Kristi Noem

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2792, the Control of Unlawful Fugitive Felons Act of 2017. In 1996, Congress and President Clinton worked together to reform welfare and reignite the American Dream for families in need. Aligned with this goal was a provision prohibiting a range of welfare benefits--including Supplemental Security Income--to fugitive felons and violators of probation and parole because safety net programs need to be protected from abuse so they can remain in place for those individuals who need them. Individuals who evade justice violate the social contract that grants them this safety net. Simply put, it is incoherent and self-defeating that a nation of laws would pay a wanted person and prolong their flight from justice. Unfortunately, due to a number of factors involving the courts, these provisions have been watered down in recent years and rendered ineffectual. Through the CUFF Act, Congress can stand up, once again, on behalf of our communities and affirm what every participant in our society should understand: if you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, you have an obligation to face justice or clear your name. This legislation not only stops benefits from going to those who are not following the law, but it also helps law enforcement apprehend those suspects. A 2007 report by SSA's inspector general found that this policy aided law enforcement in apprehending almost 60,000 individuals who were evading arrest for outstanding warrants. In fact, law enforcement thinks this policy is so effective that the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the South Dakota Sheriffs' Association have expressed support for the CUFF Act. Unfortunately, despite the fact that this commonsense bill is endorsed by law enforcement and has a proven track record of success, I anticipate that my colleagues across the aisle may try to convince you otherwise. I have heard many of their arguments when the Ways and Means Committee considered this bill and when the Rules Committee also considered this bill. So let's take each of those concerns in turn. Some may say that this is an old, failed policy. In reality, this policy has a long track record of success. In 2015, the Social Security inspector general said, at a hearing, that this bill would stop hundreds of millions of dollars in payments to individuals with felony warrants. Some may say this bill targets people with outdated warrants. In reality, SSA already has a wide authority to exempt individuals if the alleged offense is nonviolent and not drug related. Some may say that this bill would throw beneficiaries off the rolls with no warning. In reality, the SSA provides beneficiaries advance notice of 35 days before suspending SSI benefits, and there is a robust appeal process for recipients who have had their benefits suspended. Some may say that this policy is burdensome to law enforcement. In reality, this bill is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the South Dakota Sheriffs' Association because it helps them do their job to locate individuals. Finally, some may raise concerns that it targets minority populations caught up in overcriminalization or overly harsh sentencing. To those concerns, I say that these issues are absolutely important, and I look forward to us having those conversations about criminal justice reforms here in Congress. However, that conversation is outside the scope of the legislation that we have before us today. My legislation does not speak to the content of a warrant, just the fact that one exists. The decision to grant a warrant is made by a judge in a court of law, not by the Social Security Administration. It should not be the duty of the American taxpayer to subsidize individuals who are wanted by the police. Simply put, Mr. Speaker, if an individual has an outstanding warrant, it must be addressed and cleared. This bill does nothing to change that. Under my bill, nobody will lose their SSI benefits because of misdemeanor offenses such as merely having a parking ticket, petty theft, or even driving under the influence. This bill stops payments to individuals who have outstanding warrants for felonies. These are crimes like murder, rape, and kidnapping. It also stops payments to individuals with probation and parole violations, limiting their ability to evade arrest. Supplemental Security Income is a lifeline to those who are in need. We must ensure we are not further facilitating criminal activity in communities that are all too often already struggling. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the time that we are spending to consider this important legislation, and I appreciate the opportunity to stand in support of my bill today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill currently under consideration.