Paul Ryan

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Peggy Sampson on her retirement after 37 years of working for the House. She has dedicated her life to public service. She started her career as a Capitol police officer. Later, she became the Republican supervisor of the House page program, a position she held for 25 years. In that time, she was beloved by the pages who worked for her. Today, there are hundreds of former pages all over the world who still keep in touch. I learned a lot from my mentors when I was starting out. I know the meaning they have in young people's lives. For hundreds of young people, Peggy was that mentor. And for the dozens of people she worked with every day, she was a great friend. In 2011, she became a floor operations clerk and has been there ever since. Ask any of her colleagues, and they will tell you she was completely reliable. It did not matter if you were a high-ranking member of Congress or a fresh-faced intern, everyone could depend on her for everything you could think of: a piece of candy, band aids, Tylenol. And in a pinch, she could sew a mean button. In short, she was a delight to work with--very kind and generous. We will miss her dearly. And so, on behalf of the entire House, I want to thank Peggy Sampson for reminding us, through her work, of the joy of public service.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank our legislative counsel for all their help over the past few weeks, starting with Sandra Strokoff and Ed Grossman. I also want to thank all the senior and assistant counsels for their hard work: Tom Cassidy, Ryan Greenlaw, and Justin Gross on appropriations; Henry Christrup, Wade Ballou, and Scott Probst on taxes; Paul Callen, Marshall Barksdale, and Veena Srinivasa on housing and financial services; Hallet Brazelton, Megan Chasnoff, and Susan Fleishman on the 9/11 VCF and immigration; Jessica Shapiro, Warren Burke, Ed Grossman, Jesse Cross, and Michelle Vanek on the WTC health program; Bob Weinhagen on budget; Lucy Goss on social security; Hank Savage on oceans and coastal security; and Tony Sciascia and Hadley Ross on intelligence. Then there are the drafters who worked nights and weekends to produce all the other major legislation: Curt Haensel, Rosemary Gallagher, Tom Dillon, Karen Anderson, Tim Brown, Sally Walker, Brady Young, and Chris Osborne on the highway bill; Sherry Chriss, Greg Kostka, Hadley Ross, Tony Sciascia, and Mark Synnes on the defense bill; Susan Fleishman, Anna Shpak, and Brendan Gallagher on the education bill; and Sandy Strokoff, Mark Synnes, and Mat Eckstein on trade and customs bills. Finally I want to thank all the office's support staff: Nancy McNeillie, Debby Birch, Kelly Meryweather, Elonda Rich, Tomas Contreras, Miekl Joyner, Ashley Anderson, Joe Birch, Angelina Patton, Craig Sterkx, Tom Meryweather, and Matthew Loggie.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, this has been a busy month for all of us. We have passed more major legislation in a few weeks than we have in a few years. And now I want to thank all of the people who made it possible. I am talking about all the committee staff and all the people behind the scenes here in the Capitol who make this work. Thank you very, very much. In particular, Mr. Speaker, this includes, of course, our legislative counsel. I don't think you could find a group of people more dedicated to their jobs. These people work late nights every night. They work weekends. They are always on call. So I want to put into the Record a statement thanking every one of them by name. They were a part of history, and history should know their names. I also want to thank one person in particular, and that is Jo-Marie St. Martin. Today is Jo-Marie's last day on the Hill. She has been working for this House for over 20 years, most recently as general counsel and chief of legislative operations for the Speaker. I could not even begin to list everything that she has accomplished. We all know her so well. She is a legend in her own right. But as her colleagues will tell you, what is even more impressive than her career is her character. She is simply unflappable. When everyone else is on edge, she is calm. When they are flustered--and, believe it or not, some people get flustered around here from time to time--she is steady. And though other people might like to show off their brains and their know-how, she is the definition of kindness, of humility. I have never heard her dismiss a question, no matter how small. She is always eager to help people understand. And her enthusiasm is nothing short of infectious. You can see it when she walks into a room. She has an effect on people. Everyone feels more at ease. The word that comes to mind is Zen--except, of course, when she is at a Caps game. She knows the law backwards and forwards because she loves the law. She cares about the law. She cares about this House. For over 20 years, she has done her part to uphold its rights, to make sure that every voice was heard. Everyone here owes her a debt of gratitude. If I could use an old-fashioned word, I would say she is a true patriot. We salute her. So please join me one last time in thanking our friend Jo-Marie St. Martin. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished minority whip.