Paul Ryan

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to welcome all the law enforcement officers and their families who have come here to Washington in honor of National Police Week. You know, there is a saying in the law enforcement community: ``In this family, nobody fights alone.'' When an officer goes down, the whole force feels the loss and carries that burden. It is so moving to see that spirit of solidarity right here in Washington on display this week. This year, the names of 360 fallen officers have been added to our National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, including four from the State of Wisconsin. One of them is Detective Jason Weiland of the Everest Metropolitan Police Department. He was shot and killed in the line of duty last March. His daughter Anna, 10 years old, spoke at his memorial service. She said: ``All of the amazing people in the world will always outnumber the criminals.'' Those words resonated so much that Anna's teacher helped her start a group called Be Amazing. They honor her dad's memory by doing community service projects. Now, how inspiring is that? Another Wisconsin story I want to share is that of Officer Brian Murphy of the Ashwaubenon Police Department. Last July, Officer Murphy was hit by a drunk driver on Interstate 41. He sustained a number of life-threatening injuries. Yet, just weeks later, he left the hospital able to stand on his own, surrounded by his family and fellow officers. It probably comes as no surprise to you to hear that he is back on the job. This week, Officer Murphy said that the decision to return to work was not difficult at all. It is about a ``good sense of purpose,'' he said. We have seen this resilience and this devotion of duty right here in the United States Capitol. I don't think I will ever tire of seeing Agents David Bailey and Crystal Griner back at their posts. As Speaker, I have had the chance to work very closely with the dedicated professionals at the U.S. Capitol Police. It has been an incredible honor--it truly has. Mr. Speaker, I know this is a very challenging time for law enforcement. If there is one thing that we have come to recognize, it is that we must not take any of this for granted--whether it is the dangers of the men and women who wear the uniform and wear the badge face, or the sacrifices that their families make, all the long nights, all the holidays that they do not get to spend together. We must not take any of it for granted. It is where our safety comes from each and every single day. We should consider it a privilege to serve those who serve and protect us. To all the cops on the beat and to all your loved ones: You do not fight alone. We are with you. We are behind you always, every day. Thank you, and God bless you.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, today, I exercised my authority under section 208(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. Sec. 5501(a)) to appoint Father Patrick J. Conroy of Oregon to act as and to exercise the duties of Chaplain of the House of Representatives. The exercise of this authority is the most expeditious means of ensuring the continued service of Father Conroy as Chaplain of the House. It is my hope and expectation that Father Conroy will serve as Chaplain for the remainder of the 115th Congress. As with all officers of the House, decisions on continued service in the 116th Congress will be made by that body.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Eleni M. Roumel, who is leaving the House to become the Deputy Counsel to the Vice President of the United States. Ms. Roumel has served in the House's Office of General Counsel for more than five years as an Assistant General Counsel. During her tenure, Ms. Roumel played a crucial role in safeguarding the legal and institutional interests of the House of Representatives, particularly in connection with federal court litigation involving issues of great institutional importance. Specifically, Ms. Roumel was instrumental in the formation and presentation of the House's powerful legal arguments in United States House of Representatives v. Burwell, the groundbreaking litigation protecting the House's constitutional prerogative to appropriate federal funds. In addition, Ms. Roumel provided invaluable legal advice and representation to Committees of the House, including in connection with Committee on Oversight and Government Reform v. Holder, which involves civil enforcement of the House's constitutionally-based oversight authority against the Attorney General of the United States. Ms. Roumel's work on behalf of the House has been of the highest caliber and I have no doubt that the Vice President will benefit from her exceptional legal counsel. On behalf of the entire House community, I thank Ms. Roumel for her dedicated service, and wish for her the very best in all of her future endeavors.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking the chairman and the ranking member. I also want to thank their staffs for putting in incredibly long hours. This isn't just a weeklong process. This has been months long in the making. So I want to thank all the Members and staff who made this moment possible. Mr. Speaker, this measure before us is about as critical as it gets; it really is. It addresses the priorities that we have been discussing in this Chamber for a long time. We talked about the need to rebuild our military. We all agree on the need to rebuild our military. This bill provides the largest increase in defense spending in 15 years. Why? Frankly because our military has been hollowed out for many years. We are boosting resources for training, for equipment, for maintenance, for base operations. It means new naval ships, new fighters, new Apache and Black Hawk helicopters. It means we are finally building a 21st century fighting force. We agree on the need to support our servicemembers and our veterans. This funds the biggest pay raise for our military in 8 years. We have men and women who are fighting for us day in, year in, year out. I saw a woman, a lieutenant colonel, a week ago in the Army, who has done seven combat tours. This is what the people who are volunteering in our armed services are doing for us, and we are finally making right by them by helping them with a pay raise. It provides record funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that our veterans receive better care at better facilities. Remember those long waiting lists? No more. This works on that. We agree on the urgent need to make our schools safer. This bill includes the Fix NICS bill to improve firearm and background checks. It includes the Stop School Violence Act, which this House passed just last week, I think, 407-10, if I am not mistaken. It provides funding for early intervention, mental health, school security programs. Both are provisions that the Parkland families asked Congress to include in this legislation. It is part of the Sandy Hook Promise. We agree on the need to fight the opioid epidemic that is ravaging communities across this country. Every single Member in this House has a firsthand story on what the opioid crisis is doing to their communities. We have got to get on top of this problem. This bill makes critical investments in treatment and in prevention to fight this scourge of addiction that is ravaging our country. We agree on the need to secure our homeland. This bill expands resources for law enforcement, for border security, for immigration enforcement. It provides resources for 95 miles of physical barriers along our southwest border, which actually exceeds the administration's request. We agree on the need to rebuild our Nation's infrastructure. It includes funding for long overdue improvements to our highways, our railroads, our airports, our infrastructure. And guess what. There are no earmarks for specific projects in this bill. The House has worked to reform our forestry laws for years. You see on the news these horrible forest fires that are getting more severe by the year, and it is because we have not been able to manage our forests. This finally has the legislation we need to help manage our forests so we can help protect the West from these catastrophic forest fires. The House passed the Taylor Force Act to restrict assistance to the Palestinian Authority unless it stops subsidizing terrorism. This bill implements that legislation. The PA is literally making payments to the families of suicide bombers. It is like a bonus for terrorism. That bill is in here. All of these things are important. They are critical things that we have all been talking about. What brings me here to ask all of my colleagues for a ``yes'' vote is this: What this ultimately is about is giving our military the tools and the resources it needs to do its job. This week, the House paused to honor two naval aviators who died in a training crash off of Key West, the two F-18 pilots. We paused to honor seven servicemembers lost in a helicopter crash in western Iraq last week. That is nine of our servicemembers lost in equipment failures and accidents last week. We continue to lose more American personnel to training accidents and incidents than we do to enemy fire. That is unacceptable, and it is preventable. Mr. Speaker, we should not wait one more day, not one more hour to go by without giving our men and women in uniform what they have earned and what they deserve. Give them the pay raise that they earned. Give them the equipment and the hours of training that they need to be safe. They are putting their lives on the line for us. Let's make sure they put their lives on the line for us with the proper amount of training, with the proper amount of equipment, so that we can keep our country and our people safe. Vote ``yes'' for our military. Vote ``yes'' for the safety and the security of this country. Vote ``yes.''

