Barry Loudermilk

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 55, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, for those who haven't been in the House Chamber, surrounding the inside of this beautiful building are effigies of great philosophers and lawgivers that have influenced the founding of our Nation. One of those, to my right, is that of Sir William Blackstone. Now, Blackstone had great influence upon our Founders, especially that of Thomas Jefferson. In fact, it was Blackstone who influenced the three enumerated rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Mr. Speaker, let me read from Blackstone's Commentary, the very document which influenced Thomas Jefferson to make life the very first right that is given by government. Blackstone said: ``Life is the immediate gift of God, a right inherent by nature in every individual; and it begins in contemplation of law as soon as an infant is able to stir in the mother's womb.'' That is one of the foundations of this Nation, that life begins at conception. And our Founding Fathers understood that it was a great philosophy and that is when the protection of law begins. On January 22, 1973, we departed from that philosophy with the decision of Roe v. Wade. Since then, over 57 million American lives have been taken because of that decision. Mr. Speaker, that number is equivalent to the population of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee. That one decision, Mr. Speaker, has not only figuratively, but literally changed the landscape of America.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. I thank my colleague from Indiana for reserving this time and for giving me a few minutes to speak on this very important and critical issue. Mr. Speaker, as I am standing here, I see the word ``liberty'' engraved at the base of the rostrum. One of the great principles of this Nation is one of the principles of which our Founding Fathers sought to take on in the field of battle the most powerful military force in the history of the world for an idea, a principle of liberty. One of the great influencers on our Founding Fathers was Charles Montesquieu, an 18th century philosopher and judge. He said that when the legislative and the executive power is vested in one person or one body, there can be no liberty. Many of my colleagues that stood here before I came this evening have testified to the role that the President has taken upon himself to become both the legislator and the executive in this matter. In fact, in his statement on the White House Web site, he said that he was going to have to take action, even though some of the gaps in our gun laws could only be fixed by legislative action by Congress. But because Congress failed to act, he is going to have to take action. Clearly, he is admitting to stepping into the constitutional role of this body and the body on the other side of this building. When that happens, there can be no liberty. Now, the President has said he must take this action because Congress has failed to act. No, Congress did act. But Congress did not act in the way that he wanted us to. And because we didn't act in the way that he specifically wanted, now he has to take action. And the action he says that he must take is to make America safe. Many have talked about the constitutional issues. Clearly, he is taking an unconstitutional approach in this decision that he has made and in this action. But I want to highlight the ultimate hypocrisy of his statement that his actions are to make America safe. This body has taken actions which he has ignored that would truly make America safe. Back in February, as a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I traveled to our open and porous southern border, and I traveled side-by-side with Border Patrol agents, the Coast Guard, and local law enforcement who have committed their time and their lives. It is their mission to secure that border. We saw that the border is controlled by illegal cartels that smuggle human traffic. They smuggle narcotics and they smuggle drugs across the border into this country. Now, if guns just arbitrarily kill people, then maybe the action the President is taking would have some effect. But I have been around guns all my life and I have yet to have a gun jump up and just arbitrarily start shooting anyone. Guns don't kill people. People kill people. Bad people that use guns come into this country, and often those guns are smuggled in through the southern border. Now, as a result of being on the border, we realized that the only way to secure that border is we have to have a combination of physical barriers, of technology, but, most importantly, boots on the ground. We have talked about building fences and building walls. Well, I had one Border Patrol agent say that those are really ineffective unless you have boots on the ground. You build a 12-foot wall. The cartels buy 13-foot ladders. The cartels use high technology. They use engineers to build tunnels. They use aircraft to drop contraband on our side of the border and smuggle people, many people who are intent to do ill to people in this Nation, as we saw in San Francisco earlier this year. But the President has basically ignored Congress' call to secure the border. Instead of putting more Border Patrol agents on the border to secure the border, he wants to bring 200 more ATF agents to investigate American citizens. Just a few weeks ago, we dealt with the threat of ISIS and al Qaeda that says they are going to exploit our refugee resettlement program to get operatives into this Nation to conduct terrorist attacks against this Nation. This Congress, out of this body, passed a bill to pause that program until we could fully vet every person. The President decided he would ignore the call of Congress, and he pursued on with the refugee program. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I was able to question the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the FBI, saying: If we do bring these refugees in, how are you going to monitor them? The FBI said: We don't have the resources to monitor 10,000 new refugees coming into this Nation. But, yet, in his executive order, the President wants to hire 230 administrators, administrative personnel, to conduct background checks instead of providing us with more FBI agents to investigate terrorist activities. You tell me who is wanting to make America safe. He also has proposed $500 million toward mental health care and eventually tie mental health assessments to background checks. I applaud that. But, at the same time, we have thousands of soldiers coming back from war areas suffering from PTSD that this administration and the Veterans Administration has ultimately abandoned. Finally, he wants to use taxpayer dollars and resources to research and test smart gun technology. Well, maybe that is a technology in the future that could be applicable. But, yet, the TSA has postponed time and time again putting in new scanning technology that is desperately needed at our airports to stop contraband and banned items from getting through to our Nation's airlines and into our transportation system. Once again, that has been postponed. Mr. Speaker, I say that the President and his call that he wants to make America safer is making America more dangerous because he continues to ignore what the will of the people is. What this Congress is calling for is that we need to close our borders, we need to put more FBI agents investigating terrorist activities, we need to take care of our war veterans, we need to stop the influx of refugees that we know are going to be exploited by our enemies, and we also need to invest in technologies to make our transportation safe and secure.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 675, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, today I want to pay tribute to a true pillar of our community, Pastor Joe E. Edwards. For the past quarter century, Joe Edwards has served as pastor of the Church of God in Cartersville, Georgia; however, this Sunday, Joe Edwards will deliver his final sermon as senior pastor at The Church At Liberty Square, as he is retiring. Joe Edwards has been more than just a pastor. He has been a leader who has sought not only to preach the gospel of Christ inside the church, but put his faith into action throughout the community. While he has made numerous contributions to our community, his vision of unifying local churches to pray for local, State, and national leaders is fundamentally transforming the culture in our entire county. While he will be missed in the pulpit each Sunday, his legacy will live on through the thousands of lives he has touched. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Georgia's 11th Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I commend Pastor Joe E. Edwards for a life of service to God, community, and country, and congratulate him as he moves on to a new chapter in his life. Godspeed, Pastor Joe.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Madam Chair, on rollcall Nos. 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.'' Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Pompeo

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, as America joins in the celebration of the National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan), it is reflective of the strong relationship between Taiwan and the United States. Located in a challenging regional environment, Taiwan has manifested its representative democracy as they strive to ensure a stable, strong government. Their thriving economy demonstrates their disciplined pursuit in fostering freedom and moral principles within their borders. The people of Taiwan are devoted to principles of liberty and self- governance, and they display a remarkable work ethic within their communities. Since the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), signed in December of 1978, the United States stands with Taiwan, seeking to help maintain their peace and security. Marked by the TRA, America will continue to provide sufficient self-defense capabilities for Taiwan, in order to safeguard their homeland. Taiwan has proven to be a generous contributor to global efforts in fighting against disease and illness, and has been heavily involved in humanitarian assistance. They aided West Africa when faced with the Ebola outbreak, they provided Latin America and the Caribbean region training in preparedness and response for emergency situations, and they have responded to crises by delivering pre-fabricated shelters and disaster relief to numerous countries. They even charitably donated $1 million towards a memorial for President Eisenhower on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Their involvement in worldwide affairs shows their genuine care and concern for America and our neighbors across the globe. The United States is committed to supporting Taiwan and remaining their ally, and will help them in their efforts to pursue freedom and democracy.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, throughout our lives here on Earth, God places in our path certain people who influence our lives, who help shape who we are, and who ultimately help us to understand our purpose. A couple of years ago, I met someone whose optimism, faith, and valor in the face of difficulty has had a great influence on me, on my family, and on our entire community. I met Mr. David Hyde in 2013, who at that time was a small business owner in Cartersville, Georgia. At that time, I was a relatively unknown candidate for Congress, who was promoting the idea that America's days are still ahead of us if we define where we are going and aggressively set a course to get there. David quickly became a supporter and a friend. Although many had lost hope in restoring America's greatness, David was a breath of fresh air. His patriotism was inspiring; his optimism was infectious; and his energy invigorated me with a willingness to