Candice Miller

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I, first of all, would like to associate myself with the remarks about Rosa Parks that my ranking member just made. You think about one person with that act of courage literally changing a Nation, and it's a remarkable thing. And we were very proud in Michigan that she came to be a resident of Michigan in her final years, where she served, as you can imagine, so extraordinarily well and so inspiring to so many people. It's certainly entirely appropriate that a statue to her takes a place in Statuary Hall amongst Presidents and other national leaders. And so we're all looking forward to it tomorrow, to that unveiling of her statue. But getting back to the House resolution that we have today, Mr. Speaker, I would just say, in closing, that certainly if America wants to remain competitive, we have to encourage and embrace innovation in the STEM fields. And as all of the various speakers have mentioned today, this program, I'm very excited about it. I have to tell you, in full transparency, 5 years ago I didn't even know what an app was. Now it's part of the nomenclature. You've got an app store and there's apps for all kinds of things. And these kids, when you get a chance to go into these high schools and talk to them, have ideas for apps doing all kinds of things. And so I think that we're going to try to design this program to be technology neutral, whether it's a smartphone or a Web site or a laptop or any kind of software, and then sort of leave it open, because the technology is just changing so rapid fire as well. We've thought about, for instance, in my district I've talked to my staff about how we would have a panel of judges that are very savvy on all of these things. You could use computer science teachers to be part of the judging panel, people from industry, academics, what have you. And then, I think, hopefully as some of the students come forward, whether they win or not, that we would have some sort of a mentoring program, as well, where folks from the industry, from the academics and the sciences in the STEM programs in the fields could talk to these students about opportunities, job possibilities, et cetera. So I do think that this resolution that we're passing today, again, in a bipartisan way, is very important and does have the ability to really impact in a very positive way. With that, I have no further requests for time, so I would urge my colleagues to support the legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I reserve a point of order.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I withdraw my point of order.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 325, the No Budget, No Pay Act. The Budget Act of 1974 requires each House of Congress to pass a budget each year by April 15. This is important, of course, because the budget that we pass is our blueprint, literally, for how we're going to spend the hard-earned tax dollars that the American people send here to Washington to run our Nation. Today, we are in a situation where the United States Senate has not passed a budget in nearly 4 full years, leaving the American people with no idea of how the Senate intends to deal with the fiscal crisis that is facing our Federal Government. In the time since the Senate last passed a budget, the Federal Government has experienced deficits of over $1 trillion each and every year, and we have added more than $5 trillion to our national debt. Obviously, this is a very serious fiscal crisis, and the American people are demanding answers. This legislation will allow us room to begin working on a solution that will put our Nation on a much more sound financial footing. This bill will extend our Nation's borrowing authority for 90 days to give each House of Congress, the House and the Senate, the needed time to do what they are legally required to do, which is to pass a budget to show the American people how we intend to deal with the many challenges that we face. But while giving Congress time to do its work, it also has a very important caveat associated with it that says, if we don't do what we are required to do by law, that we will not be paid. Simply put: no budget, no pay. This idea actually came, Madam Speaker, from previous bipartisan efforts to bring fiscal responsibility to Washington. And now the President has indicated that if it reaches his desk, he will sign it, that he does not oppose it. As well, there have been very promising indications coming out of the United States Senate from many Democratic Members that they will also step up, after 4 long years of inaction, and put forward a budget. I believe that this can be the impetus today for us to begin working together to make the difficult decisions to finally address our fiscal challenges. Today, we can send that very strong message to the American people with a bipartisan vote to show that we are willing to put our paychecks on the line to meet these challenges. Now, some are concerned about whether or not this legislation is constitutional because of the 27th Amendment's restriction that the pay of Members of Congress cannot be varied--that is really the operative phrase of that amendment, ``varied''--that it can neither be raised nor reduced until another election has taken place. This bill, Madam Speaker, was carefully crafted to comply with the requirements of the 27th Amendment. So this is how it will work: If either the House or the Senate does not pass a budget by April 15, the deadline, then beginning on April 16, the pay for Members of that Chamber will be placed into an