Raúl Labrador

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3230, a bill that honors Idaho's greatest athlete and one of our great humanitarians. H.R. 3230 names the post office in Payette, Idaho, after Harmon Killebrew, a Hall of Fame baseball player who later built an incredible legacy of charitable work. Idahoans take great pride in Harmon Killebrew's success, and rightfully so. Killebrew's career began in 1954 when Herman Welker, the U.S. Senator from Idaho, tipped off the owner of the Washington Senators, Clark Griffith, about the 17-year-old slugger. Griffith sent a scout, who almost didn't get to see Killebrew play. After a night of rain, groundkeepers burned gasoline to make the field playable. Killebrew did his part by hitting a ball 435 feet into a Payette beet field. Immediately signed as a $12,000 bonus baby, Killebrew debuted a few weeks later. During his 22-year career with the Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, and Kansas City Royals, he hit 573 home runs, more than all but four major league players at the time of his retirement. He was the American league's most valuable player in 1969, hitting 49 home runs and driving in 140 runs. He played in 13 All-Star games and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984. Killebrew built his strength lifting 10-gallon milk cans on Idaho dairies and leveraged his work ethic into legendary status. For fans across America, Killebrew was beloved for remaining the down-to-Earth farm kid who signed a major league contract before turning 18. Twins teammate, Rich Reese, called him ``one of the classiest people I've ever met in my life. . . . he treated people with respect, even with the stature that he had.'' Asked what he liked to do for fun, Killebrew once said, ``Well, I like to wash dishes, I guess.'' In the off season, he worked feeding cows, selling men's clothing, and reading gas meters. After retirement from baseball, he sold insurance, ran a car dealership, and worked as a broadcaster. In 1976, Killebrew helped found the Danny Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament in Sun Valley, Idaho, now called the Killebrew-Thompson Memorial. The event benefits cancer research. The Harmon Killebrew Foundation, founded in 1998, with his wife, Nita, has built more than a dozen Miracle League fields designed for kids with disabilities, including one named for him in Payette. The baseball and football fields at Payette High School are also named for Killebrew. Killebrew died of cancer in 2011 at age 74 after entering into hospice care, a treatment he had advocated for for years. At his memorial service, his wife read a tribute from a fan: ``Harmon is an extraordinary, beautiful, loving, compassionate human being, who also happens to be a legendary baseball player.'' In the days after his death, his high school team, the Payette Pirates, made an improbable run for a State championship. Entering the district tournament with a losing record, the Pirates won four straight to reach the State title game. The team wore HK patches on their sleeves. ``Harmon's been with us the entire time,'' said one player. The Pirates finally lost to a 25-1 Fruitland team, taking home the second-place trophy. ``He is still touching people,'' said Nita Killebrew, who worked with my office on the bill and lives in Meridian. Killebrew's legacy of generosity lives on, and it is appropriate to honor his legacy with the legislation we are considering today. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 3230. Through this bill, we will recognize one of Idaho's greatest stars, and we will advance the legacy of one of America's most charitable athletes.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4760, the Securing America's Future Act. This bill provides the tools needed to enforce our immigration laws, secure our borders, and begin the process of reforming our legal immigration system while also ensuring a generous protection for DACA recipients. Enforcement remains the key to our system. Without enforcement, our laws have little effect. This bill targets criminal gangs, dangerous aliens, and the sanctuary policies that allow these public safety threats to thrive. The bill also provides a permanent solution for DACA recipients. They can apply to receive a 3-year, indefinitely renewable visa so they can live and work in the United States forever, as long as they abide by the laws. This permanent status gives DACA recipients more surety than President Obama's temporary program ever did. The bill will finally make good on our commitment to grant our growers and other workers a workable agricultural guest worker program. The lack of a reliable source of labor when an American workforce is simply not available is imperiling the future of American agriculture. The bill's H-2C program will be a true guest worker program that will allow the current agricultural workforce to participate on the same terms and conditions as any other worker around the world. The program is endorsed by the American Farm Bureau. It is a critical part of this bill. Finally, it closes the loopholes that have allowed fraud to destroy the integrity of our asylum system by raising the credible fear standard and sending a clear message that fraud and frivolity will not be tolerated in the United States. This is a good bill, and I encourage every Member to support it.