fight on. David and I share a vision: to restore our struggling Nation to one that is free, safe, and full of opportunity. We both believe that we can turn the tide and give our grandchildren a nation better than the one we inherited, but, of course, it will take a lot of hard work. Within 2 weeks of our introduction, David was given the news that he had esophageal cancer and that it was rapidly spreading. Now, after nearly 2 years of, quite literally, putting up the fight of his life, the cancer is quickly taking David's life. The time my friend has left with his wife and children is no longer measured in months or weeks, but in days. In realizing that any day could be David's last, I recently asked: David, if you had the ability to speak to the American people, what would you say? Mr. Speaker, in response to that question, David sent me the following words of encouragement to give to the people of this great Nation. David wrote: I recently had the honor of going to lunch with a friend just days before he shipped off to join the Navy. As we sat enjoying our meal, I saw in the eyes of my friend a young man who was proud to be given the opportunity to serve his country. The more we talked, the more he reminded me of another young man who, 35 years earlier, had also left home and family to join the Navy. The similarities between the two of us were not lost on me, and it reminded me of all that America held for a young man like me back then. While my vision of sailing the high seas and protecting the land of the free may have been somewhat jaded by the old black and white movies I grew up watching, the dream of doing something that really mattered was alive and real to me. While America may have gotten off course, the goal of why we served has never changed. We have lost many of the freedoms we once held, but I believe we are not so far from those days that, with hard work, sacrifice, and turning our eyes back to God, they cannot be restored. My life is a living example of God's restoration powers. It doesn't appear God will heal my sick body, but I know that, in the land I am soon going to enter, I have already been granted a new body--a perfect one--which I will have for eternity. That, my friends, is restoration. Just as He will restore me, I believe He can restore our Nation to the greatness it once saw, but it will only be possible if we turn our affections back to Him. The road to restoration is not easy, as I can personally attest. It is hard, painful, and discomforting. But when your eyes are upon God, not your problems, the path is much easier to endure. He has set out a clear plan with guidelines that aren't hard to follow. As our Founders understood, we may have some battles to overcome and a wilderness to cross, but we must not be paralyzed by fear of the unknown, for it is ``In God We Trust.'' When leading the Israelites from bondage, Moses had to lift his rod over the Red Sea in complete trust before God parted the waters for safe passage. He trusted God and forged on. Although he faced insurmountable odds, the fear of the unknown didn't stop Joshua from forging on. During the darkest hours of the American Revolution at Valley Forge, Washington didn't give up, but dug in and put his faith in the providence of God. Leaders who are willing to do what is difficult or even what seems to be impossible are the ones who carry the team forward. We must honor God and know that his plans for us include only one thing, His glory. If we are in it for Him, we win. If we are in it for ourselves, we lose. Just as my young friend went out to serve in the U.S. Navy without a clearly defined path or step-by-step guidelines, but fully relying on his authorities to lead him, we must know that, if we are to return to our country's traditional values, we need to study our history, find men and women willing to adhere to those founding principles, and tighten ourselves for a brighter future led by our intelligently chosen authorities. Who is your leader? My best advice, as a man looking backwards with 20/20 vision, is to decide now whom you will serve and proceed in a manner worthy of your calling. David C. Hyde, Jr. Thank you, David, for these words of inspiration and hope. God bless you, my friend, as you forge ahead in faith and trust in God almighty.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Madam Speaker, there comes a time when we must face the truth, regardless of how disgusting or offensive that truth is. As much as we dislike where we are and the shame the harvesting of baby parts has brought on our Nation, we are the ones who must face this truth and take action. Some who oppose this bill and other actions this Congress may take state that defunding this or other organizations will not completely stop these horrific acts, and that may be true. Did our involvement in World War II against Hitler end anti-Semitism? No, it didn't. Did our government's decision to take out Osama bin laden end terrorism? No, it didn't. How many innocent lives were spared because we did take action? The question before us is not whether our actions will stop this evil, but if this government will continue to fund it, sanction it, and tolerate it. For years, William Wilberforce fought against the evil of slavery, and he challenged his fellow countrymen with these words: ``You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say that you did not know.'' If we know the truth, which we do, and decide not to respond, we will, in part, share the blame, share the responsibility, and share in the judgment.