Doug LaMalfa

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. It is time to put an end to the previous administration's legacy to shut out local input by forcing through a rule abrogating for public lands decisions based on unelected bureaucrats in D.C. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleague for yielding me time, and I ask for support of this measure.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, I had a chance to go out in the district and look at the conditions of our flood control system in northern California, which, I am sure, is reflective of a lot of the systems across this country. One particular area I was shown has had 10 feet of levee eaten away just since the end of December. This points out, with recent legislation that has been passed--good legislation-- that we still aren't, by any means, close to fulfilling our infrastructure needs. Our flood control systems all over the country and in my own district in northern California need immediate results. We expect a great amount of rain. I know we complain about drought in California--feast or famine--but we need to continue to shore up these systems here because, otherwise, it will place communities in danger from the high flows we could get. With so much rain forecasted in the near future and with our lakes getting full, there won't be a place to put that water. We need this infrastructure, and we need the Army Corps and everybody to be on board with fully developing and permitting these projects and getting the money going. Urgency is needed.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Indeed, it would be a loss for the American public to continue along that path. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the efforts in bringing this forward and the opportunity to have a Congressional Review Act for the accountability.

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the measure for congressional disapproval of the BLM's methane rule under this Congressional Review Act. This egregious rule passed in the last few days of the previous administration is yet another regulatory blow to responsible energy development on lands held by the Federal Government for the American people. I think the American people have a right to expect that their Federal Government is not only holding these lands, but that it is utilizing this asset, an asset that can gain income to the Federal Government on their behalf to maintain more lands, and also to utilize the energy at low cost from domestically produced energy that comes from their lands, instead of importing it from somewhere else, et cetera. It goes without question that producing it here in this country is a giant benefit to the U.S. and its economy. As a strong proponent of an all-of-the-above energy approach, I believe natural gas will continue to significantly transform and modernize our Nation's energy infrastructure. Domestically produced energy has so many positive effects it should be a no-brainer. The BLM claims that this rule helps capture methane waste, resulting in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Let's face some facts. According to a report by the EPA, methane emissions from natural gas production have decreased by 38 percent in the last 10 years, while gas production on Federal lands has increased by 33 percent. Believe it or not, this reduction was done through voluntary action on behalf of industry, without changes to Federal regulations, in capturing and utilizing this asset. Even in my home State of California, the oil and gas industry has created tremendous opportunity for our workforce. A recent report shows that total economic contribution of oil and gas in California, in 2013, resulted in the creation of 455,000 jobs and $72 billion in value added to the State economy, approximately 3.4 percent of State GDP; indeed, no small numbers when the State of California is in big trouble fiscally, as it pursues more things like high speed rail and other nonsense. Stifling this vibrant and booming economic driver in my State and others would be detrimental to the U.S. economy as a whole, while making us more reliant upon energy from unstable regions of the globe and the higher costs to consumers at home and in their workplace. Furthermore, the BLM falsely claims it has authority under existing law to regulate oil and gas emissions. Such authority already belongs to the EPA and the States under the Clean Air Act, not the BLM. Indeed, the BLM needs to get its priorities and its jurisdiction in order. The agency spends valuable taxpayer resources developing a rule to prevent methane flaring, yet denies rights-of-way permitting for pipelines, which would help eliminate these kinds of releases altogether. That is one of the important benefits of the Congressional Review Act is accountability by an elected Congress over a bureaucracy. Failure to reverse this rule would result in a net loss in royalties that would negatively impact not just the Federal Government but Indian tribes as well which rely on energy revenue to meet their health care, housing, and other needs of their members on their lands. The abuses and overreach by a previous Obama administration have gone long enough. It is time we put an end to the senseless, counterproductive regulations, and restore commonsense solutions to energy development on the people's Federal lands. The administration taking credit for increased gas production is disingenuous, as most of it occurred on private lands, leaving our public assets and potential unused.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, this week many people and leaders from the USA and all around the world converged on Washington, D.C., for the National Prayer Breakfast. Its tradition started 65 years ago under President Eisenhower and with partners in the Congress to take a little time to come together as leaders and a people in prayer and fellowship. It is a bipartisan effort--indeed, ideally, a nonpartisan coming together. Some might say a bunch of politicians coming together, well, but some very powerful testimonies come from this time together. This year, from right here in this building, Senate Chaplain Barry Black, who also served as a Navy admiral, gave a strong message on the power of prayer, that our prayers are, indeed, heard in Heaven. Two years ago, an amazing, humble, personal testimony delivered by NASCAR race driver Darrell Waltrip had everyone talking later. I would recommend anyone to find this video and enjoy that moving personal message of the lows and the highs, the lows and the highs of fame and celebrity and that you need God in your life. This can also happen, and does, in local communities as tens of thousands of prayer breakfasts happen on the National Day of Prayer, which this year will be May 4, as it is always the first Thursday of May, as proclaimed by President Reagan. I urge you as Americans, if you don't have one in your community, start one. If you do have one, please participate.