Robert Pittenger

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my good friend from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) for his leadership on this important bill for consumers. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1210, the Portfolio Lending and Mortgage Access Act. Since the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, it seems that all they have done is make it more difficult for businesses to grow and create jobs and to restrict choices for consumers. America needs an opportunity economy not hampered with massive bureaucratic regulations. The CFPB's qualified mortgage rule is anti-opportunity. It does nothing but force overly burdensome underwriting requirements on hardworking American families and community financial institutions, making it harder for creditworthy individuals to buy a home they can afford to keep. The Independent Community Bankers Association reports that 73 percent of community bankers have decreased their mortgage business or completely stopped providing mortgage loans due to the expense of complying with this regulatory burden. Mr. Speaker, I sat on a community bank board for over 10 years. We knew who was creditworthy. We had personal relationships with our customers. We knew their character. Today, Mr. Speaker, it is one size fits all. We understand the nature of loans and extending credit. Yet what is required today is a box to check. If you can't check all the boxes, you won't get a loan. The regulators today, just like they did before the crisis, are putting mandates on community financial institutions, whom you can loan money to and whom you can't loan money to. This type of excessive regulation is what is killing the opportunities and choices for the American consumers. Since I have been in Congress, I regularly hear how Washington's red tape prevents community financial institutions from serving their customers' needs. H.R. 1210 goes a long way to ensure community banks and credit unions, who know their customers and communities, are able to serve hardworking American families, and they should not be impeded by needless and misguided meddling of Washington bureaucrats.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of my good friend, Garland Denny, a true and dedicated patriot devoted to helping veterans in need. Mr. Denny died last week at the age of 84. During the Korean war, Mr. Denny served our country aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. Following a long and successful career as a structural steel draftsman, Mr. Denny spent his retirement advocating for a special postage stamp to raise money for veterans' services. In support of Mr. Denny, 55 Members of the House and Senate joined me this summer in writing the U.S. Postmaster General urging the creation of a Stamp Out PTSD semipostal stamp to help raise money for PTSD research and treatment. We remain committed to Mr. Denny's goal of helping veterans and overcoming the bureaucracy standing in the way. Mr. Denny reminds us that one committed American can make a big difference. His sons, Chuck and James, have joined me today in the House Chamber and intend to carry on their father's mission. May God bless you both and your sister, Sue.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, on roll call no. 543 and 544, I would have voted as follows: Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) motion to Recommit on H.R. 538 with instructions--NAY, and Passage of H.R. 538--Native American Energy Act--YEA.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Madam Speaker, I stand before you in full support of H.R. 3495, the Women's Public Health and Safety Act. This legislation amends Medicaid law to give States the freedom and flexibility to remove abortion providers from Medicaid. Taxpayer dollars should not be used for abortion, period. This important policy is widely supported by the American people. That is why the Hyde amendment, first established in 1976, protects taxpayers from preventing the use of Federal funds for abortion. However, through the years, we have seen these groups attempt to circumvent this Federal mandate in order to further their own destructive agenda of death. In North Carolina, Madam Speaker, there are 294 community health clinics, but only 9 Planned Parenthood abortion centers. Providing States like North Carolina with flexibility and funding will result in better, more accessible health care for all women, instead of funneling money to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood and their army of political lobbyists. Thank you to Congressman Sean Duffy for his leadership on this issue. As a nation, we must restore the value and sanctity of each and every life against this selfish culture of death. I will continue to be a voice for the voiceless and speak out against these egregious acts as long as it takes to restore the God-given promise of life. Life is precious. As Pope Francis stated in this Chamber, we must cherish each and every one at every stage of life.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Madam Speaker, many years ago, I was in London with my family at the British Museum and watched a little movie about the development and growth of a baby inside a mother's womb. The video was all about life, tracking the baby's development week by week. Recently, we have all watched videos where Planned Parenthood executives candidly talked about death. How can anyone defend the sale of a little baby's body parts? Why should Federal taxpayers support organizations that rob little ones of their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Planned Parenthood has betrayed the rights and life of America's most defenseless. Today I am asking that you join me in supporting the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, which effectively halts Federal funding of Planned Parenthood for 1 year or until they can certify that their affiliates and clinics are not and will not perform abortions. I thank Congresswoman Diane Black for her leadership on this issue. The character of our Nation is at stake. We must restore the value and sanctity of every life and fight back against those unfathomable acts. Life is precious. Let's cherish each and every one.