Phil Roe

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 4910, as amended.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4910) to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide outer burial receptacles for remains buried in National Parks, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this commonsense bill, H.R. 4335, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5447, the Music Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill that will finally update our Nation's copyright laws and correct a terrible injustice that threatens the future of quality music. Music has changed, perhaps, more than any other industry over the past 50 years. When the Copyright Act of 1976 was signed into law, most people got their music on a vinyl record. I still like vinyl, I might add. Today, you can instantly stream music to your phone from any number of services at the touch of a button. That Copyright Act might have been what was needed at the time, but it never could have anticipated the radical shift in how music was consumed over the past, even in the last 10 years. For far too long, hardworking songwriters have been penalized under the old system and have been paid only pennies on the dollar for their creative works, even though their songs may have been streamed millions of times every second around the world. Garth Brooks' iconic song, ``The Dance,'' has been streamed tens of millions of times; and the songwriter, Tony Arata, who wrote that beautiful song, was paid a few hundred dollars. That is ridiculous, and it is wrong. Under the current system, the creative geniuses that write this music won't be able to make a living doing what they love doing, which is writing great songs. The Music Modernization Act seeks to fix this discrepancy and properly recognize the hard work these songwriters put into their craft before they simply stop writing music because they can no longer earn enough money to survive. As a musician myself, I understand what songwriters and performers go through when getting a song out for the world to hear, and it is time we recognize the contributions the songwriters make to the creative process. This bill was supported by the entire music industry: songwriters, record labels, music publishers, streaming services, just to name a few. It isn't often that we have a truly bipartisan and widely supported piece of legislation to consider, but with this bill, we have the opportunity and can change the lives of some of our Nation's most talented people for the better. I strongly support H.R. 5447 and encourage all of my colleagues to listen to their favorite song one more time before coming to the floor and think of the person who wrote it, think about what it means, then support this bill and truly make a difference in someone's life.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 2, proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. And I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte for the incredible work he has done on this issue. Mr. Speaker, families across America have to balance their budgets, and it is time Washington does the same thing. I was the mayor of my local city before I came here: six balanced budgets with surpluses each and every year. Forty-eight States, including my home State of Tennessee, require a balanced budget by law. What makes Washington any different? Members of Congress are required to balance their office budgets or pay for any overages themselves. Guess what, Mr. Speaker? 435 balanced budgets. The rhetoric we hear from the other side is that the reason we have magic budget deficits is tax cuts. Let's talk about an inconvenient truth: revenues collected by the Federal Government have never been higher in the history of this country. Revenue has increased nearly 8 percent annually over the last 7 years. And, Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government doesn't need to spend 8 percent more revenue each and every year. What we need to do is rein in our spending. Spending is the problem. The other point we have heard is that the recent omnibus spending bill is another sign that Congress lacks seriousness about addressing spending. Well, discretionary spending has been growing at or about 2.4 percent over the last 14 years annualized. That is a lot more than many of us would like, but we basically have held this spending in check. The problem is our ballooning mandatory programs that account for 70 cents of every dollar we spend annually is a problem. Mandatory spending, which includes pensions, food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and others is growing at 7\1/2\ percent per year. Medicare and Social Security both face a crisis in the not-too-distant future, and Congress has to make hard choices about how to secure these programs for future generations. I am convinced, however, that the only way Congress will make those hard choices is if we are forced to. Both parties bear responsibility for our annual budget deficits, but people have a choice here today. The last time we had a chance to vote on a similar resolution was 2011, and the only thing that has changed since then is that our debt and deficit have exploded further. It is time that we, in Congress, make the hard decision and require Washington to abide by the same budget before it is too late and we can't right the ship: the same thing that families do every single week and month of the year. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.J. Res. 2, and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same and help start the process of bringing some fiscal responsibility back to Washington.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5247, the Right to Try Act. I am a physician and scientist with over 40 years experience treating patients, some of whom had the dreaded diagnosis of cancer. Six months ago, I was operated on for cancer, and I, to this day, am a cancer survivor. If needed, I would like to have the right to try. A little over 3 years ago, my beloved wife, Pam Roe, a nurse and friend, died of stage IV colon cancer. She would have liked to have had the right to try. Less than 2 months after that, one of the best friends I will ever have in my life, Phil Street, a Vietnam veteran, Air Force veteran, died of a cancer related to Agent Orange. Phil would have liked to have had the right to try. My senior partner in medical practice, a year later, good friend, was diagnosed with brain cancer. Dr. Cone would have liked the right to try. Shortly after that, Linda Baines, a scrub nurse that I have operated with hundreds of times in my medical practice, was diagnosed with cancer. Linda would have liked the right to try. I have two dear friends at this moment who are both being treated for stage IV cancer. If those treatments don't work--and I have had to look patients in the eye and say, Mr. Speaker: ``Your life is not in my hands anymore. It is in God's hands''--they would like to have the right to try. I tell you this: all these patients want and deserve is a right to try. Please, I am asking you to support this legislation.