escrow account and will only be paid when that Chamber--either the House or the Senate--has passed a budget or when we reach the end of the 113th Congress. The amount that Members are paid will not be reduced nor will it be raised, so we stay in strict compliance with the terms of the 27th Amendment. There is no requirement in the 27th Amendment which states that Members have to be paid weekly, biweekly, monthly, or bimonthly or what have you, only that the pay that they receive will not vary. Now, some have suggested that the escrow account into which the Member pay would be deposited should bear interest so that that could then, as well, be paid to the Members. This cannot happen because that would actually cause Member pay to increase, of course. It would then vary their pay, which would not be in compliance with the strict terms of the 27th Amendment. So I am extremely hopeful, Madam Speaker, that we will successfully conclude our work in a timely basis here in the House, and I hope that this additional provision, as well, encourages the Senate to also complete our important work and pass a budget. What we are suggesting certainly is not unreasonable. I'll tell you, I come from southeast Michigan, and one thing I can tell you that is true about the people that I am honored to serve is that they get up every single day, every morning and work hard all day, every day. They simply do not understand how Congress can fail to do our job for almost 4 years--no budget out of the Senate for almost 4 years--and yet suffer no consequences. The American people are demanding that their Members of Congress deal effectively with the challenges we face. Our problems are real, and it's time for real solutions or real consequences. The concept, again, very simple: no budget, no pay. When times are tight, you balance your checkbook. When you run out of money, you stop spending. When your credit card is maxed out, you cut it up or get a plan together to pay it off. And if you don't do your job, you don't get paid. These are the principles, Madam Speaker, that Americans live by, and we certainly should be no exception. So I would urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, before I yield time to my good colleague here, a couple of comments in regards to what my ranking member has said from the committee, why not no gun control, no pay, or using some other examples. I would just point out that none of those are required by law, as passing a budget is required by law. Also, there was some comment again about the significance of the 27th Amendment. I would just add quickly a statement from David Rivkin, Jr., and Lee Casey. These are two constitutional attorneys that served in former administrations who say the bill passes muster. Their comment: It does not vary Members' compensation instead holding it in escrow until such time that a budget is passed or, at the latest, this Congress comes to an end. It is attentive to the text and structure of the Constitution. And just one other quote. This is from another constitutional attorney, a Greg Watson--actually, a gentleman who rallied the support to pass the 27th Amendment. I will proudly point out, in 1992 it was my State of Michigan that put it over the three-fourths threshold. But at any rate, he said: Nowhere in such a proposal do I see any violation of the terms and provisions of the 27th Amendment. Such a proposal does not vary the dollar amount of compensation to Members of Congress. The proposal merely delays the disbursement of that dollar amount. Statement of David B. Rivkin, Jr., and Lee A. Casey Members of Congress are accountable not just to serve their constituents but also to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The House of Representatives' debt ceiling extension furthers both. The American people expect that their elected representatives in Congress will work together to enact a budget resolution, and the House bill's approach holds them personally accountable for doing so. It honors both Article I and the Twenty-Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution because it does not vary Members' compensation, instead holding it in escrow until such time that a budget is passed or, at the latest, this Congress comes to an end. This mechanism is a model for the way that Congress ought to work: it is creative, it is fiscally responsible, and it is attentive to the text and structure of the Constitution. Madam Speaker, at this time I am very honored and privileged to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Harper), who is a distinguished member of the Committee on House Administration.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, the reason that we have such an enormous amount of national debt, such a number that you can't even get your mind around it anymore, $16 trillion, a big component of that is because we have not been following the law in having the Senate pass a budget as we have done in this House. I would say, having been very proud to participate and sit on the platform watching the President of the United States in his inaugural getting sworn in just the other day, one of the things that he said is that we have to address our debt and we have to work together. And today, the White House is saying they will not oppose this bill. So I am asking my colleagues to work together in a bipartisan way. Passing a budget is the foundation for us to begin to get a handle on this out- of-control spending and the deficit and the debt that we have. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I would just say this, Madam Speaker: what we're hearing from our Democratic colleagues here in the House is really a complete disconnect from what we're hearing from their Senate colleagues about this particular bill. You have House Democrats saying that this bill is nothing but a gimmick. I've heard it said that this bill is a joke. In other words, it is a gimmick or a joke to suggest that Congress should follow the law. I think that's different than what Senate Democrats have been saying very vocally, that this bill actually would give them an opportunity to pass a budget and the White House saying that they won't oppose it. Again, it's a complete disconnect from my colleagues here on the floor, some that I'm hearing on the other side there. I would say more pointedly that it's a complete disconnect from what the American people have as an expectation for their government, which is to follow the law, to pass a budget, to get a handle on our debt and our spending, and to prioritize our spending. Again, a budget is a blueprint for a path forward. It speaks to the American people of the priorities of their Congress, of their government. We will have lots of other opportunities to address this terrible national debt. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to the memory of a great citizen of the State of Michigan, the late Dr. Sheldon Kapen. Sadly, Dr. Kapen passed away on Thanksgiving Day at the age of 77. He was the longtime Chairman of the Department of Neurology at the John V. Dingell Veterans Administration Hospital in Detroit and a leading figure in the field of sleep disorders research who made many outstanding discoveries and contributions. The plaque which honors him at the VA hospital calls Dr. Kapen ``A Physician, a teacher, a scientist, a leader, and a friend''. My sincerest condolences go out to his family. I would like to place into the Record an article from the VA Hospital bulletin on the occasion of the naming of the Sheldon Kapen Sleep Laboratory last year as well as an obituary that appeared in the Wayne State University newspaper. Detroit VAMC Sleep Clinic Honors Dr. Kapen (By Alysse Mengason) This fall, the Detroit VAMC staff and patients paid tribute to one of its long-time physicians, hanging a plaque in his honor in the sleep clinic. Dr. Sheldon Kapen's legacy is represented in the sleep lab, which he founded in 1985, when he took over a new 2 bed unit in the old Detroit VAMC in Allen Park. Dr. Kapen started the first sleep lab in any VA facility. Dr. Kapen achieved many successes over the years. Among the grants he won, Dr. Kapen received a VA Research Grant to study stroke and sleep. When the Detroit VA Medical Center moved to Detroit and became the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Dr. Kapen was able to expand the clinic into a new 8 bed facility with state of the art equipment and more staff. Dr. Kapen's sleep medicine and laboratory was the first VA sleep lab to be accredited, and approximately the 20th in the nation (there are now about 1,000 accredited sleep labs in the U.S.). He also had the first VA-based accredited fellowship program in 1989 (the 4th overall in the country) and it has also been reaccredited multiple times. In his more than 30 years with the VA, Dr. Kapen has trained dozens of physicians, and continues to train and supervise sleep fellows from Wayne State University.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 619 I was inadvertly detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincerest congratulations to Michigan's Harbor Beach Pirates High School Varsity Football Team. The Harbor Beach Pirates ended a remarkable 2012 season last Friday by winning Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Division 8 State Championship! This win marks the first football state championship win in Harbor Beach High School's history, and ending a 13 games won and only one loss season for the Pirates, a season that includes a. Greater Thumb East Conference title, a district title, and a regional title. The Harbor Beach Pirates were able to accomplish this feat at Detroit's Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions. The Pirates won the Championship despite the best efforts of their opponents, the Beal City Aggies. The Pirates dominated their competition throughout the state playoffs, a journey that culminated in the Pirates winning the Michigan State Championship game by a score of 35-10. This winning score was achieved through a combination of a stingy defense that had multiple red-zone stops and a complete team offensive effort. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to honor the hard work and sportsmanship displayed by all the members of the Pirates. I applaud these young men for always remaining both mentally and physically ready to compete, and for staying energized and focused each time they stepped on to the gridiron. I understand this can be extremely difficult considering the numerous pressures and distractions high school student-athletes can encounter, but these brave men are wonderful examples of hard-work to achieve your goals. I also wish to acknowledge the administrators, teachers, cheerleaders, parents, students and fans alike for their assistance and support in making this a truly unforgettable season. The Pirates proved they had the talent and the perseverance to rise to the challenge and accomplish their ultimate goal--a Michigan State Championship! In closing Mr. Speaker, I am so proud of how hard this team worked together, and I want to offer my personal congratulations and best wishes. All the accolades, awards, and trophies are rightfully deserved. Way to go Pirates!