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. I thank the chairman for yielding this time. I thank him for his strong leadership to reject this administration's agreement with Iran. Mr. Speaker, this deal is a dramatic reversal of U.S. policy in the Middle East and towards the Iranian Government. For years, the Iranian Government has actively opposed U.S. interests in the region and has directly financed some of the world's most oppressive terrorist groups, most notably, Hezbollah. As a result of this agreement, over $100 billion will be released from repatriated oil profits back to the mullahs in Iran, and 46 banks in Iran will now be approved to transmit money through the international financial system. Look at what they have done previously with their finances. We gave them $700 million a month as a precondition just to come to the negotiations--$12 billion over a 16- month period. You can see their footprint in Lebanon; you can see it in Iraq; you can see it in Yemen; you can see it in Syria; you can see it in South America. Mr. Speaker, what we are doing today is going to translate into increased, enhanced terrorist activities throughout the world. May we look back on this day as one of the most consequential votes we will take tomorrow in this Chamber, as consequential as what we did in declaring war against Japan and Germany. May we recognize the reality of what is taking place.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Thank you. I am so grateful that the gentleman from Texas took the leadership in honoring and paying tribute to those who defend and protect us in our own communities. Madam Speaker, tonight I can think of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Harlan Proctor, Ashley Brown, and Scott Evett who, in the aftermath of a horrific domestic violence homicide and arson earlier this year, used their own time and their own money to purchase clothes and toys for the children left behind. They never expected to get any type of recognition. Madam Speaker, I think of my friend Detective Shane Page, who volunteered for the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, who was shot and seriously wounded while attempting to arrest a dangerous suspect who was hiding out in a quiet neighborhood. Earlier this year I met Cornelius Police Lieutenant James Quattlebaum at Carolinas Medical Center. He had just been shot earlier that day while responding to a domestic disturbance. And Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Lieutenant Nate King was conducting routine police business last year when a frantic mother drove up and placed a lifeless baby in his arms. The 6-month-old baby was choking to death. But thanks to Lieutenant King's lifesaving efforts, the little girl made a full recovery. Every day thousands of brave superheroes go to work to serve and protect our children, our homes, and our communities. The pay is low. The hours are long. They are often screamed at. They are hit. They are spit upon and even bitten. Yet, they show back up for work each and every day. Would we? Madam Speaker, we should encourage greater dialogue between our local police departments and the community, and we should encourage the best possible training. We should demand accountability because no one is above the law. However, we should also teach our children to have a healthy respect for law enforcement and work hard to recognize the bravery and everyday good deeds of America's law enforcement. We expect them to be at their best when we are at our worst. Thank you to America's law enforcement, who are truly committed to both serve and to protect.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call Votes #467, 468 and 469, I am not recorded because I was absent from the U.S. House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following manner. On Roll Call #467. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call #468. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call #469. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your leadership on behalf of the American people to bring opportunity to them. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the fifth anniversary of the burdensome and overreaching Dodd-Frank Act. As I have built two businesses from scratch, I understand the risks and sacrifice and the hard work necessary to grow a business and create jobs. Unfortunately, Dodd-Frank has made it incredibly difficult for American small businesses to raise capital, and for the first time in 35 years, small business deaths have outnumbered small business births. Dodd-Frank was supposed to protect the American people. Instead, it is hurting the economy and it is costing jobs, particularly low- and moderate-income families. Dodd-Frank is strangling the economy and job growth by creating a compliance nightmare of over 400 new rules and regulations. I am not antiregulation, but the pendulum has swung too far. Unfortunately, Dodd-Frank goes overboard, fixing problems that don't exist and ignoring the root cause of the financial crisis, which was the government requirement for easy credit for those who were a credit risk. We have all been told that Dodd-Frank ends too big to fail. This act did not end too big to fail. It glorified it into law and made middle- income paychecks almost $12,000 less compared to the average postwar economic recovery. Five years later, our economy continues to sputter at a 2 percent growth rate while Washington bureaucrats continue to burden American businesses, those small enterprises, with never-ending regulations. Dodd-Frank is deterring the entrepreneurship that has made this country great. Dodd-Frank is too big, and it has failed the American people.