Paul Ryan

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express the appreciation of the entire House of Representatives to Thomas G. Hungar for his exemplary service as General Counsel of the House. Tom has been a faithful defender of this institution, its Members, and its prerogatives since his appointment in 2016. Tom's distinguished legal career has included service in all three branches of government. In the Judicial Branch, he served as a law clerk in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. In the Executive Branch, he served in the Office of the Solicitor General at the Department of Justice, including as Deputy Solicitor General. Having presented oral argument before the Supreme Court in 26 cases, Tom is one of our Nation's leading appellate lawyers and an expert on constitutional law. Tom began his Legislative Branch service with the House in 2016, as one of only a small number of lawyers ever to serve as General Counsel of the House. Under Tom's guidance and leadership, the General Counsel's Office has provided sophisticated and invaluable legal advice and has been a trusted institutional resource for Members, Officers, Committees, and staff, regardless of political affiliation. Through excellent legal work and counsel, undertaken with zeal for the best interests of the House, Tom and his office have earned the respect of Members on both sides of the aisle. When the House's institutional interests were at stake, Tom's legal advice was always tailored to safeguarding the House's constitutional prerogatives and protecting the House' s vital role in our constitutional structure. Tom successfully litigated cases defending and protecting the House's constitutionally based subpoena authority. Tom also defended the House and its Officers to preserve and protect the House's longstanding practice of opening each legislative day with a prayer. Additionally, under Tom, the House has filed amicus briefs articulating its position on the proper interpretation of the Appropriations, Rulemaking, and Speech or Debate Clauses of the Constitution. Numerous Members, Committees, and Subcommittees relied on Tom's extensive litigation expertise in connection with investigative and oversight activities. Finally, Tom defended House Members, Officers, and staff in judicial proceedings at both the trial and appellate levels and advised Members and Committees in connection with their interactions with both private and other governmental entities. I know that Tom will continue his exceptional work wherever the next chapter of his impressive legal career takes him. On behalf of the House of Representatives, I express my deepest gratitude to Tom for his dedication to this institution, and I extend our very best wishes to him, his wife Jaye, and their children, Brett, Claire, Lance, and Paige.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, on November 29, 2018, the House by unanimous consent adopted House Resolution 1161 in advance of the administration of the oath of office to Representative Brenda Jones of Michigan. Representative Jones was elected on November 6, 2018 to fill a vacancy in the 13th Congressional District of Michigan for the remainder of the 115th Congress. Her certificate of election was received by the House on November 29, 2018. Representative Jones also currently serves as the President of the Detroit City Council. Representative Jones has indicated that she will abide by guidance from the House Committee on Ethics to minimize the conflicts that may exist with her duties as President of the City Council during this short tenure in the House. The Speaker, with the concurrence of the Democratic Leader, finds that this resolution (1) represents a narrow exception to the restriction established by the House on January 20, 1909, that the duties of a Member of the House and the Governor of a State are ``absolutely inconsistent'' and may not be ``simultaneously discharged'' by the same Member and (2) does not address the Constitutional qualifications of a Member.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express profound gratitude to the people of the First District of Wisconsin. Any time I get to swear in a new Member as we just did, it brings me back to the time when I was first sworn in here in 1998. I remember just being awestruck the first time I walked down that center aisle. That feeling just never goes away. I still feel it when I walk onto the floor each and every time. I am immensely grateful to the people of southern Wisconsin for their trust and their confidence. I have always had this thing about calling the people I represent not my constituents but my employers. It is the way I have always thought of this, and I think it is important that we as Members understand that we work for the people and not the other way around, and that we are in this to make a difference for them. We work every day to keep that obligation, especially, actually, when it comes to constituent service. It is the lifeblood of the work we do here as Representatives. It is something that goes unreported, but it is extremely important, extremely valuable, and very gratifying. Any success that we have had is really, in my case, due to our humble and our hardworking staff. I have had the chance to work for and to work with the very best people. I really have. Before I was a Member, I was part of a legion of Hill staffers. I was a staffer here before I got elected as a Member. I started as an intern in the mailroom, and I worked my way on up: legislative correspondent, legislative assistant, legislative director, and chief of staff, all of those things. I figured I knew everything about these jobs, all long hours and all sacrifices, but nothing can truly prepare you for having people willing to help you in such a big undertaking on the front lines. So I am profoundly grateful for the dedicated public servants who have helped us serve the