Phil Roe

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

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

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar).

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 526, I call up the bill (H.R. 511) to clarify the rights of Indians and Indian tribes on Indian lands under the National Labor Relations Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 511.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act. I thank Chairmen Kline, Ryan, Upton, and Price and their staffs for the work and leadership on this important bill. As a physician who spent more than 30 years caring for patients, I am keenly aware of the negative impact that the President's healthcare law has had on the American healthcare system. The mandates, tax increases, wasteful spending, failed Web sites, co-ops, including ObamaCare, put a strain on hardworking families, and it has succeeded only in making our already-struggling economy worse. This bill repeals the individual mandate, the employer mandate, stops the damaging and progressive Cadillac and medical device taxes, which have strong bipartisan support, and is estimated to save about $79 billion. Further, it will protect workers from having to purchase insurance plans they may not want or need by excusing them from the auto enrollment provision. This bill does not accomplish everything we need to to right the wrongs of ObamaCare, but it is a strong step in the right direction. By using the reconciliation process to repeal the most damaging parts of ObamaCare, we are keeping our promise to the American people to protect them from this fatally flawed law. Let me take you down to the ground level, where I live. I was mayor in Johnson City, Tennessee. I just met with the folks there. They have $185,000 they have to pay into a reinsurance fund. They have 1,000 employees and a large HR department. They have had to hire a consultant to figure out whether they are complying with all of the regulations, and the city manager said: Under no circumstances will we hire anybody to work more than 25 hours a week because we cannot afford to do that in our local situation. Mr. Speaker, I came to Congress to help reform our Nation's healthcare system, and there is no question it was broken before ObamaCare. Unfortunately, this law has only made things harder and more expensive for too many Americans. I hear over and over again Republicans don't have any alternatives. Well, here is one right here, the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, a 193-page bill which lowers cost, increases access, and gives more freedom to patients. Also, H.R. 2300, Dr. Price's bill, does the same thing. I strongly encourage support for this bill.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. I thank the chairman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart. Having spent over 30 years as a practicing OB/GYN physician, delivering almost 5,000 babies and trying to save every life of every mother and every baby, I don't see why this is not something that brings us all together. Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, if a baby survives an abortion, we should do everything we can to save that baby's life and to give it the same chance that everybody else has. I am getting emotional here because it is an emotional issue for me. I cannot imagine, as a physician, standing beside a baby that has been delivered--no one in this room can; I don't believe there is another person in this room that has done what I have--and not try to save that baby's life. I strongly support this bill. It should pass overwhelmingly, and it should be the law of the land.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3134, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015. As an OB/GYN physician who has delivered close to 5,000 babies, I was sickened and disturbed by the release of several videos showing Planned Parenthood executives casually discussing the dismemberment of babies to sell body parts. Madam Speaker, this bill isn't about whether you are pro-life or pro- choice, though I am proud to say that I will always be a defender of the right to life. This is about the gruesome practices of an organization that receives over $500 million a year from the Federal Government. As legislators, we carry the responsibility and the privilege to protect those who do not have a voice and to ensure that tax dollars are supporting organizations that truly provide health care for women. I have seen the videos, and I can tell you, that is not health care. I have spent my entire life caring for patients, and it is important to note that there are alternatives for women to receive care besides Planned Parenthood. I strongly support withholding tax dollars from Planned Parenthood until congressional investigators have had a chance to review the matter. I am proud to encourage my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation expressing disapproval of this proposed nuclear deal with Iran. Forty years ago I was a young soldier just south of the militarized zone in Korea when they did not have a nuclear weapon. Now that they have joined the nuclear community, does the world feel safer with a rogue nation having a nuclear weapon? I pose the question: What is in this agreement for America? Does it make us safer? Mr. Speaker, this is not a Republican or a Democrat issue. This is an American issue. This affects all of us. It affects the Middle East, where our closest ally feels endangered, and I agree that they are. And I pose the narrative question: What is it about ``death to America'' this administration does not understand? The President presents a false narrative: war or this agreement. I could not disagree more. The sanctions brought the Iranians to the negotiating table. What kind of an agreement did we negotiate? What happened to ``anytime, anyplace'' inspections? What happened to Americans actually being on the inspection team? I think everyone, every thoughtful person, realizes this just slows the process down. But, ultimately, the Iranians will develop a nuclear weapon. I support the rule and the underlying bills.