Randy Hultgren

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today sad and disappointed. I am sad and disappointed that in a nation as great as this, lives of so many of our unborn children are ended through abortion. I am disappointed that we have not moved past this blot on our Nation's history and forward into respecting the dignity of all humans, born and unborn. I am disappointed that so many of my colleagues here continue to ignore the science that shows over and over the self-evident life in the womb. Even so, I am more hopeful than ever before there is good news to celebrate. Abortion numbers are down, as are teen pregnancies. States have passed record numbers of laws to protect women's health and the lives of the unborn. Today on The National Mall, I look forward to seeing the thousands of teenagers and young adults marching hand in hand to the Supreme Court. Their generation is our hope to bring about a culture of life.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for H.R. 35, the Low-Dose Radiation Research Act, and I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Chairman Smith, for helping me to bring this legislation to the floor. While it may sound scary, we come in contact with small amounts of radiation every day from the cosmic background which many Americans are probably unaware of. Of course, radiation has been a useful tool which has led to innovation for medical imaging, like x rays and treatments. Numerous processes used by manufacturers in my home State of Illinois, for instance, include low-dose radiation to carry out precise and accurate measurements. But it is time that the regulatory structure surrounding exposure to low-dose radiation relies on sound science. Currently, the assumption is that because high doses of radiation are harmful to human health, lower doses must be, too. This is similar to saying that jumping down one step in a flight of stairs is harmful to your health because we already know that it is harmful to jump down an entire flight of stairs at one time. While there is little doubt that there is a threshold above which humans should avoid exposure to radiation, this legislation will ensure that the Department of Energy's Office of Science prioritizes the research necessary to understand what that level actually is. My bill directs the agency to work with the National Academies to formulate a long-term research plan to do this work. As I continue to represent my constituents of the 14th Congressional District of Illinois, I will always champion the things we are doing right in Illinois. Our State has a long history of innovation in this space. For many years we have led the Nation in nuclear power generation, and the work we continue to do in our national labs is pushing the boundaries in our frontiers of knowledge. Fermilab, in my district, helped establish neutron therapy as a viable radiation treatment for many difficult-to-treat cancers. Harnessing the continued benefits of radiation requires that we clarify what the potential harms are. That is why I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the TRIA amendment to the Senate bill S. 2244 and overall reauthorization, and I really would like to commend Chairman Hensarling and his staff for their hard work throughout this process. TRIA's reauthorization is not a Wall Street or big business issue; I believe it is a conservative issue. Illinois and American jobs and prosperity are at stake. If TRIA is not authorized, Illinois' small insurers may be subject to costly rating downgrades or have to exit certain insurance markets altogether, leaving customers in the lurch. In the event of an attack, potential targets like Soldier Field or Chicago skyscrapers would be left without protection for massive economic losses. TRIA protects the taxpayers because it sets the terms of how our country will cover losses before, instead of after, a terrorist attack. The Rand Institute has estimated that it protects our taxpayers by as much as $7 billion. TRIA also ensures the continued viability of long- term construction projects. One estimate found that for the first 14 months after the 9/11 attack, $15.5 billion of real estate projects in 17 States were stalled or canceled because of continuing scarcity of terrorism insurance. So this backstop either costs very little if it is never used, or it saves taxpayers money if it is. Each program deserves continuous oversight and periodic review, and TRIA is no different. I commend Chairman Hensarling for his commitment to examine the program. I believe that this reauthorization contains conservative reforms that protect the taxpayers from excessive loss and still ensures a functioning terrorism insurance market that doesn't punish businesses--such as Illinois' small insurers--for offering this much-needed terrorism insurance. The end user provision passed by the Financial Services Committee with unanimous support sailed through the House with 411 votes. Congress should come together to support reasonable, bipartisan reforms that provide much-needed relief for Main Street America.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, it is such a privilege to be able to say a few words for my good friend and my chairman, chairman of the Science Committee when I first was elected to Congress 4 years ago. I had the privilege of serving under Chairman Hall on the Science Committee. A couple memories that I have of so many committees that I went to where the committee would stop because we were laughing so hard with a statement or comment or joke, perfectly timed joke that Chairman Hall would put in, and so I enjoyed that time so much. My wife and I had an incredible privilege this summer. We have, among ourselves here in Congress, some wonderful people we get to serve with. A few of them truly are heroes, and one of those heroes is Ralph Hall. We had the privilege of going to the 70th anniversary of D-day to recognize those World War II veterans, and Ralph Hall was with us on that trip. We all loved being there, but everybody wanted to be with Ralph Hall--again, a true hero. To be in that place with Ralph Hall was a great, great honor for my wife and me. My greatest memory since I have been here over the 4 years was with Chairman Hall, and that was in the Science Committee and having the privilege of sitting about 10 feet away from Neil Armstrong and Captain Gene Cernan--the first man to walk on the Moon and the last man to walk on the Moon, people who changed the trajectory of this Nation and this world--and having the opportunity to talk with them and get to know them and to hear their amazing story, but also the humility that they had, that same humility that Chairman Hall has. Just a privilege to serve. Ralph, we love you. I wish so much that you could be here today to be able to express your own heart for the privilege I know that you felt serving in this incredible place, serving the wonderful constituents you have in Texas. But I want you to know that we love you, we miss you, we are praying for you, and we are excited to see, hopefully soon, a full recovery for you. We are looking forward to having you back here and hearing those great jokes once again. So, Ralph, I want to let you know that we are pulling for you and excited again for all that you have done and all that you are going to do.