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I am thankful we have in the process here as elected officials the ability to hold accountable Federal agencies and new rules that will be made at midnight. I am speaking of legislation passed today to allow, in many cases, seniors who might see their Second Amendment rights limited or taken away by a last-minute rule that would require them to be turned in to the national background check system in this country, thereby, because they might be on SSI or disability, losing their ability perhaps to own a firearm under their Second Amendment rights. The House of Representatives took steps today to ensure their ability to not be singled out because they might be in a particular system and assumed to be a risk--unlike anybody else. So we can do good work sometimes, and we do when we strike out for protecting people's rights.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Madam Speaker, this week, House Republicans have undertaken the effort to scale back some of the burdensome regulations implemented by the previous administration. The use of so-called midnight rules to slip in regulations at the last minute and without congressional approval was a favorite tool of the last President. Many of these regulations would negatively impact, and have, American people by destroying their jobs, hamstringing our economy, often for no good reason. That is why, at the very start of the 115th Congress, we passed the Midnight Rules Relief Act, which utilizes the Congressional Review Act, to allow Congress to review multiple midnight rules en bloc. Additionally, we now have the unique opportunity to utilize the CRA, Congressional Review Act, and express our disapproval for some of these harmful, burdensome regulations that hurt jobs and stunt the economy, in order to protect the American people from these harmful effects. The regulatory state has been rapidly expanding in recent years for too long, and I am happy to see that Congress is taking action to reverse this destructive behavior.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the measure for congressional disapproval of the Department of the Interior's stream protection rule, which was created under the guise of protecting the environment but, instead, has been very harmful to American jobs. They have attempted to cripple an industry--energy--that has provided vast amounts of energy to States across this country for decades. My home State of California has had a long history of mining that has led to incredible economic growth and job opportunities for many of my local communities. This one-size-fits-all approach fails to provide any regulatory certainty to industry and denies important tax revenue from energy extraction to the American taxpayer. I appreciate my colleagues bringing this to the floor, and I hope we can sort through the rhetoric on this against energy jobs of a very important segment across the country that supplies so much of our energy currently, and can do it with safety and a mind for redeveloping our economy.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Madam Speaker, while it might be raining lately in California, we still need additional water supply infrastructure to meet the needs of agriculture and a growing population. The Sites Reservoir is the only project in California that will improve the water supply for cities, farms, as well as for the environment. If the Sites Reservoir were in place today, California would have an estimated additional 600,000 acre-feet of water stored so far this winter in addition to similar amounts from last year and even water that could have been impounded during the high flows during the drought years. Had we had this infrastructure in place, we would have had enough water to supply 4.8 million Californians for an entire year just on this winter's flows, and the winter is not even over yet. The Sites Reservoir will not only capture enough high winter flow, but it will also allow for the reuse of water released from Lake Shasta so that human and environmental water use are no longer mutually exclusive. Madam Speaker, let's not lose this opportunity to conserve water and to not be delayed again and again.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), my colleague, for his continued leadership on this very important topic, a moral one, I think, that reflects truly an important part of the fiber of our country. Which way are we going to go on this? What are our values going to be? The gentleman has been a consistent leader way before my time during Congress as well. As we reflect on this week, landmark legislation again passed tonight, H.R. 7, that would prohibit funding for abortion in this country, on the heels of the Mexico City solution that President Trump just signed today as well. We are seeing that hearts are turning in this country on this issue. And when you look at it in the categories of people across the country, about half and half, rough numbers. Half the country might label itself pro-life, and the other half that favors Roe v. Wade being the law of the land, that might label themselves as pro-choice or pro-abortion. When we get down to H.R. 7, we find that the half that is pro-life can be joined by many additional people on the other side of that argument that don't think it is appropriate to have government funding, their taxpayer dollars, used for abortion as a birth control tool in a lot of cases. So this shows that we do have the tide going in this direction on that, as people become more and more informed on this and understand and don't listen to the rhetoric and don't listen to misinformation on what this really is. This is a baby you are talking about. It doesn't form into something else. Each pregnancy will result in a