people--my employers--of the First Congressional District. I want to thank the members of our team who have stayed with us to the very end: Rebekah Cullum, Jordan Dunn, Brandon Farnsworth, Megan Wagner, and Laura Wiley. I want to thank Allison Steil, our deputy chief of staff, who has been with us for 10 years. I want to thank Tricia Stoneking, our director of scheduling and office operations, who has been with us for 15 years. I want to especially thank the members of our team who have been with us from the very beginning, from the start. We call them the lifers: Danyell Tremmel, my chief of staff; Chad Herbert, director of military and veterans services; and Susie Liston, district director. Chad is a hunter. He is a veteran. Danyell came from my predecessor. She knows every nook and cranny in the Federal Government and how to help constituents navigate their problems. Chad has helped countless veterans. He knows the veterans system so well, and he has done so much good for the veterans of southern Wisconsin. Susie Liston, our district director, has one of the most pleasant and happy demeanors. You can get a lot of angry constituents walking into a district office. She handles them better than anyone I have ever known. Teresa Mora, director of outreach, has run my bilingual services. She has helped me with all my bilingual Hispanic townhall meetings. She has done a spectacular job of doing constituent outreach throughout my district. Many of you know Joyce Meyer. Joyce was my first legislative director. Andy Speth started off as my district director then my longtime chief of staff. He is my silent partner. Andy and I met in sixth grade basketball camp at St. Paul Lutheran School where he went and where his kids go. We have been friends ever since we went to high school together. When I moved home to run for Congress, he was the guy who helped me. He has been my partner in this venture all along, and I am so grateful for his friendship. I am so grateful for his partnership. I also am just grateful for the people of Janesville, Racine, Kenosha, Oak Creek, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva, Walworth County, Racine County, Kenosha County, Rock County, Waukesha County, and everyone in between. Since becoming Speaker of the House--which is not something that we are used to in Wisconsin; I am the only one who has done that--I appreciate the indulgence of the people I work for who indulge the fact that I had other responsibilities in addition. When I took on these additional responsibilities, the people of our staff really stepped up and really helped serve our constituents so that they continue to enjoy those flawless constituent services. I am just so grateful for these people in my life. I am so grateful that they were able to serve the people of southern Wisconsin so well, and I am absolutely grateful to the people of southern Wisconsin for entrusting me as their Representative.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, Kristene Blake's passion for politics and public service dates back to her Villanova days, when she interned for her hometown representative, Adam H. Putnam of Florida. Adam had the good sense to hire Kristene full-time after she graduated. Beginning in 2011, Kristene served in senior roles in two speakerships over the course of nearly eight years. Both Speaker Boehner and I depended on Kristene's unique ability to manage any situation, and find a way to get things done. Kristene is the definition of a servant leader. She puts in the late hours and the unsung work it takes to make this institution function. She believes in doing the right things for the right reasons. These are virtues she is sure to pass on to her three beautiful children: Lawrence, Eloisa, and Amelia. The people's House thanks Kristene for her years of dedicated service.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about something that is really close to all of our hearts. We have reached a point in this country where opioid overdoses claim more than 100 lives each and every single day. Think about that for a moment, more than 100 lives every day. Mothers and fathers are burying sons and daughters, or in some cases, sons and daughters are burying mothers and fathers. I bring this up simply to impart the gravity of the situation, which makes our response all the more urgent. But while the situation is certainly grave, that does not mean that we should ever lose hope. As we have worked on this legislation we will soon send to the President, we all had to go out and gain an understanding of the facts on this issue. Everybody on both sides of the aisle spent so much time on this bill. In doing that, we have gleaned so much understanding. And that is, after all, how our Republic works. That is what the people's House does. We learn from our constituents. We hear their stories. We see the suffering, and then we act. This is a fantastic moment of people coming together to solve a problem. I think, in this process, we gained something very special. Many of us heard the stories from incredible souls who have known unspeakable loneliness and who struggle with drug addiction. They made it through to the other side. We met family members and friends who have known the pain and the fear that accompanies loving someone wrestling with addiction. Every one of us knows somebody or is related to somebody who has gone through this. We met those who will never again have the chance to see the ones that they love so much. Amid the overwhelming darkness, we have gotten to see their spark, their strength. From this pain has come something more powerful: resolve and a passion to make sure that others have a safe place to turn, that this doesn't happen to their family. Witnessing this kind of strength, witnessing this kind of resilience, that is what helped produce this legislation. Through these bills, we are trying to ensure that anyone who needs help is