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct privilege today to recognize the Deckerville Eagles High School Football Team. The Eagles capped off a remarkable and extremely memorable season by bringing home to Sanilac County the second ever Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) 8-Player State Championship! The Eagles defeated the Bellaire High School team in the State Championship game on November 16th by a score of 14-12. This championship game was a hard-fought defensive battle, with the Eagles keeping constant pressure on their opponent. The Eagles were able to come up with numerous important stops on defense, and capitalized on the errors of their opponents to earn the victory. The Eagles proved they had the talent, fortitude, and resilience to rise to the challenge and accomplish their ultimate goal--a State Championship! Teamwork, perseverance, and friendship all contributed to this title. I know the community and the entire Thumb Region takes great pride in what these young men were able to achieve. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to honor the hard work and sportsmanship displayed by all of the members of the Deckerville Eagles team. I also wish to acknowledge the parents, the cheerleaders, the school teachers and administrators, and all of the students, fans, and community members who came out this season to support the Eagles. Together they combined to make this an unforgettable season. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to offer my personal congratulations and best wishes. All the accolades, awards, and trophies are rightfully deserved. Way to go Eagles!

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, throughout the history of our great Nation, American patriots have answered their Nation's call to defend the freedom that we all hold dear. Lance Corporal Anthony DiLisio was one such hero. Anthony DiLisio grew up in Macomb Township, Michigan, which I am very proud to represent. He was an all-American kid. He was a member of the swim team and the baseball team at Dakota High School. And after graduating from high school in 2008, Anthony could have gone on to college or he could have gone to work in his family's small business, but he was determined--determined--to serve the cause of freedom. Against the wishes of his family, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in August of that year. Lance Corporal DiLisio was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. And he shipped out with his brother marines to Afghanistan for combat operations in the Helmand province in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. And on May 30, 2010, Lance Corporal DiLisio was told by his superiors that he could take the day off. That wasn't Anthony. That night Lance Corporal DiLisio went on patrol with his marine brothers when they were ambushed just outside the camp and a battle ensued. In that battle, Lance Corporal DiLisio and two of his marine brothers were killed in action in defense of our freedom, just 1 month shy of their scheduled return from Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Anthony DiLisio loved his country. He loved the Marine Corps, and he fought with courage and honor and distinction to preserve our liberty. In this great Nation, we honor heroes like Lance Corporal DiLisio. And while nothing we can do will ever fully honor his incredibly brave service and his ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom, we have a responsibility to do what we can. So I ask every Member of this House to join me in honoring this American hero, this great American patriot, by supporting this legislation which will designate the postal facility in Macomb Township, Michigan, as the Lance Cpl. Anthony A. DiLisio Clinton-Macomb Carrier Annex. Anthony, Mr. Speaker, was loved by his family: his father, Lorenzo; his stepmother, Tina; his mother, Tamra, who sadly just recently passed away; his brothers, Dino, Angelo, and Joe; his sisters, Lisa and Marie. We also honor them for sharing this person whom they loved so much with all of us. We cannot remove their sorrow for the loss of Anthony, but we can show them that the entire Nation honors his service and his sacrifice. And of course the motto of the United States Marine Corps is Semper Fidelis--always faithful. Faithful to their duty, faithful to the cause of freedom and liberty, and faithful to this great Nation. Anthony was a true marine, and he was always faithful. Again, I would ask every Member of the body to join me in honoring this great American hero and patriot, Lance Corporal Anthony DiLisio.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6025) to provide for annual reports on the status of operational control of the international land and maritime borders of the United States and unlawful entries, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. 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.