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the air traffic controllers and FAA safety and technical employees who went above and beyond the call of duty surrounding the recent emergency situation in Aurora, Illinois. Following unprecedented circumstances, the Chicago center staff kept the surrounding air space operational, safe, and efficient during the 17-day outage. On several different days during the outage, Chicago O'Hare, which serves my constituents in the 14th District, was the Nation's busiest airport. Controllers from two dozen facilities around the Midwest and also the FAA Command Center worked together to keep the flying public safe and the system operating at close to capacity. The air traffic controllers, technical operations personnel, and management at Chicago center and in all facilities throughout the Midwest and the National Airspace System have proven why the United States has the safest, busiest, and most efficient system in the world. The public should be proud of the teamwork and professionalism that they demonstrated as they met a difficult challenge and kept America safe.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. I thank my colleague. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 4012, and I thank the gentleman from Arizona and the chairman of the Science Committee for bringing this important legislation to the floor. H.R. 4012 is a critical step in restoring the public trust necessary for EPA to accomplish its core mission. Transparency was a major campaign promise the current President made to the American people, and here is a way we can help the President finally follow through on one of his goals. This should be a strong bipartisan effort for anyone that believes their government has a duty to be accountable to the American public we serve. H.R. 4012 follows a basic tenet that nearly all Americans agree on: public policy should be dictated by public science. Unfortunately, transparency, along with oversight by the American people's duly- elected representation, has been something EPA scoffs at. This must change. The President continues to use his regulatory agencies to bypass the will of the legislature in a number of cases, and policy from EPA has been one of the worst offenders. Everyone here believes in clean air, clean water, and necessary regulations, but what we have now is a regulatory agency attempting to put in place legislation which this Congress previously rejected in prior sessions. This is not a government that is working for you. Americans also believe in clear laws and a fair judicial system where both sides can state their case and an adequate resolution can be found. This is why this closed-door regulatory approach is so frightening. When someone accuses you of a crime in a court of law, they must stand before that court and make that claim. Your deposition is given to both sides, and you cannot hide behind secret testimony which is only given to the prosecutor. This is what we have now happening at EPA. EPA legislates through regulations, and the defendant has no chance to see where EPA's claims are coming from. It is time for the American people to see behind the curtain, and it is unjust to continue using claims from the Agency that cannot be contested only because they cannot be seen. I would also like to correct unfounded claims made by opponents of this legislation. Nothing disallows EPA from using the most up-to-date scientific information to make public health decisions. It would certainly be my hope that the research institutions would make this available, but it would ultimately be their decision whether or not EPA could use their data. If I dedicated my life to studying these complex issues, I would want to make sure it could be used. The other claim is that this bill will make public personal health care information, which would be against the law. This legislation makes clear that nothing in this bill requires the ``public dissemination of information, the disclosure of which is prohibited by law.'' The data sets must only be made available in a manner that is ``sufficient for independent analysis and substantial reproduction of research results.'' Numerous congressional hearings and testimony from experts have made it clear that this information can easily be made anonymous. This is how data sets are presented to the peer-review community and published for journals already. This is the transparency the American people deserve. They should no longer be held guilty from data they can't see or black box economic analyses deemed proprietary. That is why I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. I want to thank my good friend, Congressman Shimkus, for this time and for this important time to honor these wonderful colleagues. Before I get started, I will enter into the Record an article titled: ``Philip M. Crane: Teacher, Lecturer, Author, Congressman and Friend,'' written by Ed Feulner, former president of the Heritage Foundation. Philip M. Crane: Teacher, Lecturer, Author, Congressman and Friend (By Ed Feulner, Former President of the Heritage Foundation) Former Rep. Phil Crane, R-Ill., died Nov. 7 after a struggle with lung cancer. His passing reminded all of us who knew Phil what a unique contribution to the modern conservative movement he had made. On some days he was giving his famous lecture, ``The Blessings of Liberty,'' to audiences around the nation. For many months he was stumping for Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, fellow congressional candidates and many other conservatives running for office at every level in our nation. After his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, he played a key role advising and leading conservatives both inside and outside of the Capitol on legislative tactics and institution building always based on principles of our Founding Fathers. I met Phil when he was a lecturer for the Intercollegiate Studies Institute in the early 1960s. He was teaching history at Bradley University, in Peoria, Ill., before founding a private school in the Chicago suburbs. Phil's reputation was that of an emerging leader: a great speaker, a motivator of the grassroots and an original thinker. Most significantly to me, Phil was a man who understood the power of ideas. After all, he had attended Hillsdale College (and served on its board of trustees for many decades), and then earned his Ph.D. in history from Indiana University, where ``his academic record had never been exceded.'' Phil was the author of an important early book on the philosophical issues that defined the difference between conservatives and the reigning progressive orthodoxy, ``The Democrats Dilemma'' (Regnery, 1964). His vision for the future, based on the underlying principles of America's Founders' commitment to liberty, was an inspiration to all of us who knew him and who worked for him and with him. Phil was elected to succeed Don Rumsfeld in the Congress in a special election in 1969, against a field of seven other candidates. Many of us were rooting for him as the principled conservative in this large and complex field, but we weren't certain that he could really do it. Phil was a principled conservative--a tea partier long before there was a tea party. But throughout the primary