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 533, I call up the bill (H.R. 2792) to amend the Social Security Act to make certain revisions to provisions limiting payment of benefits to fugitive felons under titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Social Security Act, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Newspaper Week, I rise today to recognize the 126 individual news organizations of South Dakota. Living in the information age, data is constantly at our fingertips It is the local newspaper, though, that tells the story of everyday America and documents community history in a way that will forever be available to future generations. The local news reminds us that the world is made of neighborhoods and shared experiences, that love of country still exists, and that diversity of opinion truly makes our country great. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press must ever be protected, for it is only through a free system that democracy can thrive. As Thomas Jefferson said, ``our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.'' Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking local journalists, particularly those serving South Dakota, for giving a voice to the individual and cultivating the road to free speech for all.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ellen Schlechter, a South Dakotan and recipient of the 2017 National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur Award. A resident of Orient, South Dakota, Ellen is the founder and owner of the Calving Book App. Being a South Dakota farmer and rancher myself, I understand the onerous nature of calving season. Any effort to make this time of year more manageable should be pursued. Ellen's app makes it simple and convenient to keep, search, and share your operation's calving records on a phone, tablet, or computer. Data on breeding, preg-checking, and weaning can also be recorded. This might just be the next generation of ranch management. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing a fellow South Dakotan, Ellen Schlechter, for her bold, innovative steps as a young entrepreneur. I can't wait to see where this app goes next.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, you can't hardly turn on the TV today or open a newspaper, scroll through your news feed without learning of another outbreak of violence around the globe. Especially in a world as volatile and insecure as ours is today, we have a responsibility to take full advantage of proven peace-building tactics. This includes involving women in conflict prevention and resolution. Research covering conflicts from Northern Ireland to Africa has shown that peace agreements are 35 percent more likely to last at least 15 years when women are involved. Even knowing this, women are many times left out during negotiations. The truth is that conflict knows no gender, just as peace should know no gender. With that said, women are many times impacted by conflict in different ways than their male counterparts. ISIL, for instance, has used human trafficking and sex slavery, which disproportionately impacts women, as an income-generating business for their terrorist activities. Women need to be able to play a major role in addressing this and finding solutions to combat it. Moreover, in many war-torn countries, women control large segments of the economy. In fact, women are the sole income earners in nearly one- third of all households worldwide. While their husbands and sons are serving as soldiers, women are running the markets, the schools, other public and private institutions. By virtue of that, they are running the local economy and have an unmistakable voice in community discussions. Their understanding can prove invaluable when mitigating conflict and building peace. Particularly in areas where increased stability creates greater security for the United States, we must make sure that the work that we are doing produces lasting results. I am confident the Women, Peace, and Security Act and the accountability it provides will help produce sustainable outcomes for Americans, and that also touches on our national security. While our U.S. Government, in recent years, has made efforts to include women in peace negotiations, the bipartisan Women, Peace, and Security Act better ensures that women have a seat at the table during these discussions through meaningful congressional oversight. It is but one instrument in a toolbox our military and diplomatic leaders can use when looking at producing long-term results, and leaders can use it when looking to produce peace, but it is still a tool that we should not ignore. I am grateful to my colleagues: Representative Jan Schakowsky for all of her passionate work on this issue; Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel for their efforts on this legislation as well.