not too isolated to receive it. We are giving our communities the resources that they need to provide stronger treatment networks and support systems. That is where the healing happens. That is where Americans are at our best. If this legislation can save one life and bring help to one person, that is what matters. It is going to do far more than that. So I want to thank all of those who were brave enough to share their stories with all of us. I want to thank all of those people who all of us met with for being brave, for coming here, for meeting us, and for testifying and giving us their stories. And for all of those who are continuing to struggle in silence, I want them to know that there is no shame in their trials. In our own ways, we all fall. In our Catholic tradition, we look to St. Jude as the patron saint of lost causes, a keeper of those who some in society may have written off. To me, his guardianship is written in this legislation. There are no lost causes. No one is permanently down. It is about offering a helping hand, and it is about opening our hearts. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of this legislation. I am so thankful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who came together to put these families and to put these communities first.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I address the House today, the last one with Molly Edwards serving on my staff. After more than five years, Molly is moving on from the House, where she will be missed by not just me but the many with whom she worked to make this institution shine. A proud--very proud--North Carolina native, Molly was part of our team at the Ways and Means Committee, and she was there for the unexpected journey to the speaker's office. It has been a privilege to watch her take on ever-expanding roles over these years. Through hard work Molly earned her way to be my director of press operations. When dignitaries or diplomats visited or whenever the biggest events had the world watching the Capitol, Molly was there to ensure things always went off without a hitch. With a steady hand, as well as some southern charm, no moment was ever too big or challenge too great. Poised under pressure, she is a true professional. And she has always made me look far more polished than I really am. I am enormously grateful for Molly's service, and I wish her nothing but the best in her next adventures.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, when I accepted this job, I did not fully appreciate all of its institutional and ceremonial responsibilities. Today I can say it is one of the best things about being Speaker. This is in no small part due to having Seton Gardner as our director of special events and protocol. Seton started with Speaker Boehner as an intern in 2011, and joined the special events department in 2013. If there is a major event in the Capitol--be it a Gold Medal Ceremony, a Joint Meeting, or State of the Union--Seton is at the helm. She is highly regarded for maintaining our traditions, while making everyone from world leaders to everyday citizens feel at home in the people's House. No matter the stage, Seton never breaks a sweat. She makes what is surely a stressful process go seamlessly. For all of this, and for her years of dedicated service, I extend my thanks to Seton on behalf of a very grateful institution.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, it is bittersweet to bid farewell to one of my closest aides, Will Miller, as he departs for the next chapter of his life. Will is heading to business school where I know he will excel just as he has here in Congress. Will is a natural leader. He's a problem solver. He is my friend. A veteran of two speakerships now, he knows how the House works and has earned the respect of its members. Will is dependable, unflappable, and simply a joy to be around. And that's good, because as my special assistant he is by my side from morning to night. I will always be grateful to him for transitioning from my policy staff to accept this unique role. The speakership comes with its challenges, but Will's quick wit and sunny disposition have made every day more fun. He has made me a better speaker. I thank him for his service and can't wait to see all that he accomplishes next.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, rise to commend Ethan Lauer on his exemplary service to the people's House. Ethan, who began here in 1999 as an Assistant Parliamentarian, has served as the Deputy Parliamentarian since 2012. While his departure is certainly bittersweet, I am pleased to note that he is returning to our shared home state of Wisconsin for a position serving the Wisconsin State Assembly. Ethan has been a tremendous asset to the House, from his encyclopedic knowledge of rules and procedures, to his drafting and interpretation skills, which have been invaluable during procedural challenges. Our presiding officers, in particular, have come to rely on Ethan's ability to quickly and clearly navigate a parliamentary situation. Given its importance to members, Ethan's role in publishing the precedents of the House merits special mention. He has served as the Managing Editor of the House Rules and Manual since 2007. In addition, he has worked on three volumes of House Practice and three volumes of precedents. Over the years, Ethan has always brought an unbreakable demeanor and positive spirit to his duties. He has that rare combination of endless patience and extraordinary dedication that has made him essential to keeping this institution functioning. His record of public service is one to which every Parliamentarian and House employee should aspire. On behalf of the whole House, I thank Ethan for his service and wish his wife, Erin, and their children Anna and Sadie, well as they return to the Badger State.