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, let's be clear: Iran is an enemy to the United States of America, not by our declaration but by a proclamation of the most senior military leaders of that nation that have stated their destiny is to destroy the United States of America. Now, I was recently told by the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, that when someone says they want to destroy you, believe them. So what are we to trust? Are we to trust Iran, when they say that their destination, their goal, is to destroy the people of the United States of America? Or do we trust them when they say that they will commit to not develop a nuclear weapon? Or do we trust an international organization who has details about verification that they won't even share with the representatives of the people of this Nation who would be drastically affected by that? Oh, yes, but I have been told it is not about trust; it is about verification. But the details of the most critical part of that verification are being kept secret from the Members of this Congress who are expected to approve this deal that would have drastic effects upon the people of the United States. I would submit to you that those who chant ``death to America,'' the leaders in Iran, know the details of it. We must stop this now.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 490, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Miss Abigail Evelyn Suzal from Georgia's 11th District for her efforts to recognize and appreciate children all over the world. Children are the future of this nation, and we must work hard to preserve freedom, prosperity, and hope for the generations to come. I would like to thank Miss Suzal for her letter to my office requesting that Universal Children's Day on November 20th be added to the calendar with the possibility of the school day off and breakfast in bed. I applaud Miss Suzal for her advocacy for children worldwide.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, this last Sunday, my family and I attended church at the First Baptist Church of Woodstock in Woodstock, Georgia. It is not the first time we ever attended that church, as we have worshipped there before; but it is possibly the most memorable time that I will have attended that church because it was at this service that we were having the funeral of Lance Corporal Squire Wells, who is known to his friends and family as Skip. Skip was the youngest of those who were killed in the terrorist attack in Chattanooga. As we were driving to the church, Mr. Speaker, as we were still miles away from the church, along the sides of the road, we began to see American citizens, citizens of the 11th Congressional District lining the road, holding American flags and Marine Corps flags. As we approached closer to the church, the hundreds of people turned into thousands of people. As we arrived at the church, nearly 500 members of the Patriot Guard Riders, Marine Corps League, the VFW, and the American Legion were standing, lining the sidewalks of this church, bearing American flags to say good-bye and to say thank you to a patriot. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to also say thank you to Skip Wells--Lance Corporal Wells. Although, to my knowledge, we never met in person, I didn't know him personally, but I do know the type of person he is because he was a marine, which told me that he held to the highest standards of decorum and morale and integrity. He was a Christian who served faithfully in the First Baptist Church of Woodstock, which tells me he had a heart of charity and love. Mr. Speaker, I want to say thank you to Skip Wells for laying down his life for my freedom, the freedom of my children, and my granddaughter. I want to say thank you to Ms. Cathy Wells, his mom, for raising such a fine person as a single mom raising her only child, who has given his life in defense of this Nation. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the thousands of people from my district who came out and honored the life of this American patriot.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, in Fulton County, Georgia, officers of the Fulton County Police Department were alerted to shots fired in a neighborhood around 1:30 in the morning. The initial call indicated that a man was terrorizing citizens by going house to house, banging on doors and firing a weapon. Officers immediately responded and began searching for the gunman. About 45 minutes later another call was received, reporting gunfire in another part of the same neighborhood. Additional officers were dispatched. One of the officers responding to the second call was Detective Terrence Green, a 22-year veteran of the Fulton County Police force. Upon arriving in the neighborhood, officers could hear shots coming from the direction of one of the homes. As Terrence Green and his fellow officers bravely moved toward the gunfire, they were unknowingly walking into an ambush. When the officers were in range, the gunman emerged from a concealed position and began firing upon the officers. While running for cover, the officers returned fire, and in the ensuing firefight the gunman was eventually wounded. When the officers approached the gunman, they discovered that two of their own officers had also been shot during the ambush. All three were rushed to the hospital, where the gunman was treated for nonlife- threatening wounds. However, Detective Green had received a fatal shot to the head and around 4:30 in the morning succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind four young children. In all aspects of the term, Detective Green is a hero. He put himself in harm's way to protect the lives of others. I wish I could stand here today and say that what happened to Terrence Green was an isolated incident; but, unfortunately, this scenario plays out much too often in the cities, towns, and boroughs across America. But even in the midst of imminent danger, officers like Detective Green courageously fulfill their duty to protect and serve the people of this Nation. And I am grateful to those men and women who willingly put their lives on the line for us daily. It is the cop walking the streets, the officer on patrol, the sergeant on watch, or the deputy responding to a call who are on the front lines in our States, counties, and cities. Whether the call is for a crime in progress, an automobile accident, or a natural