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Chairman, the Resilient Federal Forests Act contains many provisions that will give the Forest Service additional tools to better manage our national forests. To keep our forests healthy and productive, we must ensure we have skilled loggers to safely work in those forests. I thank Representative Westerman for including my bill, the Future Logging Careers Act, in his bill that is on the floor today. My bill will allow 16- and 17-year-olds to learn the logging business by working in family-owned mechanized logging operations under the supervision of their parents. That will allow the next generation of loggers to learn valuable skills, prepare to take over family businesses, and provide the wood products needed to support our economy. I learned of the need for this bill after meeting two Idaho loggers from third-generation logging families, Tim Christopherson from Idaho County and Tom Mahon from Adams County. Mahon's 16-year-old son, J.T., was working under his father's supervision when a Forest Service employee sent him home. J.T. couldn't work in the woods because logging doesn't have an exemption that has long been enjoyed by family farms under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Mr. LABRADOR. With help from the families and the Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho, we crafted a solution that is good for families, good for rural America, and good for the American economy. I am grateful for the bipartisan effort on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record a letter from the National Wild Turkey Federation and a letter from the National Association of Counties, Western Interstate Region, in support of H.R. 2936. National Wild Turkey Federation, Edgefield, SC, June 26, 2017. Hon. Rob Bishop, Chairman, Natural Resources Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Raul Grijalva, Ranking Democrat, Natural Resources Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Bishop and Representative Grijalva: On behalf of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and its 230,000 members, we urge you to take swift Committee action on H.R. 2936 the Resilient Federal Forest Act of 2017. The NWTF is a leader in wildlife habitat conservation in North America and is dedicated to the conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of our hunting heritage. We are currently working towards our 10-year Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt initiative in which we aim to conserve or enhance 4 million acres of critical habitat, recruit 1.5 million hunters and open 500,000 acres for outdoor enjoyment Active forest management is crucial to establishing healthy and sustainable forests and decisions for forest management should be based on sound science. As such, the common sense solutions offered in H.R. 2936 are imperative to the health and future of our nation's forests and important to the NWTF to help achieve our objectives. In total, H.R. 2936 has many reasonable solutions to the challenges that the managing agencies face to increase the pace and efficiency of active forest management on our nation's federal lands. We take this opportunity to highlight those solutions that we believe will make the most immediate difference and offer recommendations as to how we believe the bill can be further improved. We support increased availability for Categorical Exclusions (CE) in order to deal more effectively and efficiently with threats like pests and disease and for addressing urgent wildlife needs like critical habitat for endangered species. We are especially supportive of the CE that will allow for activities that enhance early successional forests for wildlife habitat. Unlike some critics of CEs who will suggest, they do not exempt the action from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), rather they apply the NEPA review to like or similar actions to expedite the process. These are administered under Council on Environmental Quality regulations and other guidance. Increased use of CEs is one of the best opportunities we have in the short term to increase the pace of active forest management. Funding the cost of fighting catastrophic wildfires outside of the agency budget is paramount to the agency's ability to deliver on other aspects of their mission. We are supportive of a fix that will allow catastrophic wildfires to be considered a disaster. Until agencies are freed from the burden of fighting catastrophic wildfires through their annual budgets we will be unable to make meaningful progress towards proactive forest management. We recommend capping the firefighting budget at the current 10-year average to protect further erosion of the U.S. Forest Service budget in other important mission delivery areas. We support the bill's provisions for large scale reforestation on fire-impacted lands. While public input and review is essential to public lands management, currently it can result in delayed action and result in an inability to accomplish the necessary objectives. We believe the deadlines set for plan development and public input, as well as the prohibition