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker. I rise to wholeheartedly agree with the Democratic leader. I am not sure I have ever said that before. Look, this is truly an impressive milestone. I have got to say, Marcy, the lawmaker that you are surpassing, Edith Nourse Rogers, famously summed up her time in office by saying this: ``The first 30 years are the hardest. . . . You start it, and you like the work and you just keep on.'' Marcy, you have certainly kept on. The leader mentioned it, the World War II Memorial. This started in 1987 as an exchange that you had with a veteran at a fish fry back in Jerusalem Township in your district. I mean, it took, what, 6 years to get a bill into law, then another 11 years to get the memorial built? That certainly is what it looks like when you are keeping on. Now, Marcy and I served together on the Budget Committee. What serving together on the Budget Committee means is, between the two of us, we pretty much disagreed on everything we talked about on the Budget Committee. But I have got to say, I have always had great respect for how you engage in the battle of ideas and how you stay true to your principles, and you do it in such an uplifting way. Passion is not hard to find in our politics today. There are no two ways about that. But passion sustained over a long time, over the long haul, without fail, takes an enormous amount of commitment. No matter which side of the aisle we are on, we can all take something from your example. You have been a tireless advocate for your principles, your point of view, and you have done it with honor and distinction. And that is a phenomenal example for all of us. It is truly fitting that this is happening during Women's History Month as well. But this milestone, I would say, is not so much about days served; it is a testament to the endless possibilities that are in front of us. I think of my own daughter, Liza, who was elected vice president of her class last year, which goes to show that at least somebody in our family can get elected to vice president. Her generation is just so fortunate to have all these pioneers to look up to, to have stories to hear from and to learn from; whether it is Marcy Kaptur or Nancy Pelosi, our first woman Speaker of the House; or Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the longest-serving conference chair since my mentor Jack Kemp; or Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman ever elected to Congress; or Elise Stefanik, the youngest woman ever elected to this Congress. Every day we get to work with leaders who are making history and inspiring generations now and to come. So, Marcy, thank you for keeping on for all 12,858 of these days. Thank you for your service. Congratulations on this great distinction and honor.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Jeffrey L. Bell, an Army veteran and prominent conservative leader who passed away on February 10, 2018. I extend the deepest condolences of the whole House to the Bell family, most especially his wife, Rosalie, and their four children. Jeff Bell's many contributions to politics and public policy date back half a century. He was a heavyweight in the conservative movement before it even was a movement. His ideas, and the passion with which he espoused them, paved the way for the Reagan Revolution. He was an integral part of President Reagan's campaigns, and worked with my mentor, Jack Kemp, to develop the policy agenda that would bring the nation great prosperity and end the Cold War. His work spanned, and inspired, generations. Jeff ran for U.S. Senate in New Jersey twice, in 1978 and 2014. He published two influential books, in 1992 and 2012. To the last, he remained at the forefront, one of the most original voices for inclusive, aspirational conservatism. Indeed, I count myself among the many who learned so much from this man. We first met in the early 1990s, and I have looked up to him ever since. Beyond the depth of his thinking, I was always struck by how decent and gracious Jeff was to everyone he encountered--the epitome of a happy warrior. It was such an honor to know him. God bless the memory of Jeff Bell, the family that he loved so dearly, and this great country that he served so well and faithfully.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, since 1983, the U.S. Congress and the German Bundestag and Bundesrat have conducted an annual exchange program for staff members from both countries. The program gives professional staff the opportunity to observe and learn about each other's political institutions and interact on issues of mutual interest. A staff delegation from the U.S. Congress will be selected to visit Germany for nine days from Saturday, June 30-Sunday, July 8, 2018. During this nine-day exchange, the delegation will attend meetings with Bundestag/Bundesrat Members, Bundestag and Bundesrat party staff members, and representatives of numerous political, business, academic, and media agencies. A comparable delegation of German staff members will visit the United States for nine days from Saturday, September 29-Sunday, October 7, 2018. They will attend similar meetings here in Washington. The Congress-Bundestag/Bundesrat Exchange is highly regarded in Germany and the United States, and is one of several exchange programs sponsored by public and private institutions in the United States and Germany to foster better understanding of the politics and policies of both countries. This exchange is funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The U.S. delegation should consist of experienced and accomplished Hill staff who can contribute to the success of the exchange on both sides of the Atlantic. The Bundestag reciprocates by sending senior staff professionals to the United States. Applicants should have a demonstrable interest in events in Europe. Applicants need not be working in the field of foreign affairs, although such a background can be helpful. The composite U.S. delegation should exhibit a range of expertise in issues of mutual concern to the United States and Germany such as, but not limited to, trade, security, the environment, economic development, health care, and other social policy issues. This year' s delegation should be familiar with transatlantic relations within the context of recent world events. Please note that the U.S. participants are expected to plan and implement the meetings and program for the Bundestag/Bundesrat staff members when they visit the United States. Participants are selected by a committee composed of personnel from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State and past participants of the exchange. Members of the House and Senate who would like a member of their staff to apply for participation in this year's program should direct them to submit a resume and cover letter in which they state their qualifications, the contributions they can make to a successful program and some assurances of their ability to participate during the time stated. Applications should be sent to the Office of Interparliamentary Affairs, HC-4, the Capitol, by 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, 2018.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I will be brief. A few hours ago, the Senate passed this agreement with a very big bipartisan vote: 75 percent of the Senate Democrats, 68 percent of the Senate Republicans, Republicans and Democrats coming together on a true compromise measure. I think that is a thing to celebrate. It accomplishes what so many of us had been fighting for. First and foremost, this agreement accomplishes getting the resources that we need to rebuild our military. Also, this includes long-delayed disaster funding to aid recovery from the hurricanes and the wildfires; money to fight opioids, something that knows no partisan boundaries; and the extension of important healthcare programs. This agreement will also allow us to step off this carousel of short- term funding bills that do nothing but hurt our military and stymie our ability to focus on other important agenda items. And I think that has been noted here tonight. You know, most Americans are not even awake yet, or maybe they are just getting up for the first shift. By the time they catch up with the news this morning, they will see one of two things, depending upon what choice we make here right now. Either Congress will have done its most basic responsibility: funding the government and taking care of our brave men and women in uniform. I really believe that that is what the majority of this people in this body want to see happen. Or they will see a second needless shutdown in a matter of weeks. Entirely needless. Republicans will deliver more than our share of votes this morning. I urge my friends in the minority to stand with us on this bipartisan bill. My commitment to working together on an immigration measure that we can make law is a sincere commitment. Let me repeat. My commitment to working together on an immigration measure that we can make law is a sincere commitment. We will solve this DACA problem. Once we get this budget agreement done--and we will get this done, no matter how long it takes for us to stay here--we will focus on bringing that debate to this floor and finding a solution. But we cannot do that unless we pass this budget agreement. Our military can no longer be held hostage in this process. So, for this morning, let's honor our troops. Let's do our most basic job and let's pass this bill.