Blaine Luetkemeyer

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, which will celebrate its 30th Anniversary on April 2, 2016. In 1986, Saint Louis Crisis Nursery opened its doors to provide twenty-four-hour shelter and special care for children whose families have faced an emergency or crisis. Numerous areas are served by Saint Louis Crisis Nursery including St. Louis City, St. Charles, and Wentzville. For over 30 years, Saint Louis Crisis Nursery has provided protection for more than 98,000 children who were at risk of abuse and neglect. With the month of April being National Child Abuse Prevention Month, this recognition is well deserved for an organization that is working to prevent child abuse. The mission of Saint Louis Crisis Nursery is to keep Missouri's most vulnerable citizens safe from harm. Supporting and strengthening the fragile and the under-resourced is key to overcoming the cycle of neglect and abuse. In addition to providing shelter during emergencies, Saint Louis Crisis Nursery offers a variety of programs: parent education groups, home visits, teen parenting groups, art and play therapy, holiday hearts campaign, training institute, school supply drive, community outreach, and family emergency fund. These programs enrich the families in the community, which in turn encourages children to be raised in a healthy environment. Saint Louis Crisis Nursery started out with one crisis nursery location and has grown to five crisis nursery locations during the past 30 years. They have also established seven community outreach centers and a regional administrative office. The staff has grown from 12 to more than 100, and counseling/support services that started with assisting 435 families now touches over 6,000 lives. I ask you to join me in recognizing Saint Louis Crisis Nursery on their 30th Anniversary of serving the citizens of their community.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Logan Moriarity for his first place win in the 2016 Class 4, 170 pound weight class, Missouri State Wrestling Championship. Logan and his coach should be commended for all of their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to Jefferson City High School and their local community. I ask you to join me in recognizing Logan for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Major Michael F. Copeland. He is retiring from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office after 49 years of dedicated service. Major Copeland began his service in the Franklin County Sheriff's Office during his high school years. He graduated from Union High School in 1969 and continued dispatching through his college years. Major Copeland graduated from Meramec Community College with an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice in 1971. Major Copeland was the first civilian dispatcher in Franklin County. In 1997, he was a National Academy graduate from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The leadership and commitment Major Copeland has shown throughout the years is evident by the positions he has held. From 1971 to present, he has served as Deputy Sheriff (Detective Sgt.--1975, Captain--1981, and Major/Chief Deputy--1989). In 1975, Major Copeland, was the first K-9 handler, his partner was ``Smokey'', for the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. Major Copeland is a member of the St. Louis Major Case Investigations Squad and was the Lead Investigator starting in 1975 to 1983. He also served as a Death Investigator with the St. Louis County Medical Examiner's Office from 1993 to 2015. Major Copeland led the Missouri Deputy Sheriff's Association as its President starting in 2000 until 2002. Starting in 1975, he was the Coordinator for the Franklin County Law Enforcement Training Center and completed that position in 1983. During the years 1988 thru 1999, Major Copeland was the leader of the Franklin County ``Emergency Response Team". In addition to the numerous positions he has held--since 1971, Major Copeland has worked on every major case and homicide case in Franklin County. With this retirement, Major Michael F. Copeland can now spend more time with his family which includes: his wife Laura, son Jon, and his daughter Tamara. I ask you to join me in recognizing Major Michael F. Copeland on his retirement of 49 years of service to his community.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Sheriff Gary F. Toelke. He is retiring from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office after 41 years of dedicated service. In addition to his 41 years of service in law enforcement, Sheriff Toelke is also the longest serving sheriff in Franklin County history. He has served seven terms spanning 28 years. In 1969, Sheriff Toelke graduated from Union High School. A few years later, in 1991, he graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. Sheriff Toelke has worked in numerous leadership positions. He is the Past President of the Missouri Sheriff's Association and received the Sheriff of the Year award from the Missouri Deputy Sheriff's Association. Currently, he is a board member with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. During the years of 1970-1976, he served in the Missouri National Guard with the Military Police. In March 1975 until March 1977, Sheriff Toelke was the Deputy Sheriff in the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. Then starting in 1988 to present, Sheriff Toelke has been the Sheriff of Franklin County, Missouri. Most notably, during his time serving the people of Franklin County, Sheriff Toelke led the case when Abigale Woods ``Baby Abby'' was abducted. This case had national attention and ultimately ended with a successful recovery of Abigale Woods. Sheriff Toelke also successfully led the recovery of Ben Owenby ``Missouri Miracle'' which then led to the recovery of Shawn Hornbeck. These cases were emotional situations and Sheriff Toelke handled the situations with compassion and expertise which the families of the children will be forever grateful. With this retirement, Sheriff Toelke can now spend more time with his family which includes: his wife Sandy, daughters Carrie and Holly. I ask you to join me in recognizing Sheriff Toelke on his retirement after 41 years of commitment to his community.