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, going back to our days at the Budget Committee, Nicole Foltz has been with me for every big legislative battle of this majority. She is a whip smart lawyer with a deep understanding and appreciation for the practices and precedents of this institution. Nicole long ago earned my trust, but as a leader of the House floor staff, all the parliamentarians, and members-- especially our presiding officers--have come to know Nicole as an indispensable advisor. She is the linchpin of the legislative process, skillfully managing the flow of major legislation from drafting to enrollment. When problems arise, she is the fixer, getting us back on track. Through it all, she has been the picture of Midwestern decency, which is what we will miss most about her. On behalf of the whole House, I thank Nicole for her years of faithful service, and wish her the best.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, one of the most significant policy achievements in the last three decades would not have been possible without George Callas. George and I have been kindred spirits in our work to enact historic tax reform. He laid the groundwork for our eventual success with his early work on draft reform legislation while at the Ways and Means Committee, and he drove us over the finish line as my senior tax counsel in the Speaker's Office. I am sad to see him leave but eternally grateful for his lasting contributions to this country. George is a problem solver, relentless, and quite simply the best tax policy mind that I've ever encountered. Some of the most enjoyable moments of my speakership have been batting around tax reform ideas with George. As he departs Congress after nearly 15 years, I wish him and his family all the best and congratulate him on a job well done.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Keep me on the schedule. Good to see you, guys and gals. Thank you.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Not really. The authorizing committee process works pretty well. We do suspensions fairly often. The minority gets one, we get two, you know, out of the deal, and those are only signed off by committees of jurisdiction. It is the appropriation committee's work that has basically been circumvented because we have omnibuses and CRs. The authorizing committees do work. The Energy and Commerce Committee, they are the ones in charge, with Ways and Means, of all these opioid bills. Ways and Means did the tax bill. Every big bill, FAA, WRRDA, Transportation marked it up, brought it to the floor. So that committee process is working. The authorizing committee process totally, absolutely, fundamentally does work. Appropriations is broken, and it is not because of the Appropriations Committee. It is, honestly, when it takes 60 votes to do anything over there, you don't do anything. Last year, we passed all 12 bills before the fiscal year, but they just piled up, and I just don't think we are ever going to do 12 bills, 12 conference reports, all of that done before the fiscal year. In this day and age, we spend all our time doing that and then do it all over again next year. So I think we need a new appropriating system, and that is, hopefully, what this committee we created in the omni will come up with. It is a bicameral and bipartisan joint select committee, and we want them to bring the results after the election so it is not politicized.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Oh, yes, I remember you, Bob. You got new glasses. I didn't recognize you at first. Good to see you.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. I think, because we did CARA, which was 2015, we put dollars and resources out in the communities at the county level, for the most part. Then we got a lot of feedback and learned a lot of lessons, and then your committee did a lot of research on pharma and pharmaceuticals and all of that, and prescriptions, which gave us the result of, I think it is, 48 bills. I am going off the top of my head. Because of the way the Senate works, we realized we are just going to have to package all of this stuff, put it in one big bill, H.R. 6, send it over there so they can just take it in a slug, because there is no way they could process all that legislation. So it was a really big effort, and I believe they are going to get that through. I think they will get through a couple of our infrastructure bills. What is really interesting--and I am going off your topic--is this appropriations process is broken. Some of you are former appropriators. I don't think there will ever be a day where the Senate can process 12 appropriation bills. I just don't think they will never do it. So we had the Joint Select Committee redesign the budget process. It is bicameral and bipartisan. I am very hopeful that they can produce a new process. I think biennial is probably a pretty smart way to go, maybe split the appropriations in half, six this year, six the next year, due in 2 years, something like that, because we are just doing CRs and omnis, and that is not good. But this year, I think we might get three to six appropriation bills in law before the fiscal year, knock on wood. So we haven't done that since we have been in the majority. We passed, like, two 3 years ago. Yes, Phil.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Yes. I have thought about this a bit. I think results will ultimately matter, not the acrimony in between, but actually achieving results. And I think the kind of anxiety we have in the country, which is exploited by both fringes from both sides, can be reduced a bit if we have reduced economic anxiety in the country. We are beginning to reduce economic anxiety in the country. Getting the military rebuilt and veterans fixed will help us reduce national security anxiety. But reducing anxiety means we sort of take away the oxygen that gives a lot of breathing room and life to preying on that anxiety, and it happens on all sides this day. Tim.