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say a few words about the last couple of days. I know there is great relief that this episode is coming to an end. This shutdown did not need to happen. However brief, it inflicted needless costs on the country. There are no winners here today--I want to make that clear--no winners except for, perhaps, the millions of families who depend on the Children's Health Insurance Program. Soon the longest reauthorization in the program's history is about to become law. But this is not a moment to pat ourselves on the back, not even close. We very much need to heed the lessons of what just happened here. We need to move forward in good faith: yes, on DACA and immigration and, yes, on funding our military so that it gets the resources that our military so badly needs. Let's address these urgent challenges. Finally, I think all of us want to join in thanking the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces and who serve in our government around the country and around the globe. They and their families are the ones that kind of get caught up in things like this. For them, these aren't political debates; they are livelihoods. The country's safety and security depend on responsible governing. That is why I sincerely hope that we never find ourselves in this position again. I thank all of our Members for their patience this week.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, at this hour, the Federal Government is needlessly shut down because of Senate Democrats. One party in one House of this Congress is deliberately holding our government hostage. This did not need to happen. Mr. Speaker, it is important for people to understand why this is happening. On Thursday, this House responsibly passed a bill to keep the government open and to extend the Children's Health Insurance Program which covers nearly 9 million children who come from low-income families. No games. No strings attached. A straightforward bill. We did our job. But Senate Democrats simply refused to do theirs. Last night, they used the filibuster to block our bill and to shut down the government. But why? What exactly in this bill was it that the Senate Democrats opposed? Why would they do such a thing? What do they find so objectionable? What do they disagree with? What is so objectionable that it is worth holding the entire government hostage? Was it funding for our military? Was it the Children's Health Insurance Program? Is it funding for the Veterans Administration? Is it funding for our National Parks? What is it? The answer is, they have no problems with any of it, and, yet, they are blocking this legislation anyway. That is right: Senate Democrats shut down the government over a bill that they have no issues with. They opposed a bill they don't even oppose. We do some crazy things in Washington, but this is utter madness. Here is the simple truth: Senate Democrats refuse to fund the government unless we agree to their demands on something entirely unrelated. They want a deal on immigration, and then they will think about reopening the government. It is a shakedown strategy that Senate Democrats have been talked into by their base. Now, I could go on and on about how cynical I think this ploy is--and I certainly do--but let me read you something Senator Schumer himself said in 2013, the last time we found ourselves in this position with a government shutdown. Here is what in 2013 during a government shutdown Senator Schumer said: ``No matter how strongly one feels about an issue, you shouldn't hold millions of people hostage. That's what the other side is doing. That's wrong, and we can't give in to that.'' Let me repeat that first line: ``No matter how strongly one feels about an issue, you shouldn't hold millions of people hostage.'' He was right. You shouldn't. But that is exactly what he and his party are doing right now. Here is something else that Senator Schumer said in 2013. ``I believe in immigration reform. What if I persuaded my caucus to say, `I'm going to shut the government down, I am going to not pay our bills unless I get my way?' It's a politics of idiocy, of confrontation, of paralysis.'' ``Politics of idiocy.'' His words, not mine. Here is one more quote from Senator Schumer in 2013 during that government shutdown: ``We believe strongly in immigration reform. We could say `we're shutting down the government . . . until you pass immigration reform.' It would be governmental chaos.'' Sadly, he had that right as well. Mr. Speaker, as we speak, furlough notices are going out to Federal workers across the country. Half of the Defense Department's civilian workforce has been furloughed. Training for Reserves has to stop. Guardsmen have to be sent home. A number of States are going to run out of money for children's health insurance. And all of this, all of this is completely unnecessary. But Senate Democrats believe none of it is too high a price to pay for appeasing their political base. There was no reason for this shutdown. We have been, and we continue to be, willing to work together in good faith on immigration, but that deadline is weeks away. There is no good reason for Senate Democrats to keep willfully forcing a shutdown on this country. Now, I want to take a moment and I want to address the men and women who work here in the Capitol and who work around the country in this government, whether you are in the military or in the Reserves or you are law enforcement or medical researchers or people working at our National Parks, whichever you do, wherever you are, whatever it is that you are doing for the taxpayers. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifices that you and your families make. We could not be more grateful. You should not have to go through this uncertainty. You deserve so much better than this needless shutdown, and we hope that it will end very soon. Mr. Speaker, Senate Democrats shut down this government, and now Senate Democrats need to open this government back up. Stop holding our troops and children's health insurance hostage. End this reckless shutdown that is inflicting needless uncertainty on our country. Let common sense and cooler heads prevail. Come to your senses. Do the right thing. Open this government back up.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, first, I just want to say to all my colleagues that I respect the passionate views that are on display here. I think this has been a very passionate and interesting debate. What I would like to do is try and bring a little clarity to this debate. I want to thank the minority leader for coming up and speaking against the Amash amendment and in favor of the underlying bipartisan amendment. We, on a bipartisan basis, have been working with the Senate and the White House to get this right, to add even more privacy protections to the law, even more than the status quo, to add the warrant requirement that this underlying bill has. Let me try and clear up some of the confusion. There has been wide reporting and discussion here in the House about parts of the FISA statute that affect citizens. It is a big law. It is a big statute with lots of pieces. Title I of the FISA law is what you see in the news that applies to U.S. citizens. That is not what we are talking about here. This is Title VII section 702. This is about foreign terrorists on foreign soil. That is what this is about. So let's clear up some of the confusion here. Let me give you two examples of what this program has done to keep our people safe, two declassified examples. Number one, this program, in March of 2016, gave us the intelligence we needed to go after and kill ISIS' finance minister, because of the intelligence collected under this program, a foreign terrorist on foreign soil, the number two man at ISIS who was in line to become the next leader. This program helped us get the information to stop him. I came here before 9/11. I remember hearing upon hearing in the 9/11 Commission about the old firewall. We were seeing what was going on overseas, terrorists like Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan were doing all these things, and we couldn't pass that information on to our authorities here in America. We had this firewall that prevented us from connecting the dots. That was the big phrase we used back