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the whole House, I extend heartfelt congratulations to Governor Terry Branstad on his 7,642nd day in office. He is now the longest-serving governor in American history. And this day of recognition comes not a moment too soon because his principled leadership is a model for us all. Over the course of his 21 years in office, he has helped the people of Iowa overcome enormous challenges. He inherited a budget deficit; he now presides over a large surplus. When he came in, the state economy had gone bust; now it is booming. And through good times and bad, he has always stood four-square behind his values. People say he is good at retail politics, and that is certainly true. But his success is more than a testament to his skill. It is a testament to his devotion. Governor Branstad knows that a true public servant lives among the people. He visits all 99 counties of Iowa every year. He can tell you the ins and outs of everything in Iowa--from soybeans to livestock to insurance. He goes to every small event in every small town because he wants to be there. He listens because he cares. Asked what he wants his legacy to be, Governor Branstad has said he wants Iowa to be a place where young people want to stay--where there is opportunity for all. I could think of no better goal for every governor in the country. I also think it is fitting that the long-serving governor whose record he has surpassed was George Clinton, a man who left his state to become vice president. For Governor Branstad, national office would have been a step down. He knows his state. He loves his state. The people of Iowa are grateful for his service. I'm grateful for his friendship. And all of us in the House are grateful for his example.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, the world stands with the people of France this week. The events in Paris were horrifying. All of us were shaken by them. Yet we know that whenever terror like this strikes, the world community will rally together. Terror will not prevail. But these events should serve as a reminder: there is still evil out there. We cannot ignore it. We cannot contain it. We must defeat it. And we must protect our people. The country is uneasy and unsettled, and they have every right to be--not because of what they are hearing from politicians, but what they have seen with their own eyes. All of us here, Republicans and Democrats, are hearing these concerns in our offices. People understand the plight of those fleeing the Middle East, but they also want basic assurances for the safety of this country. We are a compassionate nation. We always have been, and we always will be. But we also must remember that our first priority is to protect the American people. We can be compassionate, and we can also be safe. That is what the bill that we are bringing up tomorrow is all about. It calls for a new standard of verification for refugees from Syria and Iraq. It would mean a pause in the program until we can be certain beyond any doubt that those coming here are not a threat. It is that simple. I don't think it is too much to ask. I also want to point out that we will not have a religious test, only a security one. If the intelligence and law enforcement community cannot certify a person presents no threat, then they should not be allowed in. This is common sense, and it is our obligation. Let me also say to Members and to the country that we cannot lose sight of the bigger threat in Syria. The refugee crisis is just a consequence of a failed policy in that region. The ultimate solution is a plan to defeat ISIS. That is why we are sending to the President a bill this week that requires him to finally propose an overarching strategy to deal with Syria and the terrorist threat in that region. This threat is not going away until we acknowledge and confront the real danger that exists. There is a long road ahead, but today, for this moment, I urge all of my colleagues to support the legislation tomorrow and to help keep America safe.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Thank you, Madam Leader. Before I begin, I would like to thank all of my family and friends who flew in from Wisconsin and from all over for being here today. In the gallery I have my mom, Betty; my sister, Janet; my brothers, Stan and Tobin; and more cousins than I can count on a few hands. Most importantly, I want to recognize my wife, Janna; and our children: Liza, Charlie, and Sam. I also want to thank Speaker Boehner. For almost 5 years, he led this House. For nearly 25 years, he served it. Not many people can match his accomplishments, the offices he held, the laws he passed. But what really sets John apart is he is a man of character, a true class act. He is, without question, the gentleman from Ohio. So please join me in saying one last time, ``Thank you, Speaker Boehner.'' Now I know how he felt. It is not until you hold this gavel, stand in this spot, look out and see all 435 Members of this House, as if all America is sitting right in front of you--it is not until then that you feel it, the weight of responsibility and the gravity of the moment. As I stand here, I can't help but think of something Harry Truman once said. The day after Franklin Roosevelt died, Truman became President. He told a group of reporters, ``If you ever pray, pray for me now.'' When they told me yesterday what had happened, I felt like the Moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me. We should all feel that way. A lot is on our shoulders. So if you ever pray, let's pray for each other, Republicans for Democrats and Democrats for Republicans. And I don't mean pray for a conversion, all right? Pray for a deeper understanding. Because when you are up here, you see it so clearly. Wherever you come from, whatever you believe, we are all in the same boat. I never thought I would be Speaker, but early in my life, I