Blaine Luetkemeyer

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chair, the bill we are considering today is made of six extremely partisan pieces of legislation. This package will not receive substantial bipartisan support and is dead on arrival in the Senate. Unfortunately, instead of working in a bipartisan manner to improve credit reporting for consumers, the majority has chosen to advance legislation that simply attacks an industry, to the consumers' detriment. I think the ranking member made a number of points a while ago with regard to the willingness of the minority to advance a lot of different solutions to some of the concerns that we all have, yet they were not heard. Each piece of legislation in this package has one of two goals--the first goal is to expand the authority of the CFPB over credit modeling; the second is to eliminate as much information from the credit report as possible--both of which will increase the cost of credit and make it even more difficult for low- and moderate-income families to receive a loan. If the financial institution is unable to analyze a risk, it has to increase the cost to be able to cover the additional risk. It is just that simple. In this Congress, we have had witness after witness come before our committee and praise and support the use of alternative credit modeling. Using alternative data can increase access to credit, particularly for low-income consumers and the underbanked. Instead of supporting efforts to modernize and increase credit access, the majority seems inclined to stifle innovation by requiring the CFPB, an unaccountable government agency, to determine what factors can be used in credit scoring. Putting the government in charge of establishing credit scores for consumers is a dangerous notion that strikes at the heart of economic freedom in this country. By eliminating the information that appears on the credit report, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are weakening one of the most objective and accurate ways to determine creditworthiness of borrowers. If lenders can no longer rely on a credit report to reflect the actual risk of a borrower, the lender will be forced to increase their rates to ensure they are pricing the additional risk they are taking. This increased cost of credit will directly affect the individuals who are on the margins, notably low- and moderate-income borrowers. While I think the majority may have good intentions with this legislation, government control of credit modeling and decreased access to credit for low-income families sounds like a disastrous recipe for our economy. That is why I am opposing the legislation, Mr. Chair, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this political charade that has tormented our country for nearly 3 years. If there was ever any doubt that this entire illegitimate investigation is 100 percent politically motivated, earlier this month, Speaker Pelosi actually admitted the impeachment process began 2\1/2\ years ago. Let me say that again. The Speaker of the House said publicly that the Democrats have been trying to remove our President from office since the day he got elected, simply because it was not the outcome they wanted. Another of my Democrat colleagues publicly admitted, in May, that the driving force behind their actions was: ``If we don't impeach the President, he will get reelected.'' This wasn't an investigation, Madam Speaker; this was a political crusade. In order to arrive at their Stalinistic, predetermined conclusion, House Democrats spent the last several months staging well- rehearsed hearings where the charges were drawn up by their own focus groups; Democrat donors served as witnesses; and Democrat staff served as judge and jury. Even with the odds so blatantly stacked against the President, Democrats still came up with absolutely nothing. A while ago, the Speaker spoke of the Pledge of Allegiance. The last phrase of the pledge is ``justice for all.'' Justice was not something afforded the President during the investigation. He was denied due process, something the Supreme Court said should be afforded in all congressional investigations. That makes this process illegal and illegitimate. What a shame. What a sham.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I was unable to be present for votes on Monday, December 9, 2019 due to an important meeting with constituents in my District. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 655, and YEA on Roll Call No. 656.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Hermann Bearcats volleyball team for winning the 2019 Missouri Class II State Volleyball Championship. This is Hermann High School's fourteenth state championship win in the history of their volleyball program. This team and Coach Phil Landolt should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the Hermann Bearcats volleyball team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Coach Bryant Wright on being inducted into the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Throughout his 18-year Hall of Fame career, Coach Wright's teams accomplished unbelievable success. He has led the boys cross country team to seven state championship, including the last five in a row, and the girls cross country team to two state championships. He has been a wonderful asset to the school and Festus community. I wish him many more years of success in all of his endeavors. Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Coach Bryant Wright on an extraordinary career and wish him all the best in his much-deserved Hall of Fame induction.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Fatima Comets cross country team for winning both the boys and girls 2019 Missouri Class II State title. This is the Fatima High School girls' sixth state championship and the boys' second state championship in the history of their cross country program. This team and Coach Marc Bridges should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state title to their school and community. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the Fatima Comets cross country team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Festus Tigers boys cross country team for winning the 2019 Missouri Class III State title. This is Festus High School's fifth consecutive state title. This team and Coach Bryant Wright should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the Festus Tigers boys cross country team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the St. Francis Borgia Knights volleyball team for winning the 2019 Missouri Class III State Volleyball Championship. This is St. Francis Borgia's eleventh state championship win in the history of their volleyball program. This team and Coach CJ Steiger should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the St. Francis Borgia Knights volleyball team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Helias Catholic Crusaders softball team for winning the 2019 Missouri Class III State Softball Championship. This is Helias Catholic's third state championship in the history of their softball program. This team and Coach Chris Wyrick should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the Helias Catholic Crusaders team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating DeAnna Price for breaking the American hammer throwing record with her throw of 256 feet and 8 inches. Overcoming severe injuries that put her athletic career in jeopardy, DeAnna bounced back even stronger to make history. DeAnna should be commended for her hard work and dedication throughout this past year and for breaking the national record. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing DeAnna Price for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mrs. Goldie Mae Hampton as she celebrates her 100th birthday. Mrs. Hampton will join the short list of Americans who have earned the status of centenarian on September 17, 2019. Mrs. Hampton is the daughter of Grover and Florence Pierce. She was born and raised in Lincoln County, Missouri along with her three siblings, Grover, Otto, and Idell. By the time Mrs. Hampton was only 16, she had met the love of her life, John Wesley Hampton, and knew she wanted to get married right away. In 1935, Goldie Mae Pierce and John, who went by Wesley, married and together they had two daughters, Elaine and Pamela. Over the years, Mrs. Hampton has lived an active and adventurous life. She and Wesley loved to travel all across the country in their motorhome. Their travels even took them to international destinations, including Israel. When she was not exploring, Mrs. Hampton was involved in the banking industry and would regularly assist with her eldest daughter's Girl Scout troop. Although she spent much of her time helping others, Mrs. Hampton still found the time to do some of the things she enjoyed most like square dancing, gardening, playing pinochle and dominos, crocheting, and ceramics. Mrs. Hampton now resides in St. Charles County, Missouri where she still enjoys staying active, spending time with her family and dinners out on the town. As a remaining member of America's Greatest Generation, she considers herself blessed and is grateful to have made it to 100. She counts each day as a gift and is determined to continue living life to the fullest--an example we all strive to follow. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Mrs. Goldie Mae Hampton as she celebrates her 100th birthday. May she continue to experience good health and the love and support by those she cares for the most on this momentous occasion.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Festus, Missouri teachers, Michele Kearns and Kelly Genova and the students of Festus' Quest K-8 Gifted Program for receiving the Environmental Protection Agency's Presidential Environmental Youth Award. Long before receiving this prestigious award, it all started last year with two teachers, Michele and Kelly deciding to come together and apply for a grant from the Innovative Technology Education Fund in St. Louis, Missouri. The pair successfully received $22,000 for their students. Unaware to them, with this grant, it was the start of a great journey for the students of Quest. Michele and Kelly challenged their students to apply their knowledge and skillset in the STEM fields to come up with uses of the grant funds that would be beneficial to the Festus community. The students identified a problem, came up with a plan to solve it, and worked together to execute their project perfectly. The students of Quest noticed that their city park had an awful mosquito infestation during warmer weather. Their goal was to eliminate the problem for park goers in an environmentally friendly way, and they did that with the invention of Pollinator Paradise. With Pollinator Paradise, the students of Quest designed, built, and installed homes for Indiana bats, mason bees, purple martins, humming birds, and monarch butterflies, all of which are natural pest controls, and pollinators. The end result was a more diverse makeup of wildlife and a more pleasant setting at the park. The students of Quest have demonstrated that no matter how small and young one might be, you don't have to wait to start making a difference and impacting your community. Earlier this year, Michele and Kelly decided that others needed to know what the students of Quest were accomplishing down in Festus, Missouri and applied for the EPA's Presidential Youth Award. Much to their surprise, they were selected to receive this prestigious award. As their Representative, I couldn't be prouder of this group. They are the perfect examples of the great things that can come from team work and dedication. I know this is only the beginning for Quest. They are our next generation of thinkers, inventors, teachers, doctors, and leaders, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for each and every one of them. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in congratulating Michele, Kelly, and all the students of Quest on this distinguished award and for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of Senator Roy Blunt, Congressman Sam Graves, Congressman Billy Long, Congressman Jason Smith, Congresswoman Ann Wagner, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, and Congressman William Lacy Clay to congratulate Seth Daniel Appleton on his confirmation to the position of Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. While working for two Members of our delegation, myself and Representative Sam Graves, Seth showed an exceptional ability of working across the aisle to achieve bipartisan policy solutions. As a legislative staffer he managed numerous policy areas including housing, banking, defense and agriculture. He excelled in his duties, eventually rising to the position of Chief of Staff in my office. It was in this role that Seth truly showed his ability to excel in housing policy. Working for the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance and with fellow Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver as the Ranking Member, they coauthored the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, which unanimously passed the House and Senate and was signed into law in 2016. Seth was a key part of the passage of this bill, advising me every step of the way. Madam Speaker, we are pleased that the U.S. Senate has confirmed Seth to be Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. Housing issues are not only of vital importance to our home state of Missouri, but to the Nation as a whole, and we have no doubt that Seth will find great success in this distinguished role.