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin), the author of the bill on the House side and also an Iraq war veteran.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, unless Mr. Zeldin has talked to my doctor and knows something I don't know, I hope to be here next year. That is my plan. I appreciate the opportunity to work on this bill with him. He has been a great advocate, as the ranking member has been. This is a bill that is long overdue, much needed, and I give my strong support along with--I think I can speak for them--the entire Veterans' Affairs Committee. We voiced this. I encourage Members to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman), from the Upper Peninsula, chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, before I begin today, I would like to take a moment to express my deepest sympathies to those affected by last week's tragedy in Yountville, California. I closely followed the situation. I am truly saddened by what has occurred. All three employees who lost their lives--Christine Loeber and Jennifer Golick from the Pathway Home and Jennifer Gonzales from the Department of Veterans Affairs--were committed to helping veterans struggling with difficulties like post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental problems. As Secretary Shulkin said: ``Caring for veterans and our employees serving them is always important. It is even more critical that we reach out to one another and provide support during painful times like these.'' I think I can speak for myself and the rest of the members on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs when I offer prayers and support during this incredibly difficult and challenging time for these families. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 324, the State Veterans Home Adult Day Health Care Improvement Act of 2017. It is imperative that we ensure that VA is equipped with a variety of geriatric and long-term care programs to best meet the individual needs and goals of the increasing number of veterans who are reaching retirement age. Current law requires VA to cover the cost of nursing home care in a State Veterans Home for any veteran in need of such care due to a service-connected disability or with a service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or more. However, veterans are increasingly seeking opportunities to get additional care they need as they age while remaining at home rather than in a nursing care facility or other institutional setting. S. 324 would help those veterans by requiring VA to enter into an agreement or a contract with the State Veterans Home to pay for adult day healthcare for veterans who are eligible but not receiving nursing home care. Adult day healthcare programs provide companionship, peer support, recreation, certain healthcare services, case management assistance with activities of daily living, and more to veterans, and needed respite and relief to caregivers. What is more, adult day healthcare programs are a much less costly alternative to nursing home care, meaning that, with the enactment of this bill, we could grant veterans who desire to age at home the opportunity to do so without sacrificing the care and support services they may need and save taxpayer dollars. S. 324, which is sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, is companion legislation to H.R. 1005, which is sponsored by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin) and passed the House with unanimous support earlier this year. I am grateful to both of them for their leadership on this issue, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 324. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 324) to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of adult day health care services for veterans.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. As Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it is both a pleasure and an honor for me to commemorate such an enormous milestone for an organization that does so much for America's veterans. Founded by a small group of friends in New York City on February 16, 1868, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal society committed to the virtues of charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity. Over the past 150 years, the Order has grown to include nearly 1,000,000 Elks Members and 2,000 lodges across the country. The Elks have a long and storied history of supporting America's veterans. This is evident through the century-old Elks pledge: ``So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.'' In fact, during World War I, at the behest of General Pershing--who was an Elk, himself--the Order donated over $2,000,000 to assist U.S. soldiers going abroad; and organized, constructed and equipped the first two American field hospitals in France. Following World War I, the Elks empowered nearly 50,000 disabled veterans by providing rehabilitation, vocation and education loans. It was this act of generosity that prompted the federal government to offer the first ever G.I. Bill for education benefits. Every day, Elks across the country visit VA medical facilities to provide support and friendship to the men and women who have borne the battle for our freedoms. Last year alone, the Elks provided over 1,000,000 hours of service to veterans and donated nearly $41,000,000 worth of goods, supplies and cash in support of America's veterans. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, it is an absolute honor for me to commemorate the 150th anniversary of this incredible and selfless organization, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude for their work over the past 150 years and I wish them the absolute best for 150 years to come