human baby. So when we fight this battle, we find it is those that would speak on this side of the issue come under a lot of persecution. Many, many people will be joining together in this town later this week in the March for Life. You will be persecuted to some extent or another. You will be called things. But, you know, we know from the Bible that those that speak the truth are often persecuted as well, and we all need to be strong and firm in that. God is watching what we do here. God will be watching later this week and at all times on those that are marching for life. So be strong. Also, put your arms around those folks that might be strongly opposed, because there are a lot of people hurting on that. We understand. People that have had to make a difficult abortion choice and chosen to do so, they need healing as well. They need understanding and compassion on that. If we can show them that, and if we can show that those that are contemplating abortion, there are alternatives out there. There are many alternatives. If we can just come alongside them and show them that there is more than one way to do this, and there are people willing to help and willing to counsel you in that, because that is really what it comes down to. When you talk about a choice, show that woman in crisis, in that situation that she has many choices, informed choices to make; and, by and large, maybe she will make the right one. In a lot of cases I believe she will. So God bless those that are going to come for this march later this week and stand for this, put up with the level of persecution that comes with any of these types of issues, including the one on being pro-life. Again, God bless you, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, for being a consistent leader on this.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Trump administration's recently announced action of peeling back the many layers of the Affordable Care Act. For millions of hardworking Americans who have carried the burden of this law, relief is finally on the way. President Trump's first order of business was to issue an executive order to begin reversing the damages of the Affordable Care Act and start to minimize costs for consumers. Under the ACA, premiums have skyrocketed while access to health care has dwindled for many Americans, including many of whom reside in my own California's First District. The American people have spoken. They want this disastrous law repealed. Grand claims of 20 to 30 million newly covered are obscured by the fact that over 6 million would rather pay the penalty because they can't afford the Affordable Care Act. The quick action taken by President Trump will aid our efforts in Congress to both repeal and replace the ACA with something better. The American people have suffered through the nightmare that is ACA. Luckily, they won't have to do so for much longer.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 95th birthday of Clarence ``Bud'' Anderson. A Colonel in the United States Air Force, Bud is a veteran of both the Vietnam War and World War II, where he achieved the status of ``triple ace'' after shooting down a total of 16\1/4\ enemy planes and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor bestowed by Congress. Born in Oakland, California, Bud grew up on a farm near Newcastle, California and joined the United States Army as an aviation cadet in 1942, where he soon received his commission as second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. In the Second World War, Bud flew with the 363rd Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group and tallied 116 missions in his P-51D Mustang, nicknamed Old Crow. In 1944 and at the young age of 22, Bud had already reached the rank of Major before returning home to the United States in 1945. He then became a fighter test pilot before serving as a Wing Commander on another tour of duty in Vietnam. Bud retired as a Colonel in 1972 and has been decorated 25 times for his service in the United States Air Force. In 2008, Bud Anderson was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. I've been proud to call Bud a friend of mine for several years. He is a true patriot and someone who is more than deserving of the accolades he has received throughout his life and career. Our nation would be grateful to have more Americans like Bud Anderson.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Conaway for his leadership and the opportunity to speak today. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 238, the Commodity End-User Relief Act. For the last 2 years, as a member of the Agriculture Committee, I have worked continuously to improve the operations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Through a great deal of bipartisan hearings, members were able to hear from everyone at the table--the regulators, market participants, and end users alike. When discussing how to ensure robust markets, consumer protections, and relief for end users, H.R. 238 truly represents a true agreement. After all, the end users are our customers. They are the whole reason for this legislation and this entity to begin with. Another important provision included in this bill is language I had previously introduced, the Public Power Risk Management Act, which ensures that 47 million Americans who rely on public power for electricity will not see their rates increase due to unintended consequences of Dodd-Frank. There are 2,000 publicly owned utilities across this country, including one in my own district in the city of Redding, who have used swaps to manage their risk for years, and this bill safeguards their ability to do so while protecting taxpayers from high, unnecessary costs. Our farmers, ranchers, manufacturers--again, the end users--and other businesses who pose no systemic risk to our financial system and did not cause the financial crisis should not have to face costly red tape from policies meant to protect them in the first place. I want to thank, again, Chairman Conaway for leading on this issue and for the hard work in committee, all the conversations, all the background it takes to get this done and put the light on the practical effects of the unintended consequences on the actual customers, the end users. This bill is about American producers and consumers. I am proud to be part of this work product we have on the floor today, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is a simple, straightforward one, bringing clarity to the law and relief, again, to the end users, such as farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers that use swaps to hedge commercial risks associated with their business, including volatile markets and price fluctuations on a day-to-day basis. This critical financial tool allows them to do their jobs and provide products in an affordable and accessible manner, keeping consumer costs low. Discussing Dodd-Frank, Congress always intended that these end users should not have to clear the swaps entered to hedge these commercial risks and provide the end-user exemption to that end. The Commodity Exchange Act defines as a financial entity a person predominantly engaged in certain financial activities. The Fed's rulemaking when defining financial activities repeatedly states the rule is for the purpose of title I; therefore, bringing it in to title VII was something they did not have in mind when issuing their definitions of predominantly engaged for financial entities. Therefore, financial entities cannot rely on this end-user exception. However, because of a catchall in the definition of financial entities, end users who engage in successful hedging programs could be regarded as financial entities, thereby creating barriers and unnecessary restrictions to their business operations. This completely turns the concept of being an end user in title VII on its head. My amendment today ensures end users will not lose their ability to rely on the end-user exception, which is a clearing requirement due simply to the position performance of a transaction entered into solely to mitigate commercial risk. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. In my home State of California, human trafficking is a notoriously large and dangerous industry, with over 300 reported cases of trafficking that involved children, teens, and young adults last year, including the very mysterious case that happened in November, that of Sherri Papini from Shasta County, who may or may not have been drawn into this. Fortunately, she was released on Thanksgiving Day. Indeed, the whole State is thankful for her release and that she didn't get caught in that horrible system. We must do more to stop this human trafficking. That is why I am a proud supporter of H.R. 440, the SHAME Act, which was introduced by my colleague, Mr. Poe of Texas. The bill makes public the names and pictures of criminals who have been convicted of buying sex from a minor or from a sex trafficking victim--stripping their anonymity and sentencing them to the public humiliation they deserve for their despicable acts. I believe the SHAME Act will help to discourage participation in further human trafficking and will lead to a safer environment for our children in America. We must combat this now--indeed, a very dangerous and immoral problem.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in sadness to honor the life of a friend, Paul Stewart Shaner, known as ``Stu'' around Oroville. He passed away just recently, December 13, at the age of 76. A resident of Oroville, California, since age 5, Stu was a prominent member of the community known for his civic engagement and a true passion for his small town, the one I grew up in as well. While poor eyesight prevented Stu from joining the military, he went out of his way to serve in many other ways, serving veterans, serving his community, and making veterans feel treasured. He served his community in so many different ways, it is not hard to think of Stu as the main fiber of our town of Oroville. One of Stu's life goals was to erect a memorial park for veterans in Oroville. He worked very hard to accomplish this, serving as co-chair for the Veterans Memorial Park for over a decade. When you heard from Stu, you heard from him. He was going to get this done, and we were all determined to be helpful for him. He was relentless. The new park is under construction this very moment. In the words of everyone who knew Stu, he was one of the good guys who loved his family, his town, and the veterans who served his country. God bless Stu Shaner's family. We will miss him.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. I really want to thank Chairman Walker of the RSC, the Republican Study Committee. I greatly appreciate the gentleman's leadership on this event here tonight as well as the great job the gentleman is doing on the Committee. Mr. Speaker, we have had alternatives to the Affordable Care Act ever since I have been here. The American Health Care Reform Act, as put forward by the Republican Study Committee, has many of the elements we have all been talking about for several years: with the Affordable Care Act being forced upon Americans not in a bipartisan effort but strictly by the votes of one party when they had the majority--the ability--to force it through. We are suffering the effects of that now. One of my colleagues earlier was talking about: Why isn't this being reported? Why isn't this being talked about in the broad sense of how it is really affecting the Americans who are paying for it? People in my district, ever since I have been a Member of this House, have been pleading with us to do something about these high premiums, about the high deductibles, about the lack of access they have, especially in rural areas. Why are the proponents continuing to prop this up? It is clear that it doesn't work: higher costs, fewer options, unworkable plans. The exchanges--we have watched in several States-- most of them, after billions in investment, are shuttering; they are closing up shop. Where do those billions go that we have invested as a country into these exchanges? But on a patient level, it is putting even more of our most vulnerable patients on a system already known to be unsustainable without even ensuring access to quality care. In some cases, no care at all. How are people defining that as a success? We know that the main reason why so many people are uninsured is the high cost of coverage. But instead of investing vast amounts of money to bring more people into a broken system, let's take this opportunity to start fixing the root of the problem. One, this is done by increasing competition, giving patients more options, choices. Mr. Speaker, give them a menu of options they can pick themselves, tailor