process, his message of principled conservatism rang true to his constituents-to-be. He won that special election, then won 17 more times. He stuck to his guns, whether he was in the minority or in the majority, throughout his 35-year tenure in Washington. When Phil was sworn in as the newest member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he was a representative of a minority (committed conservatives) in the minority party (the Republicans). When he left the Congress in 2004, he had helped make conservatism the mainstream of the Republican Party and of the entire U.S. political arena. In his early Washington years, when I had the great privilege of serving as Phil's legislative director (1970-71) and then as his chief of staff (1971-74), he was the leading light of elected conservatives in Washington. It was Phil Crane who passionately argued that private American citizens should be permitted to own gold. It was Phil who argued as a matter of principle that federal spending for subsidies for urban mass transit systems--even in his home city of Chicago--was not an appropriate use of federal taxpayer funds. Big arguments over foreign policy and domestic issues involved Phil as a leading conservative figure in Washington and around the nation. Battles like these--some won, others lost--may be forgotten, as the media focus on Phil's battle to preserve the Panama Canal as an integral part of the United States. Of course, on the Panama Canal he fought side-by-side with the former governor of California, Ronald Reagan. For those of us who worked for Phil, we remember the late- night meetings of conservative congressmen, staffers and activists, who looked to Phil Crane for leadership on policy issues. It was during these legislative battles that Phil formed the idea of a coordinated effort among House conservatives. These conceptual discussions resulted in Crane's vision for the Republican Study Committee to counter the long- established Democrat Study Group of liberal House members. Today, the RSC is the largest faction within the membership of the House Republicans, and it exists because Phil Crane envisioned its potential. But my fondest memories of Phil will be of long discussions about conservative ideas and how they best can be advanced in the political milieu of Washington. We talked about how conservatives can communicate more effectively with grassroots leaders around the nation. And we discussed how to build a conservative infrastructure to counter the establishment interests of Washington. We decided that America needed a number of new institutions, including a new form of a policy research and communicating organization. From these discussions, Phil became an early advocate of that new conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation. And for that, all conservatives should be grateful. And speaking very personally, a picture of Phil holding our month-old son, flanked by Linda and me, has a special place of honor in our living room. That son is now 43 years old, by the way. Rest in the peace of the Lord, which you have so eminently earned, my friend.

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute and respect to former Congressman Phil Crane, who we lost this week. As a fellow committed conservative Representative of the west and northwest suburbs of Chicago, I have always had a special connection to Congressman Crane. For 35 years, he represented sizable portions of what is now the 14th Congressional District, the district I represent in Congress. When Illinois was redistricted following the 1990 Census, Phil Crane was willing to give the McHenry County portion of his old district to the newer 16th District in order to present the Republican nominee, Don Manzullo, with a better chance of recapturing the district for the GOP. And he did this, arguably, to the detriment of his own reelection prospects down the road. Twenty years later, most of McHenry County is in the 14th Congressional District, and I am proud to represent his former constituents, who were stalwart supporters of his. When he left office in 2004, he was at the time the longest-serving House Republican. In his book: ``The Sum of Good Government,'' Crane wrote: Once people are willing to admit the possibility of alternatives, the battle is more than half won and the time for refinements of a ``conservative reform platform will be at hand.'' Phil pursued that platform as a leader of the conservative movement both in and outside of Congress. He served as chairman of the American Conservative Union, a prominent think tank and advocacy organization. In 1973, he founded the preeminent conservative organization in the House, the Republican Study Committee, of which I am a proud member. Today, the RSC is the largest Member organization of House Republicans and drives much of the conservative agenda. Congressman Crane spent most of his career pursuing that agenda on the Ways and Means Committee. There, he championed many of the ideals I and many of our shared constituents subscribe to. These include lowering taxes on everyone, simplifying the Tax Code so that it is fair and transparent, defending free market economics, and promoting free trade with other nations. His work propelled him to become the ranking member and eventually chairman of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee. While there, he led the effort to pass numerous free trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, which opened up economic opportunities with our northern and southern neighbors. He also was very active in efforts to reduce or limit government spending and authored and supported hundreds of bills and amendments to bring overspending under control. In addition, Phil had a passion for and deep knowledge of American history. Citing historical events in the Constitution to make one's case during floor debate and public speeches is not a recent phenomenon. Congressman Crane did this regularly when fighting for his principles and policies. Every day, he looked for opportunities to demonstrate his love for robust discussions on conservative ideals. But he didn't let his firm positions on issues drive a wedge between him and other Members of Congress. He built relationships with those with whom he disagreed, and was well-liked on both sides of the aisle, handwriting letters to colleagues, especially thoughtful notes to those who were going through tough times or had lost a relative or loved one. Most importantly, he wrote letters to, and spent time with, his constituents whom he represented. To him, they were his most important relationship. They were his boss, as they are to all who are privileged to enter Congress on their behalf. Every day, I strive to represent my district with the same commitment and dedication as Congressman Phil Crane did, and to stand up for the principles that make this country great.