John Moolenaar

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the late editor and publisher of Record and Clarion, Roger Moon. As the son of Paul and Velma, the husband of Patricia and the father of Tracy, Renee and Shane, Roger made many contributions to Gladwin County and the great state of Michigan. Roger began his career in news when he was twelve years old, working at the Record and Clarion, sweeping and taking out the trash. He completed his degree in Journalism at Michigan State University in 1960. After Roger graduated he returned to Gladwin and began working, yet again, for Record and Clarion. He became the head of the newspaper in 1972 when his father retired. After twenty-one years as the head of the Record, Roger sold the newspaper and retired in 1993. Roger was more than the editor of the newspaper. Roger also served the community by working as a firefighter for thirty-three years, rising to the rank of assistant chief. He was an active member of the Gladwin Rotary Club and was honored by the organization for his generous donations of time and resources. Roger loved to hunt and fish, as well as golf. He enjoyed sharing Michigan's outdoor heritage with his children and grandchildren, driving his boat and teaching them to waterski. He was also a Hall of Fame bowler. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Roger Moon for his lifetime of work to the people of Gladwin County.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5639, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5639) to update the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Smith, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and House leadership for their help in bringing this legislation to the floor. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, Improvement Act of 2016 authorizes NIST to carry out its mission to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science and technology. NIST was founded in 1901, and it is recognized as an authority of measurements and standards around the world. It is a vital partner for America's technology and advanced industries that employ millions of hardworking Americans with good-paying jobs. The legislation before us today requires independent reviews of NIST laboratory programs, makes changes to its educational and outreach efforts, and improves its industrial technical services. The improvements to industrial technical services, in particular, will assist thousands of small manufacturers, including those in Michigan's Fourth District, with the expertise and advice they need when investing in new technologies crucial to the competitiveness of Michigan companies and their workers. Before yielding the floor, I also want to call my colleagues' attention to NIST police and security issues in the NIST Campus Security Act, which will be brought up later today. Since last year, serious security incidents at NIST have raised concerns about the safety and security of its facilities. These lapses endanger thousands of NIST employees, visiting scientists, and the hundreds of thousands of people who live near NIST campuses. The Science, Space, and Technology Committee has held a number of hearings about these incidents and has passed the NIST Campus Security Act, which will be considered by the full House in a few minutes. This is a first step toward ensuring adequate physical security at NIST campuses, with more work still to be done. But returning to the legislation before us now, I urge my colleagues to support this reauthorization of NIST. NIST is the official timekeeper of the U.S. Government. It maintains measures and standards for the additives in our gasoline and helps us to develop a smarter, more secure electric grid. NIST conducts research that enhances our Nation's technology, our economic security, and our quality of life. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas, the ranking member, for her support and leadership on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I would encourage our colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Brady of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman Paulsen, Congresswoman Noem, and Congressman Blumenauer for cosponsoring this bipartisan legislation. I also thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin) for his comments. This legislation today before the House, H.R. 5452, will improve access to health savings accounts for Native Americans who choose to receive care at Indian Health Service facilities by ending an unnecessary penalty against them. Currently, Native Americans are not allowed to contribute to their own health savings accounts for 3 months after receiving care at an Indian Health Service facility. These accounts can be a useful tool for families to cover the cost of deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. However, current policy prevents this ability for Native Americans, and the 3-month waiting period limits their access to services that can help with treating high-risk health conditions. This commonsense legislation eliminates the waiting period so Native Americans don't have to wait to save their hard-earned money to make their own healthcare choices and to receive treatment from Indian Health Service doctors. Today's legislation advances a bipartisan, patient-centered solution to an unfortunate, government-created problem. It will benefit all Native Americans who use HSAs, and I am glad that we can eliminate this unfair Federal penalty against them. I thank my colleagues for their support of this legislation.