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Camdenton LASER 3284 robotics team on their great success at the 2019 FIRST Robotics World Championship. For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition is held each year for robotics teams around the country to compete and display their ingenuity. Camdenton LASER 3284 has competed in this competition since 2010, and every year the team has taken home numerous awards for their work and team spirit. This year, the team built a 125-pound robot, named Decennium, stemming from the Latin root ``dec,'' to commemorate their 10th year of competition. Decennium competed in the Deep Space FIRST Competition. The robot exemplified the team's creativity and bright innovation, making the quarterfinals in their division, bringing home the World Championship division Underwriter Laboratory Safety award for the third consecutive year, and receiving the highly esteemed Engineering Inspiration Award. This award is given to the team that most demonstrates outstanding success in advancing the respect and appreciation of engineering within the team's school, community and beyond. Camdenton LASER 3284 team is no stranger to hard work, building community, and team pride. This is evident in the history of the team's achievements, and this year because of their great success they have prequalified for the World Championship in 2020. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in congratulating the members of Camdenton LASER 3284 team, Maya, Vanessa, Zane and Nick for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Gabe Kurtz of the Camdenton High School Lakers for winning the 2019 Missouri Class IV State Javelin Throw Title. This is the second year in a row Gabe has won the state championship title. Gabe and Coach Nick Bruck, should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state title to their school and community. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing Gabe Kurtz for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Blair Oaks Falcons Baseball team for winning the 2019 Missouri Class III State Baseball Championship. This team and Coach Mike DeMilia, should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community. This is Blair Oaks' third state championship win in the history of their baseball program. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the Blair Oaks Falcons Baseball team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the St. Dominic Crusaders Girls Soccer team for winning the 2019 Missouri Class III State Soccer Championship. This team and Coach Greg Koeller, should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community. This is the first state championship win for the girls' soccer team since 2013, with many more to come. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the St. Dominic Crusaders Girls Soccer team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating my hometown high school, the St. Elizabeth Hornets Baseball team for winning the 2019 Missouri Class I State Baseball Championship. This team and Coach, Caleb Heckemeyer, should be commended for their hard work throughout this past year and for bringing home the state championship to their school and community. This is the first year since 1997 the Hornets have won the title, with many more good seasons to come. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in recognizing the St. Elizabeth Hornets Baseball team for a job well done.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Coach Linda Lampkin on her retirement after a remarkable 40-year career at Hermann High School. Coach Lampkin is a Missouri high school sports icon. Growing up in Berger, she spent her childhood in the same school district she would later dedicate four decades of her adult life to--Gasconade County R-I schools in Hermann, MO. At Hermann High she excelled in softball and volleyball before going on to play volleyball at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. In 1979 Coach Lampkin returned to Hermann to begin her teaching and coaching career. Throughout her years at Hermann High, she filled a variety of positions including: physical education, health, and weightlifting teacher; athletic director, assistant principal, and coaching both volleyball and softball. Starting as the assistant volleyball coach, she became head coach in 1980 and held the position for an astonishing 39 years. Throughout her Hall of Fame career, Coach Lampkin's teams accomplished unbelievable success. Her teams won 22 Four Rivers Conference championships, 32 district championships, qualified for the final four 24 times, and won 13 state championships. 49 young women who played for Coach Lampkin have received All State honors. It's safe to say if you played volleyball at Hermann High over the last 40 years, you experienced a great deal of success. Twelve times over the course of her career Coach Lampkin was named Coach of the Year by the Missouri Coaches Association. In 2011, she was named to the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Two years later she was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of fame. Even with all that success and countless accolades I believe Coach Lampkin would say her greatest accomplishment was the positive impact she had on so many lives. She helped shepherd countless young women into adulthood who, in many cases, got to watch their own daughters play for arguably the best volleyball coach in Missouri's history. As a parent and grandparent there are few greater comforts than knowing when your children leave for school they're being taught and cared for by people of the highest integrity. Thanks to Coach Linda Lampkin, parents in Gasconade County have been given that comfort for 40 years. Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Coach Linda Lampkin on an extraordinary career and wish her all the best in her much- deserved retirement.