Luke Messer

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Great. We're right on pace. I would next like to recognize my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).

Mr. MESSER. I thank the gentleman for his remarks. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to inquire as to the amount of time we have left.

Mr. MESSER. I thank the gentleman for his comments, and I thank my colleagues for their stamina and patience. I would next like to recognize my good friend, the straight-talking Member from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine).

Mr. MESSER. I thank the gentlelady for her remarks. I would next like to yield to my good friend from the State of Florida, Representative Yoho.

Mr. MESSER. I thank the gentleman for his remarks. I would next like to yield to my good friend, the gentlelady from my home State of Indiana, for her insights as to this important Special Order.

Mr. MESSER. I thank the gentleman for his remarks. I would quote for you broken promise No. 1 of ObamaCare: ``If you like your current health care plan, you will be able to keep it.'' Not true. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that nearly 7 million people will lose their employer-sponsored health care coverage under ObamaCare. I would next like to yield to my good friend, the gentleman from New York, Representative Collins.

Mr. MESSER. I thank the gentleman for his remarks. I would next like to recognize my good friend, the distinguished gentleman from Utah (Mr. Stewart).

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for her remarks. Many of the promises that were made to justify ObamaCare's enactment have been broken. The results of these broken promises are hurting hardworking American families, workers, and businesses today, and will hurt them even more in the future, which is why House Republicans will be voting to repeal this government takeover of health care later this week. Through the course of the Special Order, we will look at some of those broken promises. I would next like to recognize my good friend, my colleague from North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger).

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise for another in a series of Republican freshman class Special Orders, this time to focus on the need to repeal ObamaCare in a vote in this Chamber later this week. The President and many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle proudly refer to this health care law as ``ObamaCare,'' but we should neither be proud of the process that led us to this point nor the resulting policy mess. The 2,800-page bill was crafted behind closed doors and rushed through Congress in 2010 with limited debate and without amendments. The predictable result is a flawed product that expands the Federal Government's role in health care, raises taxes on employers, and mandates benefits that will increase health care costs for most. Remarkably, there already have been more than 20,000 pages of regulations issued regarding this bill's implementation. I would like to start by recognizing my distinguished colleague, the gentlelady from Missouri, for her remarks on this important issue.