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this legislation. From this Army veteran, I wish Private Sousley and Private Bowling to rest in peace. Semper fi. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr), who is my good friend and Mr. Bowling's Congressman from Lexington.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4533, as amended, a bill to designate the collective healthcare facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, in Lexington, Kentucky, as the Lexington VA Health Care System; to designate the Lexington VA Medical Center Leestown Division as the Franklin R. Sousley Campus; and to designate the Lexington VA Medical Center Cooper Division as the Troy Bowling Campus. The bill is sponsored by my good friend Congressman Andy Barr from Kentucky, and I am grateful to him for introducing this legislation in honor of two American heroes. One healthcare facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs located at 2250 Leestown Road in Lexington, Kentucky, would be named the Franklin R. Sousley Campus in honor of Private First Class Franklin Runyon Sousley. Private First Class Sousley was born in Hilltop, Kentucky, and became a marine in 1944. Following basic training, he was assigned to the newly formed Fifth Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California, and slated for the upcoming invasion of Iwo Jima. A force of 70,000 marines, including Private First Class Sousley, landed on February 19, 1945, on the south side of the island of Iwo Jima. On the fourth day of the invasion, Private First Class Sousley was one of the six men in the famous photograph of United States Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi. Tragically, he was killed in action by a Japanese sniper 27 days later. Private First Class Sousley was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation with a Silver Star, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with a Bronze Star, and the World War II Victory Medal. The other healthcare facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs, located at 1101 Veterans Drive in Lexington, Kentucky, would be named the Troy Bowling Campus in honor of Private Troy Bowling. Private Troy Bowling was born in Hamilton, Ohio, and was another proud marine who served during World War II. Private Bowling's unit was among the first to land at the beaches of Iwo Jima. His unit came under intense and concentrated fire, completely overwhelming his unit. Two projectiles struck Mr. Bowling, leaving him critically wounded on the battlefield. At that moment, Private Bowling said he looked to the heavens and committed to serving mankind for the rest of his life if he survived. Miraculously, a combat photographer and medical team then carried Mr. Bowling to the safety of a landing craft, where he witnessed the planting of the American flag atop Mount Suribachi. Private Bowling followed through on his battlefield promise to God, devoting over 78,000 hours of volunteer service at the Lexington VA Medical Center and rising through the ranks of the Disabled American Veterans, eventually holding nearly every position possible, including state commander. At the 2005 DAV National Convention, Private Bowling received the George H. Seal Award for outstanding volunteer and the VA Lifetime Service Achievement Award. Mr. Bowling was also nominated and selected to be inducted into the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame for his lifetime of service to veterans. After a life of service to our Nation and his brothers and sisters in arms, he passed away on June 17, 2017. Mr. Speaker, it is only fitting and appropriate that, a week before the 73rd anniversary of the invasion of Iwo Jima, we honor both these heroes by naming the two VA medical center campuses in Lexington, Kentucky, after them. This legislation satisfies all the committee's naming criteria and is cosponsored by the entire Kentucky congressional delegation and supported by many Kentucky veteran service organizations. I am proud to support it, as well, and urge my colleagues to join me. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4533) to designate the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Lexington, Kentucky, as the ``Lexington VA Health Care System'' and to make certain other designations, as amended.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 140 and its inclusion of H.R. 986, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act. There are more than 560 federally recognized Native American Tribes across the United States, and each of these Tribes has a unique history and distinct culture that have helped shape who we are today as a nation. Each Tribe has an inherent right to self-govern, just like any other sovereign government does. That right to self-governance is rooted in the Constitution and has been reaffirmed by courts for almost 200 years. Because of it, Tribal leaders are able to make decisions that affect their people in a way that makes the most sense for their Tribe and best protects the interests of their members--or, rather, they should be able to make those decisions. We are here today because, for the past 14 years, the National Labor Relations Board has ignored longstanding labor policy and involved itself in Tribal activities. Since its 2004 San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino decision, the Board has used a subjective test to decide on a case-by-case basis whether a Tribal business or Tribal land is for commercial purposes, and, if it is, the Board has asserted its jurisdiction over that business. Among its other provisions, the bill under consideration would amend the National Labor Relations Act to reaffirm that the NLRB cannot assert its authority over enterprises or institutions owned or operated by a Tribe on Tribal land. It very simply reasserts a legal standard that was in place for decades and returns to Tribes the ability to manage their own labor relations as a sovereign right has. I want to thank my friend and fellow member of the Education and the Workforce Committee from Indiana (Mr. Rokita) for his leadership on this issue and for continuing to work on those in Congress who have helped lead the fight to protect Tribal sovereignty over the years. It is time for all of us to join that fight and stand with the Native American community and restore to Indian Tribes the ability to govern their own labor relations. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how you support Tribal sovereignty, which, by definition, is a sovereign state, but not allow Tribes to self- govern. I don't understand that, and I also don't understand, Mr. Speaker, if our friends on the other side of the aisle today are so worried about getting our work done, why I had to leave committee hearings to come over here three times today to vote not adjourning this body. I would like to know that. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, as a physician, I rise today to raise awareness about the value of comprehensive training aimed at preventing deaths after a traumatic injury occurs. Last fall, I took part in a ``Stop the Bleeding'' training course offered by the American College of Surgeons. This simple training teaches individuals how to treat bleeding injuries and help save a life. Each year, more than 180,000 people die from traumatic injuries. The most common and easily preventable cause of these deaths is too much blood loss in the critical minutes before trained first responders arrive. With an average response time of 8 to 12 minutes once 911 is called, it is the responsibility for all of us to prepare to help others in the event of a traumatic injury. I look forward to working with my fellow Members of Congress and advocates, such as my friends of the American College of Surgeons, to raise awareness of the value of this lifesaving technique.