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Mr. Randy Schilling. He is receiving the Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in the Civic category from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Schilling started his commitment to revitalizing Main Street St. Charles in 1992. As founder of Quilogy, Randy made the decision to set up his business on South Main and also purchase five additional buildings on South Main which he ended up renovating. The dedication to preserving the historical aspect of Main Street St. Charles continues to this day. Mr. Schilling successfully modifies historic buildings on Historic Main Street for modern business purposes. The projects he has spearheaded have shown the importance of supporting the maintenance of these historic structures. One of Mr. Schilling's recent projects is his purchase and renovation of the old Post Office located on South Main Street. This 10,000 square foot office space will allow regional startups with affordable workspace for mentors, potential investors, programming, education resources, and a community of local entrepreneurs. As a native of St. Charles, Mr. Schilling has witnessed where St. Charles began and where it is going. He graduated in 1985 from the University of Missouri with a major in Electrical Engineering. Once he completed his undergraduate degree, he received his MBA in 1989 from the University of Illinois in Springfield, IL. I ask you to join me in recognizing Mr. Randy Schilling on this Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in the Civic category from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Mr. Don Boschert, Jr. He is receiving the 2015 Citizen of the Year Award from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Boschert has called St. Charles County home his entire life. Since 1978, he has been an Investment Representative with Edward Jones in St. Charles. During Mr. Boschert's time with Edward Jones, he has been recognized as a leader and was therefore named Regional Leader of St. Charles and Lincoln Counties from 1998 through 2004, and from 2001 through 2004, he served as a General Partner. Under his leadership, Edward Jones was able to expand from 19 branch offices to 50 branch offices. Mr. Boschert currently serves as a limited Partner for Edward Jones along with working with his son, Greg, in the heart of St. Charles. The commitment that Mr. Boschert shows to the projects and programs of the chamber continue to make the organization stronger. In 1991, he served as President of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce and also served as Chairman of the St. Charles County Convention Center and Sports Facilities for 3 years. In addition to those office positions, Don has served as President of the St. Charles Rotary, St. Peters Rotary, and United Services. He has held board positions with Crime Stoppers and the Academy of the Sacred Heart Golf Outing Committee. His volunteering spirit also positively affects the Boys & Girls Club of St. Charles and the Child Welfare Allocation Panel for the United Way where he has served as a board member. The River City Rascals benefited from his leadership where he was a Limited Partner from 1997-2006. For 33 years, Don and his wife, Jennie, have enjoyed life together in the St. Charles area. I ask you to join me in recognizing Mr. Don Boschert, Jr. on this 2015 Citizen of the Year award from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Mr. Dan Foust, Sr. He is receiving the 2015 Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in the Cultural category from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Foust has been a lifelong dedicated volunteer in the community. His membership with the St. Charles Lions Club started over twenty- seven years ago. During his time as a member he was instrumental in establishing and completing the McNair Park Braille Trail. In 2001, Mr. Foust, branched off from the St. Charles Lions club and chartered the First Capitol Lions club. From his many years of service during his time as a Lions member, Mr. Foust has received the highest honor a Lions member can--the Melvin Jones Fellowship award. The German Chapter of the St. Charles Sister Cities has benefited from Mr. Foust's membership for over twenty years. His fundraising efforts have allowed the St. Charles Sister Cities to expand the number of student exchanges from two students to four. This club allows students from Germany and Ireland to experience life in the St. Charles area. Through this program students are able to foster mutual understanding, friendship, and goodwill through cultural, social, business, and educational exchanges. In 2011, Mr. Foust started his Chairmanship position of the St. Charles Oktoberfest Festival. Under his leadership, this event has grown to over 100,000 attendees annually. This festival brings in funds to various groups in the area: First Capitol Lions Club, St. Peters Lions Club, Lake St. Louis Lions Club, Jonesburg Lions Club, Sister Cities of St. Charles, the St. Charles Jaycees, and many more groups. Other areas that Mr. Foust has served include: a twenty-five year membership with the St. Charles Parks Foundation, a twenty year membership with the St. Charles Raccoon Conservation Club, and serving in local government for sixteen years. He also served as a former director of the St. Charles County Municipal League. Mr. Foust enjoys time with his wife of thirty-six years, Carla and his four children--Carrie, Dan Jr., Justin, and Jason. His world is made brighter by his 16 grandchildren and will welcome his first great- grandchild in June of this year. I ask you to join me in recognizing Mr. Dan Foust, Sr. on this Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in the Cultural category from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Ms. Donna Gastreich. She is receiving the 2015 Chamber Champion Award from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Gastreich is a pivotal part of the chamber by the way she passionately serves the community. In the past several years, Ms. Gastreich has worked with various committees: Tech Communications and the Ambassadors. She is also involved with the annual Golf Tournament. Her commitment to planning Santa's North Pole Dash, the annual 5K run, is evident from her willingness to visit the businesses on Main Street that will be affected by the race. Once Ms. Gastreich has gathered the necessary information, she reports to staff so appropriate modifications can be made for the race day. Ms. Gastreich is a positive voice for the chamber and the programs they provide. I ask you