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Thank you, Cliff.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Why do you think I am smiling all time? I just wanted to come and say I am really excited about joining your freshman class next year with Sam Johnson, Tom Rooney, Jeb Hensarling, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. There is a number of us who will be joining the freshman class. This is my 20th year serving here. I have learned, 20 years with three teenagers at home, sometimes you have just got to make the right decision for the right reasons, and I am very comfortable with the decision I have made because I did it for the right reasons. And so I look forward to that next chapter. I look forward to reaching out to some of you, people I have known a long time, about how that next chapter looks. I just want to say one thing. You don't take Bears fans; right? Because I don't want to join any Chicago Bears fans in this thing. I see Jerry Weller over there. So we have got some pretty big rivalries that we have had throughout the years. You turn on the TV and you think it is nothing but a snake pit and it is nothing but just vitriol. We just passed about 70 opioid bills that we bundled together, massive bipartisan vote; WRRDA, massive bipartisan vote; FAA, massive bipartisan vote. So about 80 percent of what we do through here, we are running, on average, about 350 votes for. So, believe it or not, there is a lot that is getting done. We have passed about 800 bills, this session, of the House. It is a pretty big pace. That place over there has got about 550 of those bills stacked on top of them. Two hundred bills have received around 400 votes in the House. So we are pleased that they are staying in August to kind of work on this list, but there are a great deal of things that we have been able to get out of here on big issues, whether it is defense, national security, veterans, basic health research, opioid epidemics, that really are bipartisan. And then we do have the partisan issues, whether it is tax policy or welfare reform on the farm bill. Those things are, more or less, partisan, but the place is working. That is the point I want to leave you with. The place is working, does work, and this new social media, cable TV ratings chase age we are in, it is a different system. We are going to have to figure out how to navigate this system. We are going to have to figure out how to make sure the body politic in our Republic and our sense of civility still lasts and persists in this system. We are in this strange, unchartered territory right now. So I look forward, frankly, to thinking about those issues and how to overcome those when I have a little time to think when I am out of here. But the one thing I do think former Members could be really helpful in is trying to figure out how do we still keep that sense of unity and civility with big differences of philosophical and idealogical opinions while moving the country forward. That is something we are all going to have to think about in this new sort of digital 21st century age we find ourselves in. That is one thing I actually look forward to thinking about when I am done with this. So I just wanted to come and say welcome. I am happy to answer a few questions. I have got to open Conference at 9, so I have got a few minutes.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. I don't want to cut him off.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chair, I first want to start by thanking the chair and the ranking member. But for a moment, I would like to address another issue. I want to pause to honor the life of Dr. Charles Krauthammer. Dr. Krauthammer was a widely respected conservative thinker. He wrote columns for which he won a Pulitzer Prize. Paralyzed since college, he wrote the most vigorous commentary of our age. He was a Harvard- educated psychiatrist and had the perfect training to analyze our politics. He passed away yesterday, leaving behind a family that loved him, colleagues that admired him, and grateful friends and readers like myself. If I had to think about this, Charles was a good friend of mine. He had a beautiful mind, and he had a wonderful, wonderful way about him. Simply put, I loved this man. I loved his work. I would marvel over not just what he said, but how he would say it. He had a unique ability to take the issue of the moment and place it perfectly in the context of bigger things. ``America is the only country founded on an idea,'' he would say, and his vocation was the defense of that idea. As great as his intellect was, there was absolutely no arrogance about him. Charles was good company, so gracious, so curious. Take any topic and he had already thought through his argument, your argument, and all the counterarguments before you even got started thinking. He was always willing to enjoy the fight, but with good cheer--he enjoyed it; he reveled in it; he excelled at it. Charles used his immeasurable gifts to contribute to our civic discourse--and he did it civilly--and we are all the better for it. We will be wiser for what he has done for us. I only hope and pray that we can try to emulate his spirit and his sense of wonder and civility. The House and this Nation are in his debt. Our prayers are with his family. Mr. Chair, I rise to express my wholehearted support for H.R. 6. Today, our Nation is fighting a grave opioid epidemic. It is a threat to a generation of young people and the very fabric that holds our communities together. But to me, this legislation is about hope. I have had the honor of speaking with and knowing three brave Wisconsin families who have dealt with this, families that I have gotten to know over the course of time. Kyle Pucek is a guy I know from Janesville. He had an ankle injury treated with opioid medication, just like a lot of people have. He developed a dependency and eventually