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Madam Speaker, I rise today disturbed by a report confirming that the Affordable Care Act provides for a massive expansion of abortion funded by the taxpayer. This week, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office revealed that 1,036 of the plans offered under ObamaCare and eligible for taxpayer subsidies cover abortion on demand. Although the President promised in 2009 that ``no Federal dollars would be used to fund abortions,'' the law's accounting gimmicks showed otherwise. One of my heroes, the late honorable Henry Hyde, worked hard to ensure that no American would be forced to pay for someone else's abortion. That is why the House passed H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act. Clearly, there has been a lack of full disclosure by the administration and the insurance companies who have ignored the law, a law which failed to provide adequate safeguards for the taxpayer. Many Americans are, thus, unwittingly paying for a procedure which violates their most deeply held beliefs. It is time the administration honored both the letter and spirit of the Hyde amendment. It is time for the Senate to pass H.R. 7 and ensure no American is forced to pay for abortion.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to speak in support of H.R. 5405, and I do want to thank Representative Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania for his important work on this bill. Among other things, this bill will help encourage capital formation at small and emerging businesses. These tools helps businesses expand their operation and, most importantly, hire more workers. I am especially pleased that the bill includes my own legislation, the Encouraging Employee Ownership Act of 2014, or EEOA. This bipartisan provision would make it easier for companies in Illinois and nationwide to let hardworking employees own a stake in the business they are a part of. I have learned firsthand from my constituents in the 14th Congressional District about the many benefits of employee ownership. When you walk into Scot Forge, an entirely employee-owned manufacturer in my district, there is a noticeable difference in the energy of the employees, from upper management on down to the shop floor. When employees have a stake in the company they work for, their sense of ownership over details large and small makes a real difference to their bottom line and, more importantly, to their quality of life. The business, in turn, receives a large boost in productivity, enabling them to expand their reach and invest in new technologies and equipment. Unfortunately, some companies are shying away from offering employee ownership because of regulations that limit how much ownership they can safely offer. SEC rule 701 mandates various disclosures for privately-held companies that sell more than $5 million worth of securities for employee compensation. In 1999, the SEC arbitrarily set this threshold at $5 million without a concrete explanation why. For businesses who want to offer more stock to more employees, this rule forces those businesses to make confidential disclosures that could greatly damage future innovations if they fell into the wrong hands. The SEC's original rulemaking acknowledged this, and some voiced their concern that a disgruntled employee could use this confidential information to harm their former employer; further, it is costly to prepare these disclosures just so a business can offer the benefits of ownership to their employees. My bill, included in H.R. 5405, would address this problem. As the Chamber of Commerce, who supports this legislation, has explained, this legislation would ``help give employees of American businesses a greater chance to participate in the success of their company.'' I want to thank Representatives Bachus, Fitzpatrick, Garrett, Hurt, Mulvaney, Ross, and Stivers for their support. It is also worth noting that, in good faith, both sides agree to lower the threshold to $10 million instead of the $20 million the bill originally included. I am glad we could iron out our differences and put forward a strong bill. I want take thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, including Representative Jared Polis of Colorado, for his support, and Representative John Delaney of Maryland, for his hard work on this bill. The question remains: Do we want businesses to reserve employee ownership only for senior-level executives because of concerns about costs or the dissemination of confidential information? Under my bill, they will not be forced to make that decision because of this easier and safer method of offering ownership to more employees. I encourage all my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, Mr. Bucshon from Indiana. I also want to recognize the important leadership of Chairman Smith. I want to thank him for his great work on this. I also want to thank the sponsors who really did so much of the heavy lifting on this. Congressman Reed and Congressman Kennedy did great work on a wonderful bill. Manufacturing is a vital component of my district's economy. There are 554 manufacturing facilities in the 14th Congressional District with 10 or more employees in them. Manufacturing facilities employ also more than 27,000 workers across my district alone. The workers at manufacturing facilities in the 14th Congressional District of Illinois have felt the economic downturn disproportionately as Federal and State governments have failed to change outdated or unneeded policies that keep my constituents from regaining full employment. Later this week, the House will vote on a package of bills to help alleviate these problems, but there are more ways we must act to help ensure our manufacturers have the tools they need to remain competitive on the world stage. This legislation gives needed direction to the administration for funding a national network for manufacturing innovation. These programs would bring together our country's vast research capabilities and help align our institutions with industry partners. Our universities and colleges must know what industry needs in order to provide valuable research as well as train our next workforce. This legislation would also help to remove some of the barriers that keep industry from working together and innovating in a 21st century economy. I am also very glad to see authorization for the Regional Innovation program. This is a smart, targeted program that allows local regions to pool their resources and work together. Industry clusters are one of the most effective ways to compile and share best practices, and the fact that these programs give preference to bids involving Local Workforce Investment Boards is another reason to support this bill. These boards are doing all they can to help my constituents find work, and this is the cooperative federalism that will ensure taxpayer dollars are not wasted. I would like to commend the gentleman from New York for introducing this legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, today we remember those who lost their lives 13 years ago on a day that changed our Nation forever. Yesterday Congress bestowed the highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, on the fallen heroes of 9/11. One of those was Todd Beamer, a high school friend of mine. Declaring, ``Let's roll,'' he and the other brave Americans on Flight 93 helped prevent further catastrophe while sacrificing their own lives in the process. This summer I had the privilege of touring the Flight 93 National Memorial and museum in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. There I presented a Wheaton Academy High School yearbook to be included in the museum archives. Construction is still underway on this moving tribute to the 40 heroes. Looking out over the crash site, I was reminded again that the world is still a dangerous place, and our freedoms are only a generation away from extinction. Freedom isn't inherited. It must be protected against those who destroy it. Honoring the sacrifices of Todd and all who perished on 9/11 requires we forever remain vigilant in defense of our Nation's cherished values.