on restraining orders and preliminary injunctions strike a reasonable balance. We recommend that this provision of the bill clarify that proper ecological restoration is allowed as a mechanism to salvage forests post catastrophic events as reforestation may not always be the best action for the ecological good. The NWTF strongly supports arbitration as an alternative to litigation. This will conserve valuable U.S. Forest Service resources and expedite work getting done on the ground. Additionally, we support the provision that does not allow plaintiffs challenging a forest management activity to receive any award or payment obligated from the Claims and Judgment Fund. We support the approach for allowing evaluation of only action/no-action alternatives for collaborative Forest Plans, Resource Advisory Committee and Community Wildfire Protection Plan projects. Limiting the number of alternatives will expedite the development of environmental assessments and allow work to get done on the ground more quickly. We also support the requirement to look at consequences of a no- action alternative as a no-action decision would still have an impact on the resource. We understand budget concerns counties face and are supportive of a portion of retained receipts from stewardship contracts going to the counties. Stewardship Contracting is an important tool for active forest management. Ultimately this change will remove one impediment to utilizing Stewardship Contracting and help garner support from the counties. We recommend modifying this section to reflect that payment should come only from retained receipts on completed projects, versus strictly from timber value within ongoing projects. This will maintain the ``exchange of goods for services'' function of Stewardship Contracting while also preserving the balance of timber dollars and the investment of matching funds from organizations like the NWTF to expand the scope and scale of projects, thus accomplishing more active management and fire protection across the landscape and within counties. We appreciate the recognition of the importance of funding planning activities for forest management. We are concerned that the provision could potentially provide justification for the U.S. Forest Service staff to refrain from fully utilizing product value and partner match dollars for on the ground work. While we feel the 25% threshold is too high, the provision of allowing some of the stewardship project revenues to cover the costs of planning additional projects could be beneficial and incentivize project planning. We also appreciate the common-sense amendments to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that will improve the process of protecting endangered and threatened species and their habitat. The bill overturns the ``Cottonwood'' court decision, which directs that if additional critical habitat is designated under an approved Forest Plan or Resource Management Plan, a section 7 programmatic re-consultation of the entire Forest Plan needs to be done. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Obama Administration argued that the section 7 consultation needs only to be done on the portion of the project covering the additionally designated acreage of critical habitat. The remedy in this bill will greatly reduce the debilitating process that the federal court decision directs. The bill also affirms current U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy that no ESA section 7 consultation is required if the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management determines through informal consultation that the proposed action will not likely have an adverse affect on species or critical habitat. We further support the 90 day threshold on a CE established by this bill because it will conserve agency resources and expedite management activities on the ground. We commend Congressman Westerman, the co-sponsors, and Chairman Bishop for their dedication to restoring and maintaining our federal forests under management informed by science, and offering the appropriate reforms to management practices. We respectfully urge that you expeditiously report H.R. 2936 out of Committee and to the House floor. Sincerely, Rebecca A. Humphries, Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This legislation passed the House yesterday, and I encourage the Senate to vote on it soon. I am strongly pro-life. The Federal Government's most important responsibility is protecting human life, including the lives of the unborn. Additionally, we have a moral obligation to minimize pain and suffering, especially for the most innocent among us. The United States is one of only seven countries that allow abortions after 20 weeks. At the 20-week mark, anesthesia is used in fetal surgeries for patients still in utero. For premature babies born at this stage, special care is given to reduce their pain. H.R. 36 will prohibit abortions after the 20-week mark precisely because of the substantial evidence that unborn babies at this stage can and do feel pain. I am proud to support H.R. 36, and I am glad it passed the House. I will continue to do all I can to advance a culture of life in Idaho and in America.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3697.