turned to heroin. He is now clean, and he works with nonprofits in Janesville to encourage others to seek treatment. He is helping make sure people don't make the mistakes he made. He is making a huge difference. Michelle Jaskulski has two sons, former high school athletes, who became addicted to heroin. They are in recovery. She understands the loneliness that comes with being a mother in this situation. She understands how isolating it can all feel. Now she advocates for more resources to fight this epidemic and supports other families so that they don't feel like they are facing this fight alone, like she did. Jason Simcakoski was a marine who served our country. He went to a VA hospital looking for help for his anxiety. He was overprescribed opioids, and he lost his life. His family has made it their mission to ensure that others do not experience the same fate. This is the heart of America. After suffering such unspeakable pain, these families overcame. Now they are making it their mission in life to make sure others have a place to turn to and that others don't have to go down the path they went. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it is actually an act of strength. We all have a role to play in this, and it begins with reaching out, with listening, and with being there for one another. All of our institutions at every level should emulate and encourage this kind of fellowship. We should make sure to make clear that no one is alone, that every life matters. This bill has the perfect title: SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. It is bipartisan. It is high time we do it. It is a very, very strong and good step in the right direction. It will advance treatment and recovery; it will improve prevention; it will give resources to communities; and it will fight deadly drugs like fentanyl. So I thank Chairman Walden and Chairman Brady. I also thank Mr. Pallone and Mr. Neal. I thank all the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee. Let's not stop here. Let's not stop until we have instilled hope in all of those who may be struggling. Let's not stop until we have ended this epidemic. I urge the entire House to vote ``yes.''

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate this year's winners of the Congressional Award. With this award, Congress recognizes young Americans who devote their free time to an important activity. It could be taking on a public service project, pursuing a hobby or new skill, starting a physical fitness program, or going on an outdoor expedition. Participants set goals in these areas, and how they do in meeting them determines the level of award they receive. Just as important, they receive the sense of pride that comes with fulfilling a mission. The program, established in 1979, is a great way to motivate young people to develop the building blocks of good citizenship. At Theodore Roosevelt Island, on the Potomac River, there is a quote of his etched on a granite monolith under the word `youth': ``Courage, hard work, self-mastery, and intelligent effort are all essential to successful life.'' The Congressional Award honors those who strive to be part of something bigger than themselves. We share in the pride their families must feel today. I include in the Record a list of this year's Congressional Award Gold Medalists from around the country, including Nikhita Santebennur of Brookfield, Wisconsin. 2018 Congressional Award Gold Medalists Alaska: Garrett Anderson, Tess Hopkin. Arizona: Kitt Bergqvist, Jerry Miao, Ibukun Oluyi, Gala Palavicini, Jerry Zhu. Arkansas: Min Kim. California: Esha Aneja, Gabrielle Bernas, Sangeetha Bharath, Nathan Bierle, Eric Bui, Caelyn Carlson, Sihan Chen, Christine Choi, Selina Chong, Jenna Chu, Soma Chu, Sang Woo Chun, Isaac Chung, Sienna Cowing, Elena Crespo, Hannah Belle Crow, Dylan Esposito, Ishan Gaur, Connor Getz, Alexandra Gomez, Nikhil Gupta, Emily Guyumjian, Ji Woo Han, Seoyeon Han, Robin Hu, Jonathan Jackson, Kaelyn Jackson, Brianna Jahangiri, Samir Jain, Isabel Jang, Haesung Jee, Chase Jin, Livia Johan, Kaily Johnson, Samuel Jon, Edward H. Jung, Neil Kamdar, Jamie Ann Kana, Michael Kao, Brandon Kim, Emmalyn Kim, Frank Kim, Heewon Stephanie Kim, Julianne Kim, Justin Kim, Justin Jiwook Kim, Kevin Kim, Kyle Kim, Minji Kim, Scott Kim, Suyeon Kim, Madeline Koontz, Larissa Lai, Isabelle Lao- Ngo, Amber Lee, Joseph Lee, Justin Hanvin Lee, Lauren Hope Lee, Melody Lee, Seungmin Lee, Sydney Lee, Yong Min (Nathan) Lee, Chelsea Leung, Matthew Liao, Alexander Lieske, Steven Lim, Luke Lindgren, Kuanting Ling, Raleigh Loughman, Derick Ma, Matthew Macres, Nicole Macres, Victoria Macres, Jonathan Mah, Tanya Matthew, Thane Messer, Sofia Miera, Justin Miranda, Joshua Moon, Ze Hyun Moon, Cade Myers, Tiffany Ngan, Brianna Oh, Bryce Palmer-Toy, Charles Park, Christian Park, Christine Park, Daniel Park, Jimin Claire Park, Joon-Ha Park, Matthew Park, Sarah Park, Timothy Park, Blake Peters, Chase Pinkerton, Jagannathan Rangarajan, Landon Reekstin, Robbie Robison, Marion Semana, Karina Seth, Jeong Min Si, Francesca Jiyeon Song, Joseph Song, Sydney Song, Gautum Srinivas, Juliane Tsai, Jaime Velasco, Christopher (Caiqi) Wei, Ray William, Rose William, Dylan Wong, Joie Wong, Tifany Wong, Christopher Yoo, Daniel Yoo, David Zou. Colorado: Eric Bear, Evelyn Bodoni, Chase McCleary, Joseph Soto, Nina Vendhan, Katherine Wood, Jason Zhang. Connecticut: Paul Peruzzi, Dylan Rispoli, John Wechsler. Delaware: Akhil Rao. Florida: Faiza Ahmed, Walker Atterbury, Ashley Banker, Trusha Bharadwaj, Gina Carvelli, Abhinav Dhulipala, Mark Ellis, Matthew Ewoldt, William Gao, Sapphire Gibson, Jacob Givoni, James Goetschius, Nathalie Han, Rockwell Howley, Diamond Jackson, Corrigan Kirvin, Jozie Martinez, Sean Myers, Caroline Nolan, Kara Percival, Mulleak Pitts, Margaret Regnery, Ashay Stephen, Nicolas Suarez, Sebastian Suarez, Kiara Watts, Alex Weinstein, Alexis Williams, Alexander