Luke Messer

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3178, the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. For many Americans, access to higher education is a critical step in achieving the American Dream. However, as young men and women enter into the college selection process, they are too often faced with a complex maze of options, a lack of clear and consistent information, and a complicated and burdensome financial aid system. Congress made a number of reforms in 2008 to provide students and their families with more information on colleges and universities. Students are now better equipped to make informed decisions about where they choose to pursue a postsecondary education. But, unfortunately, some of these initiatives have only added to confusion faced by students and families as they make their higher education decisions, so more needs to be done. Too often, information that is available does not take into account the number of current students who enroll in higher education and lacks other important crucial information that may impact the decisions being made by students and their families. That is why Representative Foxx and I, along with many of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle, have introduced this important legislation. The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act makes significant improvements to the transparency gaps that currently exist within our current higher education system, including completion rates for Pell grant recipients. It will help ensure all available data is straightforward, useful, and relevant for today's students. By streamlining the maze of information into a consumer-tested College Dashboard, we can provide better information on enrollment, completion rates, and average student loan debt. Students can more easily form side-by-side comparisons of the colleges and universities that they are considering. Currently, the Secretary of Education is only required to publish information on first-time students who attend class full-time, ignoring a large part of the current college population. This legislation will ensure available information is better reflective of all students, both traditional and contemporary, and new and prospective students have a clearer picture of all options that are available to them. The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act takes steps to improve coordination among Federal agencies by requiring the Secretary of Education to work with other departments and agencies to ensure that any information related to higher education that they publish is consistent with the College Dashboard. This will help to avoid duplicative efforts and reduce confusion for students. With these reforms, we can ensure that students have all the information they need to make the best decisions for their futures. By working together, we can help make the dream of obtaining a college degree a reality for more Americans. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to thank the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands for his leadership on this important bill and all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their hard work on this bipartisan legislation. Going through the college decision application process should be an experience students look forward to as they plan the next stage of their lives. The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act makes the reforms necessary to ensure the information available to students is more accessible, relevant, and helpful as they go through that process. I am pleased with the good work we have been able to do here on Capitol Hill. I want to thank Chairwoman Foxx for her leadership on this bill as well. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER

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

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), for his great work on this important bill. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I am offering today is a simple and modest proposal. It ensures that the CFPB follows the statute of limitations established by Dodd-Frank during agency administrative proceedings. This amendment is a response to the CFPB blatantly ignoring the express statute of limitations in Dodd-Frank and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, otherwise known as RESPA. In January of 2014, CFPB launched an administrative proceeding against the PHH Corporation alleging a violation of RESPA. In the case, CFPB Director Richard Cordray claimed the express 3-year statute of limitations within Dodd-Frank did not apply to the CFPB's administrative proceedings process--deliberately ignoring the law. Using this unprecedented rationale, the CFPB retroactively imposed fines of $109 million against PHH Corporation for alleged violations dating back to 1995, meaning that the CFPB imposed fines for alleged violations that occurred 19 years after the statute of limitations had expired--again, 19 years past the express statute of limitations. These fines are illegal under Dodd-Frank, and they deny businessowners basic liability protections guaranteed to them under the statute of limitations. Without those protections, the CFPB could threaten litigation forever, handcuffing businesses' ability to create jobs in perpetuity. You can't just make it up. This is lawless behavior and it is dangerous for the rule of law. My amendment is very simple. It prohibits the CFPB from using any funds to take administrative actions past the express 3-year statute of limitations in Dodd-Frank. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), the chairman.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, I respect the gentleman's position. I would just submit that the express language of Dodd-Frank says what we should do here. It creates a 3-year statute of limitations for the CFPB, and the CFPB is ignoring the rule of law and ignoring that express language. All this amendment does is say that the CFPB cannot use dollars to violate the express letter of the law. I urge my colleagues for their support. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Robert & Ellen Mulford of Versailles, Indiana, and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Dr. Robert and Ellen Mulford have enrolled over 238 acres into six different CRP practices that focused on wildlife habitat and environmental preservation by creating wetlands and planting trees. CRP is an important program that helps preserve wild life habitats by reducing soil erosion and encouraging the planting of native species that will improve environmental quality. In five years, with the help of CRP, Robert and Ellen Mulford have been able to completely change the landscape of their farm. The Mulfords plan to continue to showcase and improve the Capability Farm as a commitment to nature and hope to share it in as many different ways as possible. As the CRP marks this important milestone, I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating Robert & Ellen Mulford. We can all appreciate and learn from their deep commitment to the environment and their community.