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to join my colleagues on the House floor today to speak in support of H.R. 1994, the VA Accountability Act, as amended. I would like to begin by noting that most of the VA's 300,000-plus employees are honest, hard-working folks who get up every day and go to work with the sole intention of helping our veterans, just as they do at Mountain Home VA Medical Center in my hometown of Johnson City, Tennessee. With the scandals at the VA medical centers and reports of whistleblower retribution, it has become evident that there are more bad apples than we would like to believe. The VA Accountability Act would provide the flexibility necessary for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to remove these bad actors and send a message about the type of performance that we expect for our veterans. Additionally, this bill would provide frontline employees with increased whistleblower protections from retribution from superiors and colleagues through the office of special counsel. As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and as a veteran myself, I understand how crucial it is for whistleblowers to continue coming forward with allegations of mismanagement, misconduct, and outright negligence. If whistleblowers don't feel safe stepping forward, we will never, never be able to fix the problems at the VA. I think it is important to note that nothing in this bill compels the Secretary to remove anyone. Let me say that again. Nothing in this bill requires the Secretary to remove anyone. It simply gives the Secretary the tools necessary to remove bad employees, which would be a welcomed authority, I would think. Mr. Chairman, we must change the culture at the VA. As the second largest employing Department in the U.S. Government, second only to the Department of Defense, there are far too many bureaucratic hurdles in place to reasonably and responsibly manage it. Just one thing about spending at the VA, Mr. Chairman, I have been on the Veterans' Affairs Committee since I have been in Congress, 6\1/2\ years. The budget is up 74 percent. We are spending the money. We need to spend it more wisely. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation for our Nation's veterans.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2256, as amended, which includes a bill I introduced, H.R. 1016, the Biological Implant Tracking and Veteran Safety Act. A frightening January 2014 GAO report found that the VA does not use a standardized process for tracking biological tissue from a cadaver to a living donor veteran patient. In the event of a recall, it would be virtually impossible to track down which patient had received contaminated tissue. GAO also found that the Veterans Health Administration does not always ensure it is purchasing tissue from biological implant vendors that have registered with the FDA and does not maintain an inventory system to prevent expired tissue from remaining in storage alongside unexpired tissues. The GAO and Veterans' Affairs Committee staff have discovered that VA often uses a loophole that allows it to purchase biological implants on the open, unregulated market, which it does in 57 percent of its biological implant purchases. This bill would require the procurement of biological implants from vendors on the Federal supply schedules which have been appropriately vetted. For biological implants not on the Federal supply schedule but requested by clinicians, my bill requires justification and approval of open market purchases under the Federal acquisition regulation on a case-by-case basis rather than simply granting a blanket waiver. This bill would also direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to adopt FDA's unique device identification system for labeling of all biological implant tissue and implement an automated inventory system to track the tissue from donor to implant recipient. This legislation would also require all biological implant tissue to be procured through vendors that are registered with the FDA, accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks, and use FDA's unique device identification system. The 6 million veterans served annually by VHA deserve the highest standard of patient care in the Nation. Implementation of H.R. 2256 would help establish the VA as an industry leader in biologic implant safety and accountability. I want to thank the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee staff for their help in developing this legislation which truly puts veterans first.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on the afternoon of July 9, 2015. Had I been present, I would have voted: Roll Call #427--NO Roll Call #428--AYE Roll Call #429--YEA Roll Call #430--AYE