then in the early 2000s. If we pass the Amash amendment, we bring that firewall right back up. You pass the Amash amendment and defeat this underlying bill, we go back to those days where we are flying blind on protecting our country from terrorism. Let me give Members an example. This program has not only stopped many attacks, but let me tell you about one: a plot in 2009 to blow up New York's subway system. This was used to understand what people were planning overseas and what they were trying to do here in America so that we could connect the dots and stop that particular terrorist attack. That is why this has to be renewed. That is why, among many other reasons, section 702, a program designed to go after foreign terrorists on foreign soil, is so essential. If this Amash amendment passes, it kills the program. If this underlying bill fails, there is one of two things that will happen. The status quo will be continued, meaning no additional privacy protections, no warrant requirement--status quo. That doesn't do anything to advance the concerns that have been voiced on the floor or, even worse, we go dark; 702 goes down. We don't know what the terrorists are up to. We can't send that information to our authorities to prevent terrorist attacks. The consequences are really high. One of the most important things we are placed in charge to do is to make decisions, not based on TV, not based on internet, but based on facts, based on reality, and we are supposed to make those decisions to keep our country safe. This strikes the balance that we must have between honoring and protecting privacy rights of U.S. citizens, honoring civil liberties, and making sure that we have the tools we need in this day and age of 21st century terrorism to keep our people safe. That is what this does. That is why I ask everyone, on a bipartisan basis, to vote ``no'' on the Amash amendment and to vote ``yes'' on the underlying bill.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for a very happy purpose, and it is to recognize the Honorable Don Young of Alaska as the new dean of the House of Representatives. The tradition of having a dean dates back centuries to the House of Commons. It is an honor that goes to our longest continuously serving Member. Don Young is one of only 28 Americans in the history of this Nation to serve more than 40 years in this House. As you can see, he has a very bright future ahead of him. Don, I want to be clear at the outset that there are limits to the dean's duties. For instance, you cannot hang a bearskin in the House Chamber. You still cannot reserve seats. The dean has the responsibility of swearing in the Speaker. Remember, that is swearing in the Speaker, not swearing at the Speaker. This milestone is not just a matter of longevity, but the word that comes to mind when you think of Don Young is ``loyalty.'' This man is fiercely loyal. Don Young is fiercely loyal to Alaska. He fights hard for what he believes is right. Just look at ANWR. I know it is controversial. We have been talking about doing tax reform for 30-plus years here. Don Young has been working on ANWR for 45 years. When we passed H.R. 1 in the House, that was the 13th time he passed an ANWR bill, and it finally made it into law. Achievements like this just don't happen overnight. They require leaders willing to carry the torch, come what may. As we all know, Don Young is not the kind of guy that is going to let anything--or anyone-- get in his way. He is loyal to his family and his friends, which includes many, many Members of this body. He can be direct, but you always know where he stands, or, more importantly, you always know where you stand with him. But most of all, as our dean, Don Young is loyal to this institution. That, we all know. Decades on, Don Young believes as much as anyone in the value of the work that we do here. As Don, himself, so characteristically put it: ``those who think . . . I might retire, you can forget it. I like what I do.'' Don Young is a man of this institution. He believes in this institution. He believes in the work that we do. So, on this, his 16,374th day in the House, we extend our congratulations to Don, to Anne, and to their entire family. I thank Don Young for his service to Alaska and to this country.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I would simply like to remind my colleagues and the Speaker that my minute can last for as long as I want it to last. Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, today we are giving the people their money back. The bottom line here is the typical family making the median income in America will get a $2,059 tax cut next year alone. What this is is real relief for families who are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet. They hear about the economy getting better. They turn on the TV, and they see the stock market going up, but now we need to make sure that these people in our communities and our country, who are struggling, see their own personal economy getting better, and that is what this is all about. We have got to understand that times are tough for a lot of people in this country right now. Today, this is about how much better things can be. This is about more jobs, fair taxes. It is about bigger paychecks. It is about faster growth and upward mobility. It is about a strong economy that makes all of us stronger and healthier. Those are the effects, those are the benefits, of tax reform. Here is the heart of it, and here is why this is so vital that we do this. Here is what it speaks to and what I truly believe is a generational defining moment for this Nation. Our Tax Code is so broken that it undermines the very thing that makes our Nation exceptional in the first place. It punishes hard work. It discourages our entrepreneurial spirit. It dims freedom and free enterprise. It limits the potential of our own people. When Americans see good jobs going away, when Americans wake up and they see the companies that they grew up with in their communities going away, they wonder if we have lost something bigger. The mission that drives us here today is to restore this beautiful American idea. What is that idea? That the condition of your birth does not determine the outcome of your life. You can work hard, play by the rules, get ahead, and make a better life for yourselves and an even better one for your kids. It is that sense of possibility. We want people to be free to strive to make the most of their lives. We want a country with the resilience to endure and tackle all of its challenges. Mr. Speaker, economic growth and job creation will not solve all of our problems, but it will help make all of our problems much easier to solve. This is the direction that we are choosing here today because we know exactly where the status quo leads us. For years, the powers that be have blocked and stonewalled reform under the umbrella of an arrogant, condescending, and paternalistic ideology--an ideology that seeks to limit mobility, to limit aspirations, to accept less in our lives. It is a view of the world that sees life and the economy as a zero-sum game. Your gain comes at my loss; therefore, we can't do it. Look at where this got us: the worst recovery since World War II, flat wages, and an economy just limping along. Stagnation is a breeding ground for a class-based society where elites predetermine the outcome of our lives. That is not the American idea. They will tell you this: Just hand over more freedom to the unelected bureaucrats, and they will figure it out, they know more, we will all just be okay. Hand over more of your hard-earned dollars to the IRS, and it will all be okay. There is your scam right there. We know, given the opportunity, there are no limits to what our people, our fellow citizens, our brothers and sisters can do. Yet for years now, this Tax Code has been skewed to the well connected, full of special interest carve-outs and loopholes. Meanwhile, the hardworking family in America has got to jump through all the hoops that the IRS can muster. Reform means we bring rates down at every level. We clear out these loopholes so that people can just keep more of what they earn in the first place, because it is their money in the first place. No special favors, just basic fairness. Reform means simplification, too. Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans will still be able to do their taxes on the form the size of a postcard. That is amazing. And given the opportunity, there are no limits to what our workers and our entrepreneurs can do. Yet while the world has changed, while the world has become more competitive, closer, smaller, our Tax Code has not. Instead of leading, we have been falling behind to the point where we now are the worst in the industrialized world at how we tax our businesses. We tax our businesses a whole lot more than our foreign competitors tax theirs. They win; we lose. That is not fair. It is basically open season for our competitors to come in and take our jobs overseas under the current Tax Code. Reform means we go from the back of the pack to the front of the pack. Instead of the slow growth that we have been slogging through for years, we want to get back to real sustained economic growth. We want to build an opportunity economy where there is more demand for higher paying jobs. That is the whole purpose of all of this. Make sure that people can grow up and reach their potential. Make sure that the jobs are there to give people the careers they want so they can reach their potential, so their families can reach their potential. That is why we are doing this. This is, without question, the single most important thing we can do to, once again, make America the best place to do business. There is more than that in this bill. With this bill, were are finally restoring the freedom to make our own healthcare choices. By repealing the individual mandate at the heart of ObamaCare, we are giving back the freedom and the flexibility to buy the healthcare that is right for you and your family. Finally, we are doing something truly to put America in the lead. We are doing something historic to develop our own energy resources. Some people have been working here since I was in the second grade on this project. After decades and decades in this Chamber, we are opening up a small, nonwilderness area of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge for responsible development. It is the most ambitious step we have taken in years to secure our own energy future. This is one of those times to just take a step back. Let's just take a minute, collect ourselves, and step away from the noise. We talk a lot in this job about turning points. There is no doubt that we are at one of those turning points right now. This one will determine the kind of country we are going to have this century. But too often, we have seen before how doubt creeps in, how the tyranny of short-term thinking takes over, and history--history--fails to turn. There is, after all, a reason that this has not been done in 31 years. This really is a generational defining moment. And let's let this generational defining moment be defined by optimism, not by fear; by the rising aspirations of our people and not the doom and gloom of managed decline that we have become too familiar with. This is our chance. This is our moment. Let's turn at this turning point. Let's reclaim the principles that have guided us for generations. Let's recapture our destiny for generations to come so this beautiful story of the American idea is repeated and repeated and passed on to the next generation, a nation more united, more confident, more prosperous, and, Mr. Speaker, more free. Pass this bill.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding time to me. First, I want to start off by thanking all of the members and the staff of the Ways and Means Committee for all of their hard work in putting this bill together. I want to thank them for this. I want to personally thank one of my predecessors from the Ways and Means Committee, who helped lay the foundation to get us where we are today, and that is Dave Camp. Dave Camp did a lot to help us get to where we are. I want to, most of all, commend and express my profound admiration to the architect of this measure, Chairman Kevin Brady. His endless patience and his persistence and his great demeanor have seen this through and gotten us to where we are today. My colleagues, this is a day I have been looking forward to for a long time. We are about to achieve some really big things, things that the cynics have scoffed at for years, decades even; ideas that have been worked on for so long to help hardworking Americans who have been left behind for too long. Today--today--we are giving the people of this country their money back. This is their money, after all. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, first, I love this 1 minute, and I try not to abuse it too much, but I am going to right now. Mr. Speaker, I want to start off by thanking Chairman Kevin Brady and all of the members of the House Ways and Means Committee for this job well done. Mr. Speaker, we are in a generational defining moment for our country, and what we are doing here--what we are doing here--is not just determining the kind of Tax Code we are going to have, what we are doing here is determining the kind of country we are going to have. Right now, because of this anemic economic recovery--don't forget, we had the worst recession in our lifetimes in 2008, and ever since then this economy has been flat. This economy has been way under its potential. This economy has been growing at a limp 1 to 2 percent. Do you know what that means for hardworking taxpayers? Do you know what that means for Americans? Nobody gets a wage increase. Living standards are stagnant. Economic anxiety is high. Seventy-eight percent of our workers in this country today are living paycheck to paycheck. Most Americans say that they don't even have $500 in their bank account for an unexpected emergency or an expense. This is the economic anxiety that is for real in this country today. Instead of thinking about getting ahead, families are just struggling to get by. Think about all the moms and the dads and the hardworking taxpayers going to bed tonight and not sleeping, worried about what comes next week. This is not how it should be. This is not how it is in this country traditionally. We need to restore growth. We need to restore opportunity. We need to restore this beautiful thing we affectionately call the American idea. Passing this bill is the single biggest thing we can do to grow the economy, to restore opportunity, and to help these middle-income families who are struggling. People always ask: Well, what is in it for me? How do I benefit from this? I am a chart guy. Why is this important? What this shows you, under this plan, the average family at every income level gets a tax cut, a tax cut at every average level. What this chart shows you, the people here who are struggling, the people here who are in middle-income brackets, the people here in low income trying to become middle income, they get the biggest tax cuts. This plan is good for people in all walks of life all across the country, and the bigger relief goes to those who need it most. Let's put it into numbers. A typical household of four people, they make $59,000 in this country. That family of four gets an $1,182 tax cut the first year alone. The median family income, Mom, Dad, two kids, the median family income in America today is $87,000. That family will get a $1,941 tax cut right away, year one. If you are one of those 57 percent of Americans who say you don't even have $500 to go through an emergency, this really helps you. Let's talk about those people who itemize their taxes, who live in high-tax States. Let's talk about a couple making $1115,000, living a high-tax State. Let's say they have $8,400 in a mortgage interest payment and $6,900 in property taxes for the year. They can still write all of those off under this plan, and they will still see a tax cut of $1,130; if they have kids, an even larger tax cut. Not only do people get to keep more of their own money in their own pocket, but we dramatically simplify the tax system. We make it more fair. Today, 7 out of 10 Americans don't itemize their deductions. That means 70 percent of Americans take what we call the standard deduction for their taxes. It is just that. It is standard. It is straightforward. You are not taxed on that income. But over the years, Washington has piled on special interest loophole after special interest loophole after special interest loophole. These loopholes are skewed to the people who are wealthy, who are well connected, who can afford all the tax lawyers and all the accountants to navigate the Tax Code so they can get a good deal. But if you are not in that group, if you don't have the lawyers and the accountants and you are just scraping away with your middle income, you don't get those deals. What we want to do is take those loopholes away, make it fair for everybody, lower tax rates, and make it easy. Here is how easy this gets. We are going to make it so easy that, by doubling the standard deduction, 90 percent of Americans, 9 out of 10 Americans, will be able to fill out their taxes on a form the size of a postcard. What this means is, for a single person, you don't pay taxes on your first $12,000 of income. For a married couple, you don't pay taxes on your first $24,000 of income. Here is the basic philosophy. Instead of jumping through all the hoops that the IRS puts in front of you, instead of doing what the special interest groups say you need to do in order to get some of your money back, we basically say: Keep your money in the first place. It is your money. Do what you want with it. All of this is about tax relief. It is about fairness. It is about simplicity. It is about easing the stress and anxiety that is in this country. What we really need to do is we need better jobs, more jobs, faster economic growth, higher wages. This brings us to the way we tax ourselves as businesses. This brings us to what do we do to make America the most competitive place in the world. Here is the real problem we have got when it comes to the way we tax our businesses. We are the worst in the world at it. We, right now, tax our businesses at the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world. What does that