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, my good friend, the gentlewoman from Indiana, for her important work on this legislation. I rise in support today of S. 524. Mr. Speaker, an astounding 78 people die every day of opioid overdose in America--78 people each day, 78 families crushed in the wake of this epidemic. And that will continue to leave devastation in its path unless we act. Austin, a city in my district, is all too aware of opioid addiction's devastating consequences. It has become the epicenter of an HIV outbreak connected to opioid addiction. The community of Austin is rallying to that crisis, but Hoosiers aren't the only ones suffering. That is why this week we came together as a House to pass 18 bills to tackle this epidemic, including the bill we are debating right now. These bills are an important first step. We must continue to work together to end this devastation and help the families crushed by this crisis.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exceptional volunteer effort of the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church volunteers, led by Dale Huhnke of Muncie, Indiana, on October 24, 2015. On this day, known as Make a Difference Day, Dale managed a group of church volunteers in an effort to help struggling Muncie families. Their targeted acts of giving included everything from providing a family a fresh bag of groceries to giving a needed haircut. Dale's strong leadership on Make a Difference Day helped more than 180 Muncie families enjoy a better and happier quality of life. Dale will be recognized for his extraordinary efforts this year at the Make A Difference Day National Awards Luncheon on May 12, 2016. Each winner is awarded a $10,000 donation to ensure they are able to continue their community projects in the future. Today, I am proud to thank Dale for his leadership and the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church volunteers for their philanthropic spirit and ongoing commitment to improving the lives of Muncie families. I hope that fellow Hoosiers will be inspired by Dale to be a force of good in their own communities as well.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4901, the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act. I want to commend Chairman Chaffetz for his work on this important policy and for continuing the legacy of former Speaker Boehner on this important issue. Make no mistake about it, thousands of kids have access to the American Dream because of Speaker Boehner's dedication to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and education choice across the country. I met one of those students in February during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Her name was Denisha Merriweather. Denisha provided some powerful testimony that I will not soon forget. She spoke of being locked in a failing school, and she said: ``When I was growing up, college was a dream that I didn't even know that I had, and if it weren't for an educational option Florida gave me 12 years ago, I wouldn't be here today.'' Ms. Merriweather is the first in her family to graduate from high school and college, and she is now attending graduate school. That is powerful stuff, and it is just one example of the thousands of young people in America whose lives have been changed by school choice. As chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus, I believe every child in America deserves the same kind of opportunity that Denisha had. But right now, for the majority of students in this country, real educational choice only exists if you can afford it. Ask yourself this question: If your local school is failing your child and you can't afford to move and you can't afford to pay for private school, what options do you really have? Make no mistake about it, that is the truth for thousands of key people here in Washington, D.C., and, frankly, all across the country. They are locked in a failing school that is failing their child, and they can't afford to move and they can't afford to pay for a private school. They are stuck. That is why school choice and the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program matters. Programs like D.C. OSP empower parents to choose the best educational environment for their child, regardless of their income, their ZIP Code, or their lot in life. And despite some of the rhetoric on the other side of the aisle, this program takes zero dollars from D.C. Public Schools--zero dollars. Yet D.C. OSP has a big impact on D.C. students. In fact, the program lets more than 6,000 students attend the school that gives them the best opportunity to succeed. And even better, an incredible 90 percent--90 percent--of D.C. OSP students graduate from high school on time, an incredible success. It turns out that empowering parents and empowering students works. We have miles to go before every kid in America has access to a great school. This issue is far bigger than just D.C. schools. But today's bill will ensure that thousands of kids in Washington, D.C., have an opportunity, and every one of those kids matter. This bill is worthy of our support. I ask my colleagues for their support.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I have Hudson and Ava with me. That is right. I thank the chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 88, and I commend my colleague from Tennessee for bringing this important measure forward. In life and in public service, we are not just responsible for our intentions, we are responsible for the results, the true consequences of our actions. Unfortunately, the Obama administration often seems to ignore this simple life wisdom. My colleagues across the aisle have spent a lot of time today talking about their good intentions with this 1,000-page rule. Do you know what? It may be true that the Department of Labor's fiduciary rule was intended to protect consumers. The problem is the rule will, in fact, have the opposite result. We need more families saving for retirement, and those families need sound financial advice. Instead of increasing access to financial advice for those who need it the most, this rule will cut off access to affordable retirement counsel for many lower- and middle-income Americans. That is the true result of the so-called fiduciary rule. Dr. Roe's legislation, H.J. Res. 88, would stop this rule from taking effect, stand up to the Federal bureaucrats, and protect American families who are struggling to save for their futures. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of my good friend Julia C. ``Judy'' Runnebohm of Shelbyville, Indiana. Born on September 27, 1936, to Thomas and Nell ``Morris'' Jenkins, Judy lived a long, full life dedicated to her family and her community. As the Good Book says in Acts 20:35, ``it is more blessed to give than to receive.'' And, Judy truly lived this scripture throughout her life. Everyone who knew her, knew of her love for Shelbyville and her desire to serve. Judy was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, where she was an energetic contributor in the St. Vincent Altar Society. She served on the Board of Directors of SCUFFY, Shelby County Welfare, and Girls, Inc., and also served as secretary of the Shelby County Republican Central Committee. In her ``spare time'' she volunteered many late afternoons calling shut-ins for the Major Hospital Foundation. Her philanthropic spirit and volunteerism didn't go unnoticed. In 2013, Governor Mike Pence awarded her a Distinguished Hoosier Award, which is one of the highest honors given by the State of Indiana. Judy also received two awards from the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, including Citizen of the Year in 2000 and the Athena Award in 2014. Judy Runnebohm was also my friend. And, there is no better friend than Judy. She will always be remembered as loyal, honest and a fierce advocate for those she believed in. I will never forget her support and belief in me. Judy will certainly be missed by her family and her community. I will always be grateful for the encouragement and support that Judy and her husband Nick have given me throughout my career. And, I know the city of Shelbyville and the State of Indiana will always be grateful for their dedication. Today, it is my privilege to honor the life of Judy Runnebohm. My thoughts and prayers go out to Judy's family, and may God comfort those she left behind with His peace and strength.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I begin my remarks with just a clarification of the argument of my friends on the other side of the aisle. Their argument is essentially this: that Federal regulators--banking regulators--cannot do their jobs if their funding is somehow held accountable to the American people. This argument ignores some important facts. While Dodd-Frank may well have been intended to protect consumers and end Big Government bailouts, FSOC's authority to arbitrarily designate nonbank financial institutions as systemically important undermines the original intent of the law. In fact, just last month, a U.S. court rescinded MetLife's SIFI designation. The opinion called FSOC's determination process ``fatally flawed,'' and it called the insurer's designation ``capricious and arbitrary.'' Again, those are not my words, those are a Federal judge's words. In effect, the judge confirmed what House Republicans have been saying for years--that the FSOC is out of control and requires additional congressional oversight. That is why I support this commonsense and, frankly, modest legislation, which subjects FSOC and the Office of Financial Research to the annual appropriations process and common practice reporting requirements. We all want to hold financial providers accountable to their customers. It is also Congress' responsibility to hold our government accountable to the American people. This bill helps make that happen, and we should all be able to agree to that. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate a longtime member of my staff, Tim Hawkins, on his new position as Government Relations Administrator with the State of Indiana's Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning. Tim is a dedicated public servant who has worked diligently on behalf of the people of the 6th District. Tim has been on our team from the very beginning and helped set up our district operations when I was first elected to Congress. During his time as a Congressional staffer, Tim has helped countless individuals navigate the complex federal bureaucracy and receive the help they need. He was instrumental in developing the Lawrenceburg job fair and continuing the long tradition of the Muncie job fair. These events have connected hundreds of people to employers and have helped many of our constituents find jobs. Tim has always been a fun member of our team--from his affinity for bow ties and all things IU to his legendary hair styles. He is a pleasure to work with and was always ready to lend a helping hand. Although I will miss having Tim on my staff, I know the State of Indiana has gained an excellent public servant. I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating Tim Hawkins as he begins the next chapter in his career of public service. I know he will bring the same devotion and enthusiasm that he has shown as part of my staff to his new position with the State of Indiana.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Columbus North High School on its 2016 IHSAA state championship in girls' gymnastics. The Bull Dogs faced off against two-time defending champion Valparaiso High School on March 12th at Ball State University's Worthen Arena. During their tenth straight appearance at the state meet, the team made their mark by breaking the state record for total points and beating the runner-up Valparaiso Vikings 114.850 to 113.250. In fact, three of Columbus North's female gymnasts placed in the top five performances in Saturday's meet and Senior Katrina May was notably awarded the Mildred M. Ball Mental Attitude Award. I am proud of these young women for not only their remarkable win, but also for the Hoosier sportsmanship that they displayed throughout their undefeated season. I want to commend Coaches Sandy Freshour and Bob Arthur as well as all of the assistant coaches who led these young women through this historic victory. Congrats, Bull Dogs, on a perfect season.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this important amendment. Frankly, the opposition to this amendment is baffling. During the debt ceiling debate last year, the administration repeatedly told Congress and the American people that, if we don't raise the debt ceiling, we would default on our Nation's bills, that the seniors would miss their Social Security checks, that interest on the debt would go unpaid, and that it would all bring the U.S. economy to its knees. This, as it turns out, wasn't true. Contrary to their posturing, recently exposed documents have shown that the administration was planning to prioritize payments in the event the debt ceiling was reached, the very thing they told us they couldn't do. This is beyond partisan politics. It is fear-mongering. Very simply, my colleague's amendment requires this administration and future administrations to acknowledge their ability to prioritize payments after hitting the debt limit. It is a good idea. I urge my colleagues to support it.