wanted to serve this House. I thought this place was exhilarating because here you can make a difference. If you had a good idea, if you worked hard, you could make it happen. You could improve people's lives. To me, the House of Representatives represents what is the best of America: the boundless opportunity to do good. But let's be frank. The House is broken. We are not solving problems. We are adding to them. I am not interested in laying blame. We are not settling scores. We are wiping the slate clean. Neither the Members nor the people are satisfied with how things are going. We need to make some changes, starting with how the House does business. We need to let every Member contribute, not once they have earned their stripes, but now. I come at this job as a two-time committee chair. The committees should retake the lead in drafting all major legislation. If you know the issue, you should write the bill. Let's open up the process. Let people participate, and they might change their mind. A neglected minority will gum up the works. A respected minority will work in good faith. Instead of trying to stop the majority, they might try to become the majority. In other words, we need to return to regular order. Now, I know this sounds like process. It is actually a matter of principle. We are the body closest to the people. Every 2 years, we face the voters and sometimes face the music. But we do not echo the people; we represent the people. We are supposed to study up and do the homework that they cannot do. So when we do not follow regular order, when we rush to pass bills that a lot of us don't understand, we are not doing our job. Only a fully functioning House can truly represent the people; and if there were ever a time for us to step up, this would be that time. America does not feel strong anymore because the working people of America do not feel strong anymore. I am talking about the people who mind the store and grow the food and walk the beat and pay the taxes and raise the family. They do not sit in this House. They do not have fancy titles, but they are the people who make this country work, and this House should work for them. Here is the problem. They are working hard. They are paying a lot. They are trying to do right by their families, and they are going nowhere fast. They never get a raise. They never get a break. The bills keep piling up and the taxes and the debt. They are working harder than ever before to get ahead, and yet they are falling further behind. They feel robbed. They feel cheated of their birthright. They are not asking for any favors. They just want a fair chance, and they are losing faith that they will ever get it. Then they look at Washington, and all they see is chaos. What a relief to them it would be if we finally got our acts together. What a weight off of their shoulders. How reassuring it would be if we actually fixed the Tax Code, put patients in charge of their health care, grew our economy, strengthened our military, lifted people out of poverty, and paid down our debt. At this point, nothing could be more inspiring than a job well done. Nothing could stir the heart more than real, concrete results. The cynics will scoff. They will say it is not possible. You better believe, we are going to try. We will not duck the tough issues; we will take them head-on. We are going to do all we can do so that working people get their strength back and people not working get their lives back. No more favors for the few. ``Opportunity for all,'' that is our motto. I often talk about a need for a vision. I am not sure I ever really said what I meant. We solve problems here, yes. We create a lot of them, too. But at bottom, we vindicate a way of life. We show by our work that free people can govern themselves. They can solve their own problems. They can make their own decisions. They can deliberate, collaborate, and get the job done. We show that self-government is not only more efficient and more effective, it is more fulfilling. In fact, we show it is that struggle, that hard work, that very achievement itself that makes us free. That is what we do here. We will not always agree, not all of us, not all of the time, but we should not hide our disagreements. We should embrace them. We have nothing to fear from honest differences honestly stated. If you have ideas, let's hear them. I believe that a greater clarity between us can lead to greater charity among us, and there is every reason to have hope. When the first Speaker took the gavel, he looked out at a room of 30 people, representing a nation of 3 million. Today, as I look out at each and every one of you, we represent a nation of 300 million. So when I hear people say that America doesn't have it, we are done, we are spent, I don't believe it. I believe with every fiber of my being that we can renew the American idea. Now our task is to make us all believe. My friends, you have done me a great honor. The people of this country, they have done all of us a great honor. Now let's prove ourselves worthy of it. Let's seize the moment. Let's rise to the occasion. And when we are done, let us say that we left the people--all the people--more united, happy, and free. Thank you. I am now ready to take the oath of office. I ask the Dean of the House of Representatives, the Honorable John Conyers, Jr., of Michigan, to administer the oath of office. Mr. CONYERS then administered the oath of office to Mr. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, as follows: Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter, so help you God. (Applause, the Members rising.)