to join me in recognizing Ms. Donna Gastreich on this 2015 Chamber Champion Award from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a constituent of mine, Mr. Merle Schneider. He is receiving the Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in the Humanitarian category from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Schneider is well known for his entertaining style of auctioneering and emceeing for charity events in the St. Louis area. His self-taught auctioneering skills have benefited numerous organizations for their trivia nights, dinner auctions, and most recently for events honoring our veterans. For the past 30 years, during the Christmas season, Mr. Schneider plays the part of Santa and brings joy to many children as he hands out candy canes and teddy bears. Santa Merle also annually appears at events for Toys for Tots, St. Louis Crisis Nursery, and also provides opportunities for photos with children while listening to their Christmas wishes. Numerous organizations have benefited from Mr. Schneider's emcee skills, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Duchesne High School Foresight Dinner Auction, Foodbank of St. Louis, Volunteers in Medicine, and Giant Steps for Autism. I ask you to join me in recognizing Mr. Merle Schneider on this Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in the Humanitarian category from the Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, it is certainly rewarding and heartwarming to see that the ladies and gentlemen on the other side of the aisle continue to support our bill from the standpoint they recognize that where there is a problem, Operation Choke Point exists, that our bill is the solution. The only thing they seem to have problems with is the part that we try and do something with the DOJ with regards to FIRREA. To settle that and enlarge on that discussion, I am proud to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Duffy), our Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee chairman who will provide some information with regard to that very thing.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time is remaining on each side, please.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just want to make a few comments here. It seems that the ranking member, as eloquently as she has spoken, continues to deflect from the bill we are talking about with regard to talking about mortgage servicing assets, the mortgage crisis that we had a few years ago. That is not in this bill. We are talking about Operation Choke Point, which is recognized by the Department of Justice. The Oversight and Government Reform Committee has a report from their own email showing that within their own agency there was a discussion among the legal staff, believing they didn't have the ability to do what they do. They thought it was illegal themselves to do what they were doing, and yet they did this. Mr. Chairman, for anybody who is listening and watching today, it should send a chill down their spine when you sit here and have the leading law enforcement agency in this country believe and know that they are doing something wrong and still do it. That, Mr. Chairman, cannot happen. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross), a cosponsor of the bill and a member of the Financial Services Committee.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am proud to offer H.R. 766, Mr. Chairman. It is a bipartisan piece of legislation that provides transparency and accountability among Federal banking regulators and the Department of Justice. This legislation comes in response to the abuse of authority by DOJ, FDIC, and other banking agencies under the action called Operation Choke Point, an initiative which seeks to deny legally operating businesses the financial services they need to operate and survive. The notion that Operation Choke Point is limited to payday lenders or the banks serving them is far from the truth. This initiative has spread across many industries, including tobacco shops, gun manufacturers and dealers, pawnbrokers, even a coal mine and an auto dealer. Even attorneys and data companies that serve these industries have been impacted. While regulators will tell you this activity has stopped, Operation Choke Point remains a very live issue. For more than a year, I have asked Americans impacted by this initiative to submit their story at our email address of chokepointstory@mail.house.gov. Just this week I heard from a payday lender in Missouri who recently received account termination notices from his financial institution. Gregory Bone, whose businesses have served borrowers in Branson, Pineville, and Neosho, has operated since 1998 and is registered with both the State of Missouri and the U.S. Treasury Department. On January 21st, there is a similar story from a credit bureau in California and, before that, a tobacco shop in Florida. The underlying problem here cannot be overstated. The Federal Government should not be able to intimidate financial institutions into dropping entire sectors of the economy as customers based not on wrongdoing, but purely on personal and political motivations and without due process. We have the internal DOJ and the FDIC memos that prove these motives that are driving Operation Choke Point. The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform did a fantastic job of putting together two reports that take the different agencies' own emails and show what is actually going on and the motivation for those actions. This program sets a dangerous precedent that shouldn't be permitted under any administration. William Isaac, the former chairman of the FDIC, appointed to the board by President Carter and named chairman by President Reagan, stated in committee that Operation Choke Point is the most dangerous government program he has seen in his 45-year career as a banker, a bank consultant, and as a regulator. H.R. 766 offers a straightforward approach to a complicated problem. First, it dictates that banking regulators cannot suggest, request, or order an institution to terminate a banking relationship unless the regulator has a material reason beyond reputational risk. The bill also strikes the word ``affecting'' in FIRREA and replaces it with ``by'' or ``against.'' This modest change will help ensure that broad interpretations of the law are limited and that the intent of the statute, penalizing fraud against or by financial institutions, is restored. It is essential that DOJ and financial regulators maintain the ability to pursue bad actors, and I fully support these efforts. This is something they must continue to do. But the checks and balances in this legislation would ensure accountability and would not hinder the ability to pursue those suspected of fraudulent activity. The provisions contained in H.R. 766 are reasonable. In fact, the FDIC used its authority to already put them in place. Agency policy now requires staff to track and document account termination orders, which must be made in writing and cannot rely on reputational risk. The willingness of the FDIC to put these standards into place tells other regulators that they can and should follow suit. I am proud the House is working in a bipartisan fashion to address this issue, including the passage of limitation amendments by voice votes in the 113th and 114th Congresses. Republicans and Democrats alike have talked to regulators about the dangers of such a program. Many of my friends on the other side of the aisle have expressed their concerns to me privately as well. This bipartisan legislation takes a responsible approach to curbing the malpractice we have seen. I want to take this opportunity to thank Chairman Hensarling for his outstanding support as we have gone through this 2\1/2\ year process. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 766. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Mulvaney), the cosponsor of the bill.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to submit extraneous materials on the bill, H.R. 766, to provide requirements for the appropriate Federal banking agencies when requesting or ordering a depository institution to terminate a specific customer account, to provide for additional requirements related to subpoenas issued under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, and for other purposes.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer).

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, can you tell me how much time I have remaining?

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer), who is the chair of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Hensarling, Ranking Member Waters, and especially my good friend from Missouri, the ranking member, Mr. Cleaver. We have had a labor of love with this bill, and it took two guys from the Show Me State to show them how to do it. We are excited about that, and I want to give a special shout-out to him. Mr. Chairman, when I took the gavel of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, I told my colleagues I wanted to work with them across party lines to make meaningful changes that benefit all Americans. H.R. 3700 represents a major step forward, one to reform a system that is in many instances outdated, duplicative, and burdensome. As a body, we should be committed to creating a more efficient government and greater opportunity for the American people and American businesses. H.R. 3700 helps us meet those commitments. This legislation promotes greater efficiency in housing assistance programs and modernizes outdated rules and regulations, which in some cases have not been updated in more than a generation. H.R. 3700 streamlines the inspection protocol for rental assistance units, simplifies the income recertification policies for assisted households, clarifies homeless assistance program requirements, delegates rural housing loan approval authority, and provides targeted flexibility between public housing operating and capital funds. H.R. 3700 also gives State and local housing agencies and private owners enhanced flexibility in meeting key program objectives such as reducing homelessness, improving access to higher-opportunity neighborhoods, and addressing repair needs of public housing. The bill also, for the first time in over 30 years of public housing policy, provides a thoughtful limitation on public housing tenancy for over-income families. Importantly, this legislation also pays special attention to our homeless veterans and children aging out of foster care, two vulnerable communities that need our support today. H.R. 3700 does all of this and still manages to save the taxpayers money. CBO estimates that the underlying bill saves $311 million over 5 years. I will be the first to point out that H.R. 3700 will not necessarily change the world. It won't overhaul HUD or the Rural Housing Service, end homelessness overnight, or meet the overwhelming need for affordable housing. But it is a significant step in the long journey to reforming a broken system. The majority of the provisions in this bill were agreed to years ago by Members of Congress, housing advocates, and industry groups. H.R. 3700 is a set of solutions on which all parties, in Congress, industry, and advocacy, have agreed and can agree. Mr. Chairman, this legislation presents a bipartisan effort that has been drafted and debated over the past 6 months. I want to thank again Chairman Hensarling for his support and Ranking Member Waters for her work on the bill, which passed the Financial Services Committee in December by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 44-10. I also want to recognize my good friend, the ranking member, Mr. Cleaver from Missouri. Without his tireless efforts, this bill would be very difficult to have accomplished anything with. Housing policy isn't easy. It is emotional. It touches lives. It sets the stage for future generations. Because it is so important, it isn't always easy to find policies on which we all agree. With H.R. 3700, we have an opportunity to show the Nation that we are committed to working together, and with a diverse group of stakeholders, for the American people. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I urge the Senate to consider it without delay so we can break a status quo that benefits too few at the cost of too many.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce), the vice chairman of the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger).

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), one of our young and up-and-coming members of the Financial Services Committee.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), one of our junior members of the committee but one of the senior Members with life experience who can bring a lot of good discussion to this debate we are having this afternoon.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.