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

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Marchant) for his great work on this important bill, a bill that seeks to make the administration accountable for the out-of-control national debt which others have said just hit a staggering $19 trillion. Mr. Chairman, like the underlying legislation, the amendment I am offering today holds this administration and future administrations accountable, too. Many don't realize the enormous power Congress has given to the Treasury Department to use so-called extraordinary measures when we are about to hit the debt ceiling. To pay our bills and delay hitting the debt limit, Treasury has the authority to take more than $350 billion out of government accounts, including government worker pension and retirement accounts. This is an incredible power, shifting around hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars and dodging the limit Congress has placed on borrowing. Our Constitution says that Congress, not the administration, has the power of the purse. So these extraordinary measures, which in effect enable the Department to run up bills or IOUs beyond the debt limit, should be transparent. Congress and the American people have the right to know what Treasury is doing with our money. At present, it is astonishing how little transparency the Department is statutorily obligated to provide. Very simply, my amendment requires the Treasury to report on what extraordinary measures it intends to use if the debt limit is not lifted. It requires them to project how long such measures will fund the Federal Government so Congress and the American people know well before we near the limit how long those measures will last. It requires the Treasury Department to estimate the administrative costs associated with taking any extraordinary measures. If moving all this money around costs additional money, we should all know about it. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, with all due respect to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, their arguments seem to be summarized this way: that somehow if we just would all go bury our head in the sand that we would be better off. I mean, the reality is this: our Nation does have a $19 trillion debt. The reality is that every time this Congress had set a debt limit for our spending, we have breached that debt limit and had to raise another one. The reality is, as we have approached these debt limits in recent years, the Department of the Treasury has taken what they call extraordinary measures, doing it under the law to try to lengthen the amount of time until we hit that debt limit. This amendment is really a very modest one. All the amendment says is, if the Department of the Treasury is going to take extraordinary measures to avoid the limit on debt that has been set by Congress, that they ought to tell us all what they are doing. They ought to define what it is. They ought to define how much time we are going to buy with these extraordinary measures, and they ought to tell us what it costs as we juggle all this money around. Because when you start juggling money around, as everybody knows in their own life and in their own bills they have to pay, it costs money. That is all this amendment does. That is all this amendment does. All this amendment does is make sure that as we approach the next debt limit and the Department of the Treasury takes the next extraordinary measures--we can bury our head in the sand and say it won't happen, but our entire Nation's history says it will--that we ought to define what they are going to do. They ought to tell us, tell the American people. They ought to explain how much time that buys, and they ought to say how much it costs. I hope my colleagues can support that. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chair, how much time is remaining on my side?

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, this debate is a remarkable one. There is only one group here that has a budget that balances. For the fifth or sixth or seventh year in a row, we will be submitting a budget that balances. The gentleman speaks of the President's budget. The President is going to have the unique historical legacy of having never offered a budget that balances, ever. This one doesn't. His others haven't. The truth is that, when the President's prior budgets have been put on this floor, they have received virtually no votes, like my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. That is the truth. Again, back to this very simple amendment. All it does is say, when the Department of Treasury uses extraordinary measures, they should be clear with the American people about what they are doing, how much time that buys us, and what it costs. It is a commonsense amendment. I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.