Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, my friend knows the American people spoke on November 8th. They gave our party control of the entire Congress and the White House because of the job-killing, promise-breaking law known as ObamaCare. This was a repeal mission for almost 7 years, but now it has become a rescue mission. It is to rescue Americans like Andrea from my home in Texas in the 22nd Congressional District. She wrote me this letter last week: ``I'm a 42 year-old legally blind single parent in Sugar Land, self- employed working very hard to rear two great kids ages 15 and 13. I have a master's degree in education and work extremely hard to provide a stable, comfortable life for the kids. In doing so, I have invested time and money into my own healthcare because the kids need me to be healthy. ``I lost my right eye a few years ago to complications from ROP (too much oxygen at birth) and my left eye is severely impaired with potential for complications that would need immediate specialized care. ``I have different specialist doctors for different issues related to each eye. Additionally, I am a kidney cancer survivor (RCC) which also requires specialist follow-up. For those reasons, and others, I've spent time and effort getting drivers to take me to specialists to develop rapport, trust, and history with specific physicians. ``They are the best doctors in their respected fields, and my trust in them is important with this type of care. ``I don't have the PPO option now for my healthcare in 2016 through the ACA. The HMO's and EPO's being offered are not being accepted by my doctors. `` . . . among the needs of many others in similar situations as my own, my remaining eyesight and renal function should never be less important than anything in politics. And while I know that there are many, many people in this same boat, for today, while I write this letter, it's about my kids getting to keep their mom and about me keeping the ability to see them grow up. ``I write because it needs to be said and needs to be heard and needs to be ACTED on. `` . . . in the past I've paid a lot and had my share of insurance issues, but at least I could choose my own doctor. At least in crisis (which I've had) I went straight to the doctor who knew me and my history and they could resolve it without a referral and delay after delay after delay. ``HMO might work for some, but not for those who don't want one. ``I'm not asking for a hand-out. I am asking for reasonable choice of a basic PPO for which I have paid for in past and am asking to have the option to pay for now. I'm not writing just to vent--I'm asking for some kind of solution to this train wreck of healthcare options or lack thereof. ``If President Obama thinks this is actually working, he's more blind than me.'' Andrea, we have a plan to help you up. It is called A Better Way. How about this: Allow coverage across state lines, expand opportunities for pooling, make coverage portable, Medicare laws reformed, and preexisting condition protections. That is a better way. That is what the American people deserve. We will keep fighting for Andrea and people like her.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, Texans know the difference between right and wrong, between truth and lie. The Democrats promised four things when they passed ObamaCare: number one, you can keep your insurance; number two, you can keep your doctor; number three, you have a better quality of care; and number four, that care will come at a lower cost. Within weeks, we found out that all four promises were being broken; all four were lies. But don't take my word for it. Take the word of the constituent from Texas 22, my boss Andrea Kulberg. Andrea writes: I am a 42-year-old, legally blind, single parent in Sugar Land, self-employed, working very hard to rear two great kids, ages 15 and 13. I have a master's degree in education and work extremely hard to provide a stable, comfortable life for my kids. In doing so, I have invested time and dollars into my own health care because the kids need me to be healthy. I lost my right eye a few years ago to complications from ROP, too much oxygen at birth, and my left eye is severely impaired with potential for complications that would need immediate specialized care. I have different specialist doctors for different issues related to each eye. Additionally, I am a cancer survivor, renal cancer, RCC, which also requires specialist follow-up. For these reasons and others, I have spent time and efforts to get drivers to take me to specialists for these specific positions. Over the years, I have paid high healthcare premiums for this, usually around $500 per month--that is crazy in itself--for a PPO to allow me freedom to keep my existing doctor. I paid these fees and sacrificed other luxuries in life so I could get the care I needed with the doctors I wanted. They are the best doctors in their respective fields, and my trust in them is important with this type of care. I don't have the PPO option now for my health care in 2016 through the ACA. The HMOs and EPOs being offered are not being accepted by my doctors. I am certain you have heard this as well, but I am writing to you anyway because it has to be said that among these needs of many others in similar situations as my own, my remaining eyesight and renal function should never be less important than anything in politics. And while I know that there were many, many people in this same boat, for today, while I write this letter, it is about my kids getting to keep their mom and about me keeping the ability to see them grow up. I know PPOs won't suddenly appear on healthcare.gov because I sent this email. I know this can't be immediately fixed. But I write because it needs to be said; it needs to be heard; it needs to be acted on. I don't know the right actions that need to happen. I will leave that to your area of expertise. But I know the way it is now doesn't work. In the past, I paid a lot and had my share of insurance issues, but at least I could still choose my own doctor. At least in a crisis, which I have had, I went straight to the doctor who knew me and my history and could resolve it without a referral and delay after delay. HMOs might work for some, but not for those who don't want one. Letters to a Congressman are supposed to be more formal, but seriously, what country are we in? I am not asking for a handout. I am asking for a reasonable choice of a basic PPO, which I have paid for in the past and am asking to have the option to pay for now. I am not just writing to vent. I am asking for some sort of solution through this train wreck of healthcare options or lack thereof. If President Obama thinks this is actually working, then he is more blind than me. And that is as nice as I can be now. Thanks for hearing me out and for looking for solutions that impact real lives. Respectfully, Andrea Kulberg. Mr. Speaker, I don't care if you are a Democrat or Republican. Hear Andrea's words--act. Let's rescue Andrea from ObamaCare and restore the promises of quality of care, high quality of care, lower price, doctor of choice.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Gildardo Andres Ceballos of Richmond, TX, for being named OakBend Medical Center's 2016 Physician of the Year. Dr. Ceballos, board-certified in internal medicine, was awarded this honor thanks to his experience and reputation for kindness and sincerity appreciated by patients and staff alike. The Physician of the Year award is OakBend's highest recognition, which honors the physician who demonstrates significant skill, along with genuine compassion. Colleagues of Dr. Ceballos have described him as a positive professional and a role model both professionally and personally. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Dr. Ceballos for being named OakBend Medical Center's 2016 Physician of the Year. We all benefit from his commitment to quality healthcare and we thank him for his dedication to keep Houstonians healthy.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Alexis Champagne of Katy, TX, for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. To earn this distinguished award, Alexis had to spend at least 80 hours developing and executing a project that would benefit the community and have a long-term impact on girls as well. Her Gold award project was the launch of the Bob Cat Book Nook book sharing program at Garland McMeans Jr High School in Cinco Ranch, TX. Alexis hosted a book drive for two months, and she used donations to stock the bookshelves of the Junior High School. Students can borrow and return books for free or replace them with other books brought from home. Alexis said the goal of the book nook is to help increase reading and lead to higher test scores. Her project has impacted over 1,000 people. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Alexis Champagne for earning her Gold Scout Gold Award. We are confident she will have continued success in her future endeavors. We are very proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate six new Eagle Scouts of Troop 1631 in Sugar Land, TX. Eagle Scout is the highest rank among Boy Scouts, requiring them to develop leadership, service and outdoor skills. The new Eagle Scouts are Mitchell Nguyen, Zack Dagnall, Tejas Murali, Spencer Reitz, Danny Penczak and Kody Ngo. To achieve the Eagle Scout rank, these Scouts have collectively hiked 571 miles, volunteered 194 hours, camped 361 nights, earned 194 merit badges, and have completed many leadership activities. Troop 1631, sponsored by the Optimist Club, has helped over 150 Scouts become Eagles over its 35 years. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Mitchell, Zack, Tejas, Spencer, Danny and Kody. We are proud of them and their accomplishments and look forward to their future successes.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 306) to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to promote energy efficiency via information and computing technologies, and for other purposes.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government is a major consumer of electricity, and its information technologies account for a large and growing percentage of that major use. That is why we need H.R. 306, the Energy Efficient Government Technology Act, introduced by my good friend from California (Ms. Eshoo). This bill creates a process by which Federal agencies can incorporate the latest efficiency improvements in their information technologies, including data centers. It also sets out yardsticks to measure progress. The result of this bill would be lower Federal energy bills and taxpayer savings. In addition, the Federal Government can set an example for energy efficiency that the private sector IT systems would be able to copy. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague in trying to spice things up, so I reserve the balance of my allotted time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I have been a naval aviator, a Senate staffer, and a Member of Congress. In those 20 years, the best leaders I have seen are ones who lead by example. H.R. 306 makes sure D.C. leads by example. If we lead, the whole country will follow. I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 306. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, on November 8, the American people gave my party control of the entire Congress and the White House because of the promise-breaking, job-killing law known as ObamaCare--the craziest thing in the whole world, according to President Bill Clinton. The fearmongers on the other side are telling Americans they will lose their health care in a snap. They should talk to Martha. Martha is a self-employed CPA who developed a nasty leukemia a couple of years ago. She was told to get ready for the end of her life. A miracle happened. Experimental treatment reduced her cancer from grade III to grade I. The drugs to save her life cost $15,000 per month. On October 20, because of ObamaCare, she was told that she had to pay 50 percent of that cost instead of 30 percent. That is tough for her to afford. Martha got to hold her fifth grandkid this past summer. House Republicans want her to hold her sixth and seventh grandkid in the future. We have our orders to repeal ObamaCare. It is time to go to work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Denton, Texas (Mr. Burgess) for yielding me time to speak about my bill, H.R. 309, the National Clinical Care Commission Act, a bipartisan bill that received unanimous support in the last Congress and was cosponsored by over half of my House colleagues. It had this level of support because our Nation faces an epidemic. Diabetes or prediabetes affects over 100 million Americans. Nearly one in three of our neighbors is affected. This is in addition to all of the Americans whose diseases fall under complex metabolic, autoimmune, or insulin-resistant diseases. When I first came to Congress in 2009, it was crystal clear that we had a big problem. The benefits of all the Federal research dollars going into these diseases were simply not making their way to patients. Researchers at the NIH, the CDC, the FDA, and even DOD weren't sharing diabetes research. It was clear to me in 2009, and it is clear today in 2017, that we need a laser-like focus on improving patient care by pursuing a strong Federal focus on research. My bill accomplishes that goal by creating a national clinical care commission comprised of doctors who specialize in diabetes care for patients. This commission will have 3 years to strengthen their partnership between Federal stakeholders and health professionals, who will bring hands-on clinical experience to improve care. This is not a new, unending bureaucracy. After 3 years, this commission will sunset. In 3 years, it will be gone. We have already made a huge investment of taxpayer dollars into research. It is time for us to leverage that investment and translate that into meaningful prevention and effective treatment options. So today, I ask my colleagues to again help those who suffer from diabetes or other complex metabolic and autoimmune disorders by voting for H.R. 309.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Chief Daniel Kevin Baum of Pearland, TX, for successfully completing the Executive Fire Officer Program (EFOP). Completion of this program provides senior fire officers with the skills and expertise that are needed to combat today's challenging environment. Daniel previously served as chief of the Pearland EMS agency, has a Masters in Emergency and Disaster Management, and has over 10 years of experience in fire administration. Our community is safer thanks to his commitment to fire safety awareness and protection. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations and thank you to Chief Daniel Baum for completing the Executive Fire Officer Program. We appreciate his hard work, dedication and service for Pearland.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bay Area Regional Medical Center in Houston, TX for achieving Chest Pain Center Accreditation with PCI and Resuscitation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. Bay Area Regional is the first and only hospital in Houston and only the fifth in Texas to achieve this outstanding recognition. This accreditation is achieved by hospitals proven to have a higher level of expertise regarding patients with heart attack symptoms. Bay Area Regional has stacked its staff with a dedicated and expert cardiology team that ensures its patients receive the best care and treatment, while also promoting community awareness to prepare and prevent heart attacks. Their hard work and success keeps Houstonians healthy. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Bay Area Regional Medical Center for achieving Chest Pain Center Accreditation. We are very proud and happy to have such an exceptional hospital so close to home. Thank you for all your hard work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Katie Hyde of Sugar Land, TX, for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. To earn this distinguished award, Katie had to spend at least 80 hours developing and executing a project that would benefit the community and have a long-term impact on girls as well. Her Gold project included building sets of horse jumps for the therapeutic riding program at Southern Equestrian Center, which will make it easier for those with physical or mental disabilities to ride horses. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Katie Hyde for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. We are confident she will have continued success in her future endeavors. We are very proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for earning an ``A'' for patient safety for the sixth year in a row. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital prides itself on the dedication of its physicians, nurses, technicians and staff to keep patients as healthy and safe as possible. Twice a year the Hospital Safety Score, part of The Leapfrog Group, grades hospitals based on how well they protect patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections while in the hospital. Houston Methodist Sugar Land was one of 844 hospitals across the nation to earn an ``A'' grade in the fall 2016 survey. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital for earning an ``A'' for patient safety. We all benefit from their commitment to quality healthcare and we thank them for their hard work to keep Houstonians healthy.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, the American people gave my party control of the entire Congress and the White House because of the promise- breaking, job-killing bill known as ObamaCare, the craziest thing in the whole world, according to President Bill Clinton. On November 8, we were ordered to repeal ObamaCare, and that is just what we are going to do. Fearmongers on the other side are telling Americans they will lose their health insurance like that. That will only happen if we follow their example and pass a bill that becomes law before we have the time to read it. House Republicans will take time to listen to doctors, nurses, hospitals, patients, the American people to give them the health care they deserve at a lower cost, higher quality with the doctor of their choice. We have our orders. It is time to go to work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish the Honor Roll School in Sugar Land, TX, a happy 25th birthday. The Honor Roll School is a private school with a focus of developing well-rounded, lifelong learners, with the social, emotional and academic skills to excel in the future. The school is made up of students from over 50 countries and every continent in the world. To celebrate their 25th year, the Honor Roll School held an international themed birthday party, which included special guests and speakers, along with booths and tables showcasing various countries. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations to the Honor Roll School for teaching and preparing our children for a successful future these past 25 years. We truly appreciate all they have done and look forward to the next generation of Texans to complete the program.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kate Fogleman of Sugar Land, TX, for earning a spot on the Food Network show, Kids Sweets Showdown. Kate is a 10-year-old girl who just loves to bake. She fell in love with watching kids baking competitions on the Food Network and was inspired to apply herself. After being turned down for the Kids Baking Championship show, she persevered and succeeded in earning a spot on the Food Network's new show, Kids Sweets Showdown. The show features talented kids preparing ``merry sweet treats'' in hopes of staying on the judges' ``nice list.'' Kate was featured on two episodes of the show, Santa Express and Snow Day Doughnuts. When she's not baking, Kate spends her time on her schools yearbook committee and dancing competitively for Dance Works in Missouri City, TX. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Kate Fogleman for earning a spot on Kids Sweets Showdown. We are extremely proud of her and look forward to her future success as a baker.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Section 4: ``The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.''

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, as you know, everything is bigger in Texas. But as any Texan knows, the biggest, most grand thing is the heart of a Texan. The best example of these hearts are my two dear friends, Kevin and Trish Kline. Their huge Texas hearts want to end childhood cancer, so they started the Snowdrop Foundation. They have raised over $1 million in less than 10 years to stop cancer. They do this for kids like Ana. When Ana was 14, she was told she had acute leukemia. She wondered: Will my soul be taken away? Who will take care of my younger brother? Am I going to die? After nearly a decade of fear, with Snowdrop's help, Ana now says: Cancer, been there, beat that. God bless Ana, Snowdrop, Kevin, and Trish.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 617, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 618, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 619. personal explanation

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill that helps schools all across America. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 756. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying that H.R. 6375 ensures that these important and potentially lifesaving devices work when needed. This is a great bill. I urge all my colleagues to vote for this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6375, the Power and Security Systems (PASS) Act, extends an important exemption from current regulations for devices such as security systems and medical devices. Specifically, many electronic devices use external power supplies that are subject to strict limits on the amount of electricity they can consume when not in use. However, these provisions are not feasible for products that have to be on 24/7, such as home security alarms and heart monitors. This bill extends the existing exemption for external power supplies for these kinds of products. H.R. 6375 would ensure the continued availability of these important and potentially lifesaving devices, and I urge everyone to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.