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on July 10, 2015. Had I been present, I would have voted: Roll Call #431--AYE. Roll Call #432--NO. Roll Call #433--AYE.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today someone who, 45 years ago, graduated from medical school. My first pediatric rotation was at St. Jude Children's Hospital. At that time, a majority of all those children that I saw as a young medical student died of their disease. Today, almost 90 percent of those children live. Back in the 1950s, we had a polio vaccine. It was developed with the help of government funding, and today that would be scored as a cost to the taxpayers. Does anyone think the prevention of polio was a cost to the taxpayers? It was one of the greatest miracles of the 20th century. Just 4 short months ago, my wife died of stage 4 colon cancer. And I know right now that everyone in this Chamber who is listening and everyone who is outside watching this has had a close family member or a friend or a relative who has experienced something similar. Mr. Speaker, it is time now we as a nation got serious about curing the major diseases, not treating the disease, but curing the major diseases that are affecting this country and affecting us personally. I am more passionate about this bill and excited about passing the 21st Century Cures bill than anything I have voted on since I have been in the Congress. Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on the afternoon of June 25, 2015, due to my attendance at a funeral. Had I been present, I would have voted: rollcall No. 388--``nay,'' rollcall No. 389--``yea.''

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a proud sponsor of H.R. 1190, the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act. This bipartisan legislation, which I introduced with my colleague, Linda T. Sanchez, would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB. Created by the Affordable Care Act, this panel of 15 unaccountable, unelected bureaucrats exists to cut Medicare spending to meet arbitrary budgets and have been given enormous powers to do so. Listen to this carefully. Peter Orszag, President Obama's former budget director, has noted IPAB represents the single biggest yielding of power to an independent entity since the creation of the Federal Reserve. Let me repeat that: the single biggest yielding of power to an independent entity since the creation of the Federal Reserve. Mr. Speaker, we just spent, in a bipartisan way, 3 years working through SGR reform. Seventeen times, we kicked the can down the road so our seniors wouldn't be denied access to care. This bill is basically SGR on steroids. It trumps all the work we just did on SGR reform. Any proposal made by IPAB will be considered using expedited procedures, and without a three-fifths vote in the Senate, Congress can only modify the type of cuts proposed, not the amount, so we have to do the amount. If Congress doesn't act on IPAB's recommendation, the cuts will automatically go into effect. To make matters worse, the Board is exempt from administrative or judicial review. On the projections between 2020 and 2024, the CBO can't tell me from year to year, within the tens of billions of dollars, what the budget deficit is going to be each year, so I don't put a lot of stock in that. If the President does not nominate individuals to serve on the IPAB or if the IPAB fails to recommend cuts when required to do so, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has the power to make the changes unilaterally. One person will make those changes for the entire country. Think about that for a second. One person would have the ability to reshape a program that has 55 million enrollees. Whatever you may think about the President's healthcare law, this just isn't right. After practicing medicine for more than 30 years, I can tell you that no two patients are the same and that different approaches are required for different needs. IPAB is blind to that fact and will ration seniors' access to care through a one-size-fits-all payment policy. Medicare desperately needs reform to ensure it continues to be there for current beneficiaries and the next generation, but this is not the way. We can do better. It is time to go back to the drawing board. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and put medical decisions back where they belong. Mr. Speaker, that is between patients and doctors.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I have spent going on four decades taking care of patients in rural east Tennessee, and I saw access becoming more and more and more of a problem. It is a serious issue now, as Medicare costs have gone up and up and up. I have a mother who is almost 93. She has a difficult time affording her health care and other needs that she has. One of the things I am very concerned with, as Dr. McDermott said, we have 10,000 seniors a day getting on that program. We need to leave those decisions to doctors and patients, not to bureaucrats. Let me give a little more information. There is a similar panel in England called NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, I believe is what the acronym is. The other day, the Royal College of Surgeons talked about how they noticed that over 75, almost nobody got operated on for breast cancer, almost nobody over 75 got a gall bladder operation, almost nobody over 75 got a knee fixed, and almost nobody over 75 got a hip fixed. That is wrong, and that is exactly the pathway we are going down if we don't stop this nonsense. There is a very good article in the New England Journal of Medicine published in 2011. I recommend you all read it. It is a look back from 25 years. That is the only information they had. This particular author was not for IPAB or against it; he just analyzed it. Twenty-one of those 25 years, IPAB would have kicked in, meaning those cuts would have happened. And I can tell you this right now: our seniors better look at this with a laser beam on because their care is going to be cut if this goes into effect. We need to get rid of it now, before that happens.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to once again rise to join in commemorating June 20, 2015, as American Eagle Day and celebrate the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States. On June 20, 1782, the eagle was designated as a national emblem of the United States by the Founding Fathers at the Second Continental Congress. The bald eagle is the central image of the Great Seal of the United States and is displayed in the official seal of many branches and departments of the Federal Government. The bald eagle is an inspiring symbol of the spirit of freedom and democracy of the United States. Since the founding of the Nation, the image, meaning, and symbolism of the eagle have played a significant role in art, music, history, commerce, literature, architecture, and the culture of the U.S. The bald eagle's habitat only exists in North America. I hope my colleagues will join in celebrating June 20, 2015, as American Eagle Day, which marks the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent and friend Edie Lowry for her service to our Nation's veterans as the founder and president of Honor Flight of Northeast Tennessee. Under Edie's direction, Honor Flight of Northeast Tennessee honors veterans by arranging trips and transporting former servicemen and -women to Washington, D.C., to visit their respective war memorials, all at no cost to the veterans. Edie Lowry first became involved with the Honor Flight program in St. Joseph, Missouri, after reading about the program in a newspaper article. During an honor flight in 2008, she witnessed firsthand the impact the Honor Flight program has on veterans' lives. After discovering in 2010 that Honor Flight did not exist in our area, Edie established a chapter in northeast Tennessee. Honor Flight of Northeast Tennessee has helped dozens of veterans visit their memorial and receive the honor and recognition they deserve. I thank Edie Lowry, my friend, for her service to veterans in our community through Honor Flight of Northeast Tennessee.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on June 3, 2015, because of the death of a close friend. Had I been present, I would have voted: Roll Call #288--Aye Roll Call #289--Aye Roll Call #290--Aye Roll Call #291--Aye Roll Call #292--Aye Roll Call #293--Aye Roll Call #294--Aye Roll Call #295--Aye Roll Call #296--Nay Roll Call #297--Yea