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I thank the two gentlemen from Georgia for hosting this hour to celebrate 100 years of Farm Credit and the important role it has played in our country. For the past 100 years, Farm Credit has made vital contributions to the success of Michigan's Fourth Congressional District in our agricultural community, which includes over 10,000 farms and 15,000 farm operators. Farm Credit has allowed farmers and growers to invest in their operations with new equipment and buildings in good times, and, in tough times, it has provided crop insurance and helped family farmers keep their lands. Farm Credit has helped Michigan farmers put healthy, delicious food on the tables of millions of people. In my district specifically, it has contributed to a districtwide output of $1.7 billion in products sold across the country and around the world. These profits come back to our rural communities and help to keep them strong. Mr. Speaker, Farm Credit has made America a more prosperous Nation, and I hope it will enjoy another 100 years of continued success.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the late Independent Newsgroup editor, Bill Constine. As the son of Vincent and Veronica, the husband of Beth and the father of Mindy, Chad and Kevin, Bill made many contributions to Owosso, Shiawassee County and the great state of Michigan. Bill's news career began in 1973 at WOAP, where he started as a DJ and became a popular radio personality. Under his leadership as news director, the station was recognized by the Michigan Associated Press for its excellence. Bill would go on to work at The Flint Journal and then WJSZ, a local radio station that he owned until 1994. For the past 25 years, Bill worked as a reporter and editor at the Independent Newsgroup, which publishes local weekly and biweekly papers in Shiawassee County, bringing our communities the local news they need. As a leader, Bill challenged his employees to go out of their comfort zone, but never allowed them to fail. He took people under his wing and helped them discover a love for writing. Known for his great attention to detail, enthusiasm for pursuing stories, caring manner for his staff and his passion for Shiawassee County history, Bill's positive impact on the community will be felt for generations. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Bill Constine for his lifetime of work as an editor and community leader.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I also want to join my Michigan colleagues as a cosponsor of this legislation and thank Representative Kildee and Chairman Upton for bringing this legislation forward. Our hearts go out to the people of Flint who are enduring so much and persevering during this time. It is heartwarming to see the way people across the country have come together in support of the people of Flint. The sad thing is that this situation could have been prevented and should have been prevented. The legislation we are discussing today here in the House of Representatives is because of failures in local, State, and Federal Government. The fact is that the officials at the EPA knew last April--10 months ago--that the Flint Utilities Department was not using corrosion controls, putting water safety at risk. Instead of alerting the public, the EPA stayed silent. When an EPA employee tried to speak out, he was silenced. The EPA deferred to a State agency, the MDEQ, which also failed to tell the public. Last month the EPA administrator sent a memo creating a formal policy on the importance of assessing and responding to critical public health issues. That the administrator had to remind employees of the importance of public health speaks to the misplaced priority of the EPA and its officials. So today we have to pass a law requiring the Agency to notify the public when water quality is unsafe and constitutes a public health threat. This legislation is a reminder to the EPA that it needs to focus on its core responsibility with safe drinking water, using its authority appropriately, rather than overreaching outside of its jurisdiction. This is an example of one community that has been adversely affected. Flint is not alone in this challenge, and this has ramifications all across our country. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, today we will vote to repeal the President's healthcare law. It is a law that the American people have opposed from the very beginning when it was passed without bipartisan support. The American people opposed it even when the President promised that they could keep their coverage and their doctor. They also opposed it when that promise was broken. They opposed it when the law taxed their health insurance and the medical devices that help them live longer, healthier lives. Today the American people still oppose the President's healthcare law because it makes them pay higher premiums for policies with deductibles that are too expensive. That is why today, 6 years after it was passed, we are voting to send a repeal of this law to the President's desk. This repeal will save the government $500 billion over the next 10 years and empower people to make their own healthcare choices.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, Federal rulemaking continues to hurt the people of Michigan's Fourth Congressional District. As we have already seen, Federal departments and agencies have proposed overreaching water rules that create uncertainty for Michigan farmers, energy rules that raise electric rates on hardworking families, and healthcare rules that disrupt patients' coverage. Now Federal rulemaking is interfering with the sovereignty of Native American tribes. The National Labor Relations Board has claimed jurisdiction over the commercial businesses on tribal lands, intruding on the self-governance of the Saginaw Chippewa in my district. Today I rise in support of H.R. 511, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act, to restore self-governance for the Saginaw Chippewa and all tribes and to stop the National Labor Relations Board from further hindering business owners and entrepreneurs with more regulations and costs.