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. I want to thank my good friend from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the complexities of our Nation's health care system on the eve of the first open season since ObamaCare was launched. I want to offer a hope to the millions of American consumers who still need real solutions to help ensure that their families can obtain necessary and affordable health care. Today, our health care system in America has two faces. It can provide state-of-the-art care while, at the same time, can be one of the most complex and frustrating systems in the world. Americans feel the effects of these complexities every single day. They repeatedly put health care near the top of their list of issues that concern them, and they should be concerned. The system today has so many conflicting incentives, rules, and regulations, that few Americans have the ability to make sound and affordable decisions for themselves and their families. ObamaCare introduced a whole new level of fuzziness to an already opaque system. Families are increasingly worried that they will pay more and more for health insurance that covers less and less and lowers the quality of care. They search for long-term economic security, but find unsustainable costs instead. Even with the advent of the President's health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, many middle class Americans haven't found their health care to be more affordable, nor have they felt secure with the current system. Americans have a right to feel frustrated with the Affordable Care Act today. It is far from what they were promised. I have heard stories from too many of my constituents who received letters terminating their coverage, like Julia, from Gurnee, Illinois, or of others facing rising health care costs, like another who told me: ``I wonder if the administration ever thought about those of us who have to pay for our health care coverage with no extra help, and how much more we would be paying.'' Or of the employers who have had to eliminate health benefits, or of workers and teachers whose hours have been reduced because employers can't afford the higher premiums, or of families losing access to doctors they have known for decades. Those doctors also face conflicting rules that result in adverse consequences. They want to continue to provide care, but many are no longer accepting Medicare patients and must now require upfront payments for care just to keep their practice open. There aren't enough doctors and specialists to go around in the narrow networks. We have tried to address the long and sometimes life- threatening waits for veterans. Now is the time to address those long lines for everyone else. Surely, this is not the health care system we were promised, nor does it paint a bright future for the health status of Americans. That is why, on August 28, I convened the third Community Leadership Forum in Illinois' 14th Congressional District. Our topic? Health care. Our focus? The consumer. I assembled three separate panels to discuss issues ranging from the ACA and how it will continue to affect consumers in 2015, to how technology and innovation can improve health care outcomes, to how best to increase consumer access to and quality of health care. It was clear that there was a thirst for the community to come together. In the weeks preceding the forum, I was excited to hear about the panelists' enthusiasm. The forum included CEOs of local and statewide health care organizations and hospitals, CMOs and executive vice presidents of insurance companies, and, most importantly, my constituents. I heard about the issues directly affecting every level of our health care system. Most importantly, our focus remained on offering consumer- oriented solutions. Never before had I been confronted with such passion and desire to offer answers for our national health care system and work together to implement solutions. Today, I want to share just a selection of the great ideas that could help American consumers of health care. Many of these will be available in a full report I plan to release on my Web site, hultgren.house.gov, in the coming days. During the first panel, one of the primary challenges health care and small business insurance professionals discussed was how to ensure consumer choice and access to the broader market of providers. I heard numerous times about the need to reduce health care costs overall by pursuing a market-based system with less regulation. Surprisingly, the only sub-industry in health care that is lowering costs and increasing the quality of care is elective procedures, an industry perpetuated by market control. Insurance providers told me the difficulties they face operating within the ACA's demands and slim margins. Certain insurance regulations, like the medical loss ratio, exacerbate costs. These costs translate directly into higher premiums for constituents and businesses. Instead of encouraging higher quality of care and lower costs with advancements in technology and economy, we find ourselves moving in the opposite direction. Relieving these ineffective and inefficient mandates could be a first step to opening up more options for insurers and consumers. In the second and third panels, I heard from hospital executives and university innovators about the biggest challenges facing medical technology and innovation. With innovators and leaders in the biotechnology and medical technology industry at the table, I learned about the ever-present and insurmountable ``valley of death,'' the period of time between a potentially lifesaving device or product discovery and its introduction to the broader market. This period is encumbered by regulation and bureaucracy. In Europe, devices and medicines that show promise are approved and brought to market faster and more effectively. To help with technology transfer and to quicken innovation and its application, I learned about ways to fill the gap between discovery and investment. Legislation like the TRANSFER Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Chris Collins from New York, will help reduce the strain caused by the valley of death in the innovation process. Another method is the preservation of the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. One speaker recommended fully funding the FDA to speed the approval process to bring new devices to market in the United States. The conversation went so far as to talk about the intersection of education policy and scientific research, highlighting the need to make sure our kids receive the best STEM education our schools can provide. These conversations clarified that medical innovations are a vital component to strengthening treatments and reducing the costs in the health care system. Throughout the day, it was confirmed again that the current health care landscape is rocky and uncertain, but there are many who are willing and eager to work together to tackle these challenges. The House is also eager to work hard to help fix our health care system. Numerous times the House has said ``yes'' to fixes and alternatives that address our system's deep challenges. We don't need to wait for our health care system to get worse before it gets better. We can work to fix it now. Americans have a right to feel frustrated with the ACA today. It is far from what they were promised. But that should only spur us onward. We are only months from the start of open enrollment, November 15. The question is, can all of us, in Congress, in health care, and constituents, work together to bring much-needed reform to our health care system? Can we raise the quality of care our country offers while lowering costs for Americans across the country? I believe we can, and I trust these solutions will help get us there. I want to thank my good friend from Texas for yielding me time.