Jody Hice

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Quentin Moses, a 10th District native, a star athlete, and a dedicated coach who tragically passed away in a house fire this past Sunday morning. I pray and grieve for the family and friends of Quentin, as well as the family of Andria Godard and her daughter, Jasmine, who also lost their lives. Mr. Speaker, Quentin Moses grew up in my home district in Athens, Georgia. He attended Cedar Shoals High School, starting his career as a defensive standout. He went on to play for the University of Georgia, was named first-team All-SEC on the Bulldogs' 2005 SEC Championship team. Following that, he spent 4 years in the NFL as a linebacker. He returned to our community in 2012, where he started coaching student- athletes at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Quentin's positive impact on the community was evident by the outpouring of love and condolences by coaches, players, and fans. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to rise and join me for a moment of silence to honor the lives of Quentin Moses and Andria and Jasmine Godard--precious lives lost too soon.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. I thank my friend and colleague for leading this Special Order and for taking the leadership on this very important issue. Mr. Speaker, I am here to try to implore our leadership to bring H.J. Res. 27 to the floor and, hopefully, to enable us, the Members of the people's House, to strike down this deeply flawed and deceptively written Death with Dignity Act that has been passed in the District of Columbia. This is not a bill about the elderly. It is not a bill about the sick and dying, as has been stated here. This is a bill that legalizes suicide. It actually attempts to normalize euthanasia. As you know, Mr. Speaker, this bill applies to individuals with ``a terminal disease.'' We all know that could be applied to almost anyone. We could have someone with diabetes, for example, who is able to live a perfectly normal life, in spite of the fact of having an insulin dependency, but without the insulin, it could be terminal--they would be. So this bill applies to individuals who also may have been misdiagnosed. I appreciate Mr. Rothfus mentioning Jeanette Hall. What a powerful story that is--someone who actually voted for this bill in Oregon, and then a few years later comes to find out that she herself has cancer. She tries to have her doctor help her end her life. The doctor urges her to fight to have treatment. She does so, and now 16 years later, she is alive and healthy. There is no reason for us to have this bill. If you look at the suicide rate in Oregon since that bill was passed in that State in 1997, they have 42 percent above the national average of suicide in that State. I appreciate Dr. Wenstrup, too. Just the flaws that he identified that this bill has are alarming. The fact that it, more than likely, will--certainly, the potential is there--lead to elder abuse. The bill has no requirement that the death certificate lists the real cause of death. It will just be required to say ``natural causes'' when, in fact, there was a lethal drug injected. The drug itself is not required to be disclosed. The bill does not require a medical professional to be present to administer the lethal drug. Furthermore, as was alluded to a moment ago, the bill bars law enforcement and, arguably, courts from reviewing medical records at the Department of Health, effectively potentially preventing them from doing their jobs in cases where there may have been foul play. Mr. Speaker, please know that this does not simply apply to D.C. residents but to those who reside in D.C., which would include everyone in this House. I urge my colleagues to join in cosponsoring H.J. Res. 27. I urge our leadership to bring this to the floor for a vote. I thank the gentleman for giving me the opportunity to speak.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Wyoming. Madam Speaker, regardless of attempts from the other side to distract and derail what we are discussing, the vote today is on the permanent application of the Hyde amendment, which would ban taxpayer dollars from being used for abortion. The truth is that taxpayers get up and go to work every day. They work by the sweat of their brow. The majority of them find the practice of abortion to be a serious violation of their personal beliefs. Under that situation and scenario, it is unconscionable that this body would even consider taking the money of those hardworking taxpayers and using their money to fund abortion. The Hyde amendment has traditionally maintained bipartisan support. It has been signed into law by both Democratic and Republican Presidents since 1976. In addition to that, the Supreme Court has upheld the law, doing so in 1980, ruling that, regardless of the freedom recognized in Roe v. Wade to terminate a pregnancy, there is not a constitutional entitlement to use taxpayer money to finance such an act. The Hyde amendment has saved the lives of roughly 300,000 unborn children annually. It is bipartisan, it has been upheld by the Supreme Court, and it protects taxpayers who have a conscientious objection. So I strongly encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 7 when it comes before the full House for a vote today.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my good friend, Chris Smith, for his leadership for so many years on this issue of life. He is deeply loved and appreciated, and I am grateful to be able to share this time with him as well. Mr. Speaker, I am sure it has been said this evening already many times over that since the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973, we have lost over 50 million lives. That is such a staggering number, but within that number, of course, are mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, all of them lost to abortion. This decision of Roe v. Wade, at the crux of the matter, is one that has the question: When does life begin? And with that question, I was reminded of the opinion of the Supreme Court Justice Blackmun. During that period of time when Roe v. Wade came into law, Blackmun made the decision and wrote in his opinion. He said: ``We, the Court, need not resolve the difficult question of when life begins. When those trained in the respective disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and theology are unable to arrive at any consensus, the judiciary,'' he said, ``at this point in the development of man's knowledge, is not in a position to speculate as to the answer.'' What a startling statement that was made. But here we are at this time, this body, at this point of our Nation's history, we have no need as to speculate on this question any longer. There is clear science that, without question, tells us when life begins. And life begins at conception. There is no question about this. We know inside the womb is a human life. And we know with that life, based on what we know of God and what we in our own country know from our own Declaration of Independence, the very first inalienable right protected is that of life. So I just believe it is time that we correct this wrongheaded decision that was made by the Court some 44 years ago. Even just recently, a couple of days ago, I introduced H.R. 586, the Sanctity of Human Life Act, which makes clear that life begins at conception. I certainly would ask my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this bill. I just dream of the time, 44 years from now, that we could be celebrating the right to life rather than 44 years from now looking back and mourning over yet another 50 million American babies who have been lost to the horrible stain of abortion. So, again, I thank you for your leadership, and I deeply appreciate the opportunity to join you in this Special Order.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of the late Honorable W.J. ``Bill'' Usery Jr., a man who left a legacy of service to our Nation and the Tenth Congressional District of Georgia, which I have the honor of representing. Mr. Usery was a native of Baldwin County where he attended Georgia Military College. Shortly after, he proudly served in the United States Navy repairing warships as an underwater welder in the Pacific Fleet. In 1952, he started his career in labor activism when he joined the International Association of Machinists. Following years of being the chief mediator in major labor-management disputes, President Gerald Ford appointed Mr. Usery as the United States Secretary of Labor, a post where he defined the modern era of labor-management and helped our Nation maintain its forward momentum and status as a global leader. During his tenure, our Nation witnessed better working conditions, better wages, better relations between labor and management, and an overall better way of life. Mr. Speaker, his advice and counsel were valued by the Commander-in- Chiefs whom he served, including Presidents Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton. The Honorable Mr. Usery was born, raised, and spent the last years of his life in Milledgeville, Georgia, where he continued to serve, making generous donations to his alma mater. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege to meet this remarkable Georgian this spring during a ceremony that I held in my district to recognize our WWII veterans, and it is with pride that I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable W.J. ``Bill'' Usery.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6416, the Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016. I commend Chairman Miller's and Congressman Roe's work on this important legislation. I'm pleased to say that language from one of my bills, the Protecting Veterans' Educational Choice Act, is included in this bill as section 415. This section will require the VA to inform student-veterans--on the front-end, before they spend a dime of their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits--about agreements between schools regarding the transfer of credits. Despite having access to Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, many veterans still end up having to take out student loans to cover the full cost of their education. In many cases, this is due to situations where veterans aren't aware that credits earned at one institution will not transfer to another school until after they have already expended a significant portion of their benefits. By requiring that the VA provide veterans with this information on the front-end of the process, this legislation will address flaws in the system where veterans--many of whom are first-generation college students--are surprised by this feature of higher education. Ultimately, decisions regarding how and where to use these benefits are rightfully left to those who served our country. Our veterans earned their benefits, and this bill will empower our veterans by arming them with the information and resources that they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 6416.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, what an honor it is to join my colleagues this evening in taking a moment to honor my good friend and fellow alum from Asbury College, Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Pitts. My friend, Joe Pitts, has spent his life literally engaged in serving those around him. In fact, early in his career, Joe and his wife worked as teachers to educate the next generation until he joined the Air Force in 1963. He answered the call of duty, serving three tours in Vietnam, where he completed 116 combat missions and earned the Air Medal with five oakleaf clusters. Just a few years after returning home from the war effort, Joe continued his service in his State and our Nation as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, spending some 24 years assisting his fellow Pennsylvanians. In 1997, Joe brought his leadership skills and his servant's heart right here to the Halls of Congress, where he has now served for 20 years. In this role and through his service as chairman of the Values Action Team, Joe has been a guiding force for bringing our Judeo-Christian ethics and moral values to Washington, D.C., and he has literally been a champion for the cause of life. In Mark, chapter 10, the Lord tells us that those who aspire to leadership must be great servants. Further, in Matthew, chapter 7, we find that we are recognized by our fruits. In other words, you can tell who someone is not merely by what one says, but by what one does. Joe, I would just say to you, sir, thank you. You have been tested, and you have shown yourself approved. We are all going to sincerely and deeply--genuinely--miss Joe Pitts. I hope, Joe, that as you continue in your next chapter that, in your absence here, we may each have a portion of your servant's heart, and how blessed this body will be if we do so. I just thank the gentleman so much for the opportunity to take a moment to say ``thank you'' to this giant of a leader here in Congress and how we will deeply miss him.