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my strong disapproval for this bill for the Export-Import Bank. This is a profound debate we are having. It is about what kind of economy we are going to have. Are we going to reward good work or good connections? I think there are plenty of other ways to expand opportunity in this country, and corporate welfare is not one of them. The biggest beneficiaries of this bank, two-thirds of their money goes to ten companies and 40 percent goes to one company. And this bank does cost money. Just ask the Congressional Budget Office when they use real scorekeeping. Do you remember Fannie Mae? Do you remember their accounting? Do you remember when they told us they weren't going to cost any money? Until they did. And it cost us billions. The other excuse, Mr. Speaker, that I just don't buy is that other countries do this and so should we. We shouldn't acquire other countries' bad habits. We should be leading by example. We should be exporting democratic capitalism, not crony capitalism. There is this criticism of those of the free enterprise system who compare it to competition like a sport where the critics of free enterprise say there is a winner and there is a loser, just like a boxing match or a football game. Well, that is true when it comes to crony capitalism. That is the case when it comes to corporate welfare because, in that case, the winner is the person with the connections, it is the company with power, and it is the company with clout. The loser is the person who is out there working hard, playing by the rules, not knowing anybody, not going to Washington, and hoping and thinking that the merit of their idea and the quality of their work is what will win the day. That is what is rewarded under a free enterprise system. Free enterprise is more about collaboration. It is more about transactions of mutual benefit where everybody benefits, the rising tide lifts all boats, equality for all, and equal opportunity. That is free enterprise. That is small d, democratic capitalism. This thing is crony capitalism. I urge it be rejected.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the question of adopting a motion to recommit on H.R. 10 or H.R. 692 may be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 of rule XX.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, if you want to guarantee that the United States will never default, then you should vote for this bill. If you want to protect working families from the consequences of default, then you should vote for this bill. If you want to make sure that seniors get every dime of their Social Security, then vote for this bill. Mr. Speaker, this bill does not raise the debt limit, but it eliminates the threat of default. The full faith and credit of our country is too important to put at risk. What this bill says is very simple. It says that we will never fail to pay our debts. That is just it. That is all it does. It is just paying our debts. We know the consequences of default. We know it would shake the world's confidence in us. We know that it could freeze up credit across this country. That is why with this bill, we are taking default off the table. It is common sense. I want to thank Mr. McClintock for developing this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield the remainder of my time to the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Jenkins) and ask unanimous consent that she be able to control the time from here on.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 692, the Default Prevention Act, currently under consideration.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 480, I call up the bill (H.R. 692) to ensure the payment of interest and principal of the debt of the United States, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Costello).

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. This is common sense, and I urge my colleagues to adopt this. There is one more point I would like to make. Nick Gwyn, the minority staff director of the Human Resources Subcommittee on Ways and Means, is retiring. I would like to take a minute to recognize Nick Gwyn for his work on this issue. He is leaving the staff of Ways and Means after serving on the committee since 1998. This should be the last of many bills that he has helped our colleagues manage on the floor. During his time staffing the committee, Nick has worked on numerous laws related to welfare, disability, and unemployment policy. He also worked closely with our staff to create bipartisan child welfare laws that found more loving families for children in need. We wish Nick well in the next stage of his career, and we thank him for his service to the committee, the House, and the country. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 139) to permanently allow an exclusion under the Supplemental Security Income program and the Medicaid program for compensation provided to individuals who participate in clinical trials for rare diseases or conditions.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. I also urge our colleagues to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 139, the Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act. The National Institutes of Health says that there are 7,000 rare diseases affecting people in the United States, and if we are going to find cures for those diseases, the first thing we need to do is to get people to participate in clinical trials. All too often, researchers cannot find enough participants because so few people have these diseases in the first place. Now--no surprise here--the government used to make it more difficult for researchers to find people. Say you had a rare disease and you were on public assistance, like SSI or Medicaid. If you got compensated for participating in one of these trials, you got smaller benefits. That is why, in 2010, we passed the Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act. For the past 5 years, this law has allowed people to collect up to $2,000 per year by participating in rare-disease clinical trials without threat of losing their SSI or Medicaid benefits. The GAO says the law is working. Ever since we passed this law, more people on SSI have been participating in clinical trials as a result of it. The problem is this law expires next week, on October 5, so this bill would simply extend current law. That way, more people can participate in clinical trials without any reason to worry or without any threat to a loss of their benefits, and that way, we will continue to