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 3697, the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act. I introduced this bill with Chairman Goodlatte and Representatives Comstock and King for a very simple reason: the United States is facing an ever-growing danger from transnational gangs, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, needs more tools to deal with this danger. The Federal Government's most important responsibility is the safety and security of the American people. However, we are not fulfilling that responsibility when we allow gangs to illegally enter our country with the express purpose of victimizing innocent Americans. In communities across our country, transnational gangs are using violence and the threat of violence to create a climate of fear that allows them to operate with near impunity. They regularly target local business owners and law enforcement officials. Innocent bystanders, those unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, are also paying a price. According to ICE, these gangs ``have grown to become a serious threat in American communities across the Nation--not only in cities, but increasingly in suburban and even rural areas. Entire neighborhoods and sometimes whole communities are held hostage by and subjected to their violence.'' Furthermore, ICE has found that, ``membership of these violent transnational gangs is comprised largely of foreign-born nationals.'' The most infamous transnational gang, of course, is MS-13, which entered the U.S. in the 1980s. Today, it has over 10,000 gang members operating inside the United States alone. At every level, our enforcement officials are working to curb this growing threat with large-scale enforcement actions. These include Operation New Dawn, which netted almost 1,100 arrests over a 6-week period. However, we all know that prosecution of criminal gang members is notoriously difficult. This is because victims and witnesses of gang crime are often reluctant to testify because of the quite reasonable fear of retaliation against them or their families, thus many gang members are never convicted of the crimes they have committed. The question is often asked: Why should law-abiding Americans have to wait until an alien gang member has committed a deportable offense? Why not deport the gang member before he has a chance to victimize more innocent people? The answer is that current immigration law contains dangerous loopholes that alien gang members are exploiting. Currently, an alien may not be deported, even if he is known to be a member of a criminal gang or participating in gang activities. ICE must wait for the gang member to be first convicted of a deportable offense. H.R. 3697 changes that. For the first time, ICE will be permitted to place alien gang members into removal proceedings on the grounds of being criminal gang members. Our bill sets out clear specifications for what crimes are considered to be gang related, relying on longstanding Federal criminal law to determine what a gang or group consists of. In addition, our bill permits the Secretary of Homeland Security, using procedures already used by the Secretary of State, to designate a gang as a criminal gang. This would be done in a transparent way through notification to Congress and publication in the Federal Register and with meaningful judicial review. The conclusive decision as to whether to place an alien in removal proceedings would rest with the Department of Homeland Security. When an alien is charged, the charge must be proven by evidence on the record in immigration court. I have heard some uneasiness that ICE will use these provisions to charge any alien they encounter with gang activity. Our bill does not allow that. As a former immigration attorney, I know the importance of due process and know how important it is for illegal immigrants and for Americans and everyone within the jurisdictions of the immigration court to receive due process. I can tell you that our bill is consistent with due process. Under H.R. 3697, ICE has the burden of proof when charging an alien with a deportable offense. While the alien has the burden of proof when they are inadmissible, a denial of gang membership should be sufficient to shift the burden back to the government. The government must convince an immigration judge of its case. Of course, an alien ordered removed as a gang member has every right to appeal that order to the Board of Immigration Appeals and then to the Federal courts. Ultimately, H.R. 3697 is about providing law enforcement with the necessary tools to combat gang activity in every community in our country. This is essential if we, as elected officials, are committed to our responsibility to keep the American people safe and secure. That is the purpose of H.R. 3697. This is the third time this year the House is holding a floor vote on portions of the Davis-Oliver Act, which I introduced back in May, to make our country safer through stronger immigration enforcement. I am proud that the House passed the first two bills that came from Davis-Oliver, Kate's Law and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, and I encourage my colleagues to vote for H.R. 3697 as well. We must take action now or watch crime rates rise in our Nation. There is no place in our country for criminal alien gang members, and any legislation which makes it easier to deport them deserves the support of every Member of this body. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman.