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following speech by Maryam Rajavi, the elected President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NRC). In the name of God, In the name of Iran, In the name of Freedom, In the name of 120,000 shining stars, the blazing flames of honor and dignity who defied the religious tyranny, and In the name of all the unsung heroes and heroines who made the ultimate sacrifice so that others could live free; so that in the darkest hour of her history, Iran shines with stars, stands proud and cries out: ``Down with the velayat-e faqih regime!'' voice and message of iran's genuine owners Elected representatives of nations around the globe, Honorable dignitaries, My fellow compatriots, here and all over Iran: I sincerely extend my gratitude to you all for joining this gathering. We have come here to convey to the world the voice and message of Iran's rightful owners, the Iranian people. Amid an unrelenting uproar over the Iranian regime's ominous nuclear program and three inhuman wars in the region, we have come to say that those who are speaking on behalf of Iran are in fact the enemies of Iran and all Iranians. The people of Iran neither want nuclear weapons, nor meddling in Iraq, Syria or Yemen, nor despotism, torture and shackles. The people of Iran are the tens of millions of enraged teachers, students, nurses and workers who demand freedom, democracy, jobs and livelihood. They say: First, the velayat-e faqih regime has reached the end of the line. Second, the only way to end the violations of human rights in Iran, the nuclear impasse, the crises in the region, and the confrontation with ISIS and terrorism, is to topple the Caliph of regression and terrorism in Iran. Major change, a common demand Look at Iran as it has risen up today. It is inflamed and seething despite nearly 1,800 executions during Hassan Rouhani's tenure: The uprising in Mahabad and the protests in Sanandaj, Sardasht, Saqqez and Marivan, reflect the courage and upheaval of Iranian Kurds in the face of crime and injustice. Successive demonstrations by teachers all across our nation echo the cries of those who have been ignored and have now risen up for the right to life and right to freedom; The daily strikes and sit-ins by workers resonate the outcries of starving families nationwide; Dozens of armed clashes involving young Baluchis, Kurds and Arabs reflect the fury of an enchained nation which has been denied of any means to protest; Hundreds of hunger strikes and protests by political prisoners, embody the perseverance of a nation that has defeated the mullahs even in torture chambers; The sit- ins of the mothers of death-row prisoners, the protests of Gonabadi and Ahl-e Haq dervishes, and the suffering of impoverished street venders are the rumblings of a mountain about to erupt. Look at today's Iran. Do you see any Iranian not discontented or not wanting change? The 15 million deprived and destitute citizens languishing in shanty towns in the suburbs, the 10 to 15 million young people who cannot find jobs and the millions of families feeling the heavy burden of high prices, all of them, feel the same pain and demand major change. So, I am speaking to you, my beloved countrymen and women across the nation. Your resistance, your struggle and your solidarity are stronger than any other force. Stand up to the ruling regime and create 1,000 Ashrafs, meaning 1,000 bastions of rebellion in Iran. Major uprisings will arise out of your protests. And the army of rebellion and liberation will be the harbinger of Iran's freedom for the world. a defeated nuclear strategy Ladies and gentlemen: The nuclear program that projected the power of the velayat-e faqih regime for the past quarter century is now a source of the mullahs' weakness and impasse. Why did Khamenei acquiesce to the Geneva Accord, despite being only two to three months away from nuclear weapons capability? The answer is simple: Because he feared another eruption of uprisings; because his nuclear strategy has run aground; and because in the words of his foreign minister, the regime's strategic capacity has been eroded. This explains why the Geneva Accord destabilized the regime and the Lausanne Agreement destabilized it even further. Unlike Khomeini, who drank from the chalice of poison of ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, Khamenei could not agree to a comprehensive deal with the P5+1. He says, ``I neither agree nor disagree.'' This means that his regime is at an impasse. The same situation prevails as pertains to the final, comprehensive agreement. Whether or not Khamenei agrees to it, the regime cannot escape the prospects of being overthrown. wrapping up the bomb-making structure Unfortunately, western governments, the United States in particular, violated UN Security Council resolutions and offered major concessions, propelling the regime closer to the Bomb. I should therefore remind western governments that the Iranian people and Resistance will not accept any agreement that does not dismantle the regime's bomb-making infrastructure. UN Security Council resolutions must be implemented fully. Uranium enrichment must be halted completely. All suspect sites, military or otherwise must be inspected. And the regime must provide answers to the military dimensions of its nuclear project and make its nuclear experts available for IAEA questioning. P5+1 Leaders: If you do not want a nuclear-armed fundamentalist regime, stop appeasing it. Do not bargain over the human rights of the Iranian people and recognize their organized Resistance which is striving for freedom. You are gravely mistaken in thinking that there is no solution. There is a solution for ending the mullahs' nuclear weapons program: regime change by the Iranian people and