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, as the chairman mentioned, today we are voting to repeal some of the burdensome taxes and mandates the Obama administration has placed on hardworking Americans with this healthcare law. Today we have the opportunity to vote in a bipartisan way to end the individual mandate, the employer mandate, the medical device tax, the Cadillac tax, the slush fund, and the auto enrollment mandate. The Affordable Care Act has proven to be unaffordable for millions of Americans who lost the coverage they enjoyed and must now pay higher premiums. Already hardworking families in my district have been told about the rate hikes that will make the healthcare premiums that they pay more expensive this next year. Today we are repealing mandates. But, unfortunately, we are not, in this legislation, able to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board that determines which treatments Americans are allowed to have or the health insurance tax that eliminates consumer choice and access. Today this is a positive step toward a system of patient-centered alternatives, with lower premiums that allow individuals to choose the coverage they want.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to The Honorable Dave Camp, Senior Policy Advisor at PricewaterhouseCoopers, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and former Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, upon his induction into this year's Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. Dave Camp was born and raised in Midland, Michigan, where he attended H.H. Dow High School. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts from Albion College and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego before coming back to his hometown to practice law at the firm of Riecker, George, Hartley, Van Dam and Camp. It was with a passion for public service that Dave Camp ran and was elected State Representative for Michigan's 102nd District. He served one term in the state legislature before his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1990. During Camp's tenure, from 1991 to 2015, he served his constituents and country honorably. He cut through the red tape of bureaucracy to ensure his constituents received the services they needed and their voices were heard in Washington. Legislatively, his list of accomplishments is innumerable. Dave Camp was a leading advocate in Congress for breaking down barriers to adoption and advancing efforts to harmonize varying state and national laws to make adoptions safer and more efficient. He introduced landmark adoption legislation, called the Adoption and Safe Families Act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. This law streamlined the adoption process to quickly help move more children in foster care into permanent adoptive homes. He also worked hard to inject accountability into federal safety net programs, playing an integral role in enactment into law of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act-- legislation that reformed our welfare system and helped move people out of poverty. His hard work, intellect and leadership led to Camp's appointment as Ranking Member and later Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. In this role, Camp introduced policy on a wide range of important issues. To highlight just a few, he ushered into enactment three job creating trade deals that were the most significant expansion of trade relations in nearly two decades. He also introduced the Tax Reform Act of 2014, deemed the most comprehensive tax reform proposal since the mid 1980s. As Senior Policy Advisor at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Camp continues working to advance economic, tax, international trade and health care policy. His tremendous expertise and perspective on legislative and regulatory processes will enable his clients to make a positive impact in the global market. In keeping with Junior Achievement's mission of a commitment to market-based economics, honesty, integrity and excellence as well as the belief in the potential of young people, Dave Camp's career has reflected these values. Whether working on landmark adoption reform during his early years in Congress, or mentoring junior staff to reach their full potential, Camp has positively influenced the careers and lives of countless individuals. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Dave Camp for his many contributions to our country and the great state of Michigan.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to David Kepler, Chairman of the United Way's Alexis de Tocqueville Society, upon receiving the 2015 Distinguished Citizen Award. A valued member of the community involved in many civic organizations, David Kepler joined the Dow Chemical Company in 1975. He went on to serve as Dow's Executive Vice President for Business Services, its Chief Information Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer. David is currently a board member of the Midland Baseball Foundation, Momentum Midland and chairman of the MidMichigan Innovation Center. The Distinguished Citizens Award is given to an outstanding individual who shows consistent Scouting values and provides distinguished service to both youth and community. David lives in Sanford and has been a community leader who has had a positive impact throughout the region. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize David Kepler for his service to the Boy Scouts of America and his contributions to the Midland community.