make strides in fighting these diseases. CBO tells us this bill will cost virtually nothing. My friends, Senator Hatch and Senator Wyden, introduced this bill in the Senate. It passed the Senate by unanimous consent. In the House, my colleagues Mr. Doggett and Mr. Marino from Pennsylvania have introduced it along with 50 other cosponsors. I will include in the Record a letter listing the many supporters of this legislation. It is a list of over 70 organizations, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Huntington's Disease Society of America, just to name a few. September 22, 2015. Hon. Paul D. Ryan, Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Sander M. Levin, Ranking Member, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Charles Boustany, Jr., Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Lloyd Doggett, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairmen Ryan and Boustany and Ranking Members Levin and Doggett: The undersigned organizations, representing millions of Americans with rare and genetic diseases, advocates, industry, and academic institutions, write to express strong support for H.R. 209/S. 139, the Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2015. This legislation will permanently remove a barrier to clinical research and allow Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid recipients to participate in and benefit from clinical trials without fear of losing vital benefits. The Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2015 eliminates the sunset clause from the Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act of 2009 (IACT), legislation signed into law in 2010, making the IACT a permanent law. This will allow patients with rare diseases to continue to receive up to $2,000 in compensation for participating in clinical trials without that compensation counting towards their income eligibility limits for SSI and Medicaid. Removing barriers to drug trial participation is particularly important as recent advances in medical research and technology allow for the development of new and promising medications. Securing an adequate number of clinical trial participants is vital for therapies that treat rare conditions, but rare disease researchers in particular often have difficulty recruiting drug trial participants, simply because they have a smaller pool of patients. Further, with the advent of precision medicine, therapies are being customized to treat a patient's specific genetic makeup. These types of trials often require clinical trial participants bearing specific genetic mutations, which necessarily creates an even more complex and exclusive clinical trial recruitment process. Ensuring that all patients with rare diseases are able to participate in clinical trials can help open the door for the advancement of new targeted therapies in many important areas of medicine, including cancer and rare diseases like cystic fibrosis. Now is the time to ensure that all patients have access to clinical trials for potentially life-saving treatments. We look forward to working with you to secure passage of this bill to enable Social Security beneficiaries to participate in clinical trials so that research into life-saving treatments may continue to advance. Sincerely, Actavis Adult CF Program--Northwestern University Adult Polyglucosan Body Disease Research Foundation APBDRF Alpha-1 Foundation ALS Association American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) Amyloidosis Support Groups Inc. Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Antonio J. and Janet Palumbo Cystic Fibrosis Center, Pediatric and Adult Program, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh UPMC Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) Association of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Inc. (AGMD) Batten Disease Support and Research Association Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) CADASIL Association Inc. Cardio-Facio-Cutaneous International CARES Foundation, Inc. (Congenital Adrenal hyperplasia Research, Education and Support Foundation) CF Care Center at Dayton Children's Hospital Congenital Hyperinsulinism International (CHI) COPD Foundation Cure CMD Cure SMA Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Cystinosis Foundation Debra of America FasterCures First Focus Foundation Fighting Blindness Foundation for Prader-Willi Research Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) Genetic Alliance Hide & Seek Foundation for Lysosomal Disease Research Huntington's Disease Society of America International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Association (IFOPA) Indiana University School of Medicine, CF Care Center International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) Lymphangiomatosis & Gorham's Disease Alliance Lymphedema Advocacy Group Maine Medical Center CF Program M-CM Network MEBO Research, Inc. Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Cystic Fibrosis Care Center MitoAction MLD Foundation Moebius Syndrome Foundation Muscular Dystrophy Association Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation National Gaucher Foundation, Inc. National MPS Society National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH) National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) National PKU Alliance National Spasmodic Torticollis Association Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) Parents and Researchers Interested in Smith-Magenis Syndrome (PRISMS) Progeria Research Foundation ProMedica Toledo Children's Hospital PXE International Research! America Rett Syndrome Research Trust Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia The Detroit Medical Reserve Corps The Massachusetts Medical Society The National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) The State University of New York School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Trimethylaminuria Foundation Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance University of Michigan Health System, Cystic Fibrosis Center University of Pennsylvania Health System, Cystic Fibrosis Center University of Washington, Cystic Fibrosis Care Center Vertex Pharmaceuticals Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program Wilson Disease Association