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 513, I call up the bill (H.R. 3697) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to aliens associated with criminal gangs, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I know we spent a lot of time in committee talking about a lot of different issues, but maybe the gentleman forgets that we had 3 whole days of hearings on the Davis-Oliver Act, which this bill was included in, and many arguments were made against the Davis-Oliver Act. Most of the arguments that are being made today were not made against this portion of the act. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King).

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I agree. We should save our children. We need to start deporting some criminal gang members. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), who is the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Virginia an additional 2 minutes.

Mr. LABRADOR. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LABRADOR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).

Mr. LABRADOR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, I keep hearing again and again and again that there is no dispute about ongoing violence or gang violence in the United States, but what has been clear from today's argument is that our friends on the other side just don't want to do anything about it. They are willing to talk about the gang violence, but they don't want to actually craft and pass legislation that does something about it. I hope it is something that the American people are listening to, because as we have debates over the next few months about what we should be doing with regard to immigration, I hope everyone understands that every time we try to do something about enforcement of immigration laws, about stopping gang violation, about stopping illegal immigration into the United States, it is very difficult to get agreement on the other side. Criminal alien gang members are wreaking havoc in this country. Without stronger tools to specifically target those aliens that terrorize our streets, gangs will continue to grow in numbers and in strength. The time has come to take action and to provide a path to deportation to those that so unabashedly seek to destroy our society. ICE has found that ``membership of these violent transnational gangs is comprised largely of foreign-born nationals.'' Often bearing the brunt of these gangs' violence are these very immigrant communities that the other side claims that they want to protect. The Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act takes a tough approach. I agree with that. Those gang members who have successfully evaded prosecution through witness intimidation, employing the tactics of fear and violence, will now be within ICE's reach. The new grounds of removability provided by H.R. 3697 will get criminal gang members off of our streets. ICE's recent Operation New Dawn resulted in almost 1,100 arrests of gang members. Had H.R. 3697 been enacted prior, that number would have almost certainly increased. This bill is only starting the removal process, however. Make no mistake--and there was a lot of obfuscation today about this-- immigration proceedings do not equate to deportation. The government must prove its case and provide evidence to convince an immigration judge that gang-related activity occurred. As a former private immigration attorney, I have seen this process in action, and it does work. ICE will not use this new charge as pretext, as this ground will never be sustained by an immigration judge without sufficient evidence. The time for this bill is long overdue, and we cannot afford to be distracted by extreme hypotheticals and issues not germane to what we are discussing today. This bill was introduced to target criminal gangs, as that term is commonly understood, and that is what it will do once enacted. There is no place in our country for criminal alien gang members. By removing them from our streets, H.R. 3697 will help make our communities safer. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of an amazing Idaho family which has taken a horrible personal tragedy and turned it into a cause that will benefit many other families in the years to come. I am referring to the family of Shauna Hill, a 16-year-old girl who lived in Eagle, Idaho, in my district, and who tragically lost her life in 2012. At the time of her untimely death, Shauna was a junior at Eagle High School. She was a competitive figure skater and ice dancer and played the violin in her school orchestra. She even performed with the orchestra at New York's Carnegie Hall. She was also working to qualify for a Congressional Silver Medal for public service, personal development, and physical fitness. She aspired to attend Stanford University and become a doctor. Sadly, she lost her life in a car accident on her way home from orchestra practice. I first met Shauna's parents, Captain Edward Hill and his wife, Heidi, in 2013, when I helped present them with the Congressional Bronze Medal their daughter had earned. While presenting the award, I learned that Captain Hill, who served 28 years as a Navy pilot and flew to protect America during three combat tours, had retired shortly before Shauna's death. Following the tragedy, Captain Hill was working with the Navy to try to reassign his