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. What a week, Mr. Speaker. A Benghazi coverup, the IRS targeting conservative groups, and now the Department of Justice found spying on the Associated Press. The scandals from this administration are coming so fast that the American people can barely keep up, and this pattern of arrogance, lies, and outright lawlessness should be disturbing to every American. Mr. Speaker, the American people demand the truth, and this Congress is duty bound to make sure they get it. Congress must act now and investigate each of these scandals. Some may call it political, but there is nothing political about keeping the oath of every Member of this Chamber to protect and defend the United States Constitution. And there is nothing political about working to ensure that none of these scandals gets swept under the rug.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise today in this Chamber as the son of a working, single-parent mother who still works at the Delta Faucet factory in Greensburg. I rise today in this Chamber as the son of a family who would have benefited from the flexibility and the time that is presented in the opportunity of the Working Families Flexibility Act. I want to commend my committee chairman, Representative Kline from Minnesota, and I want to commend my committee colleague from Alabama (Mrs. Roby) for bringing forward this commonsense, family friendly legislation. This bill is about freedom, the freedom to choose whether working overtime means more money in your pocket or more time to spend with your family. This bill is about equality, the equality of giving private sector employees the same opportunities that their public sector counterparts have had for years. Despite the rhetoric on the other side of the aisle, this act provides private sector employees the same kinds of opportunities that public sector employees have had for years and used successfully. This bill is also about time, the extra time workers will have to spend doing what they want to do or need to do if they decide that's more important to them than having a few extra dollars. Mr. Chairman, this bill will make life a little easier for the working men and women of this great country by giving them the freedom to choose how they spend their time. That's something we all should support.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight more wasteful government spending. The Washington Post recently reported that the Federal Government will spend at least $890,000 on service fees for more than 13,000 empty bank accounts this year. Let me say that again. Our Federal Government will spend $890,000 servicing 13,000 empty bank accounts with a balance of zero. The President's OMB thinks that's good news because the number of these so-called zero balance accounts has decreased by 50 percent over the past several years. I think we can do better. We must close these empty bank accounts and put the money sitting in the inactive ones to good use, like reducing the deficit. I plan to introduce legislation soon that will do just that. Madam Speaker, President Reagan once noted how only in Washington does it make sense for the agency responsible for everything outside to be called the Department of the Interior. I would add that only in Washington is it good news when the government spends $1 million on nothing.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Autism Awareness Month. We once lived in a world where polio was an epidemic that killed kids and left others with debilitating paralysis. Thankfully, medical and scientific advances largely have eliminated the threat from this and many other dreaded diseases and conditions. Yet our understanding of autism remains an unsolved puzzle. Mr. Speaker, autism affects too many children, including my nephew Trey, and strains families, as I know firsthand. It is time to commit ourselves as a Nation to solving this modern epidemic so autism can be prevented, treated, and cured tomorrow like polio is today.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Many of the promises that were made to justify ObamaCare have been broken. Contrary to what was promised, not everyone will be able to keep their current health coverage; and contrary to what was promised, the average family premium has risen significantly, not dropped. The projected cost to taxpayers has skyrocketed despite assurances it wouldn't add a dime to our deficit. Worse yet, the really sick who can't find health care because of preexisting conditions are being denied promised help. Lost coverage, higher premiums, more taxes, and bigger government-- that's the reality of ObamaCare. Now one of the Senate's creators of ObamaCare is warning of the impending train wreck coming with the implementation of the health care exchanges next year. Mr. Speaker, this Congress needs to derail ObamaCare and start making promises we can keep.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of Dr. Sangtae Kim, distinguished professor of mechanical and chemical engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Dr. Kim was recently awarded the 2013 Ho-Am Engineering Prize from South Korea, the highest engineering research award issued by that nation. Dr. Kim, a Korean-American, was born in Seoul, South Korea, and his family immigrated to Canada when he was seven years-old. While on leave from Purdue, Dr. Kim is a visiting professor of chemical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he also previously served on the faculty as professor and department chair. He is the founder and chairman of Pro WD Sciences Inc., a Wisconsin drug-discovery and drug-development company. Dr. Kim came to Purdue in 2003 from Eli Lilly and Co. in Indianapolis, where he was the Lilly Research Laboratories' Vice President and Information Officer in research and development. Prior to this, Dr. Kim also served in leadership positions at Pfizer Inc. and Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research. In addition, Dr. Kim served as inaugural director of the National Science Foundation's Shared Cyber-infrastructure Division from 2004- 2005 and has led research projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. Dr. Kim's research has included work in mathematical and computational methods for ``microhydrodynamics,'' including a book on the subject published in 1991. I ask the 6th Congressional District and entire State of Indiana to join me in congratulating Dr. Kim for this great achievement.