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 139, currently under consideration.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to speak in favor of the EACH Act. This bill would expand the religious liberty exemption to the individual mandate. Right now the exemption is minuscule. To qualify, you have to believe as a matter of faith in giving up any private or public insurance, including Social Security. That includes the Amish, the Order of Mennonites, and that is about it. That is way too strict. Let's remember the reason for this mandate in the first place. The other side said that, if you get sick and you don't have insurance, the rest of us will have to pay for your health care. Well, we are talking about people who do not use health care. So why should they have to be forced to buy insurance for health care that they don't use? I don't think we should force anybody to buy health insurance against their will, for that matter, but I think it is especially wrong to force people to buy insurance against their faith. This bill simply says: If you, as a matter of faith, don't use health care, then you are exempt from the individual mandate. I am glad we are working on this long overdue change today. I would note that this came out of committee on a voice vote. I encourage Members to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2061 currently under consideration.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis), the author of the EACH Act.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2061) to amend section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an additional religious exemption from the individual health coverage mandate, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I think Mr. Davis captured it quite well. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. This is an agreement that waives the sanctions against terrorism. This is a regime that funds terrorism. It said nothing about stopping further terrorism. It lifts the bans on conventional weapons so they can arm back up. It lifts the bans on intercontinental ballistic missiles. The only reason you have an ICBM is to put a nuclear weapon on it. It guarantees that Iran becomes a nuclear power, and it gives them $150 billion upfront to finance it. About a decade ago, I was in Kuwait in a tank graveyard. I spent the morning walking through acres of destroyed M1 Abrams tanks, Humvees, MRAPs, and they had the same kind of signature blast--a hole ripping right through it, killing whoever was inside, our soldiers. Then, we went up to Baghdad and met with one of our senior commanders, a great general named Ray Odierno, and we asked: What is killing all of our servicemembers? What is doing this? EFPs, explosively formed penetrators. He got one of them that they had confiscated and showed us what it was, a highly sophisticated machine explosive device with wiring on it that said ``Made in Iran,'' brought by a gentleman named Soleimani. And we are lifting the sanctions on them. This is not a vote for some person's legacy. This is a vote to put yourself on the right side of history. Vote to kill this agreement. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that we believe that the President has exceeded his authority in so many ways, that he has stretched the separation of powers on lots of issues; and on most of those issues, I believe we can fix those problems. On most of those issues, whether it is regulations or domestic laws, I believe we in this body, with the next administration, will have with the power and the ability to fix this. This is one where I don't think we can. I think he has stretched the Constitution, because this should be a treaty. This is an executive agreement. When asked why, they said: Well, we couldn't pass a treaty. So much for the Constitution that we all swore to uphold. Mr. Speaker, I don't think the President is going to get the legacy that he thinks he is going to get or that he is hoping he is going to get. I will insert in the Record a letter from 190 former military officers. It says: This agreement is unverifiable. As military officers, we find it unconscionable that such a windfall could be given to a regime that even the Obama administration has acknowledged will use a portion of such funds to continue to support terrorism. August 25, 2015. Hon. John A. Boehner, Speaker of the House. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader. Hon. Harry Reid, Minority Leader. Dear Representatives Boehner and Pelosi and Senators McConnell and Reid: As you know, on July 14, 2015, the United States and five other nations announced that a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has been reached with Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. In our judgment as former senior military officers, the agreement will not have that effect. Removing sanctions on Iran and releasing billions of dollars to its regime over the next ten years is inimical to the security of Israel and the Middle East. There is no credibility within JCPOA's inspection process or the ability to snap back sanctions once lifted, should Iran violate the agreement. In this and other respects, the JCPOA would threaten the national security and vital interests of the United States and, therefore, should be disapproved by the Congress. The agreement as constructed does not ``cut off every pathway'' for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. To the contrary, it actually provides Iran with a legitimate path to doing that simply by abiding by the deal. JCPOA allows all the infrastructure the Iranians need for a nuclear bomb to be preserved and enhanced. Notably, Iran is allowed to: continue to enrich uranium; develop and test advanced centrifuges; and continue work on its Arak heavy-water plutonium reactor. Collectively, these concessions afford the Iranians, at worst, a ready breakout option and, at best, an incipient nuclear weapons capability a decade from now. The agreement is unverifiable. Under the terms of the JCPOA and a secret side deal (to which the United States is not privy), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be responsible for inspections under such severe limitations as to prevent them from reliably detecting Iranian cheating. For example, if Iran and the inspectors are unable to reach an accommodation with respect to a given site, the result could be at least a 24-day delay in IAEA access. The agreement also requires inspectors to inform Iran in writing as to the basis for its concerns about an undeclared site, thus further delaying access. Most importantly, these inspections do not allow access to Iranian military facilities, the most likely location of their nuclear weapons development efforts. In the JCPOA process, there is substantial risk of U.S. intelligence being compromised, since the IAEA often