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Hunger Action Month to raise the alarm of food insecurity and hunger that afflicts our fellow citizens. Many of us cannot imagine going to bed hungry and then waking up still hungry, but this is the sad reality for far too many people. Nearly 200,000 of those who are food insecure in northern Illinois--one in five--are children who lack adequate food and nutrition to grow up healthy. Chicago's suburban hunger grew by a stunning 99 percent over the past decade, notwithstanding the great efforts of hardworking volunteers at places like the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Between Friends Food Pantry, and Kendall County Food Bank. I have seen firsthand their service to our communities. This September let's redouble all of our volunteer efforts and use our resources to help our neighbors in need. Colder months are up ahead when families feel the harsh brunt of food insecurity. It takes the effort of community to care for our neighbors, as Jesus called us to do without judgment or stigma. Whatever we do for these, the least of these, we do for Him.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. I would like to thank the distinguished chair of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the gentleman from Texas, for helping this legislation come to the floor. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2495, the American Super Computing Leadership Act, is an important update to a current statute which will ensure that America stays at the forefront of supercomputing technology for the benefits it brings to our national security, the economy, and, more broadly, our research capabilities as a Nation. While America and American companies are still leading the way for much of this current technology, it is important to point out that the National University of Defense Technology, in China, is now housing the world's fastest supercomputer. One of the Department of Energy's primary responsibilities within the National Nuclear Security Administration is the maintenance of our current nuclear stockpile. This stockpile stewardship responsibility is carried out with increasingly complex situations, especially as our stockpile has aged. The need for improved parallelism, capabilities, and decreased energy requirements are spelled out in this legislation to ensure the Department carries out a targeted basic research program to overcoming the most pressing needs. This legislation also points out and defines exascale as the next checkpoint to be accomplished. Exascale computers would exceed existing computing power by nearly 10,000 percent. I would like to point out, however, that exascale cannot be seen as the end point. It is just a step toward the larger goal of American leadership in this field. This legislation will ensure that the broader scientific community has access to these facilities on a competitive merit review process. The scientific drivers and the national security responsibilities should be the primary focus of this research, but we must also make sure that the crosscutting benefits of this research are not left at the wayside. This legislation would create partnerships with universities, industry, and the national labs to conduct the research, ensuring that the Nation as a whole benefits from this research more quickly and efficiently. In having the pleasure to represent the great State of Illinois, I have been able to witness how an ecosystem of innovation can best be fostered, and part of this is by making sure that our facilities are open to the public when it makes sense and does not interfere with the core missions of our Federal agencies and the labs. I have been able to see how Fermilab, in my district, and Argonne National Lab, which is just down the road, carry out groundbreaking scientific research, but they also have unintended crossover benefits, such as proton beam cancer therapy, which uses accelerators developed in our labs. User facilities, such as the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne, have given a tremendous research capability to pharmaceutical companies, where companies doing research that used to take weeks can often spend more time with samples in the mail than on the lab bench. The computing capabilities this legislation will help bring about will have tremendous application in the health care and drug development fields, and the modeling simulations this will make available will allow manufacturers to build better prototypes that have been tested thousands of times virtually before they come off the line. This is why I ask all of my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on this important legislation.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, Abraham Lincoln once said, ``Commitment is what transforms a promise into a reality.'' It's with these words in mind that I rise today to recognize Vince and Pat Foglia for their extraordinary spirit of generosity and commitment to people with disabilities in their community as manifested by their years of service and support of the work done by the Pioneer Center for Human Services in McHenry, Illinois. On June 20, 2014, I was honored to salute them when they received the inaugural ``Make Change'' Award presented by the Center. For years, Pioneer Center has lived out its mission of ``empowering individuals to achieve their full potential.'' It engages people of all abilities throughout the community through innovative, effective, and compassionate services. This includes employing and finding meaningful job opportunities for exceptional people to achieve individual and organizational excellence. When Pioneer Center was in search of client work opportunities, it approached Vince and Pat, and in typical fashion their response went beyond expectations. As chairman of the board of Sage Products, a global leader in the innovation and manufacture of disposable heath care products, Vince understands the meaning of work to people with disabilities. He immediately agreed to partner with Pioneer Center and provide work for the clients. Vince further ``transformed a promise into a reality'' by hiring Pioneer clients as employees of Sage. Vince and Pat take pride in knowing their employees personally--a reflection of their heartfelt compassion for helping others. Vince and Pat also funded the client computer lab at Pioneer Center that included specialized equipment for people with disabilities. But their benevolence isn't limited to providing opportunities and monetary support. In keeping with their passion and commitment to give back, Vince and Pat have made it a point to stay engaged with Pioneer Center seeking opportunities where they can meet whatever challenges confront Pioneer Center so that they can continue to make a difference in others' lives. Vince and Pat, how fitting it is for you to be honored with the ``Make Change'' Award, for your acts of compassion and dedication to helping others have surely made an impactful change for those whose lives and circumstances you touch. It is with great privilege and heartfelt appreciation that I take this opportunity to recognize you both for your work and charitable spirit. Your commitment has indeed transformed the promise of hope into the reality of a better future for so many people. For that I wholeheartedly thank you and congratulate you on your well-deserved award.