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. I rise on behalf of Indiana's Sixth Congressional District to express our condolences to the victims of yesterday's bombing in Boston. The thoughts and prayers of every American are with those who were killed and maimed by this unspeakable horror. We don't yet know who turned what should have been a day of triumph into a day of tragedy. But those whose lives have been forever changed by this terror should know that their government will not rest until the responsible are brought to justice. May God bless the victims, comfort their families, and continue to watch over the United States of America.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act. Despite the rhetoric on the other side of the aisle, this important legislation will ensure the integrity of the National Labor Relations Board. The other side has talked about how this legislation would somehow throw this process into chaos. The truth is that it's the President's unconstitutional actions that have thrown this process into chaos. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia unanimously ruled that the President's so-called recess appointments were unconstitutional, calling into question approximately 600 decisions by the Board. All 600 of these actions are now ripe for legal challenge. By operating without legal authority, the Board has created more uncertainty for employers, unions, and workers in an already fragile economic climate. The President's actions are an indefensible overreach of power; and, unfortunately, they are part of a broader trend. Time and again, this President has demonstrated a with-or-without Congress mentality in pursuit of his political agenda. This mentality shakes the foundational principles of checks and balances our Founding Fathers put forward in the Constitution. The Constitution is our ultimate law. No one is above it, not even the President. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will ensure the integrity of the National Labor Relations Board and will help eliminate uncertainty in the workforce. When the President begins to operate within the law, the NLRB's work will begin again. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). On April 10th, the United States and the Republic of China, more commonly referred to as Taiwan, will celebrate the 34th anniversary of the TRA, which is the premier law that governs U.S.- Taiwan bilateral relations. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed the TRA into law and since that time it has been the cornerstone to maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Western Pacific. The TRA has held up well for over 34 years and is an important reminder of the strong alliance between our two sides. All facets of the U.S.-Taiwan bilateral relationship--cultural, economic, and strategic--have expanded and grown stronger since the signing into law of the TRA. Taiwan is the United States' 10th largest trading partner. Taiwan is the seventh largest export market for U.S. agriculture. Since 1998, Taiwan has purchased over $5.5 billion dollars in corn and $4 billion in soybeans from the United States. For my home state of Indiana, Taiwan is one of its top export markets in Asia. Recently, Taiwan signed a multi-million dollar agreement with the State of Indiana for the purchase of corn and soybeans for the years 2012 and 2013. Without a doubt, Hoosier farmers and my state's economy have benefitted greatly from trade agreements with Taiwan. As a new member of the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, I have had the pleasure to meet with Ambassador Pu-tsung King, Taiwan's Representative serving in Washington, DC. We discussed the unique circumstances that define our two countries' relations. I look forward to working with Ambassador King on additional initiatives that could benefit the people of Indiana and Taiwan. I was pleased to learn from Ambassador King of the many steps Taiwan has taken to reduce tensions with China, their neighbors along the Taiwan Strait. Although Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949, bilateral relations between the two are at an all-time high. Today, China is Taiwan's largest trading partner. Starting in 2008, Taiwan and China signed an agreement to improve direct links between the two countries. This agreement has been a resounding success eliminating barriers to air and sea travel between the two sides. As a result, there are about 600 direct passenger flights that operate each week between Taiwan and China. Cargo ships now transit directly between the two sides. Building upon the successes of the 2008 agreement, in 2010, Taiwan and China signed a landmark trade agreement called the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, which reduced tariffs and commercial barriers between the two sides. The people of China and Taiwan are more connected today than ever before. Like many of my colleagues in the House, I believe that a strong Taiwan is vital for maintaining stability in the region. Like Congressman Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I, too, support the sale of newer, diesel submarines and F-16s upgrades to Taiwan's government, which will serve to protect U.S. national interests in the region. I intend to work closely with my Congressional colleagues to encourage the Administration to expedite the U.S. sale of needed military hardware to Taiwan's government. Simply put, a strong, prosperous Taiwan serves both our nations' interests. I am certainly thankful to my predecessors who passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which remains the hallmark of the U.S.-Taiwan alliance.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. The President's budget proposal reportedly would cap the amount of money people could save in individual retirement accounts. This is a very bad idea. More than a third of people aged 55 and older are not saving for their retirements. Three-quarters have saved much less than they will need to retire comfortably. We should be encouraging people to save. We need to encourage people to take more responsibility for their future well-beings instead of discouraging sound financial planning. We need to incentivize self- reliance instead of government dependence. This proposal fails on all of these fronts. Rest assured, Mr. Speaker, the White House has said that the savings cap will allow ``substantially more than is needed to fund reasonable levels of retirement saving.'' My constituents don't need the President deciding what is reasonable for them in their retirements. They don't need him deciding anything else for them either. We need sensible reform.