relies on our sensitive data with respect to suspicious and/or prohibited activity. While failing to assure prevention of Iran's nuclear weapons development capabilities, the agreement provides by some estimates $150 billion dollars or more to Iran in the form of sanctions relief. As military officers, we find it unconscionable that such a windfall could be given to a regime that even the Obama administration has acknowledged will use a portion of such funds to continue to support terrorism in Israel, throughout the Middle East and globally, whether directly or through proxies. These actions will be made all the more deadly since the JCPOA will lift international embargoes on Iran's access to advanced conventional weapons and ballistic missile technology. In summary, this agreement will enable Iran to become far more dangerous, render the Mideast still more unstable and introduce new threats to American interests as well as our allies. In our professional opinion, far from being an alternative to war, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action makes it likely that the war the Iranian regime has waged against us since 1979 will continue, with far higher risks to our national security interests. Accordingly, we urge the Congress to reject this defective accord. Sincerely, Admiral David Architzel, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Stanley R. Arthur, US Navy, Retired; General William Begert, US Air Force, Retired; General J.B. Davis, US Air Force, Retired; Admiral William A. Doughert, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Leon A. ``Bud'' Edney, US Navy, Retired; General Alfred G. Hansen US Air Force, Retired; Admiral Thomas Hayward, US Navy, Retired; Admiral James Hogg, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Jerome Johnson, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Timothy J. Keating, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Robert J. Kelly, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Thomas Joseph Lopez, US Navy, Retired; Admiral James A. ``Ace'' Lyons, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Richard Macke, US Navy, Retired; Admiral Henry Mauz, US Navy, Retired; General Lance Smith, US Air Force, Retired; Admiral Leighton Smith, US Navy, Retired; Admiral William D. Smith, US Navy, Retired; General Louis C. Wagner, Jr., US Army, Retired; Admiral Steve White, US Navy, Retired; General Ronald W. Yates, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Teddy G. Allen, US Army, Retired; Lieutenant General Edward G. Anderson, III, US Army, Retired; Lieutenant General Marcus A. Anderson, US Air Force, Retired. Lieutenant General Spence M. Armstrong, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Harold W. Blot, US Marine Corps, Retired; Vice Admiral Michael Bowman, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General William G. ``Jerry'' Boykin, US Army, Retired; Vice Admiral Edward S. Briggs, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Richard E. ``Tex'' Brown III, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General William J. Campbell, US Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral Edward Clexton, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Daniel L. Cooper, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral William A. Dougherty, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Brett Dula, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Gordon E. Fornell, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Thomas B. Goslin, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Earl Hailston, US Marine Corps, Retired; Vice Admiral Bernard M. Kauderer, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Timothy A. Kinnan, US Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral J. B. LaPlante, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Tony Less, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Bennett L. Lewis, US Army, Retired; Vice Admiral Michael Malone, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral John Mazach, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Thomas McInerney, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Fred McCorkle, US Marine Corps, Retired; Vice Admiral Robert Monroe, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Jimmy Pappas, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral J. Theodore Parker, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General Garry L. Parks, US Marine Corps, Retired; Lieutenant General Everett Pratt, US Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral John Poindexter, US Navy, Retired. Lieutenant General Clifford ``Ted'' Rees, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral William Rowden, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Robert F. Schoultz, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General E.G. ``Buck'' Shuler, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Hubert ``Hugh'' G. Smith, US Army, Retired; Vice Admiral Edward M. Straw, US Navy, Retired; Lieutenant General David J. Teal, US Air Force, Retired; Vice Admiral D.C. ``Deese'' Thompson, US Coast Guard, Retired; Lieutenant General William E. Thurman, US Air Force, Retired; Lieutenant General Billy Tomas, US Army, Retired; Vice Admiral John Totushek, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Jerry Tuttle, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Jerry Unruh, US Navy, Retired; Vice Admiral Timothy W. Wright, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral William V. Alford, Jr., US Navy, Retired; Major General Thurman E. Anderson, US Army, Retired; Major General Joseph T. Anderson, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear Admiral Philip Anselmo, US Navy, Retired; Major General Joe Arbuckle, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral James W. Austin, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral John R. Batzler, US Navy, Retired. Rear Admiral John Bayless, US Navy, Retired; Major General John Bianchi, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Donald Vaux Boecker, US Navy, Retired.Rear Admiral Jerry C. Breast, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Bruce B. Bremner, US Navy, Retired; Major General Edward M. Browne, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Thomas F. Brown III, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Lyle Bull, US Navy, Retired; Major General Bobby G. Butcher, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear Admiral Jay A. Campbell, US Navy, Retired; Major General Henry D. Canterbury, US Air Force, Retired; Major