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Thank you so much. I want to thank my good friend from Georgia for hosting this hour. It is so important to talk about what really matters to people--our constituents, hardworking families--who are just trying to make it through, to get by, and to have hope for a bright future. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight, troubled over a recent email I received from a constituent of mine. Jessica from Lake in the Hills in Illinois wrote me with concern about her current economic condition. She is a single mother with two teenagers, but like many Americans, she recently lost her job amidst the slow economic recovery. Of course, she is greatly concerned about providing for her children, now that her main source of income has dried up. As Gallup recently confirmed, many Americans like Jessica are having to spend more on items they have to buy and less on items they choose to buy. This mandatory spending is squeezing out everything else in their budgets. The rising costs of basic necessities, like groceries, gas, and utilities for middle class families like Jessica's, smothers them as the cost of day-to-day living goes up and up. At the end of the month, there is little left over for them to choose to buy something for their homes, for their families, or for themselves. This is heartbreaking and frustrating because the House has passed legislation to lower energy prices, create jobs, improve work-life balance, and do many other things to help people. Energy prices are an ever-present concern for Americans who drive their kids to school, commute to their jobs, cool their homes, run their manufacturing plants, or harvest their crops. The House passed Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act, and it would do just that, cut prices at the pump by opening new Federal lands to energy development. The Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act would grow Main Street jobs by reducing regulatory burdens on American businesses. The Working Families Flexibility Act would help workers better manage their work-life balance. That is especially crucial for families like Jessica's who are stretched thin between caring for their families and working just to earn a living. The House has also acted on behalf of veterans, and I am so proud of this. When our servicemen and -women return home, the last thing they should have to worry about is unemployment. It is our duty in Congress to ensure there are jobs available for our veterans, but the employer mandate in the President's health care law has discouraged many small businesses from hiring more workers at a time when our economy is still struggling to recover. H.R. 3474, the Hire More Heroes Act, is commonsense legislation that relieves the employer mandate burden on businesses that want to hire veterans. It is just astounding to me that the Senate still refuses to take up this legislation that would help our veterans. Still, I do have hope. I have hope that we can work across the aisle to help address the problems of the middle class. That is what the American people sent us here to do. Just this month, the House and Senate passed and the President signed H.R. 803, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or the SKILLS Act, which helps reform and modernize our Federal jobs training programs. By 2022, our country will lack millions of skilled workers with degrees beyond high school, such as paralegals, welders, radiology technicians, and police officers. Federally funded job training programs help Americans of all working ages gain the knowledge and skills necessary to reenter the workforce, retrain for new jobs, or increase their value to their current employers. When far more people in my home State of Illinois have given up looking for work and have left the workforce than have found new jobs, our communities need the tools necessary to match available jobs with available and trained workers. H.R. 803 will help put local workforce investment boards in the driver's seat to tailor their services to fill the local jobs of the 21st century. It also streamlines a confusing maze of programs and ensures the business community's voice is heard, putting businesses above bureaucrats. At the same time, it ensures that we have strong accountability over the use of taxpayer dollars. H.R. 803 is a good example--when regular order is followed and both sides agree to talk and work out their differences--that the House can pass important legislation. We have also passed the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, a bill I cosponsored, which permanently prevents States and local governments from taxing Internet services. Taxing the on-ramp to the Internet is just bad policy. It hurts lower income families the most and penalizes Americans for communicating with family or for looking for a job online. Again, this bill passed with strong bipartisan support. The Science Committee recently passed the RAMI Act, which will help the strong manufacturing base we have in Illinois and others across the country. The bill creates a network of nationwide regional institutes, each specializing in the production of a unique technology material or process relevant to advanced manufacturing. Small- and mid-sized manufacturers can expand their research and development capabilities and train an advanced manufacturing workforce. The Senate also introduced a companion bill, and I trust the RAMI Act will become law soon. When it does come down to it, I truly believe we can all agree on about 80 percent of the issues facing this Nation. Building relationships and working on common goals can help us address the other 20 percent without being divisive. But where does this leave middle class families right now? They are still finding their paychecks don't go as far as they used to go. Energy prices are still high, and groceries aren't getting any cheaper. More than 350 bills are stuck in the Senate. Many of those would help Americans get back on their feet again. We don't need political posturing. We need real solutions for hardworking individuals and families. Let's help families like Jessica's and get these bills passed through the Senate now.