benefits to his second child, Haley, who was also planning to attend college. With almost 3 decades of distinguished service, Captain Hill qualified for the full utilization of the education benefit, but the Navy said Haley wasn't eligible because education benefits under the GI bill cannot be reassigned. The Hills asked for my help, and my staff got to work. Unfortunately, we found out that the Navy's hands were tied. Current law does not allow the transfer of education benefits after a servicemember has retired. No waivers are permitted, even in such tragic circumstances. I promised the Hills that I would seek a legislative solution. In February of this year, I introduced H.R. 1112, the Shauna Hill Post 9/ 11 Education Benefits Transferability Act. This bill would permit the reassignment of veterans' education benefits in cases where the designated beneficiary passes away. Losing a child is the worst thing I can imagine, and surely Congress didn't intend to exclude the ability to transfer benefits to a surviving child or spouse. The bill I introduced would correct this oversight, and it has received support from many veterans' groups. These include: the Concerned Veterans for America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Student Veterans of America, AMVETS, the Air Force Sergeants Association, the Association of the United States Navy, and the National Military Family Association. This month, VA Committee Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz included my bill in the bipartisan GI Bill, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2017. This bill passed the House last night, and I was proud to join my colleagues in voting for it. I am grateful to Chairman Roe and Ranking Member Walz for including my bill in their legislation. I am also thankful to Senator Crapo, who has introduced companion legislation in the Senate. Now that the House has acted, it is my hope that the Senate will act too and, from there, our bill can be signed into law. This legislation will mean a great deal to the Hills. It will be a great comfort to them and all those who have experienced such a terrible loss. As a grateful nation, it is the least that we can do, and America must always be a grateful nation. The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2017 keeps our promises to our veterans and their families, especially when they need it the most.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, today, March 17, 2017, the 100th class for the Department of Homeland Security's Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity training course will be completed in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is my honor to congratulate the graduates and recognize this milestone for the Idaho National Laboratory. INL hosts this training in support of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center for DHS where up to date information about current security issues, vulnerabilities, and exploits are provided to government agencies, states, and the private sector. This course provides hands-on training in discovering who and what is on the network, identifying vulnerabilities, learning how those vulnerabilities may be exploited, and learning defensive and mitigation strategies for control system networks in an actual control systems environment. The training offers the opportunity to network and collaborate with other colleagues involved in operating and protecting control system networks. The Idaho National Laboratory, Department of Energy and Department of Homeland Security are working together to advance cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. Idaho has a longstanding leadership role to establish cybersecurity best practices and innovative technologies for government and industry partners. Under the guidance of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center the Industrial Controls Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory has successfully illustrated the demand and importance of advanced training for cybersecurity professionals within the critical infrastructure sectors through the instruction of over 4 thousand industry professionals and students. Congratulations to the graduates of the 100th Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity training course and thank you to these men and women whose hard work and dedication will make our critical infrastructure safer and more secure.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. I thank the chairman and Mr. Duffy for the work they and their staffs have done on this critical piece of legislation. I especially want to thank my staffer, Aaron Calkins, for his work to make this a better bill. We have worked countless hours to improve this bill, and I am proud of the work that we have done. Mr. Chairman, I rise today as a member of the Natural Resources Committee and as a Representative of Idaho's First Congressional District to support H.R. 5278. The debt crisis in Puerto Rico is a result of years of liberal policies where the government carelessly borrowed and overspent, while simultaneously encouraging mismanagement and inefficiency. We cannot view Puerto Rico's situation in a vacuum. If left unresolved, the financial crisis in Puerto Rico will impact the rest of our Nation. The bill imposes fiscal reforms without spending a single dollar of U.S. taxpayer money to relieve