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishment of the Greensburg Community High School boys basketball team in Greensburg, Indiana. As a 1987 graduate of GCHS, my Pirate Pride beams proud. The Greensburg boys varsity basketball team recently made school history by securing the school's first team state championship. The Pirates came back from a 10-point deficit at halftime to force overtime and won the Indiana Class 3A State Basketball Championship 73-70 over Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran. Greensburg started with five underclassmen, and was led in scoring in the title game by junior Bryant McIntosh with 25 points and in rebounds by junior Sean Sellers with 12. In addition, Sean set an Individual IHSAA Record for Highest Title Game Free Throw Percentage, making 11 of 11 in the game. The team finished the season 26-1 with the best winning percentage in the State. I want to congratulate this team for showing great resolve and teamwork throughout the state tournament and in the title game. I also want to commend the team for representing yourselves with class throughout the season, the tournament, and the remainder of the year. Congratulations go to starters Macy Holdsworth, Bryant McIntosh, Colin Rigney, Sean Sellers, and Ryan Welage, along with teammates Riley Billieu, Tyler Burcham, Tye Fleetwood, Shane Ploeger, Drew Foster, Tom Lawrence, and Brad Wilson. For the leadership of this championship team, congratulations and accolades go to the 7th-year head coach, Stacy Meyer, and assistant coaches, Scott Holdsworth, Jason Simpson, Scott McIntosh, Scott Ferguson, and Dave Lawrence. I am thrilled to see a championship banner raised at my alma mater, and I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating the Greensburg Community High School boys varsity basketball team for their dedication, execution, and excellence this season.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishment of the Mount Vernon High School girls basketball team in Fortville, Indiana. The Mt. Vernon girls varsity basketball team recently made school history by capturing the team's first state championship in their third title game appearance. The Marauders won the Indiana Class 3A State Basketball Championship 61-47 over Hamilton Heights. Mt. Vernon was led in scoring in the title game by freshman Sydney Shelton with 29 points and in rebounds by junior Erica Moore with 15, setting a Class 3A record for title game rebounds. In addition, senior Rachel Houck was named the winner of the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award for Class 3A Girls Basketball for her demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability. The team finished the championship season with a record of 23- 4. I want to congratulate this team for showing great resolve and teamwork throughout the state tournament and in the title game. I also want to commend the team for representing themselves with class throughout the season, the tournament, and the remainder of the year. Congratulations go to starters Sydney Shelton, Shaely Duff, Rachel Houck, Erica Moore, and Ellie Balbach, along with teammates Taylor Riggs, Morgan Stricker, Jessica Grubb, Ariana Sandefur, Sadie Baugh, Maddie Walrod, Krista Shockley, Hannah Jones, and Olivia Coleman. For the leadership of this championship team, congratulations and accolades go to the head coach, Julie Shelton, and assistant coaches, Tom Kirby, Ashley Greulich, and Jeff Phares. I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating the Mount Vernon High School girls varsity basketball team for their dedication, execution, and excellence this season.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the accomplishments of my constituents at East Central High School in Dearborn County, Indiana. The Business Professionals of America chapter at East Central High School recently competed in the 2013 State Leadership Conference held in Indianapolis. Students participated and placed in the Broadcast Production, Global Marketing, Financial Math and Analysis, Entrepreneurship, Fundamentals of Word Processing, and Advanced Accounting competitions. Business Professionals of America competitions are a great way for students to develop leadership and technology skills that are most needed for today's competitive workforce and economy. I want to congratulate the team and those students who participated in the state contest: Brittany Begley, Lucas Gramman, Jake Griffin, Jesse Hamilton, Danielle McClure, Hannah Patton, Tyler Seiwert, Payton Stonefield, and A.J. Waltz. I also want to recognize the faculty sponsors, Kelly Pettit and Tina Waechter, for their leadership in these students' lives. In addition, Jake and Danielle qualified for the National Competition and will be representing the state in May. I ask the entire 6th Congressional District to join me in congratulating the East Central High School Business Professionals of America team for their hard work and in wishing them continued success in competition.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I remember when $1.4 trillion was a lot of money. 1.4 trillion dollars is the amount of money the Federal budget increases under the House Republican budget proposal--an average of $140 billion a year, 40 percent over the decade. But listening to my House Democratic colleagues, you would believe our budget cuts spending to the bone. You would believe that our Federal Government can't survive on a penny less than a $2.1 trillion increase. Admittedly, that $700 billion is a lot of money. It's 50 percent more than requested under the House Republican budget proposal. But it is important to remember that every penny of that $700 billion is borrowed from the future of the young people growing up in this great country today. Mr. Speaker, families all across America balance their budget. The Federal Government should balance its budget, too.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a young constituent, Timothy Curtis Bowman of Osgood, Indiana. Curtis attended South Ripley High School and actively participated in the county FFA. He won numerous forestry awards at the state level, enjoyed deer hunting, and worked with his father in their tree trimming business. We mourn a life that ended too soon and pray for understanding and comfort for family members and those in our community who knew and loved Curtis. While in times of turmoil we struggle to understand the unexplainable, may we find peace and joy in our religious faith and the memories of time shared with those we love. Curtis will be forever remembered as a friend of his community. I ask the citizens of the 6th Congressional District to join me in keeping his parents, Tim and Pat Pennington Bowman, siblings, Keith, Michael, Tiffany, and Krista, and the entire extended Bowman family in our thoughts and prayers.