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today I want to thank all of my colleagues for working with me on this legislation and collaborating on the Supporting Families in Substance Abuse Treatment Act that is before us today. This is a critical step in addressing the needs that we have in our communities with the urgent opioid and methamphetamine crisis in our country while protecting the foundation of our society, which is the family. Mr. Speaker, I urge the support of this legislation that is before us today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, having no other speakers, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, having no other speakers, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Supporting Families in Substance Abuse Treatment Act, which I have cosponsored with my colleague, Ms. Judy Chu from California. Across the country, opioid abuse has reached epidemic proportions. In my home State of South Dakota, drug use tears families apart. It results in gang activity, domestic abuse, and other kinds of violence, including many of our Native American communities throughout the State. Congress has worked to provide first responders and healthcare providers with tools they need to address this crisis, but we need to do more. We need to do more to ensure the stability of families affected by these terrible drugs. The Supporting Families in Substance Abuse Treatment Act provides much-needed support to families fighting to endure through substance abuse. The bill permits Federal foster care payments for children in foster care who are placed with a parent in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for a period of up to 12 months. Programs that address parental substance abuse by housing families together have been found to be highly effective in supporting parent- child bonding and reducing substance abuse relapses. Unfortunately, these programs aren't utilized to their fullest extent. This bill ensures that States incur little to no additional cost if a child is safely placed with a parent in a family substance abuse treatment program, rather than separating the child from their parent and placing the parent in an individual program. I would remind my colleagues that provisions in this bill were included in the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2016, which passed the House by voice vote and received support from over 500 different State and local groups representing a wide range of practitioners and advocacy organizations. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2857, currently under consideration.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2857) to support foster care maintenance payments for children with parents in a licensed residential family-based treatment facility for substance abuse, as amended.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I, again, want to applaud Mr. Davis for all of his work on this issue. I know he is passionate and has a big heart for our children, especially those that are in difficult situations such as we are discussing today. This bill will help us protect the fundamental element of our society, and that is the family. It will keep families together. It will empower courts and child welfare workers to coordinate for the good of children, and I am proud to support this bill. I ask for the support of this legislation that is before us, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Partnership Grants to Strengthen Families Affected by Parental Substance Abuse Act. I applaud Mr. Davis for all of the excellent work he has done on this issue. Most substantiated child abuse and neglect cases involve substance abuse by a parent or a guardian. This is something we are seeing all too often in places like my home State of South Dakota. Substance abuse, especially alcohol and meth, result in far too many instances of child abuse, domestic abuse, and other kinds of violent crime and behavior. Historically, a lack of coordination and collaboration has hindered the ability of those working in the fields of child welfare and substance abuse, and even the courts, from fully supporting families in substance abuse crisis. Families involved with child welfare have complex needs. No two cases are alike. It is for this reason that improving outcomes for parents and children require a coordinated effort among all systems. This bill strengthens the Regional Partnership Grants program, which provides funding to State and regional grantees seeking to provide evidence-based services to prevent child abuse and neglect related to substance abuse. Most importantly, this bill updates the RPG program to specifically address the opioid and heroin epidemics. By ensuring better coordination, this bill will also encourage States to address the well-being of the family as a whole, using evidence- based approaches to help parents and children at the same time, so many children can stay safely at home with their families. Finally, this bill is noncontroversial and it is bipartisan. Provisions in this bill were contained in the Family First Prevention Services Act last Congress, which passed the House by a voice vote. The Family First Act, as you recall, was supported by over 500 State and local organizations representing a wide range of practitioners and advocacy organizations. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to stand with Mr. Davis in supporting this bill today. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2834) to improve the well-being of, and improve permanency outcomes for, children and families affected by heroin, opioids, and other substance abuse, as amended.