Puerto Rico's debt. The bill protects taxpayers from bailing out a government that spent recklessly and avoids setting a horrible precedent that could tempt free-spending States to walk away from their obligations. Specifically, H.R. 5278 establishes a strong oversight board to require Puerto Rico to balance its budget and achieve fiscal responsibility. The bill includes language that ensures that the fiscal plans and any potential restructuring must honor lawful priorities and liens as guaranteed by Puerto Rico's constitution and laws. Every State and municipality in this country relies on bond markets to provide funding for government operations. H.R. 5278 creates the balance that will effectively address the needs of Puerto Rico, while ensuring access to these markets for States and municipalities nationwide. In conclusion, as a person who was born and raised in Puerto Rico and somebody who is very proud of his Puerto Rican heritage, I love the people, I love the island, and I hope that this bill sets them on the path to fiscal responsibility and a brighter future. The House must pass this bill to establish the necessary framework to help Puerto Rico put its fiscal house in order, while also protecting the interests of every American.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 125th anniversary of Hecla Mining Company. Formed in 1891 for the purpose of acquiring and trading mining claims in north Idaho's Silver Valley mining district, Hecla is the last of this district's pioneer mining companies and is now the largest primary silver producer in the United States. Over the past 125 years, Hecla has weathered numerous storms including the Panic of 1893, the Great Depression, and two world wars. Minerals produced by Hecla, such as zinc and lead, have played key roles in our national defense while silver is a key ingredient for solar voltaic cells and modern electronic and medical devices. These resources provide the raw materials needed for economic growth across a myriad of sectors. Today, Hecla is a vital part of Idaho's economy and communities. Hecla employs 1,300 individuals and has provided over $1.5 million to support education, youth activities, community health and infrastructure through its charitable foundation in recent years. Additionally, Hecla employees serve on local school boards, as EMTs, elected officials, and firemen. I recently visited Hecla's Lucky Friday mine in Mullan, Idaho, and saw firsthand the state-of-the-art mining practices that are used to extract silver from deep in the earth. Hecla is currently taking the Lucky Friday mine to 10,000 feet below the surface to open up more than 20 years of additional resources. Hecla has maintained an uncompromising commitment to better mining and worker safety and plays an important role in meeting the nation's mineral demands. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this great milestone for Hecla Mining Company.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 125th anniversary of the Hecla Mining Company. Hecla was founded in 1891 to acquire and trade mining claims in north Idaho's Silver Valley. Over the years, this mining district has produced 1.2 billion ounces of silver. The company has survived and thrived through world wars and economic depressions, and today Hecla is the Nation's largest primary producer of silver and employs over 1,300 people in my district and throughout the world. I recently had the opportunity to visit Hecla's Lucky Friday mine and was able to see firsthand the state-of-the-art mining practices that Hecla uses to extract silver from deep in the Earth. As Hecla celebrates its 125th anniversary, I join with others in celebrating the company's great legacy and success.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I want to make it clear that this is not simply an issue of whether Planned Parenthood broke the law by selling fetal body parts obtained through abortions. The real tragedy we are confronted with today is that human beings have been reduced to mere commodities in this practice, and Federal dollars are contributing to it. I do not want to contribute to a system that profits from someone's fate nor do I want to subject millions of taxpayers to supporting this violation of life. It is often a temptation to boil this argument down to medical terms and ignore the real losses our Nation faces when we choose to reject someone before he or she has been given the chance to live. For this reason, I do not support funding Planned Parenthood and its tragic influence on our Nation's future. Defunding Planned Parenthood will have no effect on women's health. In the State of Idaho alone, there are 76 federally qualified health centers, and only 3 Planned Parenthood facilities. Women can and will receive health care in these facilities.