Resistance. As the Iranian Resistance's Leader Massoud Rajavi has declared, ``Resistance against this regime is our duty and our inalienable right. We have been and will be at war with this regime. With or without enrichment, with and without nuclear weapons, and under any circumstances, the struggle for freedom is the inalienable right of the Iranian people.'' failures and flaws of Vali-e faqih Ladies and gentlemen: The regime's critical situation can be seen in Khamenei's failures and in the erosion of his standing. Khamenei has failed to unify the ruling clique. His acquiescence to Rouhani's presidency reflects this failure. This failure, however, was initially neither because of international sanctions nor due to the economic crisis. The most important reason was the Resistance and the Iranian people's uprisings. Today, the regime's Supreme Leader and its President have faced off, bashing one another on a daily basis. The power struggle is reaching the final phase. Rafsanjani has openly called for dividing the power and authority of the Supreme Leader. For the first time, a rival faction has taken shape against Khamenei. The pro-Khamenei faction has significantly split and disintegrated. In other words, the body whose task is to preserve the regime in times of tension and turmoil is itself crumbling. Indeed, the ruling theocracy has rotted at its core. All signs point to the end of this decadent regime. mullahs trapped in three wars Ladies and gentlemen: Today, the clerical regime has fallen into the trap of three regional wars, in which it can neither advance nor retreat. The bubble-like expansion of the ruling theocracy has put it in a perilous predicament. In Syria, what the mullahs built is teetering because it was erected on quicksand. Although the clerical regime has spent billions of dollars annually to prop up Bashar Assad, today the Syrian dictator is gasping for air. I hope that on victory day, Khamenei joins Assad before the International Criminal Court for the slaughter of 300,000 Syrian men, women and children. In Iraq, the clerical regime has lost its puppet government of Nouri al-Maliki. This is the beginning of the regime's demise not only in Iraq but also throughout the region. Although the regime continues to commit genocide against the Sunnis by the Quds Force that meddles in Iraq under the pretext of fighting the ISIS, these efforts will prove futile and will not restore the regime's losses. And in Yemen, Khamenei sought to take over the country to gain the upper hand during the nuclear talks and amid the regional crisis. It, however, turned the largest regional coalition against Tehran. When Bashar Assad is toppled or when the regime's forces are defeated in Iraq or in Yemen, the regime's entire front in the Middle East will collapse. This regime lacks the capability to advance in these three wars. On the other hand, if it retreats, it will implode. Such an impasse thus attests to the certainty of the overthrow of the velayat-e faqih regime. necessary eviction from the entire region Today, western and Arab world's policy makers stress that ISIS and Bashar Assad are the two sides of the same coin. I add that the Caliph in Tehran is the godfather of both of them. The fact is that ISIS emerged out of the atrocities perpetrated by Bashar Assad and Maliki committed on orders from the clerical regime. I therefore call upon western governments to refrain from taking sides with the Tehran regime. In Iraq, do not collaborate with the regime's Revolutionary Guards Corps and the so-called Shiite militias who are a hundred times more dangerous than the other henchmen. The solution in Iraq is to evict the mullahs' regime forces, to empower Sunni power-sharing, and to arm the Sunni tribes. The solution in Syria is to evict the Iranian regime's forces and to support the people of Syria in overthrowing Assad's dictatorship. The solution in Yemen is to stand up to Tehran, as the Arab coalition has already done. This must be pursued until the regime is uprooted all across the region. Indeed, the solution is to evict the Iranian regime from the entire region and to topple the Caliph of regression and terrorism Iran. an organized movement Ladies and gentlemen: When social conditions are ripe for change, there is no element more vital than the existence of an organized movement. This explains why the mullahs fear and attempt to destroy the People's Mojahedin (PMOI/MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The mullahs have always considered the PMOI's presence in Iraq as an existential threat because they are the vanguard force in the fight against religious fascism. The PMOI and the NCRI hoisted the banner of peace in diametric opposition to Khomeini's persistence on prolonging the Iran-Iraq war. The PMOI formed the National Liberation Army. The PMOI and the NCR foiled the nefarious conspiracies of the Iranian regime and its appeasers, and nullified the unjust terrorist label by winning in more than 20 courts in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere in Europe. The PMOI and the National Council of Resistance discredited and terminated the 15-year-long case opened by the French Judiciary. They upheld the Iranian people's right to regime change. Termination of prison conditions and blockade of Camp Liberty Dear friends: Over the past three decades, the mullahs have endeavored to annihilate this movement more than anything else. Their efforts include thousands of conspiracies and churning out allegations particularly against the Resistance Leader Massoud Rajavi. They have also fired 1,000 missiles at PMOI and National Liberation Army bases in 2000. We all recall that in an attempt to crack down on the June 2009 uprisings, the regime first attacked Camp Ashraf. Similarly, the morning after his defeat during the Presidential elections in 2013, Khamenei ordered a rocket attack on Camp Liberty. And two years ago, when he