Wood. Georgia: Sravya Ambadipudi, Kimberly Beauvais, Caroline Brolly, Sara Carr, Marissa Farrell, Cameron Macdonald, Vani Senthil, Dilan Shah, Julie Street. Guam: Athena McNinch. Idaho: Kalynn Cotton, Anna Rose Cuentas, Ellie Heisey, Breanna Luckey, Zachary McCammon. Illinois: Aayush Agarwal, Rohan Agarwal, Ayse Eldes, Grace Pawelczyk. Indiana: Grace Brown, Kamna Gupta, Vivian Wei. Iowa: Luke Schriever. Kansas: Jacqueline Kincaid, Shaunak Lokre, Ariza Nanji, Ethan Onyszchuck, Meghana Pathapati, Aidan Scurato, William Stublen. Kentucky: Anne Boggess, Davis Hale. Maryland: Faith Melinda Burton, Abigail Gerstman, Serheni'te Johnson, Nicole Meister, Anaya Moreland, Sarah Morris, Matthew Mu, Angela Wu. Massachusetts: Miranda Fisher, Cameron Friend, Caroline Gilmore, Shahar Hartman, Susanna Klicka, Danielle Purinton, Milena Rogalski, Suvan Shukla, Aiden Snorek-Yates. Michigan: Amanda Coy, Elijah Martineau. Minnesota: Erika Swanson. Mississippi: Jackson Christ, Demi Doty, Shelby Lindsey. Missouri: Claudia Barney, Sophia Barney, Ashley Chiles, Kaelin Dooley, Katheryn Elliott, Zeeshan Khalid, Francesca Mauro, Rachel Moore, Josie Moran, Kallista Noel. Nevada: Esra Aydogdu, Akshatha, Narasimhan, Michael Tracy. New Hampshire: Emily Craven, Dana DeMore. New Jersey: Gabriella Alicea, Nishay Bhatnagar, Nora Faverzani, Joshua Geldreich, Zachary Gill, Robert Greeley, Alexandra Hsueh, Vidhi Jain, Sofia Kwon, Raelynne Miller, Malvika Narayan, Jeremy Nugent, Alexis Oliver, Anthony Olivio, Sakshi Parikh, Sasanka Pitta, Richard Rivera, Craig Scharmann, Heli Shah, Riya Shah, Nicolette Traa. New York: Sarah Antonevich, Michael Bender, Kristen Blanchard, Sai Vishudhi Chandrasekhar, Lindsey Chu, Christopher Czarkowski, Julianna Fisher, Thomas Flynn, Thomas Fouts, Rahma Ibrahim, Shreya Krishnan, Priyanka Kumar, Ryan Lawrence, Aman Malhotra, Jakob Matala, Emily Perkins, Frank Pizzella, Sofija Radulovic, Hruday Rajput, Rebecca Reich, Peter Rotondo, Eric Wiener. North Carolina: Daniel Bonomo, Lucas Bonomo, Laura Bozovich, Nina Christensen, Tyler Eagan, Jonathan Goforth, John Groggel, Tanner Helmick, Cobey Ledford, Kayla Merriweather, Sophia Merriweather, Alexander Ratliff, Bennett Ruff, Jeremiah Stogner, Paul Van Eerden, Hannah Whittington, James Willett. Ohio: Swati Bhageria, Toby Chen, Om Desai, Vismaya Manchaiah, Matthew Joonsung Oh, Dhaivat Pandya, Ganesh Ravela, Blake Swoll, Sarvani Vemuri, Dhira Venkatramani. Oklahoma: Arjun Nanda, Laura Tham. Oregon: Alexiya Lee, Rachel Luther. Pennsylvania: Sophia Boquist, Matthew Hladczuk, Christopher Lee, Jennifer Levito, Justin Yuan. South Carolina: Andrew Lockhart. Tennessee: Greta Kowalski, Allison Plattsmier. Texas: Andrew Aboujaoude, Arshia Batra, Michael Bejarano, Joseph Campbell, Estrella Carbajal, Alex Carter, Aayush Dave, Isabella Davila, Suhani Gadkari, Vanshika Jhonsa, Talon Lewis, Theodore Lewis, Cullen Malone, Martin Montalvo, Akhila Moorthy, Leela Moorthy, Eesha Nayak, Joshua Prochaska, Priya Ramamoorthy, Divya Ramamurthy, Victor Rangel, Brian Seelig, Catherine Seelig, Nivedhitha Selvaraj, Andrew Seto, Kathleen Stephenson, Elizabeth Walker, Ronnie Wilson, Michael Zelewski. Utah: Spencer Baird, Morgan Barron, Jessica Herbert, Kate Herbert, Czarina Land, Brady Moon, Eldar Muhic. Vermont: Matthew Germaine. Virginia: Katherine Cinnamon, Matthew Cinnamon, Katherine Craig, Akshay Deverakonda, Brianna DiSanza, Nolan Fitzsimmons, Helen Ganley, Nicole Gray, Margaret Kirtley, Neil Kothari, Pranab Krishnan, Carmen Mazyck, Matthew Roca, Benjamin Silverberg, Margaret Thompson, Artemis Veizi, Andrew Zhao. Washington: Gailynn Benjamin, Lauren Champlin, Brooke Chang, Sten Hoffman, Hyun Seo (Christina) Joo, Angela Lin, Emily Mather, Bridget Rowe, Hannah Wadham, Jiayi Wang. West Virginia: Sahil Dave, Alexandria Potter, Christopher Potter, Victoria Potter, Elizabeth Sexton. Wisconsin: Nikhita Santebennur. Wyoming: Alex Aguirre, Abijah Ahern, Shelby Albright, Alexander Allison, Emily Applegate, Tayten Barhaug, Gunner Bartlett, Dayna Berg, Riley Box, Evelyn Brady, Jaliegah Davis, Danielle DiJohn, Gabriella Dodgson, Adrienne Duda, Connor Gililland, Santana Gould, Mary Harris, SayDree Hendricks, Sydney Horton, Adrian Johnson, Ciara Johnson, Kaylee Jones, Logan Jones, Elizabeth Marie Kassel, Sydney Martin, Ginger McCormick, Seth Meyer, Elliott Miller, Evan Naughton, Aurora Noe, Aedian O'Connor, Micaiah Pantle, Brayden Parker, Samantha Patterson, Noelle Peterson, Dawson Poste, Rylee Ramsey, Noah Riffee, Alexandria Isabella Million Rinne, Lindsey Ruiz, Brooklynn Salo, Delaney Schmidt, Sylvia Shanklin, Kiara Sims, Sierra Sinclair, Avalon Skinner, T. Laine Smith, Stephani Sommer, Meigan Starr, Kesslee Stewart, Sarah Sutton, Lauren Tyson, James Whiting, Faith Wright, Bradley Zimmerman, Mikayla Zimmerman.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I address the House today to mark Jared Eichhorn's last week working as the Director of the House Republican Cloakroom. The Cloakroom is a special place in the people's House, and Jared has been its reliable steward. Jared's service to the House dates back to the summer of 2006, when he began his tenure as a staff assistant for then-Majority Leader John A. Boehner (OH-08). Jared kept his head down and worked his way up the ladder, ultimately moving to the House floor as a Floor Assistant, a role in which he would flourish. Working with members and staff from the GOP Conference, Jared became a trusted source for parliamentary procedure and floor strategy. Given Jared's hard work and steadiness, it is no surprise that in 2015, Speaker Boehner named him to serve as the cloakroom's director, a post I asked him to continue in at the start of this speakership. Jared is one of the good guys. He is a team player who shows up every day and gives everything he has for this place. Whether it is running the Cloakroom, managing his team, fielding countless questions and requests from member offices, coordinating with the House Rules Committee, Jared's departure will be a big loss to our office and the institution. His quiet dedication to the people's House is an example for all of us, as his unflappable nature. A Cleveland native, Jared is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio, where I am also a proud alumnus. His bride, Sarah, is also a Cleveland native and Miami alumna. Yet while they were in both in Oxford at the same time, it would take a nudge by our former colleague from Ohio, Rep. Steve LaTourette, to make the first introduction. Jared and Sarah are expecting their first child later this summer and I could not be happier for them. I want to thank Sarah for her sacrifices during the late nights and long hours. We are so grateful for Jared's service to this institution, and the whole House is in his debt.