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today on Peace Officers Memorial Day to acknowledge and honor the life and service of Coeur d'Alene Police Sergeant Greg Moore. Sergeant Moore was shot and killed in the line of duty on May 5, 2015. Sergeant Moore's 12-year-old son Dylon wrote these words to honor his father: My dad was the best. He would tell me anything and was always there for me. All the times I was sad or lonely, he would be right by my side to comfort me. Dad would also reassure me that he was okay going to work by telling me he was Batman because he worked at night, had lots of gadgets, was skilled and charming. Also, wherever we went, he would know someone that was there. I would always wonder how and why he knew those people. Dad's favorite place to eat was Qdoba. It ended up being my favorite place as well. He was a Boston fan, and he has gone to a couple of games, but I know he would have liked to see more. Every day, though, almost like tradition, we would wrestle on the ground and try to beat each other. I've only won once, but I have learned so many things from him. I love him so much because he was a good dad, always helping people, and I want everyone to know that he is the best. He was the best. Sergeant Moore, rest in peace. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to day on Peace Officers Memorial Day to acknowledge and honor the life and service of Coeur d'Alene Police Sergeant Greg Moore. Sergeant Moore was shot and killed in the line of duty May 5, 2015. Gregory King Moore was born in Walla Walla, Washington; he attended Walla Walla High School and Walla Walla Community College before moving to Idaho to attend the University of Idaho. After graduating from the University of Idaho he joined the Asotin County Sheriff's Department before transferring to the Coeur d'Alene Police Department. During his tenure at the Coeur d'Alene Police Department he served as a Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, and School Resource Officer. I did not have the pleasure of knowing Sergeant Moore personally. But the outpouring of support from his community tells me much about his character and service. More than 4,000 people attended his funeral, including officers from across Idaho, as well as Washington, Montana and Canada. This outpouring of support warmed my heart and reminded me of the goodness of the people of Idaho. I hope this public support was comforting to Sergeant Moore's family. Sergeant Moore's 12-year-old son Dylon wrote these words to honor his father. ``My dad was the best. He would tell me anything, and was always there for me. All the times I was sad or lonely, he would be right by my side to comfort me. Dad would also reassure me that he was OK going to work by telling me he was Batman, because he worked at night, had lots of gadgets, was skilled and charming. Also, wherever we went, he would know someone that was there. I would always wonder how and why he knew those people. Dad's favorite place to eat was Qdoba. It ended up being my favorite place as well. He was a Boston fan and he has gone to a couple of games, but I know he would have liked to see more. Every day, though, almost like tradition, we would wrestle on the ground, and try to beat each other. I've only won once, but I have learned so many things from him. I love him so much because he was a good dad, always helping people. And I want everyone to know that he is the best.'' Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White said ``Greg was part of a proud profession, and an even prouder police department. Greg did things right. He was a leader, he was a supervisor, and he was not satisfied sitting at a desk. In the end, and the reason we're here today, is that he personified the oath that we take when we raise our right hand and we're sworn in. Greg was killed protecting the life and property and way of life of the citizens of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He will never be forgotten.'' Throughout Idaho hundreds of vehicles are now displaying a decal that reads K27 in honor of Sergeant Moore's call number. I would like to add my voice to those that honored Sergeant Moore by closing with phrase that had passed over the lips of those thousands who have honored Sergeant Moore over the past week. K27 rest in peace.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky. This fight today is not about immigration. This fight today is about the separation of powers. Any person who votes for this deal today is voting to cede some of our power to the Executive. Any person who votes for this deal today is voting to allow the President to make decisions like this on taxation, on EPA, and on any other agency that this President decides that he has the executive authority to take over the powers of the Congress. Mr. Speaker, today we all sat here, and I think every Republican stood up when Bibi Netanyahu talked about leadership. When he talked about what it was important for a leader to do, he said that we are being told that the only alternative to this bad deal--speaking about the deal on Iran--is war. That is just not true. The alternative to this bad deal is just a better deal. Every one of our Republicans stood up when he said that. But today we are being told by our leadership that the only alternative to this bad deal is a government shutdown. That is not true. The alternative to this bad deal today is a better deal. It is to force the Senate to actually go to conference so both the House and the Senate can speak the will of the American people.

Mr. LABRADOR

Mr. LABRADOR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4049) to amend the Act to provide for the establishment of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in the State of Wisconsin, and for other purposes, to adjust the boundary of that National Lakeshore to include the lighthouse known as Ashland Harbor Breakwater Light, and for other purposes, as amended.