do? Well, let me give you an example of where I come from. In Wisconsin, the example is Johnson Controls. Johnson Controls is a company with a history dating back, in our State, to the 1880s. It was the biggest company we had headquartered in Wisconsin. Not anymore, because Johnson Controls is an Irish company, and their Irish tax rate is 12\1/2\ percent. This is happening all over the country. Companies, just to stay competitive, are becoming foreign companies. And when the headquarters of that company leaves your hometown, when the headquarters of that business and that employer leaves your State and goes to another country, there goes the United Way Campaign. There goes the white- collar jobs. There goes the manufacturing. There goes the research and development. There goes America's competitiveness. What is worse is all these foreign companies are buying U.S. companies because it is cheaper because of taxes. Here is what we do. Instead of being the worst in the pack, we leapfrog ourselves by bringing that tax rate down to 20 percent. Because, guess what. When you tax your businesses at much, much higher tax rates than our foreign competitors tax theirs, they win and we lose. We have got to stop losing. We have got to start winning. That is what this does. What is even more impressive about this is it lowers taxes for those small businesses, those mom-and-pops even more. We have got to make sure that our businesses, the job creators of America, have every incentive to stay here, have every incentive to build here, have every incentive to hire here. What is more, we are finding that by doing this, we are going to get faster economic growth. We are going to get more jobs. We are going to get higher wages, better take-home pay. Let me just break it down in simple numbers. The Tax Foundation ran the numbers. The nonpartisan Tax Foundation said, with this bill, we will get faster growth, about 3\1/2\ percent faster economic growth. We will get about 890,000 new jobs. They estimate that in New York State alone, 57,834 new jobs; In Wisconsin, 17,999 new jobs; in California, 101,422 new jobs; in Texas, 74,037 new jobs. You get these new jobs when you grow this economy. You pass this bill, you grow this economy. So why do we do all of this? Because it is about giving people more take-home pay. It is about raising wages. It is about helping families that are struggling to get ahead. It is about getting Washington out of the business of picking winners and losers and giving the American people the kind of economy they deserve, the kind of economy we can have. This just shows you that across every income scale across the board, wages will go up because we are going to grow the economy. Most of the wage growth goes to the people who need it most, people who are in the middle, people who are struggling. That is why we are here. Right now, we are in the middle of a long day where people are working tooth and nail in their jobs. We are right here in the middle of a day where America's workers are trying to figure out how they are going to make ends meet, how they are going to keep up with everything. Those people, the hardworking taxpayers of this country that we represent, that is why we are here. This is why we are doing this. They are the foundation of this country. We are here today for them. The special interest groups are trying to protect their piece of the pie. All the negativity you see out there, there is probably a special interest group back there trying to keep their special niche in the Tax Code. It is high time we root that out, we don't settle for the status quo, and we give people the kind of Tax Code that they need and they deserve. It has been 31 years since we last did this, and it is finally time that we get the general interests of this country to prevail over the special interests in Washington. We know that this brings more fairness. We know that this increases take-home pay, bigger paychecks, and we know that this grows the economy and creates more opportunities. Faster economic growth is not going to fix every problem America has, but faster economic growth is going to help us solve every problem America has. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues today to raise their gaze and do something bold, to see the forest through the trees, to think about the people we are here to actually represent, to think about the people who are struggling, who are going to go to bed tonight and probably not sleep because they are worried about what is going to happen tomorrow. That is what this is. This is one of the most historic and the biggest things that we will ever do. And the reason is because this is one of the biggest things we can do to improve people's lives, to revitalize that beautiful American idea, to spread liberty and freedom. This is something that is going to refresh our confidence in ourselves and our confidence in each other. Enough settling. Enough giving in. Let's start to reclaim our future right here in this moment, in this Chamber. In this moment, let's pass this bill.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act. First, I want to thank the sponsors of the bill. I want to thank Mr. Farenthold. I want to thank Mr. Kilmer. I want to thank Chairman Gowdy. Blake Farenthold and Derek Kilmer were the key drivers of this measure, and they made it stronger by incorporating their OPEN Government Data Act. Trey Gowdy and his staff--I don't know where he is. He is probably working on his hair. Trey Gowdy and his staff--especially Katy Rother-- spent countless hours working with our team--especially Ted McCann--and others to turn the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking's vision into legislation. All the members of this Commission did incredible work. I want to especially thank Senator Patty Murray for her willingness to work together on this issue. We may be on different sides of the aisle, but there is one thing that we passionately agree on, and that is what the government does, it should do it well. The taxpayer's money should always be protected, and that is exactly why we came together to write this bipartisan legislation. So what does this bill actually do? It protects privacy. It improves transparency. It ensures that Federal agencies are protecting the data collected by the government. The American people deserve to know and they deserve to understand exactly what data the government is actually collecting. They deserve to know that the strictest safeguards are placed on that data. The driving purpose of this legislation is very simple: we are requiring Federal agencies to prioritize evidence when they are measuring a program's success. Go figure. Here is what we are talking about. Let's just take poverty, for example. Instead of measuring success based on inputs, instead of measuring success based on how many programs we have created, how much money we are spending, how many people are on those programs, let's measure success based on results: Is it working? Are people getting out of poverty? Are the goals and objectives of these bills and these laws actually being achieved or not? By directing agencies to do this, no longer will ``we don't know'' be an acceptable answer when asked if a program is actually working. It is really just kind of crazy, but so much of what government does, government doesn't actually see whether or not it is actually succeeding at doing it. So we have got to get off of this input effort- based system, this 20th century relic, and on to clearly identifiable, evidence-based terms, conditions, data, results, outcomes. With this bill, we are asking the Federal bureaucracy to step up its game. We are asking ourselves: How can we improve the lives of our fellow citizens by better understanding the programs that we put in place? How can we make sure that the money that is being spent on behalf of the hardworking taxpayers, who send the money here in the first place, is being spent wisely, efficiently, effectively? We need results, not just effort. This is just good, commonsense policy, and it is going to mean a real sea change in how we solve problems and how government actually works. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill, and I thank the sponsors for all of their hard work.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, it is my absolute privilege and honor to welcome Pastor Jeff Williams, who just led us in the opening prayer. He is the head pastor at Faith Community Church in Janesville, Wisconsin. Jeff is the son of a Swedish immigrant. Pastor Jeff began in the ministry at his home church in Rockford, Illinois, where he was born and raised. In 1989, he and his wife, Brenda, moved about 30 minutes north up I- 90 to begin Faith Community Church in Janesville. ``We had nothing but a vision,'' he said. ``No people, no equipment, and no place to meet. Just a vision and the Lord. And that was enough.'' Over the years, Pastor Jeff has turned that vision into a beautiful house of worship and fellowship at the heart of our community. I have been there many times. It is really an impressive place. Pastor Jeff has been a very good friend to me and to our family for many years. I will note, however, that he is a Bears fan, and we can forgive him for that one. But it is an absolute honor and privilege of mine to honor and to welcome Pastor Jeff here, and I want to thank him for offering today's prayer.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, I rise to urge the whole House to support this Republican budget, H. Con. Res. 71. Let me just say a few things. First, this is a budget that reflects our first principles: freedom, freedom enterprise, a government accountable to the people it serves. It is a budget that will help grow our economy, and it is a budget that will help rein in our debt. It strengthens our national defense. It supports our men and women in uniform. It eliminate mindless, endless spending, and it maximizes American's tax dollars. It reforms Medicaid. It strengthens Medicare. This is a budget that keeps our responsibilities to our children and our grandchildren. Remember, we have a responsibility here, each and every generation, each and every Member: leave the country better off so your kids and your grandkids can prosper. That American legacy is seriously at risk because of our growing deteriorating budget situation, because of the coming debt crisis. This budget tackles that. There is one more thing that this budget does that is so important. It paves the way for historic tax reform. It unlocks the reconciliation process. We need to pass this budget so that we can deliver real relief for middle-income families across this country. We need to pass this budget for the people who are living paycheck to paycheck in America, who are trying to juggle it all. They are looking to get under a hopelessly broken Tax Code. We haven't reformed this tax system since 1986. We need to pass this budget so that we can help bring more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger paychecks for people across this country. The time for this is now, and the opportunity is right in front of us. I want to especially commend Chairman Black for her commitment to this vision. I want to especially commend the members of the Budget Committee for their steadfast commitment to this vision. We would not be in a position today to pass this budget without her tireless leadership and the leadership of her members of the committee. It is so encouraging that the Senate has passed their budget out of committee. They are on the track, too. That means we look forward to working with the Senate to take the next step. We have an opportunity to make right by our fellow countrymen. We have an opportunity to make right by the people we represent. We have an opportunity to actually restore prosperity in this country. We haven't seen that kind of economic potential in this country in at least a decade. We can fix that this year. We know a debt crisis is coming. We know if we do nothing, the next generation will be worse off. We can stop that, fix this, and make them better off. That is what this budget paves the way for, and that is why I urge all of my colleagues to support this budget. I thank the chair for her steadfast support. I thank the Members for getting us to where we are today, and I really look forward to the day where we can look at this moment as when we got the country on the right track.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I thank her for her leadership. I would also say to the last speaker, this affects that 1 percent that she was referring to. Madam Speaker, life is precious. We are reminded of this in ways wonderful; we are reminded of this in ways difficult. Today, I rise in support of life. I rise in support of Micah's Law. I rise in recognition that advancements in technology today both reveal more about the stages of life as well as show us the promise for preserving it. As unpleasant as it may be, technology reveals something to us about suffering. It now shows us that the unborn can feel pain inside the womb. The science is in and the science is real. At 20 weeks old, ultrasound images reveal that unborn babies respond to unwanted stimuli--to pain--the same exact way adults do: they recoil; they contract. In cases of abortion, these unborn babies are feeling pain. They suffer. That is really hard to hear, and it is really hard to say. But now that we are seeing scientific evidence and proof that these babies are in pain, the question is: What do we do about it? We can't claim ignorance. Their pain is no longer invisible to us, and we cannot say, as a society, with a good and upright conscience, that we can just continue to ignore it. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, sponsored by our colleague Trent Franks, protects these babies by restricting abortion to 20 weeks after fertilization occurs, the point at which science has proven a baby can feel pain. It is easy to turn a blind eye to the pain of others. For a moment, you think that if we just ignore it, it will go away and it doesn't exist. But our hearts and our minds are always going to remind us. We cannot stop the pain of the world by turning away from it. We must not turn away from the pain of the most vulnerable among us, the ones who have nowhere to run to. Madam Speaker, our humanity shines brightest when we stand up for those who are suffering, when we protect people from pain. I simply ask my colleagues, I implore my fellow Americans, let's be moved by this suffering. Let's also be inspired by life.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. I have never spoken on this mike before, so I am going to give it a try. This is literally the first time I have spoken from this one. Hey, Donna, how are you doing? Good to see you guys. Greetings. Good to have you. Not much happening around here, pretty easy going, you know, slow moving, nothing controversial whatsoever. It is an interesting time, I can tell you that, one of these deals. I came here in 1998 with many of you. I see so many familiar faces. Good to see you, Dan. And I would say what has changed this place in the 19 years I have been here is the internet. The internet has changed society. It has also changed the way Congress works--some good, some bad, and some in between. You are basically out there seeing that. All I would ask you to do is, in your walks of life, in your spheres of influence, just help explain to the country how this place really, actually works. Because you hear sort of the cartoon version of it when you turn on TV. It is actually a place where people care, where people work hard, where people think, where people study, where people interact, and where they get along more often than not and we actually get things done. At a time where faith in civil society and in our government is not very high, we could use a few more ambassadors helping express to the country that the foundation here is solid, it is strong, it is enduring, and it is going to persist. When these microphones are turned off or when the TVs are turned off, we all actually get along pretty well. About 80 percent of the things that we pass here, just like when you were here, are bipartisan. Now, clearly, we are going to have partisanship; clearly, we are going to have different viewpoints and passion. But at the end of the day, the system is strong; the system is going to work; the institutions are here; and the separation of powers is as valid and as potent as it ever was before. I would just say: Welcome. It is great to see all these familiar faces. You look a whole lot happier than you probably did when you were here. Whenever I see Members of Congress after they have left, they look like they have de-aged like 5 or 10 years, and I think that goes for a lot of you. I would say this: Help us be ambassadors for this institution, for this branch of government, to revive sort of civil respect for what we do here. I think we could all use a little bit of that, and it is just really nice to see you. God bless you.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, it is not often that I say this, but I rise today to agree wholeheartedly with the Democratic leader. I know that what we do in this Chamber is often portrayed as just nothing but bitterly partisan. But in reality, making this place work, making this institution work, it really actually does depend on cooperation across the aisle every day: between our leaders, between our floor teams, and especially between our chiefs of staff. I can tell you that Nadeam has always been first class. He can be as formidable as they come, but he is always fair, and he is always straightforward. His word is good, and that really is everything. It sets a tone of civility as we go about trying to address the big pressing issues of the day. Mr. Speaker, I would say, especially to the staff, the example that Nadeam sets goes far beyond being the chief of staff. Here is a guy who started in the mailroom in the United States Senate and rose to one of the top positions in all of Congress. It is an incredible rise. To put 25 years here certainly takes a deep commitment to public service. It takes a willingness to be in the arena and take everything that comes with that. It takes passing over endless great opportunities, even as you watch people around you move on. And, most of all, it takes the love and support of a beautiful family. Stacy, thank you for being here today. None of us would be here without the sacrifices that our loved ones make so we can serve and do good. Nadeam, I just want you to know, from this side of the aisle, you will leave here with the respect of your colleagues, you will leave here with the respect of the Members, and, what is most impressive, you will leave here even with respect from the media. On behalf of the whole House, I want to congratulate you and thank you for your 25 years to the Congress. You have devoted yourself to making this institution, and this country, better. Thank you so much, and we wish you every bit of success in the future. Thank you, Nadeam.