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call No. 601 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 5015--the Combat-Injured Veterans Tax Fairness Act, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call No. 602 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 6427--the Creating Financial Prosperity for Businesses and Investors Act, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call No. 603 on suspending the rules and passing House Amendment to S. 1635--the Department of State Authorities Act, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia for more than 20 years of dedication and service to the people of Georgia. Since 1992, the food bank has worked to combat hunger and alleviate poverty by feeding children, the elderly, the ill, and those in need throughout the northeastern part of Georgia. Just this past October, my staff and I had the distinct pleasure of lending a hand to the hardworking staff of the food bank and saw their actions, which are indeed remarkable. Just this year alone, the food bank has distributed nearly 12 million pounds of food, which equals about 10\1/2\ million meals. This is truly an outstanding organization that continues to expand its reach and scope through its charitable contributions. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia for their outstanding service. I am honored deeply to have them in the 10th District of Georgia. I give my best wishes to the food bank and their staff as they continue to serve those in need.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, obviously I rise in strong support of this bill, H.R. 5047, the Protecting Veterans' Educational Choice Act of 2016. Let me just extend a very sincere and heartfelt thank you to Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Takano--who, by the way, is an original cosponsor of this bill--for their support of this bill and overall wide support for this bill. I appreciate the comments that both of my colleagues have made pertaining to this bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill, I believe without question, is the most generous educational benefit that our Nation has ever passed. As has already been mentioned, over a million student veterans have benefited tremendously from that particular piece of legislation. Some of the benefits include help to cover cost of tuition, books, supplies, even housing. Yet, in spite of all this, we still find that many of our veterans find themselves still having to take out student loans. Part of the reason for that is, as has been discussed by my colleagues, many of these veterans, as they are going to various schools somewhere in the midst of the process, discover that the credits that they have received from this school won't transfer over here; and somewhere in the middle of that timeframe, much of their GI Bill has already been spent, and so they find themselves in an extremely difficult and awkward position. I won't reiterate the details of this bill because it has already been done, but the basics of this addresses that problem, Mr. Speaker. It does not have anything to say regarding what school a veteran chooses. They are free to go to whatever school they want to, but what this bill says is up front they need to be aware of whether or not their credits will transfer to another school. They don't need to find that out on the back end. They need to be fully informed on the front end as they are making these career and educational choices. I think it is a shame for many of our veterans to feel that they have misused their GI benefits because they weren't informed enough from the beginning of this process. It is incumbent upon Congress, I believe, to ensure that our veterans have as much information as they need at the front end of their educational choices that will best benefit them and their families. Again, I strongly thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support. I believe this bill is going to go a long way in addressing this problem. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5047.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Pastor Bill Ricketts, who has faithfully served the Lord for 43 years at Prince Avenue Baptist Church, a treasure in the 10th District of Georgia. He has been in ministry since 19 years of age and has lived in accordance with the Word of God and in the service of others. Under his leadership, the church has literally flourished and become a cornerstone of the Christian faith in the Athens, Georgia, community and far beyond just Athens. Today, literally hundreds of pastors and missionaries have emerged from his 43 years as pastor at Prince Avenue. It truly is an inspiring story, and he is leaving a legacy that deserves the highest recognition. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate Pastor Bill Ricketts on his retirement as senior pastor at Prince Avenue Baptist Church. I am extremely grateful to have such a devoted man of God in our community and I am sincerely grateful for his friendship and his service. I give my best to Pastor Bill; his wife, Darla; and his family as they begin this new chapter. May the spirit of God continue to bless the Ricketts family and the congregation at Prince Avenue Baptist Church.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for leading this Special Order. Mr. Speaker, I rise, as have my colleagues, to celebrate one of the most significant and remarkable books in human history--certainly to my life--and that is the Bible. As a servant of Christ and, in fact, a pastor for nearly 30 years, it is my honor to join all of my colleagues this evening in recognizing the importance of the Bible and its incredible impact on my life, on many of our lives, and certainly on the life of our Nation. Mr. Speaker, the Bible speaks to the greatness of God. It speaks that he is the object of true worship, that he is the fount of all blessings, and that he is, in fact, our redeemer, our friend, our savior, and our judge. I don't even know where to start when it comes to having favorite verses. There are just so many. I read it daily. It is a part of the beginning of every day of my life. But one of those verses that I believe is so appropriate for right now comes from Hebrews 4:12 that really deals with the importance of God's Word in our lives. It very simply says that the Word of God is alive and active, that it is sharper than any double-edged sword, that it penetrates even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. I think our country has pretty much always recognized the unseen power of Almighty God as it relates to our fortunes as well as our destiny; and I believe now, more than ever, our Nation would do well to return again to the Bible for guidance in these critical days that we are facing. This week, communities, pastors, churches, and leaders all across America are going to be celebrating National Bible Week. They are going to be reading it. They are going to be reflecting on it. They are going to be talking about, in discussions and so forth, just how the Bible can help each of us lead a better life, frankly, because it points us to personal forgiveness and personal life transformation through faith in Jesus Christ. Mr. Speaker, I believe it is our responsibility as leaders in this country to remind Americans of the significance of the Bible to our individual lives, to our history, to our national life, and certainly to the culture that we have here in America. One of our late Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, actually did this while he was in a conversation with the son of a very close friend of his who was entering the mission field, and this statement, I believe, just says so much in this regard. He said: I have told you so many times that I consider the Christian ministry as the highest calling in the world, most intimately related to the most exalted life and service here and destiny beyond. But then, as President, he said this: And I consider it my greatest joy and glory that, occupying a most exalted position in the Nation, I am enabled, simply and sincerely, to preach the practical moralities of the Bible to my fellow countrymen and to hold up Christ as the hope and savior of the world. What a statement by one of our Presidents. Mr. Speaker, I just want to again commend my good friend, Doug Lamborn, for holding this Special Order. Obviously, we gain tremendous insight, inspiration, and guidance from the Scriptures. The light of God's Word shines through us most when we hold fast to these principles and apply them to our daily lives. Again, I thank the gentleman for this opportunity.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5523. In this day and age, the awesome power of the federal government can be difficult to fully appreciate for many citizens. Yet, when that power is used unwisely or unjustly, the consequences can be disastrous for innocent Americans. My friend and constituent, Mr. Andrew Clyde--for whom this legislation is named--experienced the full might of the federal government in the form of civil asset forfeiture. Four years ago, the Internal Revenue Service accused Mr. Clyde of structuring his bank deposits in such a way to avoid the $10,000 threshold reporting requirement of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1986--a law aimed at uncovering illegal drug transactions. Then, with no due process and no evidence, the IRS seized nearly a million dollars from Mr. Clyde. Mr. Clyde is about as far from a drug dealer as you can get: He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy who served three combat tours in Iraq, a successful small business owner, and an upstanding citizen in our community. None of that mattered to the IRS--who employed their powers of civil asset forfeiture to hold Mr. Clyde's money hostage, force him to spend $100,000 in legal fees, and ultimately surrender $50,000 just to make the whole outrageous ordeal come to a close. This flies in the face of due process--one of our Republic's most fundamental liberties. The IRS has seized tens of millions of dollars from Americans in cases just like this where no criminal activity was even alleged, much less proven in a court of law. Andrew Clyde and the other men for whom this bill is named--Randy Sowers and brothers Jeffrey, Richard, and Mitch Hirsch--have dedicated themselves to ensuring this injustice will not continue to befall innocent Americans. H.R. 5523 would limit the IRS's authority to conduct civil asset forfeiture under the Bank Secrecy Act unless the property actually originated from illegal activity or was purposely structured to conceal illegal activity. I commend the work of the House Ways & Means Committee on this important issue, and I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5612) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2886 Sandy Plains Road in Marietta, Georgia, as the ``Marine Lance Corporal Squire `Skip' Wells Post Office Building''.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann), from the State where this tragedy occurred.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5150) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3031 Veterans Road West in Staten Island, New York, as the ``Leonard Montalto Post Office Building''.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5676) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 6300 N. Northwest Highway in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Officer Joseph P. Cali Post Office Building''.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I, likewise, urge adoption of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5356) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14231 TX-150 in Coldspring, Texas, as the ``E. Marie Youngblood Post Office''.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady). We all, likewise, hope that justice will be served quickly. I thank him for his leadership. I urge adoption of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5798) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1101 Davis Street in Evanston, Illinois, as the ``Abner J. Mikva Post Office Building''.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5687) to eliminate or modify certain mandates of the Government Accountability Office.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.