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2834, currently under consideration.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman also for bringing up this important issue today. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 1370, the Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Authorization Act. A few years ago, law enforcement officers in South Dakota placed undercover ads on the internet, and they weren't pretending to sell illegal drugs. What they were pretending to sell was young girls. In less than 2 days, over 100 individuals responded to that ad. Many of them were hoping to buy children for sex. Similar operations were conducted across the State in following months, and they had similar results. Many times, when folks think of human trafficking, they often picture a place far away overseas, but the fact is that it is happening right here--in our backyards many times. Those being targeted are often children, 12 or 14 years old, sometimes even younger. They are forced to turn tricks up to 50 times a day while their pimps work hard to get them addicted to alcohol and drugs so that they can further control them and their lives. It also deepens their dependence on their trafficker. Last Congress, we passed significant antitrafficking legislation, which I am incredibly proud of, but there is still more that needs to be done. Time and again, South Dakota advocates tell me that awareness remains a challenge, but a challenge that we can work together to overcome. That is ultimately the purpose of this legislation that we are considering today. Through the enhanced Blue Campaign, we can offer Americans from all walks of life the information that they need to spot trafficking in their backyards. If more people are aware of distress signals and how to respond, we can move faster towards ending human trafficking together. Mr. Speaker, for this reason, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1370.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that the Democrats today are upset, that they are complaining that they don't like this bill, because their number one goal all along, and I have heard them say it to me in conversations over the years, their number one goal was to go to a single-payer system. They wanted government-run health care, and we are on the track to that today. In fact, in my home State of South Dakota, at one time, we had 17 options and companies that people could shop for their healthcare policies from. Today we have two. We are well down our road now to giving them exactly what they want. They hate this bill because it puts people back in control of their own health care. It doesn't let some bureaucrat in Washington, D.C., decide what treatment they can get in the future. It lets people decide that with their doctors. This is a vote, today, for freedom for people who have lived under the bureaucracy of the Federal Government not giving them options on how to take care of themselves and their families. Rising costs, shrinking options, increasing bureaucracy under ObamaCare has taken healthcare control away from patients, away from people, away from families struggling to pay their bills; and, against their best and own common sense and household budgets, they are forced to pay $10,000, $15,000, $20,000 more per year for health coverage, health coverage which has a deductible so high that they don't even utilize it then because they can no way meet the $6,500 deductible, $10,000 deductible, $12,000 deductible. So they don't even use it at all if they do have it. Their stories are reflected in all the data that we have seen. One hundred percent of the healthcare options on healthcare.gov in South Dakota have seen double-digit rate increases. Meanwhile, the number of providers families have to choose from has gotten much, much worse. We have a responsibility to eliminate ObamaCare's individual and employer mandates, which today's legislation does. It also abolishes the taxes that were included in ObamaCare, up to $1 trillion of taxes that were put on health care in order to pay for the bill, which will be eliminated as well. If left in place, the health insurance tax alone will raise costs on families up to $5,000 over the next decade. Bipartisan congressional Members have repeatedly opposed taxpayer funding of abortions, and that is fixed in this bill as well. When we talk about health care, we are talking about something very personal, which is why I want patients put back in control.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a radio program that has shared stories of hope, faith and encouragement for more than 35 years. In a world so often filled with heartbreaking narratives, the I Love Life program and its host, Jerry Dahmen, has showcased the stories of more than 1,500 people who have overcome challenges, achieved the unexpected, and inspired those around them. I Love Life is broadcast out of KXRB in South Dakota, but can be heard across the country. Its inspirational programming has earned dozens of broadcasting and community awards while tackling some of the time's toughest issues, including teenage suicide, human trafficking, love and loss. The program may make you laugh or cry, but either way, it's likely to teach you that if you can't change your circumstances, maybe you can change your attitude in a way that focuses on gratitude. Because of this program, millions of listeners across the world have been inspired to join in the chorus saying that I too love life.