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, there are very strong emotions throughout this House today. We are all horrified by this dreadful attack on our friends and colleagues, and those who serve and protect this Capitol. We are all praying for those who were attacked and for their families: Steve Scalise, Zachary Barth, Matt Mika, Special Agent David Bailey, Special Agent Crystal Griner. We are all giving our thoughts to those currently being treated for their injuries at this moment. And we are united. We are united in our shock. We are united in our anguish. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. I know we want to give our thanks to the first responders and to the Alexandria Police Department, who were on the scene in minutes. And I know this House wants to state, unequivocally, that we are, as ever, awed by the tremendous bravery of the Capitol Police. I spoke with Special Agent Bailey and Special Agent Griner this morning. One was being treated, and one was about to go into surgery. I expressed our profound gratitude to them. It is clear to me, based on various eyewitness accounts, that without these two heroes, Agent Bailey and Agent Griner, many lives would have been lost. I know that we all want to learn as much as we can about what happened. We just received a briefing from the Sergeant at Arms. I have complete confidence in the investigation that is being conducted by the Capitol Police and the FBI, who are also working with local law enforcement. I know we want to extend our gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received from throughout the Capitol and from around the country. And now, knowing Steve Scalise as we all do, he is likely really frustrated that he is not going to be able to play in the baseball game. I also know that Steve wants all of us to commend the bravery of those who came to the aid of the wounded. In the coming days, we will hear their stories, and we will have a chance to hold up their heroism. My colleagues, there are so many memories from this day that we will want to forget, and there are so many images that we will not want to see again. But there is one image in particular that this House should keep, and that is a photo I saw this morning of our Democratic colleagues gathered in prayer this morning after hearing the news. You know, every day we come here to test and to challenge each other. We feel so deeply about the things that we fight for and the things that we believe in. At times, our emotions can clearly get the best of us. We are all imperfect, but we do not shed our humanity when we enter this Chamber. For all the noise and all the fury, we are one family. These were our brothers and sisters in the line of fire. These were our brothers and sisters who ran into danger and saved countless lives. So before this House returns to its business, let's just slow down and reflect to think about how we are all being tested right now, because we are being tested right now. I ask each of you to join me to resolve to come together, to lift each other up, and to show the country, to show the world, that we are one House, the people's House, united in our humanity. It is that humanity which will win the day, and it always will. God bless.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Brian C. Cooper, who is retiring from the Office of the Parliamentarian after 35 years on Capitol Hill. Brian is the son of Dolores and Ellsworth Cooper, and the youngest of seven children. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and has lived in the city (in the same house he grew up in) for his entire life. Brian is a graduate of Frederick Douglass High School, whose notable alumni include the Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Brian received a scholarship to the Community College of Baltimore (now Baltimore City Community College), where he received his degree in commercial and graphic arts. Brian's first job on Capitol Hill came in September of 1982, when he was hired in the stock room of the Longworth Building, working in Publication and Distribution Services. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Brian held a variety of positions on Capitol Hill, including work at the House Post Office and Document Room, before moving up to become staff assistant for the Small Business Committee and later the Government Operations Committee. In these roles, Brian learned the intricacies of the legislative process and the inner workings of House operations--skills that would serve him well when, in 1995, he was hired as an Assistant Clerk to the Parliamentarian. Brian would spend the next 22 years in the House Parliamentarian's Office, and became Chief Clerk to the Parliamentarian in 2009. For over two decades, Brian has been a fixture at the House rostrum, dutifully assisting the presiding officer in timekeeping, recognizing Members on the floor, and preparing and reviewing reams of legislative paperwork for the House. Brian has also prepared the House for joint meetings to receive foreign dignitaries and other guests, and joint sessions of the House, including state of the Union addresses. As clerk, Brian also supervised House ``documentarian'' pages, and created the first computer network for the Parliamentarian. An accomplished artist, Brian remains active in his artistic endeavors, which run the gamut from pencil drawings, watercolors, and oils, to photography, and architectural design. His retirement will offer new opportunities to continue these pursuits. His other retirement plans include travel and spending more time with family-- including his numerous nieces and nephews. A devoted Baltimore sports fan, Brian will surely find his way to Camden Yards many times in the upcoming years to cheer on his beloved Orioles. A consummate professional, Brian has spent his career on Capitol Hill committed to assisting with an orderly and accurate legislative process, observed in a fair and nonpartisan manner. Brian is a quintessential institutionalist, always striving to continue the traditions and customs of the House, and to pass on his institutional knowledge to others. The House of Representatives has known few individuals more dedicated to its proper functioning and legacy than Brian Cooper.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before the House today to recognize National Police Week. Every year at this time, law enforcement officials from around the country gather here to pay tribute to their fallen brethren and to stand with their families. It is yet another measure of their commitment to protect and serve. Over just this last year, four of Wisconsin's finest have lost their lives in the line of duty: Trooper Anthony Borostowski of the Wisconsin State Patrol; Deputy Dan Glaze of the Rusk County Sheriff's Office; Officer Michael Venture of the Town of Salem's Department of Public Safety; Detective Jason Weiland of the Everest Metropolitan Police Department. Earlier this year, Detective Weiland was killed establishing a perimeter during a standoff with a shooter who took the lives of three people. Jason left behind a wife and two children. Anna, his daughter, almost 11 years old, spoke at the funeral: ``Our dad was an amazing man that saved lives every day,'' she said. ``We all know he is always and will be forever in our hearts. He'll be looking down on us, laughing and crying.'' Looking down that day, Anna's dad saw some remarkable things: He saw thousands of people, many of whom he had never met, lined up to pay their respects; he saw cops in uniform from all over the country, from New York, Chicago, Oregon, and Canada; he saw mourners and even pallbearers in green and gold to honor his love of the Green Bay Packers; and he saw blue ribbons everywhere. In a time when law enforcement is targeted and too often politicized, we must never take for granted the dangers that they face. Every day and every night, they leave their homes and their families to protect ours. They put their lives on the line to protect ours. For their loved ones, all they hope for, all they pray for, is to hear the car pull into the driveway and see that familiar face come through the door. And when the unspeakable happens, when their watch is cut short, ours is only beginning. The support that we give to their families, the respect and the appreciation we show for their fellow officers--it is the least we can do as citizens, and must do, this week and every week. Today I ask the whole House to join me in expressing our profound gratitude to law enforcement officers here in the Capital and across the Nation.