the plan to what they need. A 20-year-old young man has a completely different need than a 30-year-old mom and her family. Let them have the choices. Also, let's get rid of the costly mandates, the taxes. There are taxes on everything, it seems, to help prop up ObamaCare, the Affordable Care Act, including the cost for students for college. They are paying for some of that. Then let's build off successes that we have seen in the past and that are part of the proposal of the Republican Study Committee and the American Healthcare Reform Act. That could help fill our gaps in the healthcare delivery system. Community health centers, for example, is a model that is both cost effective and efficient in expanding access to care services in underserved areas, very rural ones, such as my own district at home. Healthcare reform affects the lives of every single person in this country, which is why it is high time that we put the health and well- being of the American people ahead of partisan politics and legacies. Let's get to work and deliver actual solutions that empower patients, drive down the costs, and increase access to care in every part of the country. Let's give back to Americans: ``Keep your plan that you like, keep your doctor that you like.'' So it is time to stop the partisan squabbling over it and the deception that has gone on for what is indeed for some a bad legacy of the American people.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, today is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, and I think it is very appropriate in this body to stand up and show that appreciation, especially in these confused times where signals come out of this place that don't show appreciation but, instead, depict our law enforcement in very unflattering terms. To our friends in law enforcement, we want you to know that the vast majority of us believe in what you do and that we value you and what you do every day out there to keep us safe, to keep us secure in our homes and our communities. We also honor those--too many--whom we have lost tragically in the line of duty. I know their families pray every night that they will return home safely. Too often, just in 2016, many of these families' worst fears were realized, as 135 fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters never returned home from the line of duty. In my home State of California, 11 officers lost, one even from my own district, Deputy Jack Hopkins of the Modoc County Sheriff's Department. We recognize him, and we recognize all the brave men and women around this country who sacrifice, who stand as a thin blue line between us and a lot of mayhem. We are truly grateful and want to take time this day to recognize what you do for us. God bless you all. Amen.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. ``. . . a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two- thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.''

Mr. LaMALFA. Amendment XXIII, section 1: ``The District constituting the seat of government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as Congress may direct: ``A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.'' Section 2: ``The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.'' Amendment XXIV, section 1: ``The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax.'' Section 2: ``The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.''

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. I was listening to the gentleman's remarks on a couple of these topics here that are very important. He led off with the situation that occurred with the sit-in that occurred here on this House floor last year, some months ago, and I found that to be very appalling for the decorum, for the honor, for the history, for all the things that are important about conducting ourselves in a society where order is needed in order to conduct business. This House floor was not treated with that respect that is necessary to have order, to have an honest debate, and a debate that is constructive when you have a sit-in like that where basically the folks on the other side of the aisle--some of them--decided to take over the entire building outside of session, outside of the rules. As Mr. Gohmert mentioned, many rules were violated. I had the appalling experience of walking on the floor just a few minutes after they concluded their sit-in and, honestly, the garbage that was laying on the floor. I saw food crumbs, old newspapers, magazines, a couple of blankets. They didn't even pick up after themselves. They expected the staff of the building to pick it up and haul it off for them because their Occupy Wall Street moment was over with. This is not the sixties. This is not the hippy era. This is the United States House of Representatives. This week, rules were proposed that say, when you violate rules in such a fashion where videotaping or Periscoping, as they call it, is occurring--sending these speeches during a nonofficial, non-session time, basically bootlegging them to the American public via C-SPAN; and I am a little annoyed with C-SPAN actually playing along with the violation of House rules of piping this out the way they did. If you want to have a protest out on the front lawn, fine. That is within the rights of free speech, the First Amendment, and all that. You don't do it in violation of the rules of a fairly, some might say, sacred place--this House floor--the way that happened then. For them to be piping it out live that way, I found it to be completely wrong. There are those folks that might say: Well, this is all First Amendment rights, not in violation of the decorum of the House rules. So I am glad Mr. Gohmert brought that up. Rules are put in place this week to address people that are going to violate the very House rules that help us keep order and do business of the American public. We lost part of, I think, three session days that we could have been grinding out the important business that the people expect of this country. We lost that session time and, indeed, had to come in here and the Speaker or whoever was introducing legislation that day had to yell over the process here to do things in order for the House. I find that appalling. It isn't very mature. I think with some of the penalties that are put in place by the rules this week, there will be a little more accountability for that.

Mr. LaMALFA. It wouldn't be inappropriate since OCE is a hot topic this week. The accountability goes both directions. So we have heard our colleagues talk about unjust charges that can be brought from anywhere, out of the blue, against a Member of the House without justification, without even a due process for that Member to have a chance to address directly what that charge is, and then have their name run through the newspaper, giant headlines, and maybe a year's worth of investigation. When you see it, Congressman being investigated, well, that is an ugly headline. It can be used to manipulate it for political purpose when it might be a trumped-up charge, something that has no merit, and many times talking to my colleagues that have faced this, hundreds of thousands of dollars of cost to them for attorney's fees, their reputation besmirched by this, when, really, there is an investigative process that is open, with oversight. Now we didn't have the perfect piece of legislation in the rule this week. No. We probably need a little more time for it to be aired out and a little more widely. It was withdrawn after at least getting the idea out on the table. So I am proud of my colleagues who are going to take this up and work in a bipartisan fashion and get the input to make some needed reforms to the OCE so that we have an ethics process that is fair to the Members, but obviously enforces ethics for this House that are needed and clearly demanded by the public and us. We are talking here tonight about a decorum, a code, a process that our House is to be conducted by. So that sit-in is one extreme. The other one is charges that are, in many cases, absolved months later without giant headlines but are not even sometimes an oops or I am sorry for trumped-up charges being brought up against somebody that would affect them negatively in their ability to serve their districts or to fend off the huge costs of legal matters that they have to go through. So many of my colleagues here strongly care and want to have a strong ethical process in this place, but there needs to be accountability and balance to it. That is what we are all looking forward to, is accountability with OCE and our Ethics Committee who, in a bipartisan fashion, can weed through all these processes. I think we will get to that. For those that are concerned around this country that some here want to get rid of that ethics process, that absolutely couldn't be further from the truth. We all demand that with the code of conduct of this House, on the floor and off, of our Members.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I just want to point out the pride of Chico, California, and the First District. The Pleasant Valley High School Vikings became State champions of football just a few weeks ago. It was a very exciting game. They traveled south to Long Beach for it, to beat St. Anthony. The resiliency of the Vikings was amazing. I didn't get to go to the game myself, but I was texting back and forth with a good friend down there. After a 17-13 halftime score, it ended up 50-49. The Vikings were back and forth, up and down. With just 1\1/2\ minutes left in the game, after a late interception by the other team, they were down by 8 points. But with about 1\1/2\ minutes to go, they drove the field, scored a touchdown, got the 2-pointer and tied. They went into overtime. After giving up a touchdown to the other team in overtime, they came back, drove the field once again, scored a touchdown, and went for two and became division champions for the State of California by a score of 50-49. Congratulations, Pleasant Valley Vikings. Well done. You showed a lot of heart.

Mr. LaMALFA

Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, this week, I had the opportunity to participate in the American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes program, where we sent Christmas cards to servicemembers who are serving far from home this Christmas season. Though it is a seemingly simple gesture of honoring these patriots, it really causes you to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. As John 3:16 states: ``For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.'' God sent his son to be born in Bethlehem that first Christmas, bringing great joy to the world--with the shepherds, the wise men, and angels all sharing in the joy and celebrations. Christmas is a time to rejoice as children of God and to continue the tradition of giving, not out of necessity, but out of love. We have so much to be grateful for this year. We are blessed to live in the greatest country in the world, and we owe it all to our brave and courageous men and women who sacrifice so much to safeguard our values. So this Christmas season, in the spirit of giving, I encourage you to take a moment and show your appreciation to those who are serving our Nation both here and abroad, as well as their families here at home, and our law enforcement who have to work these times as well. May their service and sacrifice always be appreciated. Merry Christmas.