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might consume. Among the enumerated powers of the Constitution, providing for the common defense is, in my mind, the most important responsibility of this Congress. A key part of the common defense is ensuring that we secure our Nation's borders, and in the coming months, determining how to measure progress along the thousands of miles--north, south, and coastal--will be absolutely crucial. H.R. 6025, the Mandatory Operational Control Reporting and Performance Measures Act of 2012, requires that the Department of Homeland Security resume reporting miles of the border under operational control and provide an estimate of the number of unlawful entries between ports of entry. For years, we relied on operational control as a proxy for border security. It really became sort of the de facto term of art that indicated how much or how little of the border the Border Patrol could effectively control. But at last count, only 44 percent of the southwest border was under operational control, and less than 2 percent of the northern border was adequately secured. I'm not quite sure how we can go from having less than half of the border under operational control to get to the current thinking that the border is more secure than ever, as the Secretary of Homeland Security has said, without having a legitimate way to measure border security. In 2010, the Department of Homeland Security stopped reporting the number of miles of border under operational control with the promise of a new, more holistic measure of border security called the Border Condition Index. Nearly 3 years later, we're still waiting for the introduction of that measure without any idea if it will ever be used. It's time for the Department to provide a suitable measure that adequately captures the security situation on the border, whether that is the Border Condition Index or something else. Until then, the Department should resume reporting miles under operational control. To ensure that the numbers DHS gives us are sound, this bill, Mr. Speaker, requires that the Department give the Government Accountability Office access to the operational control numbers for third-party verification. I fully understand that the leadership of the Department believes operational control, as it is currently configured, is not the right measure to describe security at the border. So I think we are all really open to new, more robust standards if it supplements operational control and better describes the level of security at our borders. But we can't just take this administration's word for it that the border is more secure than ever without some agreed upon standard. To that point, I'm not sure that we should automatically assume that any new measure stacks up against operational control. With an issue this important, we can't just change the rules if we don't like the results. Under this bill, the use of anything other than operational control to describe the security along the border must be vetted by a national laboratory with prior expertise in border security. Validation by a third party to ensure it accurately measures security along the border boils down to this: trust, but verify. In testimony, the Government Accountability Office has been clear that the use of apprehensions of aliens at or near the border as a proxy for border security is, at best, incomplete. It tells us that we are catching lots of people, but it doesn't answer the most important question: How effective are we at keeping the drug cartels, human traffickers, and others from crossing our borders at will? H.R. 6025 asks the Department to address this issue with an estimate of the number of unlawful entries between ports of entry so that the American people can put the apprehension numbers in the proper context and can stack apprehensions against the number of people who successfully cross the border illegally. Mr. Speaker, the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection have a very difficult job, and I certainly want to thank them, as I'm sure we all do, for the very hard work that they do in some very demanding conditions to keep secure our Nation. How we determine or measure what a secure border looks like has been the subject of a lot of debate, but the fact remains that the Congress and the American people should have a verifiable way to determine if we are making progress along the border. I ask my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I thought I had another speaker, but I do not see him here. If the gentleman from Mississippi has no further speakers, I am prepared to close.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I would just ask my colleagues to support this legislation that moves us toward a more full understanding of the security situation along the border. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Macedonian Community in honor of their Independence Day. On September 8, 1991, the Republic of Macedonia voted to officially gain its independence from the former Yugoslavia beginning a new era in the proud history of the Macedonian people. By approving the referendum, the people decided that it was time for their country to forge its own path. This 21st anniversary of their independence provides us all an opportunity to recognize the Macedonian Community's significant contributions both within our country, and throughout the world. Macedonia has been a dedicated ally to the United States in the Global War on Terror and has done much to promote liberty and democracy throughout Europe and the world. With American cooperation and support, Macedonia has emerged as a center of multi-cultural peace and stability in a part of the world known for strife and ethnic tensions. Their staunch support of freedom makes them a model for other countries in the region, and their commitment to a U.S.