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 43 which overturns an Obama-era regulation forcing States to administer title X healthcare funding to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. Time and again, this Congress has risen with bipartisan support to oppose the taxpayer funding of abortions. Annual provisions, including the Hyde amendment, have been passed repeatedly and have saved an estimated 2 million innocent lives. Today, we rise again to stop the taxpayer funding of abortion providers. I want to be clear. Nothing we do today will take a penny from women's health. Instead, we are empowering States to redirect these funds to community health centers and hospitals that offer more comprehensive coverage to women. In 2014 alone, Planned Parenthood performed more than 300,000 abortions while failing to provide even the most basic services, like prenatal care, at many of their facilities. Hospitals and federally qualified health centers not only offer a broader range of services, but also greater accessibility in many cases. While there is only one Planned Parenthood center in South Dakota, we have six federally qualified health centers that operate in 45 service sites and serve more than 54,000 individuals per year. These care centers offer low-income families health services, but they don't perform abortions. We can support women's health--and, specifically, health care for low-income women--without supporting abortion providers. Simply put, H.J. Res. 43 does not restrict access or funding to health care for low-income women. What it does do is help protect taxpayers from funding abortion providers. It empowers the States to direct healthcare funding to organizations that truly do support women's health, and it makes strides toward protecting the most vulnerable among us, the unborn. I thank Chairman Black for her commitment to this issue, and I am proud to stand beside her as a partner in this effort.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 337, the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act. I thank the chairman of the committee and his staff for working so hard to move this bill through Congress. Their support means so much to our veterans and to their families. Those who have served and those families who have sacrificed beside them deserve our Nation's eternal gratitude. Since 1948, the Black Hills National Cemetery has been one way that we have shown that appreciation to them. The cemetery currently covers about 100 acres of land and is home to the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Its peaceful landscape serves as the final resting place for hundreds of servicemembers and their family members. Chief David Beautiful Bald Eagle is among the brave men and women buried here. Born in a tepee in 1919, Chief Bald Eagle served our country in World War II as a paratrooper and as one of the legendary Lakota code talkers. We lost him last summer, but his life continues to be an inspiration to the Lakota people and those who knew him. Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth was also laid to rest there. He was a man who flew 400 combat missions during World War II. He earned numerous medals and returned to the U.S., where he eventually became wing commander of the Rapid City Air Force Base. In 1953, that base was renamed in his honor. The surrounding community also does its part to honor this hallowed ground. On a brisk day this past December, Pennington County 4-H, the Sturgis Boy Scouts, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, and community members came together and placed over 1,000 wreaths on the graves of servicemembers who were laid to rest at this cemetery. They upheld the vow that those laid to rest should never be forgotten. Now we must do our part to uphold that very same vow. So we honor the legacy of these veterans and many others at the Black Hills National Cemetery, but the facility is not going to have the room it needs to continue serving future veterans without expansion. This bill would allow that expansion by transferring around 200 acres of adjacent land near Sturgis, South Dakota, from the Bureau of Land Management's jurisdiction to the Department of Veterans Affairs. My office worked with these agencies and the stakeholders in crafting this legislation, and all agreed that this land transfer is necessary. The transfer of this land will provide the Black Hills National Cemetery with the additional burial space that is needed to assure that today's veterans and servicemembers, as well as their families, will be able to utilize the space and that we will be able to uphold our commitment and offer this Nation's eternal gratitude for everything that they have done for us. Again, I thank the committee, my colleagues, and the chairman for supporting this bill. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mrs. NOEM

Mrs. NOEM. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act. Specifically, this bill says directly that Federal taxpayer dollars could not be used to provide abortions. It does not do more than that. What it does is it puts into statute a permanency to legislation that has annually been renewed. Becoming a parent was something that my husband and I always dreamed about. And when we did realize that we were having our first child, we prayed for her and we prayed for our future children, recognizing that they were a gift from God and that that life was to be protected even from the moment of conception. That is the belief that I have, and my hope and my dream for everyone here in America is that we would recognize that those children are a gift from God to us to protect, to keep, and to make sure that they are brought into this world safely and helped from thereon. My perspective and my profound commitment to protecting unborn children is why I am standing here today. Time and again, Congress has risen with bipartisan support to oppose taxpayer-funded abortions. Annual provisions, including the Hyde amendment, have been passed repeatedly; and they have been estimated to save over 2 million innocent lives. Our goal here is to save even more. We need to make these provisions permanent. ObamaCare has allowed the tax dollars of hardworking Americans to flow to over 1,000 abortion-covering health plans. This has made today's bipartisan legislation more important than ever. H.R. 7 would create a permanent governmentwide prohibition against Federal dollars to fund abortive procedures. It would also ensure the Affordable Care Act complies with the Hyde amendment until it is repealed and replaced. That is the right thing to do. Today we stand to make sure that every single life is valued, not just the ones that we pick and choose for political reasons; that every single one that God has created has an opportunity to live out their dreams here in the United States of America.