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deepest condolences on the passing of Michael Potemra, longtime literary editor of National Review Magazine. Mike Potemra was a conservative thought leader who served President Reagan and three United States Senators--Kasten of Wisconsin, Durenberger of Minnesota, and DeWine of Ohio--before joining the Editorial Board of National Review in 1999. Mike was a valued and proud member of the Reagan Revolution. I knew Mike when we worked in Senator Kasten's office together nearly 30 years ago. Mike's desk was around the corner from the mailroom where I started as an intern. He was a speechwriter for Senator Kasten, and a masterful one at that. With brilliance and absolute integrity, Mike took everyone he worked with to a higher level . . . so much from him. Mike loved America and the mobility and economic liberty that America embraces. He was born in Youngstown, Ohio to Slovakian immigrants and grew up speaking both Slovak and English. His life embodies the American Dream: as a child of immigrants, he attended Catholic University, Harvard Law School, and served in the White House and the U.S. Senate. Mike was a profound and dedicated conservative, but he was never partisan. He was intellectually curious about everything and embraced political discourse as a true American does--always providing people with the opportunity to change his mind--which rarely happened. On a human level, Mike was a wonderful person with a keen sense of humor. More often than not, everyone who visited Mike's desk left with a smile and a hearty laugh at his jokes, observations, and uncanny impressions of William F. Buckley, Ronald Reagan, and Jack Kemp. Let us take this time to remember Mike's life and service to our country, and pray for the people who loved him dearly--his family, friends, and colleagues. He was a good man, and a great American.

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin

Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, this has been a very busy week in the House. I just came to the floor from a ceremony where I signed three major pieces of legislation that are now headed to the President's desk to become law. This House has been very busy keeping its promises: to unleash our economy, to take care of our veterans, to provide hope for the terminally ill. We just signed those three things that are now on their way to the President's desk. But perhaps the most important promise that we made was the one that we made to the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. We promised to start rebuilding our military to give them the resources that they need to do their jobs, to reassert the United States' dominance in our military in the world. After tax reform, that was my most important legislative priority, because that was our most important legislative priority. Mr. Chairman, it is another promise kept. Earlier this year, we enacted a historic increase in military funding, made possible by the bipartisan budget agreement that came before it. This allowed us to advance the bill that we have before us right here today. I want to thank the members of the Armed Services Committee, the ranking member, but I especially want to thank Chairman Thornberry for his work on this bill and his tireless advocacy for our men and women in uniform. This National Defense Authorization presents another major step toward rebuilding and reforming our military. It will repair the damage done over the previous decade. It starts with readiness. It starts with readiness because this country has had a readiness crisis that has been costing us lives. More American servicemembers are being killed in accidents and training exercises than on the battlefield. As Secretary Mattis put it, he was shocked by the poor state of our readiness. We must reverse that. This bill invests in training. This bill invests in equipment. It grows the size of all branches of our military, and it prioritizes missile defense and our nuclear deterrent. It is a very dangerous world, and this legislation will help us counter the threats, whether they are new or traditional, whether from China or Russia or Iran or North Korea. But, like I said, we are not just rebuilding our military, we are reforming our military. The legislation streamlines the bureaucracy and improves the buying practices so that we are not devoting more resources to waste, we are devoting more resources to what counts: keeping this country strong and keeping this country safe. And, of course, we are taking care of our servicemembers and their families with the biggest pay raise for our troops in 9 years. I am so proud of this legislation. I am so proud of our legislators. I am so proud of the chairman for making this moment possible. Here we are, not just keeping our promise, but making this a better, stronger, safer United States. This will have a lasting impact, and this will ensure that America continues to lead in the 21st century. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman and the members of the committee, and I urge adoption of this bill.