-Macedonia relationship will lead to a richer, more prosperous future for citizens of both countries. As a way to recognize this partnership, I started the first Congressional Caucus on Macedonia and Macedonian-Americans. This Caucus is a bipartisan group of members of Congress dedicated to maintaining and strengthening a positive and mutually beneficial relationship between the United States and the Republic of Macedonia, as well as advocating for the concerns and interests of the Macedonian community in the United States. Michigan's 10th District has one of the largest populations of Macedonian-Americans in the Nation. I would like to acknowledge their contributions to our District and our State, and I look forward to continuing that relationship as we deal with the problems facing our great Nation. Again, congratulations to the Macedonian community for their achievements as we commemorate the anniversary of their independence.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, in America we believe in freedom, in democracy and in the belief that in this country the people rule. And in order for the people to rule responsibly they must have knowledge and information about the handling of our economy. Unfortunately, the American people are denied the basic information they need on one of the most important pillars of our economy, the Federal Reserve. Today the Federal Reserve operates in secrecy. It creates money out of thin air, it can make purchases of questionable assets from friendly Wall Street firms and it can loan hundreds of billions of dollars to foreign governments and central banks--all out of the sight of the American people and even policy makers in Washington. It is time to lift the veil of secrecy by passing H.R. 459, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act. This bill will allow for a thorough audit of the Fed, including transactions with foreign governments, central banks and the decision making process in setting monetary policy. We should never fear transparency in a free society--it is vital--and we should embrace it. Today I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill which provides for a long overdue audit of the Fed.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, America's Family Farmers have built the most productive agriculture sector in the world and this abundance helps feed not only our nation, but also the world. Family farms are truly based on the family where each generation trains the succeeding generation. Last year the Department of Labor tried to inject itself into the family farm by proposing onerous new regulations that would have basically denied family farmers the ability to train the next generation of farmers. Some would have you believe that the Labor Department was just looking out for children, but does anyone truly believe that a bureaucrat in Washington cares more about a family's children than their parents, or aunts and uncles, or their grandparents? Faced with overwhelming opposition earlier to this overreach the Department of Labor withdrew the proposed regulations and went back to the drawing board. The legislation we are considering today would stop these regulations in their tracks and keep the bureaucrats from getting between family farmers and their children. I urge my colleagues to support the heritage of the family farm and join me in passing this legislation.

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Madam Speaker, I have some simple questions for those who support Obamacare . . . how does the hiring of over 16,000 new IRS agents provide anyone greater access to care? How does hiring 16,000 new IRS agents improve the doctor patient relationship? How does hiring 16,000 new IRS agents lower the cost of healthcare? The fact is those new IRS agents won't do anything to improve healthcare because IRS agents don't help deliver affordable and accessible healthcare--they collect taxes and Obamacare is definitely chock full of new taxes to be collected. Taxes on tanning, taxes on healthcare policies the government deems are too good, taxes on employers for providing health insurance the government deems is not good enough, taxes on income, taxes on drug manufacturers, taxes on medical devices, and even a massive new tax for not having health insurance. While President Obama has done little to help create the private sector jobs we so desperately need in this country he has certainly done a lot to promote full employment among tax collectors. The fact of the matter is those who wrote this bill sold it to Congress and the American people saying that the individual mandate was not a tax, and it is a massive new tax. And I would hazard to say that if it was sold as what it truly is then it never would have passed either the House or Senate. Just before passage then Speaker Pelosi famously said we had to pass the bill to find out what's in it. Well the American people have found out what is in Obamacare and they don't like it one bit. Sure there may be parts that they like, but not the full trillion dollar monstrosity. We can do better and the American people certainly deserve better. Let's repeal this bill today, start over and give the American people what they want . . . legislation that supports private sector solutions to reduce costs, improve access to care and strengthen the doctor patient relationship out of the reach of your local IRS agent.