decided to sign the nuclear accord, he ordered that Ashraf residents be massacred. The mullahs' real aim is to annihilate the residents of Liberty or secure their surrender to the regime. This explains why the regime is hindering their relocation out of Iraq, On the other hand, by repeatedly violating international treaties and reneging on their written obligations toward the Ashrafis, the U.S. and the UN have in practice sided with the religious fascism ruling Iran. I once again call on the U.S. and the UN to take urgent action to protect the Camp Liberty residents and put an end to the medical and logistical siege of the camp and its prison-like conditions. If the United States does not guarantee that the PMOI is protected against attacks by the terrorist Quds Force, it must, at least, return part of its member's personal arms for self-defense and protection purposes. hope and cause Dear friends: Change in Iran is within reach because not only has the regime rotted to the core, but Iranian society is also ready for change and path to that change has already been paved. This path has been opened and led by Massoud Rajavi and this is his great mandate. When he left the Shah's prison, Massoud asked: ``How could anyone shackle and enchain a nation forever?'' In pursuit of the ideal of freedom, Massoud Rajavi created a movement that has propelled Iran towards freedom. Yes, the national uprising of June 20, 1981, the National Council of Resistance and the National Liberation Army, Ashraf City and Camp Liberty, are all cornerstones that he shaped and inspired in order to secure freedom in Iran. The late Ayatollah Taleqani said that interrogators at Evin Prison feared Massoud Rajavi's name. Now, the ruling mullahs and their cohorts also fear both his name and his words because he has turned the forbidden word of ``toppling the regime'' into a major movement that has driven the religious fascism into an impasse. He has taught the vanguard generation of Iran that in the struggle against the velayat-e faqih's barbarism, the only gem blessed with an eternal spirit is one's commitment to an ideal, having faith, maintaining hope, being truthful, and making sacrifices. The PMOI, which just this year will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, has advanced a struggle for a cause and ideal, without focusing on what they will themselves gain from it. Having an ideal means standing as resolute as a mountain, yet flowing as freely as a river, and gripping ever so tightly the banner of liberty despite all the storms and calamities. It means shedding all fears of both the length of the struggle and the enormous price it demands. This is the path that guides the ship of freedom toward the shores of salvation. From the PMOI founder Mohammad Hanifnejad and his associates to young people who join our ranks every day, from the men who believe in the ideal of equality to the 1,000 vanguard women who form the PMOI's Central Council, they all have one thing in common. They have chosen the tradition of sacrificing themselves without expecting any reciprocity. They adhere to a tradition that has guided the actions of vanguards and pioneers of freedom since the beginnings of time; the tradition of embracing a fiery commitment and remaining faithful to the idea that this world is defined by change and not by destiny. Our Constitution is freedom, democracy and equality With this ideal and this faith, we are determined to build a free and democratic society. A century ago, the Mojahedin of the Constitutional Movement sought to realize ``justice, freedom, equality and unity.'' Afterwards, the great nationalist leader of Iran, Dr. Mohammad Mossadeq, rose up and said, ``The aim is to ensure that people participate in every aspect of affairs, whether good or bad, and take over the affairs of the nation.'' Subsequently, the Fedayeen and the PMOI and other vanguard militants opened the path to overthrowing the Shah's dictatorship. And now, our Resistance--with a galaxy of fallen heroes and heroines from Ashraf Rajavi and Moussa Khiabani to Sedigheh Mojaveri and Neda Hassani to Zohreh Ghaemi and Giti Givechian--has arisen to ensure freedom of choice for each and every one of our fellow Iranians. We have rejected the ruling tyrannical regime. We have rejected forcible and misogynous religion. And we have rejected the Constitution of the velayat-e faqih. Our Constitution is freedom, democracy and equality. Our Constitution has not been drafted by the Assembly of Experts, a collection of criminals. It has been engraved in the hearts of each and every Iranian. And it will be drafted by elected representatives of the Iranian people in a Constituent Assembly. This Constitution is founded on a free, tolerant and advanced republic. It is founded on pluralism, separation of religion and state, women's equality and their active and equal participation in political leadership. We believe in equal rights for all ethnic and religious minorities and a society devoid of torture and executions. My fellow compatriots, who have gathered here, and my dear compatriots who are hearing me right now all across Iran, are you ready to expand the campaign for Iran's liberation and overthrow the velayat-e faqih regime? Indeed, to carry out this great responsibility, which will herald a glorious future, we pledge before Iran's history and nation that we are ready, ready, ready. Indeed, with the hope and faith in freedom, we have gone through half a century of struggle against two dictatorships. And we will continue with ever-greater hope and determination until freedom and democracy reign supreme in Iran. Yes, we can break the chains; And flow to the sea like a river; With a radiant cause, we can; Destroy the darkness of injustice; We can and we must sing in unison; In every breath, of Iran's freedom; No doubt, the future belongs to you; Hundreds of hails to you and your struggle. May victory be yours!