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Michael Hayes, president and chief executive officer of the Midland Center for the Arts, in recognition of his five years of service to the Center and his many contributions to the community. An influential member of the Midland community for more than forty years, Michael Hayes originally moved to Midland to work in the Midland County Courthouse. He went on to serve four terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, work as the vice-president of executive relations at the Dow Chemical Company, and founded Main Street Consulting. Before his selection as CEO of the Midland Center for the Arts, Michael Hayes served on the board of directors for the Center and on the Matrix:Midland advisory board. During his tenure as president and CEO, Michael Hayes brought in exciting exhibits, enhanced the Operating Philosophy and Core Values of the Midland Center for the Arts and oversaw the highest earned revenue season in MCFTA history. In his five years at the helm of MCFTA, Michael truly helped to change lives through the arts, sciences and history. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Michael Hayes for his service to the Midland Center for the Arts and his contributions to the Midland community.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dan Kozakiewicz, Chairman of Three Rivers Corporation, upon receiving the 2015 Distinguished Citizen Award. An influential member of the Midland community for more than twenty- five years, Dan Kozakiewicz started his illustrious career with Three Rivers Corporation in 1986. He was appointed president in 2001, and currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Three Rivers Corporation has thrived under Dan's leadership, fulfilling commitments to its customers and community. Of all company accomplishments, Dan remains most proud of Three Rivers Corporation's commitment to safety in the workplace. The Distinguished Citizen Award is given to an outstanding individual who shows consistent Scouting values and provides distinguished service to both youth and community. A former Boy Scout in his hometown of Bay City and now a Cub Scout leader for his son's Pack in Midland, Dan has been an exemplary role model for youth in the Great Lakes Bay Region. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Dan Kozakiewicz for his service to the Boy Scouts of America and his contributions to the Midland community.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bill Weideman, former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Dow Chemical Company, upon his induction into this year's Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. After graduating from Central Michigan University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bill Weideman joined The Dow Chemical Company. During his thirty-nine-year tenure, Bill held many positions, including Controller for Dowbrands and Texas Operations, Global Business Finance Director for Specialty Chemicals, Performance Chemicals, Basic Chemicals and Basic Plastics, Vice President and Corporate Controller, Interim Chief Financial Officer and, finally, Chief Financial Officer in 2010. In 2012, he administered the Corporate Strategic Development and executive oversight for Dow AgroSciences. Bill served on Dow Chemical's Executive Committee and was a member of the Board of Directors at both Sadara Chemical Company and Dow Corning Corporation. Bill Weideman remains very active in the community, serving on the Board of the Dow Chemical Employees' Credit Union, Mid Michigan Medical Health Systems, the Midland Baseball Foundation and the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees, as well as volunteering for Midland Cancer Services and Family & Children Services. In keeping with Junior Achievement's mission of a commitment to market-based economics, honesty, integrity and excellence as well as the belief in the potential of young people, Bill Weideman's career has reflected these values. Through his illustrious career at The Dow Chemical Company and his involvement in the Midland community, Bill has positively influenced the careers and lives of countless individuals. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to welcome Bill Weideman into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, on social media, a new generation of parents and grandparents are sharing the joy of new life, posting pictures of baby bumps and sonograms for friends and family to view. Now more than ever, it is easier to see and understand that an unborn child in the womb is a person with tiny toes and fingers and a heartbeat, created equal and entitled to unalienable rights. However, recent events have demonstrated that these rights are being violated and that the public's trust has been betrayed. Millions of taxpayer dollars have supported the horrific practice of allowing babies to be taken apart, dismantled, and sold piece by piece. In response, House investigations are underway, and more needs to be done to protect our most vulnerable citizens. H.R. 3134 restores trust for American taxpayers. It provides more funding for qualified health centers that offer pediatric care, immunizations, mammograms, and more lifesaving healthcare services that protect mother and child. These better options are worthy of taxpayer funding and will make a positive difference for women and children across our country.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Owosso Argus-Press editor and chairman Richard Campbell in recognition of his lifetime of contributions to Owosso, Shiawassee County and our great state. A 1946 Owosso High School Graduate, Richard attended the University of Michigan and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Richard's 20 years in the Marines included serving as a platoon commander during the Korean War, leading a battalion of Marines to Vietnam in 1966, and touring as a senior press officer of the Military Assistance Command-Vietnam. After retiring as a colonel in 1972, Campbell returned to the family business in Owosso and started work at the Argus-Press. At the paper, he worked in advertising and news, before being named editor in 1973. Richard was known for his great attention to detail, his enthusiasm for pursuing stories, and the way he cared about his staff. He dedicated over 40 years to the Argus-Press and, though he attempted several times to retire, he always came back to the office and the work that he loved. In addition to his work as editor of the Argus-Press, Richard served as president of the Michigan Press Association, the Michigan Associated Press Editorial Association, and the University Press Club of Michigan. He was also a dedicated member of the Society of Professional Journalists (Sigma Delta Chi) and the National Press Club in Washington, DC. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Michigan, I am honored today to recognize Richard Campbell for his lifetime of service to our country and community.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, successful diplomacy requires statesmanship, a mutual benefit, and a commitment to peace. None of these elements are a part of the administration's deal with Iran. On statesmanship, this administration's acquiescence has been met with Iranian hostility. Just this week, the Ayatollah said Israel would be destroyed within 25 years. Words matter, and we cannot discount Iran's dangerous rhetoric. Where is the mutual benefit? Short of immediate access to a nuclear bomb, Iran has been given all it wants. It will receive billions of dollars it can use to fund terrorism against our country and our allies. It will be allowed to reject ``anytime, anywhere'' inspections that are vital to verifying compliance and ensuring our national security. In less than 15 years, Iran will be allowed to have a nuclear weapons program that is capable of attacking targets anywhere in the world. The fundamental question is: Are we willing to gamble that Iran's Government will end its destructive behavior and belligerent rhetoric in the coming days? I, for one, am not willing to take that chance. I believe this is a bad deal for America and the world, and I oppose it.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 2722.

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. Agriculture is the backbone of many communities in Michigan's Fourth Congressional District. With over 10,000 farms and 15,000 farm operators, approximately $1.7 billion in products from our area are sold across the country and around the world. The law on the books right now that mandates country of origin labeling threatens the success of agricultural exports. It is unnecessary. It imposes a heavy burden on our farmers. It puts our agricultural exports at risk, and it needs to be repealed. Recently, based on the ruling from the World Trade Organization, it is apparent that severe consequences could result and that our trading partners and neighbors could penalize American-made products sold in those countries with steep tariffs. Already, Canada has announced that it will put tariffs on beef, pork, and cherries if the current labeling law is not repealed. Manufactured goods, including office furniture, would also be subjected to tariffs. H.R. 2393 passed the Agriculture Committee on a bipartisan vote of 38-6. It is a good bill, and it repeals the current labeling law. It will eliminate the possibility of steep tariffs and let Michigan farmers and manufacturers focus on creating jobs and growing their businesses without worrying about more regulations or retaliation. I am pleased to cosponsor this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Chairman, the America COMPETES Act is good legislation that will help build a better future for our country. The COMPETES Act expands the definition of STEM education to include computer science. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every computer science graduate between 2013 and 2023, there will be two jobs available. That is why programs in my district like Go IT, offered free of charge to middle and high school students, are so important to creating career awareness in computer science and other STEM fields. This legislation increases government accountability. It requires the National Science Foundation grants meet a national interest standard and to publicly justify why they should receive taxpayer dollars. Requiring government agencies to prioritize the national interest is common sense. It enhances accountability to the American people. I am proud to be a cosponsor of the America COMPETES Act, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. MOOLENAAR

Mr. MOOLENAAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Nobis Dairy Farm in St. Johns, Michigan. I congratulate the Nobis Farm on receiving the 2015 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award. Since 2011, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has presented this annual award to farms around the country that exhibit outstanding economic and environmental practices. In Michigan, brothers Ken and Larry Nobis manage their multi- generational dairy farm that was started by their father, Paul, in 1946. Employing 23 people, Nobis Dairy Farm has expanded from its original 180 dairy cattle to 1,050, producing over 31 million pounds of milk annually. In 1974, Ken and Larry transitioned to sand bedding, which increases the comfort and health of the cattle in their care. Nobis Dairy Farm, in conjunction with Michigan State University and the McLanahan Corporation, developed an environmentally sound technique that would solve the problem of sand-laden manure while eliminating the excessive use of fresh water. Dairy producers are a vital part of Michigan's economy. The innovative practices pioneered by Nobis Dairy Farm will benefit the entire industry. They also keep Michigan's economy strong and preserve a clean environment for all residents to enjoy. On behalf of Michigan's Fourth Congressional District, I congratulate Nobis Dairy Farm for this achievement and wish it continued success.