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary life of David Ryan Hurst. David Ryan Hurst represented the very best among us. While his life was taken far too soon it was filled with purpose, dedication, and sacrifice while here on earth. David was born on June 14, 1992 in Belleville, Illinois. Upon graduating from high school, he joined the brave men and women of the United States Army. Unfortunately, he was only able to serve a few short months before sustaining a broken back and being discharged. After leaving the military, David's commitment to his country and community did not stop. He accepted a job as a reserve officer for the Bellflower Police Department in Montgomery County, Missouri where he worked over 60 hours a month for free. He truly believed that being an officer was not just a job but answering the call to serve his community. From there, he became a patrolman for the Wellsville Police Department just up the road from Bellflower. Outside of work David filled his life doing the things he loved most: fishing, rooting on the St. Louis Cardinals, and most importantly being a dedicated father to his son and daughter Meia and Wyatt and loving husband to his wife Anna. At 10:42 p.m. on May 16 of this year, David passed away after his brave battle with cancer. Appropriately, the time, 10:42 translates in law enforcement's 10 Code to the end of duty. Perhaps this was God's way of letting us all know that his soldier, his officer, and our hero had been called home. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the life of David Ryan Hurst.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Janet Brewer and congratulate them on their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The Brewers will celebrate this incredible milestone anniversary on June 14, 2019. Carl and Janet both grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. They married at age 16 and have been by each other's side ever since. The couple eventually moved to Lohman, Missouri then to Wardsville where they still reside today. Both dedicated their lives to public service and the betterment of our community while working for the Missouri Department of Revenue. Carl's dedication as a public servant did not start and stop there. His service in our military and as a policeman at the John Cochran Hospital and Jefferson Barracks is a perfect example of a man who put the lives of his neighbors and fellow Americans before his own. Now, both retired from the Missouri Department of Revenue, Carl and Janet most enjoy spending time with what they consider their proudest accomplishment: their family. They have been blessed with a son, Carl Brewer II and daughter, Stephanie Brewer Palmer. Stephanie and her husband Jason have given the Brewers the greatest gift a family can receive with the birth of their granddaughter, Miranda. When they aren't spending time with their family, the Brewers can often be found at Solid Rock Family Church in Jefferson City where they attend service each Sunday and Wednesday. Along with their congregation and family, I thank the Brewers for their many contributions to Missouri and our community. Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Janet Brewer on their 50th Wedding Anniversary. May they have many more happy years to come.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to discuss an issue that is probably on the radar for almost everybody in this country that is watching or listening, but it involves new accounting standards being proposed called CECL. This is supposed to put some transparency into the balance sheet for people investing in banks, but it has a far-reaching impact in credit unions, debt collection, and all sorts of other funds, including the GSEs and credit cards; yet this accounting standard is being promoted by the Federal Accounting Standards Board without any study to show whether it is going to have an impact or not on our economy and on our consumers. The Home Builders Association says, for every $1,000 incoming into the cost of a home loan, 100,000 people across this country will no longer have access to home loans. What a dramatic impact on low- to moderate-income folks as well as our economy as a whole, as well as to financial institutions as a whole. The result of this, in other words, whenever this thing is implemented, when we have a downturn in the economy and all of a sudden you have to reserve additional money because of that, it will exacerbate, in my opinion, the downturn. This is a horrible deal. We need to take another look at it. We need to stop it and study it.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Since its inception, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has disregarded congressional intent in a number of alarming ways. Under the previous Director, Richard Cordray, the agency took it upon itself to essentially write law through guidance and regulate through enforcement. Bureaucrats at the CFPB worked diligently to eliminate options for Americans, arrogantly believing they were better equipped to make financial decisions than consumers themselves. Thankfully, under Acting Director Mulvaney and Director Kraninger, the CFPB is striving to foster an environment that promotes transparency, legitimacy, and great consumer choice. The American people deserve a Bureau that enforces law rather than creates it, while placing power and choice back in the hands of consumers themselves. Unfortunately, the legislation we are considering today accomplishes the exact opposite. I appreciate the chairwoman's attempt to reform the Bureau and share the belief that it needs significant reform. However, instead of solving underlying issues that make the CFPB an unaccountable bureaucracy with little oversight, this legislation cherry-picks specific actions of former Acting Director Mulvaney and attempts to reverse his decisions. Ignoring the underlying structural issues of the Bureau, Democrats are attempting to codify their CFPB agenda with respect to staffing by limiting political appointees, directing political initiatives through the creation of the Office of Students and Young Consumers, and emphasizing the powers and duties of the Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity. Yet again, my friends across the aisle are more focused on who is leading the agency than on real reforms that would increase oversight and accountability at the CFPB and could shed light on some of the issues this legislation seeks to address. For example, if the CFPB were subject to an Office of Inspector General, we would have reports on whether or not staffing levels are sufficient to fulfill the Bureau's statutory goals. If the Bureau was subject to the appropriations process, Congress would have a voice in choosing the number of political appointees at the Bureau. Some of these issues, Mr. Chairman, are not even partisan, they're near bipartisan, and yet we can't get these things done. Instead of working with Republicans to reform the Bureau, create transparency, and avoid partisan policy shifts from Director to Director, the majority is choosing to advance legislation that mandates the advancement of political priorities. The bottom line here is the legislation before us is wholly partisan and does nothing to ensure the CFPB can carry out its mission to protect consumers. I oppose this legislation and I urge my colleagues to do so, as well. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry), ranking member of the full committee.