disaster, they are often the first on the scene to render aid, give comfort, or even save a life. While they don't do their job for accolades nor do they expect our continuous praise, it is encouraging for someone to occasionally say thank you. But instead of thanking them for their dedication to duty, some officials instead publicly criticize our law enforcement community. This unwarranted public criticism not only undermines the morale of our law enforcement officers, but it undermines the public trust in these dedicated servants. With a growing number of violent protests and riots in our Nation, tensions between the police and the public have grown significantly over the past several years. But instead of using their positions of influence to diffuse the tension, certain officials have stoked the fire, which has rekindled distrust and encouraged public unrest. Careless remarks, such as comparing American law enforcement officers to terrorist organizations like ISIS, have placed more officers' lives at risk and have sparked more anti-law enforcement sentiment across our Nation. As a result, public bashing of our police has skyrocketed and now American law enforcement officers feel they have been thrown under the bus by the very people that should be supporting them. Recently, during a meeting with local first responders in my district, I asked if there was something I could do to help them. They asked for me to go back to Washington, D.C., and tell our government officials to please stop undermining them, to stop publicly criticizing them for doing the job they are tasked to do. ``Please make Washington understand,'' they said, ``that it is incredibly demoralizing to be putting your life on the line, fighting crime, while those in positions of leadership are making you out to be the criminal.'' Mr. Speaker, as with any organization, there are a few in law enforcement that haven't held themselves to the high standards of dedication expected within the law enforcement community, and those who violate the public trust should and most often are removed from their positions to face harsh disciplinary action. But just as every elected official in Washington, D.C., our peace officers have sworn an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. And while there are some instances where officers have strayed off- course, from what I have seen in the short time that I have been here, as a whole, law enforcement has a better record of upholding their oaths than some of the elected officials here in Washington. Mr. Speaker, our law enforcement officers deserve our admiration, respect, and appreciation, and today I want to thank them for the work they do for us. I want to thank the spouses and the families who have endured many sleepless nights while their loved ones were responding to a call. And to the families of those that have given their lives in the line of duty, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I thank you for your sacrifice for our safety, security, and freedom.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, throughout my life, I have learned that the American people are strong and resilient. Throughout our history, we have shown time and time again our unique ability to overcome every obstacle and every adversary that has blocked our path to freedom. This resilience is what has advanced our Nation from being a ragtag rabble of citizens who took up arms in the American Revolution to being the greatest superpower in the world. Throughout our advancement as a nation, we have not always been perfect. In fact, we have made some grave mistakes. However, our shared dedication to liberty and justice for all people has put us back on course. And though it sometimes takes years, or even generations, the spirit of American exceptionalism overshadows our mistakes and, with the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, we move forward. However, when the government and its leaders purposefully mislead the American people, they are much less willing to forgive and forget, especially when such deception puts the people at risk, threatens their God-given rights or the sovereignty of this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I fear the American people and the Members of this Congress have, once again, been deceived, and I intend to get to the bottom of it. When the 111th Congress ran through this body the Affordable Care Act, the American people were sold a bill of goods with deceiving statements and deceptive promises, statements such as, ``If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.'' Although this disastrous legislation passed against the will of the people, some Americans trusted that the law would not take away their chosen healthcare plan. Unfortunately, the American people found out the hard way they have been deceived. Now, Mr. Speaker, new reports give evidence of another deception surrounding ObamaCare. Prior to the launch of the healthcare.gov Web site, officials of this administration assured Congress and the American people that personal information submitted via the ObamaCare Web site would be secure and would not be permanently stored. However, new evidence suggests this may have been just another bait-and-switch tactic. Contrary to what we have been told, the government is apparently storing American citizens' personal identifiable information obtained through the healthcare.gov Web site. If this is indeed true, then, this is not only another assault on the good faith of the American people, but, more importantly, it puts them at significant personal risk. This government has recently shown its inability to secure computer systems and protect sensitive information. In the past several months, we have been inundated with reports of security breaches of government computer systems, disclosing personal and official information that potentially harms our national security. With many Americans being forced into the government healthcare exchange, over 11 million people have registered with healthcare.gov. A breach of this system could be larger and potentially more disastrous than any of the previous breaches, which is a serious concern. Mr. Speaker, the last time I checked, our Founders gave us a government of the people, not a government of elitists, establishment, or executive privilege. We are a nation of laws, not a nation of feelings or good intentions. We are bound by the Constitution, but that Constitution is only as sound as the integrity of those who have sworn to uphold it. The American people expect their government to operate within the constraints of the Constitution, the limits of the law, and to be transparent and accountable. Unconstrained activity by government agencies has gone on far too long, and now their deceptions and reckless behavior is threatening the safety and the security of the American people. These actions put the future of our Nation at great risk, and they must stop. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Science, Space, and Technology, I intend to diligently pursue this issue, to find the truth, expose those who have violated the trust of the American people, and ensure the illegal collection of data by our government is stopped and the previously collected data is permanently removed. I intend to use the power given to this body through our Constitution and the trust invested in us by the American people to right these wrongs. Our citizens deserve better than this, and I am committed to ensuring that the American people have a nation that is once again free, safe, and full of opportunity.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support the Ratepayer Protection Act, which is a critical piece of legislation that helps protect our Nation's consumers and businesses from skyrocketing electricity costs. Last year, the EPA proposed a new set of regulations on existing power plants which will dramatically effect our economy if implemented. The Obama administration has been doing its best to convince the American people that these new standards would achieve great progress for our Nation, calling the proposal the clean power plan. Despite the illusions of good intentions, the devil is in the details of this proposed rule. What the administration does not want us to know is that these standards would wreak havoc on our economy and inflict enormous costs on the American consumer. According to the National Economic Research Associates, these regulations would increase electricity prices in my home State of Georgia by 12 percent. While this would be a problem for any State, it is especially alarming for me, given that Georgia already has the tenth highest average electricity bill in the Nation. Mr. Chairman, right now, the temperature in my State is 95 degrees. My constituents depend on affordable electricity to stay cool all summer long, and the administration's assault on our Nation's power plants is totally unacceptable. What is more, the average American household already spends about $15,000 a year to comply with Federal regulations. It has been radical proposals like these which have caused our economy to stagnate throughout this administration. Even the EPA admits that the rule will cost our economy more than $7 billion a year by the year 2030. Washington bureaucrats may be able to afford this assault on our economy, but my constituents cannot. The EPA also promotes these regulations with a promise that they would cut 30 percent of carbon pollution by the year 2030. The inconvenient truth is my State has already reduced its carbon emissions by 33 percent from 2005 to 2012. Why is the administration pursuing these unrealistic regulations when Georgia and other States have already dramatically reduced their pollution levels? The bill we are considering today, H.R. 2042, would halt the rule's compliance deadlines until litigation on the rule has been completed. This bill would also allow the Governor of any State to opt out of the rule's requirements if their State's electricity rates would increase significantly, as they would in my home State. This commonsense piece of legislation would help to bring the U.S. environmental policy back into the real world and allow us to remain economically competitive. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1633) to provide for certain improvements relating to the tracking and reporting of employees of the Department of Homeland Security placed on administrative leave, or any other type of paid non- duty status without charge to leave, for personnel matters, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I believe our children and grandchildren deserve a better government than the one that we are passing on to them. Families are struggling due to a lagging economy. Government intrusion and senseless regulations on businesses are pushing jobs overseas. With the recent rash of scandals within our Federal Government, the American people are continually losing their faith in representatives of our government. I know we can do better, and the American people expect to see change. I came to Congress to make a difference, to cut spending, to eliminate waste, and to hold Big Government bureaucrats accountable and make this Nation a place that is more free, safe, and full of opportunity. This is what the American people expect from us, and now is the time for us to take bold and decisive action, and that is why I am standing here today. The Department of Homeland Security has roughly 240,000 employees who work around the clock to protect the lives and liberties of Americans, and I am grateful for their dedicated service. However, due to a lack of proper management and accountability, there are numbers of DHS employees who are staying at home and drawing a paycheck while being investigated for acts of misconduct. In May of 2014, the former deputy inspector general at the Department of Homeland Security was accused of altering reports and delaying investigations. One of those investigations was the Secret Service prostitution scandal that occurred in 2012. The Senate Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight delved into this case, which also led to further investigations. However, even though the former deputy inspector general was being investigated for gross misconduct, he was placed on administrative leave, receiving full pay and benefits for almost an entire year. We all know that there are occasional incidents like this in any organization. However, if this was an isolated case, I would not be standing here today presenting this bill, but there are numerous cases like it. The Government Accountability Office reported that from 2011 to 2013, the Department of Homeland Security provided its employees with over 1.5 million days of paid administrative leave, equating to over $380 million in taxpayer dollars. Most of this paid leave was granted to employees who were on administrative leave for reasons of misconduct. Unfortunately, the Department has no agencywide standards or reporting policies regarding paid administrative leave for employees being investigated for misconduct. This lack of management and accountability allows employees with disciplinary issues, like the former deputy inspector general, to fall through the cracks. This bill, H.R. 1633, the DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015, requires the Chief Human Capital Officer to implement an agencywide policy regarding those who are on paid administrative leave for more than 6 months being investigated for misconduct. In addition, it requires the Department to report to Congress the number of employees on administrative leave during investigation, as well as the associated costs. Having a commonsense policy, as mandated by this bill, will potentially save the Department millions of dollars and provide for critical oversight and accountability. The bill will also require the Chief Human Capital Officer to submit quarterly reports to the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees. These reports will allow more oversight by Congress and ensure DHS is no longer squandering hard-working taxpayer dollars. DHS must do a better job of tracking employees under investigation for misconduct and, in a timely manner, take appropriate action to hold them accountable. Employees who tarnish the Department's reputation do not deserve paid vacations at taxpayer expense. Americans are tired of government carelessly giving away their future through mismanagement and thoughtless spending habits. I encourage my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 1633, a commonsense bill that will help prevent fraud, alleviate waste, and better safeguard taxpayer dollars. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott), my good friend.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), my colleague, friend, and fellow member of the Homeland Security Committee.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to support this strong, commonsense, and bipartisan piece of legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1646) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to research how small- and medium-sized unmanned aerial systems could be used in an attack, how to prevent or mitigate the effects of such an attack, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1646. The rapid increase of commercially available small-and medium-sized unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, most often referred to as drones, poses an emerging security threat. This is further evidenced by recent high-profile events at the White House, French nuclear power plants, and numerous airports and sports venues. Drones have been a part of foiled terrorist plots, used to smuggle drugs across our borders, and the negligent use of this technology presents a public safety risk. During this Congress, bills have been introduced that focus on topics such as the commercial uses of drones and the privacy concerns associated with their use. However, nobody has tackled the security implications of expanding the use of drones. H.R. 1646, the Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act, requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to research how commercially available small- and medium-sized drones could be used in an attack and to develop policies, guidance, and protocols for the Department of Homeland Security to prevent an attack. By the end of fiscal year 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to establish new rules to remove the waiver requirement and allow the operation of drones for nonrecreational purposes in U.S. airspace. Undoubtedly, these regulations would be better informed by a DHS assessment of the potential security risks associated with the expanded use of small- and medium-sized drones. H.R. 1646 is a good first step towards protecting the country and the American people from this emerging threat. I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC, June 9, 2015. Hon. Michael T. McCaul Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McCaul: I write concerning H.R. 1646, the Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act. This legislation includes matters that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In order to expedite floor consideration of H.R. 1646, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo action on this bill. However, this is conditional on our mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill does not prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. In addition, the bill's sponsor and the Committee on Homeland Security have agreed to include two changes to the bill in a Manager's Amendment on the House Floor. Finally, I request you urge the Speaker to name members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to any conference committee named to consider H.R. 1646. Please place a copy of this letter and your response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Sincerely, Bill Shuster, Chairman.