General Carroll D. Childers, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Ronald L. Christenson, US Navy, Retired; Major General John R.D. Cleland, US Army, Retired; Major General Richard L. Comer, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Jack Dantone, US Navy, Retired; Major General William B. Davitte, US Air Force, Retired; Major General James D. Delk, US Army, Retired. Major General Felix Dupre, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Philip A. Dur, US Navy, Retired; Major General Neil L. Eddins, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Paul Engel, US Navy, Retired; Major General Vince Falter, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral James H. Flatley, US Navy, Retired; Major General Bobby O. Floyd, US Air Force, Retired; Major General Paul Fratarangelo, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear Admiral Veronica ``Ronne'' Froman, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral R. Byron Fuller, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Frank Gallo, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Albert A. Gallotta, Jr., US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral James Mac Gleim, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Robert H. Gormley, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral William Gureck, US Navy, Retired; Major General Gary L. Harrell, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Donald Hickman, US Navy, Retired; Major General Geoffrey Higginbotham, US Marine Corps, Retired; Major General Kent H. Hillhouse, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Tim Hinkle, US Navy, Retired; Major General Victor Joseph Hugo, US Army, Retired; Major General James P. Hunt, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Grady L. Jackson, US Navy, Retired. Major General William K. James, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral John M. ``Carlos'' Johnson, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Pierce J. Johnson, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Steven B. Kantrowitz, US Navy, Retired; Major General Maurice W. Kendall, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Charles R. Kubic, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Frederick L. Lewis, US Navy, Retired; Major General John D. Logeman, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Major General Homer S. Long, Jr., US Army, Retired; Major General Robert M. Marquette, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Robert B. McClinton, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral W. J. McDaniel, MD, US Navy, Retired; Major General Keith W. Meurlin, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Terrence McKnight, US Navy, Retired; Major General John F. Miller, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Major General Burton R. Moore, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral David R. Morris, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Ed Nelson, Jr., US Coast Guard, Retired; Major General George W. ``Nordie'' Norwood, US Air Force, Retired; Major General Everett G. Odgers, US Air Force, Retired. Rear Admiral Phillip R. Olson, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Robert S. Owens, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Robert O. Passmore, US Navy, Retired; Major General Richard E. Perraut, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral W.W. Pickavance, Jr., US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral L.F. Picotte, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Thomas J. Porter, US Navy, Retired; Major General H. Douglas Robertson, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral W.J. Ryan, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Norman Saunders, US Coast Guard, Retired; Major General John P. Schoeppner, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Major General Edison E. Scholes, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral Hugh P. Scott, US Navy, Retired; Major General Richard Secord, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral James M. Seely, US Navy, Retired; Major General Sidney Shachnow, US Army, Retired; Rear Admiral William H. Shawcross, US Navy, Retired; Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, US Navy, Retired; Major General Willie Studer, US Air Force, Retired; Major General Larry Taylor, US Marine Corps, Retired; Rear Admiral Jeremy Taylor, US Navy, Retired; Major General Richard L. Testa, US Air Force, Retired. Rear Admiral Robert P. Tiernan, US Navy, Retired; Major General Paul E. Vallely, US Army, Retired; Major General Kenneth W. Weir, US Marine Corps, Retired; Major General John Weide, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral James B. Whittaker, US Navy, Retired; Major General Geoffrey P. Wiedeman, Jr., MD, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral H. Denny Wisely, US Navy, Retired; Brigadier General John R. Allen, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General John C. Arick, US Marine Corps, Retired; Brigadier General Loring R. Astorino, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Robert E. Besal, US Navy, Retired; Brigadier General William Bloomer, US Marine Corps, Retired; Brigadier General George P. Cole, Jr., US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Richard A. Coleman, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General James L. Crouch, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Marianne B. Drew, US Navy, Retired; Brigadier General Philip M. Drew, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Larry K. Grundhauser, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Thomas W. Honeywill, US Air Force, Retired. Brigadier General Gary M. Jones, US Army, Retired; Brigadier General Stephen Lanning, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Thomas J. Lennon, US Air Force, Retired; Rear Admiral Bobby C. Lee, US Navy, Retired; Brigadier General Robert F. Peksens, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Joe Shaefer, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Graham E. Shirley, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Stanley O. Smith, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General Hugh B. Tant III, US Army, Retired; Brigadier General Michael Joseph Tashjian, US Air Force, Retired; Brigadier General William Tiernan, US Marine Corps, Retired; Brigadier General Roger W. Scearce, US Army, Retired; Brigadier General Robert V. Woods, US Air Force, Retired.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentlewoman.