Leonard Lance

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Chairman, let me conclude by saying that the Iranian agreement is, of course, extremely controversial. It was voted down by the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, there was never any vote in the other House because cloture was not achieved. The President submitted the Iranian agreement as an agreement, not as a treaty, based upon the fact that legislation has been passed to make it an agreement. I think it is important that as a matter of statutory law we make sure that Iran not have access to the U.S. dollar, and that is why I propose the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, today marks a very important moment in the long and tortuous road to reform a mental health system that is broken and must be fixed. I joined the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy), a psychologist and my friend and colleague, and our former colleague, now U.S. Senator from Louisiana, Dr. Bill Cassidy, in a conference room in the basement of the U.S. Capitol in December 2013, where the three of us stood together and called on Congress to address a mental healthcare system in crisis, a system where millions of Americans suffer every year and are all too often pushed into the shadows by archaic regulations and an outdated Federal bureaucracy. 2\1/2\ years later, I am proud that the House stands poised today to pass the most significant reform to our Nation's mental health programs in decades. This bill includes provisions I have championed to help provide early detection of eating disorders and improve access to treatment coverage. This is an historic achievement, as it marks the first time Congress has addressed eating disorders specifically through legislation. I thank Subcommittee Chairman Murphy, Chairman Upton, and the entire Committee on Energy and Commerce for working together to pass this landmark mental healthcare reform bill and move us one step closer to providing millions of Americans and their families a chance at treatment before tragedy strikes.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Delaware Valley Regional High School varsity baseball team for winning the 2016 New Jersey Group 2 State Championship. After a season of hard work and determination, these talented young men defeated Delran High School 3-2 to bring home their first title since 1959. The team accomplished an unprecedented season performance with 18 wins. I congratulate superintendent Daria Wasserbach, principal Adrienne Olcott, head coach Marty White, athletic director Bill Deniz, and captains C.J. Schaible, Christian Hlinka, Scott Becker, Jake Brogan, and Kevin Delatte, as well as all of their teammates, for their hard work and dedication to the team. This marks another proud accomplishment for the Delaware Valley Regional High School Athletics Department. These talented young men should be proud of their hard work, and I congratulate them on the outstanding achievement of bringing the title back to their school. Well done, Terriers.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of this energy and water appropriations measure. The measure finally provides the critical funding to complete the Rahway River basin flood risk management feasibility study in New Jersey that will create a lasting solution to protect the communities of Cranford, Kenilworth, Maplewood, Millburn, Rahway, Springfield, Union, and the surrounding areas from severe flooding. For years, these municipalities have pursued this project on its great merits, and I am proud to have been the champion of these municipalities on the Federal level. This is a critical role for Federal representatives effectively helping municipal, county, and State officials navigate the Federal Government and ensure efficient services to the areas they represent. These municipalities have experienced severe flooding from the Rahway River, and they deserve the completion of the study and the implementation of a plan that will protect life and property. I thank the Mayors' Council and local leaders for continuing to advocate on behalf of their communities. I deeply thank Chairman Simpson and the Appropriations Committee for their thoughtful consideration of the study and their leadership during this process. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the measure.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I certainly thank Mr. Guthrie of Kentucky and Mr. Gene Green of Texas for their leadership on this overall issue. We on the Energy and Commerce Committee have worked in a completely bipartisan fashion on this terrible crisis that affects the American people. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4976, the Opioid Review Modernization Act. I thank Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney from the State of New York for his partnership on this legislation, and I certainly thank Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Pallone of the Energy and Commerce Committee for leading this and many other bipartisan bills to passage today that address this pressing national issue. This bill and the larger package together are a great step forward in the fight against the scourge of drug addiction. In my home State of New Jersey, we face a drug epidemic that is hitting many communities hard, and that is true across the entire Nation. This crisis strains law enforcement and taxpayer resources, and, of course, tragically, it cuts too many lives short. H.R. 4976 targets opioid addiction's strong ties to prescription drug abuse and the issue of overprescription. Studies have shown healthcare providers write nearly 300 million opioid prescriptions a year in this country. That number is truly staggering. Our legislation will make sure that the Food and Drug Administration rigorously reviews the benefits and risks of opioid pain medications and how they are communicated to prescribers and patients. The bill reforms critical product approval and labeling decisions and encourages the development and approval of opioids with abuse-deterrent properties. Our Federal health agencies must be working in concert with the medical and pharmaceutical communities to combat drug abuse, and this legislation helps make that happen. Just last week I met with Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Prosecutor Anthony Kearns on what law enforcement is doing on the ground level to fight this epidemic. In New Jersey, Mr. Speaker, the county prosecutor is the equivalent of the county district attorney in most States across the Nation. Public servants like Prosecutor Kearns and others are doing all they can to protect our children and keep our local communities drug free, but this legislative package will help in their efforts and give them and other governmental entities more critical tools. Those in Washington and local leaders need to be working together for the benefit of the American people. H.R. 4976 and the larger package will work toward that goal and ultimately help combat this drug abuse crisis.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to note a special distinction for several communities in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District. New Jersey Family magazine has named several towns in the congressional district I serve as being among the top 50 best towns for families in the Garden State. Nearing the top of the list, at second place, is Montgomery Township in Somerset County. Joining Montgomery on the top 50 list are Bethlehem, Berkeley Heights, Branchburg, Chester Township, Clinton Township, Cranford, Hillsborough, Lebanon, Long Hill, New Providence, and West Amwell. I know these communities, and my wife and I live in Clinton Township. Each has excellent public schools, a strong local spirit, and each is a great place to plant roots and raise a family. I congratulate the local leadership in these municipalities, the elected officials and community leaders--nearly all of whom are volunteers--for the excellent management of these towns. Each is very deserving of this recognition.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I commend Dr. Roe for his significant effort in this regard. I oppose the Department of Labor's recently finalized fiduciary rule. The new regulations will generate nearly 57,000 paperwork hours per year and cost Americans billions of dollars in duplicative fees. It will hurt hardworking, middle-class American families as a similar rule hurt hardworking, middle-class British families. We have proof of this based upon what has happened in England. Bipartisan legislation already advancing in the House protects access to affordable retirement advice, and that is the appropriate way to implement changes in the law. I urge all my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 88 and oppose this most recent effort by the executive branch to bypass Congress and the American people and enact controversial policy by fiat.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Chairman, as a member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I rise in strong support of Mr. Kinzinger's bill. The Internet has dramatically changed the global economy and how every one of us lives daily life. It is the great equalizer, providing an open platform to boost innovation and job creation, expand expression and free speech, as much as any invention in history. But some unelected officials here in Washington are eager to regulate it, and some in office across the country are eager to tax it. We must prevent both. The prosperity and opportunity we have come to know from the Internet will be compromised if Internet access becomes another victim of an overweening governmental agency. The apps on your mobile phone and for your online accounts, your social sphere and your personal and professional information come not from the permission of unelected officials, but from the work of innovators who have invented this 21st century technology. They must remain empowered to continue their innovation. We cannot allow the government a foothold for Internet control. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support H.R. 2666.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 483) to improve enforcement efforts related to prescription drug diversion and abuse, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong support of Speaker Ryan's House Resolution 639. Like many of my colleagues, I continue to oppose President Obama's illegal amnesty program, and I have long believed that the proper venue to challenging the President's overreaching actions is primarily in the courts of this country. To this end, I was 1 of 68 Members of Congress--and the only member from the New Jersey delegation--to sign an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit brought by a coalition of 26 States against the President's executive order on immigration. As a lawyer who has practiced constitutional law in my home State of New Jersey, I have tried to study these issues closely. There is no gray area: Congress writes the laws, and the executive branch enforces them. The executive overreach consistently taken by this administration demonstrates not only contempt for law, but a disregard for the critical balance of powers central to our Constitution. The American system of self-governance would not be as strong as it is if it were not for these bedrock principles. Today, we have unelected officials in Federal agencies writing our laws. The executive branch is appropriating taxpayer funds without authorization from Congress, and departments are selectively deciding which laws to enforce. Prosecutorial discretion cannot be expanded to break the rule of law, as I am confident the Supreme Court of the United States will rule. I applaud Speaker Ryan for pursuing an amicus brief to defend our Article I powers under the Constitution. Given the President's gross executive overreach, it is essential for this institution to respond as a whole. This action today is not only prudent, but an important and necessary step in defense of the Constitution and the rule of law. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support House Resolution 639.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of reforming our Nation's broken mental health care system. Too often we are reminded that the country's mental health care system is not working nearly as well as should be the case. Many Americans hide behind the curtain of shame and insecurity while many others lack access, assistance, or even information on how they may receive treatment. It is a vicious cycle, where the vulnerable who need the most care are instead left out of society, unemployable, and, in some cases, a danger to themselves and others. Recent data suggests that fewer than one-third of Americans with diagnosable mental illness actually get treatment. Experts also estimate that more than half of those who suffer from severe mental disorders do not receive treatment in any given year. At least 25 percent of returning troops from Iraq and Afghanistan will experience some type of mental health condition. We owe our servicemen and -women and veterans this effort to get them the care they need and deserve. I am proud to partner with Democratic Congresswoman Doris Matsui of California, with whom I serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, in recently introducing a bill to significantly expand access and strengthen community mental health and behavioral health services across the country. The Expand Excellence in Mental Health Care Act aims to expand mental health care planning grants in two dozen States, including New Jersey, through an initiative based on our 2014 Excellence in Mental Health Act that was signed into law by President Obama in 2014. This measure is directly tackling one of the most significant mental health care challenges: access. The Expand Excellence in Mental Health Act will enable more States to experiment with the tools and practices to fix this broken system. By expanding the law to include more States, we encourage greater collaboration and testing to find out what solutions work, how best to care for those who need treatment, and what we can do to keep the people of the United States safe. The Excellence in Mental Health Care Act is one of the most significant works Congress has already passed into law on mental health care. We should expand it and keep the momentum going. I am also proud to be working with Republican Congressman Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania on this issue. Dr. Murphy, who has a Ph.D. in psychology, has been using his expertise to lead a serious discussion in the House Energy and Commerce Committee on this critical issue. His Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, which I am proud to cosponsor, takes a clinical approach to supporting families and individuals undergoing sudden or long-term mental health crises. The bill views those who need care through the mental health lens, not just through the criminal justice system. Our work on these bills is part of a larger conversation on improving mental health care in this country. These bills will help struggling families who seek the best care for their loved ones. It will help those who fear stigma to get the care they need and will give our servicemen and -women and veterans the care they deserve. I urge support for these measures, and I welcome all good ideas to the table for reforming our mental health care system.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Chair, this is the way Congress should work, in a bipartisan capacity on an issue of importance to better the health of the American Nation. As is so often true of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, we work in a bipartisan fashion. It is the committee of jurisdiction for so many of the issues that reach this floor, with the support in committee and in subcommittee of both Republicans and Democrats. Legislation coming out of our committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee, is legislation that passes here on the floor, goes over to the other House, and is eventually signed into law by the President of the United States. I am pleased that we are working closely with the other elected branch of government in this area. I commend Congressman Bucshon, Dr. Bucshon, for his legislation that will so improve the issue we are discussing, and I think that Medicaid providers is an important matter for the entire Nation. I also compliment Congressman Collins of New York for his involvement on this issue. With a program as large as Medicaid, it will always be a target for those who engage in fraud, but we can work to limit the impact of those who engage in fraud. The Congressman's bill is a positive step in that direction. It will save millions of dollars and send a message loud and clear that bad actors in one State should not be allowed to participate anywhere. Medicaid-managed care plans already provide a network of doctors and nurses to care for patients. The requirement in this bill ensures that patients in fee-for-service Medicaid programs do not have to fend for themselves. Research has shown that access to doctors can be a problem for Medicaid beneficiaries, so this commonsense step will help ensure beneficiaries are empowered with better information and that this happens across the board. I thank Dr. Bucshon and Mr. Collins, as well as the Health Subcommittee and its chairman, Chairman Pitts, and the full committee, including, of course, Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Pallone. Let's work together to ensure passage of this legislation on the floor of the House today.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and to celebrate the tremendous work of Dr. Angus Stewart Deaton of Princeton, New Jersey, who was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Dr. Deaton is a renowned academic, who is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the Economics Department at Princeton University. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences selected Dr. Deaton for the Swedish National Bank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for his work regarding consumption, poverty, and welfare. The work is of critical importance to the entire world. The Nobel Committee said in its selection announcement: ``The Laureate, Angus Deaton, has deepened our understanding of different aspects of consumption. His research concerns issues of immense importance for human welfare, not least in poor countries. Deaton's research has greatly influenced both practical policymaking and the scientific community. By emphasizing the links between individual consumption decisions and outcomes for the whole economy, his work has helped transform modern microeconomics, macroeconomics, and development economics.'' The Nobel Committee elaborated on its decision: Dr. Deaton received this year's prize in Economic Sciences for three related achievements: the system for estimating the demand for different goods that he and John Muellbauer developed around 1980; the studies of the link between consumption and income that he conducted around 1990; and the work he has carried out in later decades on measuring living standards and poverty in developing countries with the help of household surveys. Dr. Deaton is a man of the world. A native of Edinburgh, Scotland, he was educated as a foundation scholar at Fettes College and received his undergraduate, master's, and doctorate of philosophy degrees from the University of Cambridge, where he was later a fellow at Fitzwilliam College. He was a faculty member at the University of Bristol before coming to Princeton. He has studied and visited many nations, has used research and experiences from around the world to shape the direction of his work, and has written extensively on societal issues facing the global community. His spouse, Dr. Anne C. Case, is the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of Economics and Public Affairs and Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School and Economics Department at Princeton. She is also an accomplished and acclaimed faculty member who has published groundbreaking economic research. Angus Deaton has two adult children, and in their spare time, he and Professor Case enjoy the opera and trout fishing. Dr. Deaton is a superb professor, mentor, colleague, friend, and Princetonian. He is extremely worthy of this preeminent international honor. My wife, Heidi, and I and my twin brother, Jim, are proud to call Angus and Anne our friends. It is a great honor to Dr. Deaton's country of birth, the United Kingdom, and to his adopted country, the United States of America, that he has received this year's Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. It is also a great honor to Princeton University, whose motto is: ``In the nation's service and in service of all nations.'' On behalf of the Congress of the United States, I congratulate Professor Deaton. May he continue his momentous work for the betterment of the human condition in the many years that lie ahead.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Agnes Zhelesnik, who this week celebrates her 102nd birthday. Mrs. Zhelesnik holds a very special national distinction--she is the oldest working teacher in America. Mrs. Zhelesnik teaches home economics at The Sundance School in North Plainfield, New Jersey. Two years ago I visited her at The Sundance School. I was happy to meet her, tour her classroom and get to know some of her colleagues and students. They shared with me how her warm and friendly personality has made The Sundance School a wonderful place to learn. She is a favorite among the students and her enthusiasm for educating makes her a great teacher and staff member. On this special occasion, I thank Mrs. Zhelesnik for her years of public service and wish her continued good health and happiness.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. I thank Chairman Royce and Mr. Russell for their tremendous leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3662, the Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act. The detention and interrogation of 10 American sailors near the Strait of Hormuz is the latest in a significant list of Iranian acts of aggression against American interests since President Obama signed the Iran nuclear agreement in October. Thank God our sailors have been released. They never should have been detained. In recent weeks, we have witnessed two reported long-range ballistic missile launches, the revelation by Iran of a new underground missile depot, the firing of rockets near U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and the Tehran government continuing to hold American hostages. These provocations and the lack of response from the White House have merely emboldened Iran to increase its aggression. Iran believes it can act against American interests with impunity. I urge my colleagues to support the underlying legislation and to stop the lifting of sanctions on Iran that would provide billions of dollars in economic relief. Let's send a clear message that Iran's aggression against the United States and its allies will not go unchallenged by Congress. History will judge our actions on this issue as history will judge the President and the administration on their actions on this issue. Let history be the judge. Let's support H.R. 3662.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Thank you, Chairman Price, for your tremendous leadership on this and many other issues. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, the first ObamaCare repeal bill that Congress sends to the President's desk since the law's enactment in 2010. This bill effectively repeals mandates and taxes at the very heart of the law and saves taxpayers nearly half a trillion dollars over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Our action here in the House today is an important step toward replacing ObamaCare with patient-centric solutions that lower healthcare costs, protect jobs, and allow Americans to keep their doctors and their health care if they like them. To be clear, there is more work that needs to be done to make full repeal and replacement a reality, but our congressional efforts today provide important momentum to help make that a reality in 2017 with a new President. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 3762.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mrs. Sonal Shah of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, who peacefully passed away in November after a courageous fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Her life and advocacy were an inspiration. Undeterred by her diagnosis, Sonal lived every day to the fullest and her personal story was a profile in courage. I was privileged to know Sonal through her work on raising awareness about ALS and her fight for a cure. She would come to Washington to have meetings on Capitol Hill where she would tell her story, share the latest research and inform policy makers of what she and the ALS community needed in funding for public research and to spur private investment. It was during that time I came to know her wonderful family, including her husband and daughter, who have always been by her side. Sonal worked tirelessly. She passionately made her case and I was proud to work with her on legislation that will make a positive difference in the lives of many. And that was what was so remarkable about Sonal's fight. Even the most groundbreaking of discoveries would likely have come too late to assist Sonal in her own struggle but she remained committed against the scourge of this disease so that others might have hope. She was a hero in the ALS community and the turnout of love and support at awareness events, at the celebration of her heartfelt book and at laps around the Somerset ball field demonstrated people were compelled by her story. The fight against this terrible disease was made stronger by having Sonal lead it. She will be missed greatly. I know I will work in Washington with renewed vigor for this cause and will always remember Sonal's strength as we continue to work against ALS. While we have lost a beloved wife, mother, writer, advocate and friend, let us remember her spirit and perseverance in our own personal struggles and let her determination forever be a source of strength for us all.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act, which will strengthen the Visa Waiver Program in order to help prevent foreign terrorists from entering the United States. This legislation comes at a critical time. The heinous acts of terror and mass murder perpetrated in Paris and San Bernardino demonstrate the alarming strength and reach of ISIS and its allies. This threat is certainly not contained, and our fight against radical jihadists at home and abroad must be the Nation's most pressing issue. Passing H.R. 158 will close a dangerous loophole that we know terrorists will exploit to carry out acts of terror here in the United States. Terrorists such as the September the 11th so-called 20th hijacker, Zacarias Moussaoui, and the shoe bomber, Richard Reid, both used a Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States. We must be ever vigilant in the face of these great threats. I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 158.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, this week Americans for Tax Reform joins the chorus of advocacy and good government groups calling for Congressional Research Service reports to be available to the public. In its letter of support, Americans for Tax Reform said that opening CRS reports to the public is a commonsense proposal that will increase transparency, give taxpayers greater access to important information, and enrich public knowledge. The taxpayer advocacy group pointed out that the rules casting CRS reports into secrecy are outdated and unnecessary, and these reports belong in the public domain. U.S. taxpayers support the work of the Congressional Research Service to the tune of more than $100 million a year. It is fiscally responsible and good public policy to allow educators, students, members of the news media, and everyday citizens access to these taxpayer-financed reports. I urge my colleagues to join Congressman Mike Quigley and me in our bipartisan support of H. Res. 34, which will open CRS information to the public. These reports are paid for by taxpayer funds. Taxpayers should get to see them.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act. This comprehensive package focuses on significant portions of ObamaCare, striking onerous tax and mandate provisions, and laying the groundwork for a new President elected in 2016 to complete a full replacement plan of ObamaCare--not repeal--repeal and replacement. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the package reduces the deficit by nearly $130 billion and provides a 1-year moratorium on all Federal mandatory funding for Planned Parenthood, a moratorium to Planned Parenthood, but that funding is redirected elsewhere, to community health organizations that do a fine job across this country. Under the leadership of Chairman Upton, provisions finally end the ObamaCare fund, known as the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services billions of dollars to spend each year with little accountability. All Members of Congress should recognize that that responsibility belongs to us here in this branch of government and not in the executive branch. Funds from this program have financed questionable programs, and there has been waste. Some Democrats have joined in calling for its termination. The Energy and Commerce Committee sections also direct that the Planned Parenthood funding will go to other organizations' high- quality-access healthcare options both for women and men. Contributions from both the House Education and Workforce and Ways and Means Committees also include the repeal of a series of significant pieces of ObamaCare, including the repeal of the individual and employer mandates, the repeal of the 40 percent excise Cadillac tax-- and there is no one I know who favors that Cadillac tax, certainly those hardworking men and women who are in labor organizations in this country--and that forces people to accept different insurance coverage from the coverage they knew and liked, and it includes the repeal of the medical device tax, which increases the cost of care, discourages medical innovation, and harms job creation, particularly in my home State of New Jersey. Because the legislation was developed through the reconciliation process, it will be protected from a filibuster in the Senate and could be passed in that body by a simple majority. I call for majority passage in the Senate of the United States. Reconciliation is our best chance to send meaningful legislation to the President's desk. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Liberty Corner School of Liberty Corner, New Jersey for being named a Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education. The National Blue Ribbon Schools award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are being made in students' levels of achievement. Liberty Corner was cited as an ``Exemplary High Performing'' school, as measured by state assessments and national tests. This recognition is a testament to the outstanding work and dedication of the faculty and staff, as well as the efforts and successes of the students in creating a safe and welcoming school where students master challenging content. The curriculum at Liberty Corner School has prepared students to attend some of the finest universities in the Nation and the extracurricular activities, electives, leadership training and guest speakers offer students a wide array of academic experiences. Liberty Corner School's athletic program continues to grow as well, both in scope and success. This is a prestigious award to receive and Liberty Corner School is a proud example of academic excellence and worthy of this national distinction.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Voorhees High School of Hunterdon County, New Jersey for being named a Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education. The National Blue Ribbon Schools award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are being made in students' levels of achievement. Voorhees was cited as an ``Exemplary High Performing'' school, as measured by state assessments and national tests. This recognition is a testament to the outstanding work and dedication of the faculty and staff, as well as the efforts and successes of the students in creating a safe and welcoming school where students master challenging content. The curriculum at Voorhees High School has prepared students to attend some of the finest universities in the Nation and the extracurricular activities, electives, leadership training and guest speakers offer students a wide array of academic experiences. Voorhees High School's athletic program continues to grow as well, both in scope and success. This is a prestigious award to receive and Voorhees High School is a proud example of academic excellence and worthy of this national distinction.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Chairman, I commend Chairman Emeritus Barton's tremendous leadership on this issue. I rise today in strong support of the bill, bipartisan in nature, which will create thousands of American jobs, generate billions of dollars in revenues to States and locals, and use our Nation's natural resources as a counterbalance to the rogue actors currently dominating world oil markets. American energy brings security and independence to the world and jobs and economic development to the United States. It makes no sense that Iranian oil will soon be permitted to flow, but American-made energy is left untapped. It is time to end the outdated restrictions on the export of U.S. oil and, instead, work to create and protect tens of thousands of U.S. jobs, enhance our national security, and help keep prices at the pump affordable for all consumers across the country. American energy brings growth, prosperity, security, and independence to the United States and our allies. Our Nation should counter Iran and create thousands of U.S. jobs in the process. Please vote for H.R. 702.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Oratory Prep School of Summit, New Jersey for being named a Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education. The National Blue Ribbon Schools award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are being made in students' levels of achievement. Oratory Prep was cited as an ``Exemplary High Performing'' school, as measured by state assessments and national tests. This recognition is a testament to the outstanding work and dedication of the faculty and staff, as well as the efforts and successes of the students in creating a safe and welcoming school where students master challenging content. The curriculum at Oratory Prep has prepared students to attend some of the finest universities in the Nation and the extracurricular activities, electives, leadership training and guest speakers offer students a wide array of academic experiences. Oratory Prep's athletic program continues to grow as well, both in scope and success. This is a prestigious award to receive and Oratory Prep is a proud example of academic excellence and worthy of this national distinction.

Mr. LANCE

Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the National Day of the Republic of China and to highlight the close relationship between Taiwan and the United States of America. October 10th marks the anniversary of the creation of the Republic of China in 1912. National Day celebrates Taiwanese democracy, its culture and its accomplished people and this occasion provides the United States an opportunity to celebrate our great ally. As a leader in the Asia Pacific region, Taiwan has experienced incredible economic growth and stability throughout its history. With a population of over 23 million people and a trillion dollar GDP, Taiwan has proved to be one of Asia's economic engines. The Taiwanese economy has maintained an impressive economic growth rate and has risen to be the 10th-largest trade partner of the United States. Taiwan continues to be an example to other economies around the world. The friendship between our two Nations has been mutually prosperous since we joined in unity in the Pacific Theatre in World War II. With this year marking 70 years since the end of the War, our Nation should reflect on how this unique alliance has had such a positive impact on both countries. The trust and respect built between our two Nations since that time have resulted in tremendous technology innovation and global resources integration. The cooperation between Taiwan and the United States has enabled the two countries to enhance each other's strengths and nurture industries that create jobs and opportunities for both nations. The cooperation between Taiwan and the United States should be a global model for civility, respect, prosperity and peace. Mr. Speaker, on National Day we are all reminded how strategically important our mutually respectful relationship has been for the Republic of China and the United States.