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Chair, I was unable to vote today because of the death of a close friend. Had I been present, I would have voted: rollcall No. 274--``aye,'' rollcall No. 275--``aye,'' rollcall No. 276--``nay,'' rollcall No. 277--``nay,'' rollcall No. 278--``nay,'' rollcall No. 279--``nay,'' rollcall No. 280--``nay,'' rollcall No. 281--``nay,'' rollcall No. 282--``nay,'' rollcall No. 283--``nay,'' rollcall No. 284--``aye,'' rollcall No. 285--``nay,'' rollcall No. 286--``nay,'' rollcall No. 287--``aye.'' Amendment Offered by Mr. Massie

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote yesterday because of the death of a close friend. Had I been present, I would have voted: Roll Call #270--AYE Roll Call #271--NO Roll Call #272--AYE Roll Call #273--AYE

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote today because of the death of a close friend. Had I been present, I would have voted: rollcall No. 268--``yea;'' rollcall No. 269--``yea.'' personal explanation

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote yesterday because of the death of a close friend. Had I been present, I would have voted: Roll Call #264--NO, Roll Call #265--NO, Roll Call #266-- NAY, Roll Call #267--AYE.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would say--and I agree with that; I am on the Veterans' Affairs Committee--I have been involved personally in four hospitals being built in my hometown. All came in on time, under budget. When you have a bank, a lender, lending you money, they will stop you from going this much over budget. That is exactly what we didn't have here. I cannot imagine spending $1 billion more to build a facility and then maybe offering someone a bonus. There are some measures being put in right now, but right now I think--and I appreciate the gentleman not objecting to this amendment-- we need to make sure this never happens again to waste the taxpayers' money. I yield back the balance of my time.