill enforces the work requirements of able-bodied adults without dependents, similar to the reforms in Bill Clinton's 1996 bipartisan welfare reform bill. It eliminates taxpayer-funded advocacy campaigns, closes the ``heat and eat'' loophole, eliminates categorical eligibility to ensure program integrity, and ends State bonuses for administering the program. I also support the work and job-training requirements in this bill. These programs offer real work skills. Investing in these skills will make individuals more marketable in the workplace. I have introduced a bill on the same topic. It's called the Opportunity Knocks Act. It's going to encourage Americans to take job-training courses while still being able to keep their unemployment benefits. These types of initiatives put Americans back to work. The most important step we can take to help those 47 million Americans on SNAP is to grow our economy and promote opportunities to put our family, friends, and neighbors back to work. The farm bill is a jobs bill. Let's move the process forward and support these reforms so that the taxpayers' dollars are spent much more wisely.

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. I would like to now, Mr. Speaker, rise today to honor the valiant efforts of Private First Class Thomas J. Kinsman of the United States Army. Private First Class Kinsman was awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantly and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy in Vietnam. As his company was proceeding up a narrow canal in armored troop carriers, it came under sudden and intense rocket attack, automatic weapons and small arms fire from a well-entrenched Vietcong force. The company immediately beached and began assaulting the enemy bunker complex. As they were moving through heavy enemy fire to effect a link- up, an enemy soldier in a concealed position hurled a grenade into their midst. Mr. Kinsman immediately alerted his comrades of the danger, then unhesitatingly threw himself on the grenade and blocked the explosion with his body. As a result of his courageous action, he received severe head and chest wounds. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his personal safety, and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, Private First Class Kinsman averted loss of life and injury to the other seven men of his element. It is for his courage and unwavering devotion to duty that I am proud to honor and remember the actions of Private First Class Thomas J. Kinsman. Honoring Lieutenant Colonel Joe M. Jackson

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this would not happen without great people helping to put this information together to honor these true heroes. I want to thank some folks who have worked with me: Nick Cozzo, Jordan Wellinghoff, Cathryn Ayers, Shontee Pant, Jenny Baldwin, Drew Collins, Frank Santana, and Osborne Crosby, among many others that I'm sure I'm going to forget to mention tonight. Remember, this is an honor tonight. We are not Republicans. We are not Democrats. We are Americans coming together to honor in a bipartisan fashion 79 individuals who fought to protect the freedoms that we enjoy and to be able to stand here on this House floor in freedom and to be Americans and to govern. It is with great pride that I was able to be joined tonight by my colleague, my friend, Tulsi Gabbard, also a member of our military today. Thank you for your service, Tulsi. Thank you for your service to your country here and your service as a member of the Hawaii National Guard. It is with great privilege that I was honored to stand here tonight to recognize so many true American heroes. And it's a privilege that I will never forget throughout my career. I yield back the balance of my time. Honoring Colonel Bernard F. Fisher

Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lieutenant John James McGinty, III, of the United States Marine Corps, who is from Beaufort, South Carolina. He was with Company K and was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action on July 18, 1966, in Vietnam. While providing rear security to guard the withdrawal of the battalion, Lieutenant McGinty's 32-man platoon came under heavy fire. During the barrage, two of McGinty's squads became separated. Disregarding his own safety, McGinty ran through automatic weapons and mortar fire to convene with the separated squads. Upon arriving, he found 20 men wounded and the medical corpsman killed. He quickly reloaded ammunition for the wounded men and, though wounded, continued to encourage his troops and direct their fire. Through multiple close encounters, Lieutenant McGinty was able to adjust artillery and effectively fight off the enemy. It is for his indomitable heroism and devotion to duty that I'm proud to honor and remember the actions of Lieutenant John James McGinty, III. Mr. Speaker, I want to yield to Ms. Gabbard for some closing comments.