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's call to remove the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina statehouse grounds, and North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's call to discontinue State-issued Confederate flag license plates. As one who grew up in the South, Mr. Speaker, and a proud North Carolinian, I fully understand that to many the Confederate flag represents history and heritage of their forefathers who fought for self-governance of the States. However, I cannot ignore that this same flag has also been used as a symbol of hate, and therefore causes immense pain for many of our citizens--yes, our brothers and sisters. In Romans, chapter 14, the Apostle Paul writes, ``Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food''--or, might I add, a flag. Let us be proud of our heritage, and let us give our descendants reason to be proud of our proper and thoughtful works today.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. I thank the chairman for his vital leadership on the Intelligence Committee. I rise in support of this legislation providing the intelligence community the authorization needed to protect and defend the United States and support critical national security programs protecting Americans from nation states and Islamic terrorists. In December, NSA Director Admiral Rogers warned that China has the capability of shutting down the U.S. electric grid through cyber attack. Homeland security Secretary Johnson has warned about the threat of attacks launched by sleeper cells in most of our States. ISIS continues to expand into new territory, while Americans are more at risk because President Obama has no strategy for defeating ISIS, whom he initially referred to as the JV team. This is not the time to impede our intelligence efforts. America faces grave danger from those who wish to destroy our way of life. Please join me in full bipartisan support of the Intelligence Authorization Act. Let us be united in confronting the perilous threats of our adversaries.

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment and congratulate Ms. Sinema and Mr. Fitzpatrick, the chairman of the committee. This will help our terrorism task force efforts undermine the funding of ISIS. Terrorism experts concur that ISIS is the most well-funded terrorist threat that we have ever faced. Through the illicit sale of stolen oil and antiquities, kidnapping for ransom, extortion, bank robberies, and usurious taxation, ISIS continues to amass tens of millions of dollars. Stopping this flow of money to terrorists must be a top priority if we are to defeat ISIS. Unfortunately, earlier this month, the President admitted he does not have a comprehensive strategy to defeat ISIS. This amendment will require the Director of National Intelligence to submit to Congress the current efforts they use to undermine the funding of ISIS, increasing our ability to ensure these efforts are a priority. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I will look forward to the continued bipartisan support of the Financial Services Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 2383.

Mr. PITTENGER

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

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for his leadership and hard work on this bill. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple, it is fair, it is fiscally responsible, and it strengthens our national security. My amendment reduces Federal spending for the Legal Services Corporation by $25 million while leaving the program substantially intact. That money is then used to increase funds for the FBI in their critical counterterrorism efforts. The underlying bill appropriates $300 million for the LSC, but Congress has not authorized the LSC since 1980. Mr. Chairman, 35 years is much too long to leave a Federal program on autopilot. Even the nonpartisan CBO has recognized defunding the LSC is a way to rein in our out-of-control spending, noting that programs receiving LSC grants already receive funding from States, localities, and private entities, as well as from private attorneys involved in pro bono work. Community problems are best solved at the community level, not through the Federal bureaucracy. This amendment, however, does not suddenly end LSC and its programs. It simply reduces funding in a responsible and modest way and applies that money toward critical national security efforts. This amendment prioritizes the spending of taxpayer money on our current needs. Earlier this year, FBI Director James Comey said he has ``homegrown violent extremist investigations in every single State.'' Just last month, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Secretary Johnson, said: ``We're very definitely in a new environment because of ISIL's effective use of social media, the Internet, which has the ability to reach into the homeland and possibly inspire others.'' He continued, saying, ``Because of the use of the Internet, we could have little or no notice in advance of an independent actor attempting to strike.'' But in a congressionally mandated report released in March of this year, the FBI Commissioner said, budget cuts ``severely hindered the FBI's intelligence and national security programs.'' Mr. Chairman, given the constant, evolving, and new threats we face today from terrorism, it is common sense to reduce spending for a program which has other proven avenues of funding and prioritize the funding we do have for those seeking to protect us from terrorism. I encourage all my colleagues to support the amendment, and with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I acknowledge the wonderful work of Mr. Kennedy and what he has done with Legal Services. I would say that Legal Services, frankly, has had a long and troubled history of using taxpayer money for political purposes. An LSC-affiliated agency once used Federal tax dollars to produce pamphlets and political cartoons for political advocacy purposes. Tax dollars were also used to train activists on how to lobby Congress for additional funding. The LSC is marked by misuse of taxpayer money and redundancy, as many of these programs are offered, as well, by the States. So I don't question that there is good work that is being done, but at the same time, I think it is prudent and logical that we look and see how this money is not being used wisely and, frankly, been inappropriately used. So, Mr. Chairman, this is a very, very modest cut in this agency. I commend this amendment to the House and ask for their support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call Votes # 264, 265, 266 and 267, I am not recorded because I was absent from the U.S. House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following manner. On Roll Call # 264. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call # 265. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call # 266. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY. On Roll Call # 267. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Charlotte- Mecklenburg Police Officers Harlan Proctor, Ashley Brown, and Scott Evett, three officers who serve and protect our community. In the aftermath of a recent tragic domestic violence homicide and arson, Officer Proctor was assigned to drive the victim's children to the police station and listened attentively as the children discussed losing everything, including an 8-year-old's favorite dress. Officers Proctor, Brown, and Evett thoughtfully contacted Target to track down that favorite dress and, with donations from these officers and Target, were able to provide clothes, toys, and gift cards to help the family recover in this distressing time. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in thanking Officers Proctor, Evett, and Brown for their humble act of service and to thank all of the brave and dedicated police officers across the United States who put their lives on the line to protect each and every one of us every day and still make time to perform thoughtful acts of kindness in our communities. May God bless them.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. I thank Mrs. Black for her leadership. ``Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'' Madam Speaker, will we dare vote tonight to uphold the free exercise of religion? Will we dare vote tonight to ensure that no church or religious institution in the District of Columbia is forced to violate their beliefs and convictions? Yes, we have a solemn obligation to support our constitutional commitment to religious liberty, so I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting H.J. Res. 43, the disapproval resolution to block the D.C. Council's disregard of fundamental constitutional rights.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Chairman, I do rise today in support of H.R. 1195, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau continues to issue regulations designed for massive, systemic-risk financial institutions without considering how those same rules harm small businesses, community banks, and credit unions. That is why my good friend and colleague, Congressman Denny Heck, joined with me to establish a small business advisory board within the CFPB. The goal is simple: to advise and consult with the CFPB on how any proposed regulations would impact the small-business community. Members of the small business advisory board must represent a small business dealing with financial services products. The legislation also encourages the CFPB Director to ensure participation of women- and minority-owned small businesses when appointing members to the board. H.R. 1195 also makes permanent the Credit Union Advisory Council and the Community Bank Advisory Council, both of which are currently voluntary and can be eliminated at any time at the discretion of the CFPB Director. Credit unions and community banks are struggling under enormous compliance burdens designed for too-big-to-fail banks. They are hiring compliance officers instead of loan officers, meaning less access to capital for small businesses to grow and to create jobs. Clear and open communication between the CFPB, small businesses, community banks, and credit unions will improve rulemaking and lead to better outcomes for consumers. H.R. 1195 is supported by the Credit Union National Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Land Title Association, and the independent community bankers association. This legislation also enjoys strong bipartisan support, having passed out of the Financial Services Committee by a vote of 53-5. Allow me a moment to address the concern that was raised by the ranking member and other Democrat colleagues in their objection to how we propose to pay for the advisory boards. The CBO estimates this legislation will cost taxpayers $9 million over a 10-year period. In those same years, the CFPB will have access to $6.7 billion in operating funds. We propose making a very small reduction--just 0.1 percent--in the amount the CFPB is allowed to draw, which will pay for the advisory boards without additional cost to taxpayers. If the CFPB can't find $9 million in savings over 10 years out of a total potential draw of $6.7 billion, then they need another advisory board of small-business owners who will travel to D.C. and teach the CFPB how to budget. Mr. Chairman, our economy is growing today at a tepid pace of 2.2 percent. We have in reality about 12 percent unemployment when you consider the underemployed and when you consider those who have given up. Small banks and other lending institutions are under enormous compliance restrictions and guidelines, the same as the major banks. They need a voice at the table. We need opportunity. We need people to be able to expand their businesses, and yet they can't get capital through these small banking lending institutions. That is what this bill is all about. It is all about jobs. It is all about families and people's lives and their futures. The CFPB is supposed to be focused on protecting consumers, not protecting bureaucratic fiefdoms and perks. Our commonsense, bipartisan legislation helps focus the CFPB on their sole, core mission of benefiting consumers. Small businesses create jobs. Bureaucrats create rules. Please join me in supporting H.R. 1195 so that heavyhanded D.C. regulators are forced to take time to consider how their burdensome and unnecessary regulations negatively impact small business and make necessary adjustments to protect consumers while allowing small businesses, credit unions, and community banks to help grow the economy and create good-paying jobs. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. PITTENGER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, really what we are talking about are the merits of entitling this enormous agency, the largest in the history of this country, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to be accountable to nobody, not to be accountable to the executive branch and not to be accountable to the Congress. They are able to do whatever they want to do. They make all of their own rules. They determine the winners, and they determine the losers. They have zero accountability. Let's discuss their funding of $6.7 billion over a 10-year period. Yes, what we are talking about is an offset to pay for an advisory board to protect small business--$9 million. That is 0.1 percent. Let's look at the priorities then of the CFPB's. Truly, would any of us lease a building, not own it, and spend $260 million on renovations? That is more per square foot than of any luxury hotel in Las Vegas. Yes, how about a two-story waterfall into a sunken garden? How magnificent. Is that more important than an advisory board that is for small business to ensure that we can create jobs? How about a green roof and a four-story glass staircase? It costs millions. Is that more important than an advisory board for small business? How about a tree bosk and a timber porch--how lovely--so that employees can have a place of restful contemplation and meditation? Do bureaucrats really need a serene place to rest while they are on the job? Are they that concerned about their plight? My goodness. Here are struggling, hardworking, tax-paying Americans who are trying to build their businesses, who are trying to find capital, who are looking to community banks that are under siege with burdensome regulations. It is the same as the major banks. This isn't right. This makes no sense. This is not fair. We need to get priority where priority is due.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call Votes # 145, 146 and 147, I am not recorded because I was absent from the U.S. House of Representatives. Had I been present, I would have voted in the following manner. On Roll Call # 145. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call # 146. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA. On Roll Call # 147. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Thank you, Congressman Stutzman, for yielding me this time and for your hard work and leadership on the RSC's budget task force. Thank you, also, to Chairman Flores for his great leadership. Mr. Chairman, America's national debt is now well over $18 trillion. Because of out-of-control spending, we add another $1 million to the debt approximately every 30 seconds. The Republican Study Committee's Blueprint for a Balanced Budget takes important steps to rein in our bloated bureaucracy, cuts unnecessary regulations, and strengthens job creation while it increases transparency and oversight. Here is our budget proposal. It cuts $7.1 trillion in spending over 10 years. It balances the Federal budget in 6 years. Imagine that. It repeals ObamaCare and replaces it with competitive reforms that will lower costs for all Americans while protecting the relationship between the patient and his doctor. It preserves Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and food stamps through commonsense reforms that bring these programs into the 21st century. It also addresses inadequacies in President Obama's budget by providing critical funding for our national security. Since I have started speaking, Mr. Chairman, we have added $2 million to the national debt. That is insanity. Our Founding Fathers never intended for Washington to provide massive, one-size-fits-all programs that will not create better opportunities for hard-working, tax-paying Americans. As well, we need to return control back to the States, where local leaders know the best solutions for their local problems. As a member of the RSC's budget task force, I am honored to place the priorities of North Carolinians ahead of Washington's tax-and-spend schemes. Please join me in supporting the RSC's Blueprint for a Balanced Budget, which will restore fiscally accountable principles to our Federal Government and better opportunities for the American people.

Mr. PITTENGER

Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, President Reagan once told us that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ``I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'' Well, the kind of help we have received, Mr. Speaker, has been more regulations, a greater tax burden, a bigger bureaucracy, and no growth for the American family, for American business. This week, we have the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to change this course by passing the House 2016 budget, which cuts $5.5 trillion in spending while strengthening vital programs; calls for a fairer, simpler Tax Code to promote good-paying jobs and an opportunity economy; completely repeals ObamaCare; and puts a premium on accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness in all areas of the Federal Government. Now is the time to restore common sense and fiscal sanity to Washington. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the House 2016 budget.