Mr. HULTGREN. I agree with you. And families like Jessica's can't afford to wait any longer. They want help. They are not looking for something to be given to them. They are just looking for opportunity. They are looking for hope, and that is the legislation that we have passed, any legislation like this that just makes sense. As I travel around my district, it is in the western suburbs of Chicago. As I travel around and talk to job creators, small businesses, entrepreneurs, people who are starting up small businesses or want to start up small businesses, I ask them over and over again--I would love for them to hire 20 more people, but I ask: What would it take for you to hire one more person, just one more person? And over and over again it is common themes of: deal with the things that are causing us to struggle. They are convinced they can continue to make a great product, provide a great service, serve their customers, beat all competition all throughout the world if they can just have an opportunity, if government can get out of the way. Their fear is uncertainty that is coming out of Washington, D.C., uncertainty under high taxes, increase of taxes and different things, so much regulation that is out there, and now the high cost of health care, uncertainty there as well. We have taken some commonsense steps, as my good friend from Georgia has pointed out so well. So many of these votes have been strong, bipartisan votes, people on both sides of the aisle working together, cosponsors on both sides of the aisle getting this done, oftentimes with well over 300 votes, and yet it languishes over in the Senate. 356 bills stuck in the Senate. It is about time that we get that moving. Families like Jessica's, so many other families across this Nation want that help, want us to get out of the way, want the Senate to act, move things forward, and have that hope and opportunity once again. I thank my good friend from Georgia.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Human Trafficking Prioritization Act, H.R. 2283, and commend my friend and colleague from New Jersey, Representative Chris Smith, for introducing it. The State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, or J/TIP, does a fantastic job of maintaining U.S. leadership and accountability in the worldwide effort to combat human trafficking. More than 130 countries have created or strengthened their antitrafficking laws largely due to J/TIP's work. Among other provisions, this bill raises the status of the J/TIP office to that of a bureau, preventing countries and other bureaus from gaming the tier ranking system. It also achieves this without any additional bureaucracy or cost to the taxpayers. As a member of the Congressional Human Trafficking Task Force, working with the congressional leadership, J/TIP, and antitrafficking groups, I know it is crucial to keep this fight from being consumed in a bureaucratic shuffle. I thank Congressman Smith for his leadership and look forward to Senate passage of H.R. 2283.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Human Trafficking Prioritization Act, H.R. 2283, and commend my friend and colleague Rep. Chris Smith for introducing it. Congressman Smith is a leader in the global fight against sex slavery and I thank him for all he has done and the leadership he continues to provide. The State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) does a fantastic job of maintaining U.S. leadership and accountability in the worldwide effort to combat human trafficking. Today, human trafficking represents a modern form of slavery. It is a crisis that victimizes 21 million people worldwide. In my home state of Illinois, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center estimates 25,000 women and girls are exploited each year by sex traffickers. More than 130 countries have created or strengthened their anti- trafficking laws largely due to the work carried out by the J/TIP. It's important, therefore, to provide the J/TIP with the standing it needs to maintain the momentum that has resulted in increased prosecution of traffickers, protection of victims, and prevention of human trafficking. The Human Trafficking Prioritization Act does just that. By raising the status of the J/TIP ``office'' to that of a ``bureau'' and encouraging the Secretary of State to upgrade the ``ambassador-at- large'' position to that of an ``assistant secretary,'' H.R 2283 builds upon the acknowledged accomplishments of the J/TIP. It will give the J/TIP and the Ambassador-at-Large who leads it level standing with regional and functional bureaus within the State Department and prevent countries and other bureaus at the agency from gaming the tier ranking system. It achieves this without creating additional bureaucracy or additional cost to the government. As a member of the Congressional Human Trafficking Task Force working with the congressional leadership, J/TIP, and international anti- trafficking groups to end sex slavery, I know it is critical to keep the fight against human trafficking from being consumed in a bureaucratic shuffle. I am convinced that the Human Trafficking Prioritization Act will only serve to enhance the vital work undertaken by the J/TIP. Human trafficking targets the most vulnerable in a society. The Human Trafficking Prioritization Act will give the J/TIP the integration and voice it deserves within the Department of State to ensure nations are diligent in their efforts to protect the victims and punish the perpetrators of human trafficking. Again, I thank Mr. Smith for introducing this bill and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Mr. HULTGREN

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5120) to improve management of the National Laboratories, enhance technology commercialization, facilitate public-private partnerships, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5120, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 5120, the Department of Energy Laboratory Modernization and Technology Transfer Act, ensures that the Department of Energy has the tools it needs to allow new start-ups, small businesses, universities, and the general public at large to do what they do best: react to market signals and innovate. The Federal Government and the national labs fill a vital role doing the basic research needed to maintain America's role as an innovation nation. Far too often, however, the discoveries made in our labs get stuck in our labs. This is due to a number of reasons, and this bill seeks to break down many of those purely bureaucratic barriers. By extending the pilot for ACT agreements within DOE, the labs are given the ability to negotiate more flexible contracts with non-Federal entities that would like to take the lab's research and turn it into a viable product. This legislation would also grant the directors of the national labs the signature authority for many agreements with non-Federal entities. Currently, the Secretary of Energy must make these decisions, so decisions a lab director can make over a phone call in the course of a day must weave their way through unnecessary bureaucracy before they land on the Secretary's desk. This bill would streamline that process. H.R. 5120 also seeks to improve the Department's relationship with small businesses that can take part in the SBIR/STTR program, and it encourages the Secretary to enter into agreements with the I-Corps program at the National Science Foundation. Our national labs have been at the cutting edge of technological development, and we must always ensure that development is in the national interest. A discovery lost in the lab is a discovery wasted. That is why I would like to thank my good friend from Washington (Mr. Kilmer) for partnering with me in this effort, as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Nunnelee), who were founding members with me in creating the House Science and National Labs Caucus. Chairmen Smith and Lummis, as well as Ranking Members Johnson and Swalwell, were also key in this legislation coming together and bringing it to the floor. This is a true bipartisan, bicameral effort, as Senators Coons and Rubio have a similar companion bill on the other side of the Hill. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, our national labs, like Fermilab and Argonne, have been primary drivers of American innovation since the Manhattan Project, but many of their most important discoveries have been made in the past decade. Research produced there has enormous economic potential, but many times, their discoveries remain stuck in the labs. It is essential that we update cold war-era policies, acknowledge the rapid pace of technological change, and improve the lab's capacity to partner with private enterprise and convert their cutting-edge research into marketplace innovation. This bill does that. I am so grateful again for the cosponsors, especially Mr. Kilmer, for his work on this. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time either, so I yield back the balance of my time.