James Renacci

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Sergeant Almon William Martin, father of William Martin, Craig Martin, and Leslie Lederer and husband of Audrey June Martin. Sergeant Martin dedicated his life to serving his community and our Nation, serving in World War II as a tech sergeant in Europe and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery upon his passing in 2008. Before serving in the United States Army, Sergeant Martin studied at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio and completed his B.A. in Business Administration shortly after the conclusion of WWII. He then worked for the Gleasner Corporation/Ingersoll Rand in Buffalo, New York where he advanced to the position of vice president and divisional manager for the state of New York and Northern Pennsylvania. Sergeant Martin stayed with the company until his retirement in 1985. Throughout his retirement, Sergeant Martin also served as a mentor to upcoming businessmen through the Small Business Administration Volunteer program and used his business experience to help small businesses in the Fort Myers area start up, organize, and expand. Sergeant Martin was an active member of his community, serving in organizations like Amigos, Central Park Men's Club, Chi Phi Fraternity, Lions Club, Kenmore Rotary Club, and the Buffalo Kiwanis Club. Martin also served in the Construction Industry Association and was the vice president of the University Club of Buffalo, New York. An engaged citizen, Martin was active in politics and encouraged his neighbors to engage in politics at the local level. He coached little league baseball and football and was an active member of the Kenmore United Methodist Church. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize a life so fully lived. Almon Martin instilled the values of service, hard work, integrity, and service into his children, employees, and mentees, values that we should all strive to uphold in our daily lives. I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in paying tribute to a valued soldier and citizen, Sergeant Almon William Martin.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on Monday, May 22, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 269, H.R. 1862; and YEA on Roll Call No. 270, H.R. 1842.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, today I want to congratulate my colleague, my friend, and fellow Buckeye, Congressman Steve Stivers, on his promotion to brigadier general. I am thankful to be joined by my colleagues in the House and our Senators, Senator Brown and Senator Portman, as we applaud our colleague. He is the first Ohio National Guard officer in more than 100 years to concurrently serve as a Member of Congress and one of the few people in U.S. history to have held both positions simultaneously. Congressman Stivers joined the National Guard in 1985, and has served for over 30 years. I, and many other Ohioans, appreciate his years of service, both in the military and in the United States Congress. Congratulations, Brigadier General Stivers, and thank you for your service.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 38th Anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which originated in the Congress, and which has been instrumental in protecting the people of Taiwan from the ambitions of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Along with the Six Assurances issued by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, the TRA forms the basis of our security relationship with one of our most important security and trading partners in Asia. The U.S.- Taiwanese relationship has particular importance for my State of Ohio. Ohio's exports to Taiwan are valued at over $500 million a year and are growing in value. Taiwan is also one of our largest export markets in Asia. Together, the Six Assurances and TRA remain the bedrock of the U.S.-Taiwanese relationship, but we must do more. As the PRC forges ever-stronger links with its neighbors through trade and investment, so we must find new ways to strengthen Taiwan's regional presence and secure our own interests in the wake of our withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is my hope that we take bilateral steps to deepen our own trade relationship, which I hope will culminate in a free trade agreement. Such a goal, when achieved, will enhance our own economic presence in the region and contribute to Taiwan's freedom and prosperity. For myself and on behalf of my constituents, I celebrate our friendship with the people of Taiwan as this anniversary approaches, and offer my congratulations to them as we celebrate their democratic way of life.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 173, YEA on Roll Call No. 174, and YEA on Roll Call No. 175.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Stephan B. Wilder, Chief of Police for North Canton, Ohio, who is now retiring after 36 years of service to the city. Chief Wilder began his law enforcement career with the city in 1981 as an unpaid auxiliary officer. Two years later, he was hired as a part time patrolman, and his full time service to the citizens of North Canton began in 1986. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1996 and became Chief of Police on May 29, 2011. Before serving the City of North Canton, Chief Wilder was a graduate of Glenwood High School and Kent State University, where he studied Criminal Justice. He went on to obtain his Master's in Criminal Justice Administration from Tiffin University, and his education also includes studies at Northwestern University Center for Public Safety School of Police and Command, as well as the Ohio Police Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Leadership College. In addition to serving his community in a law enforcement capacity, Chief Wilder has also served North Canton through his active participation in many civic and professional organizations. He has held positions and honors with the North Canton YMCA, North Canton Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement, Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, Ohio Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Stark County Police Chiefs Association, and Boy Scouts of America Buckeye Council. He has been active with the Boy Scouts since he became an Eagle Scout in 1967. Throughout his career, Chief Wilder has received numerous rewards and honors. He has been honored with the Franklin M. Kremi Leadership Award by Northwestern University and by the Plain Local Schools Foundation and Alumni Association Hall of Distinction. This week, the City of North Canton celebrates Chief Wilder's distinguished career and his retirement. I offer my congratulations to Chief Wilder on his retirement and thank him for his years of service. North Canton and I are grateful to him for everything he has done as a member of the city's law enforcement and as a leader in the community. I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in paying tribute to a valued public servant and wishing him a happy retirement.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Sam Johnson of Texas for his work on this important resolution and his many years of service to our country. Mr. Speaker, in the final weeks of President Obama's final term, the Social Security Administration finalized a rule that flat out discriminates against millions of individuals with disabilities by denying them their Second Amendment rights. But it gets worse. Not only does the rule place these innocent individuals' names in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, it does so in a way that strips them of their due process. Specifically, it would subject these people to a very timely appeals process requiring them to prove their own innocence before their name could be removed. In other words, this rule turns due process on its head by shifting the burden of proof from the government to the individual to ensure their constitutional right is not stripped away. Moreover, as a member of the Social Security subcommittee, I am very concerned that this rule falls way outside the bounds of the Social Security Administration's mission. Instead of using the Social Security administrator's field office staff to help Ohioans manage and understand their benefits, this rule diverts resources away from that core mission toward one that is constitutionally suspect. That is why I am proud to be an original cosponsor of Chairman Sam Johnson of Texas' resolution that protects Americans' Second Amendment rights and protects Americans with disabilities, their constitutional right, to due process under the law. I urge my colleagues to support this joint resolution of disapproval.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, in the waning days of his Presidency, the Obama administration finalized the stream buffer rule, a final parting shot at the coal industry on his way out the door. Not once did the Office of Surface Mining visit and assess the economic impact of this rule on operating mines. In fact, in their analysis, they relied on ``hypothetical mines.'' These aren't hypothetical mines and they aren't hypothetical jobs that will be affected. In the real world, this rule could mean the end of coal production in Ohio and the end of thousands of good-paying jobs in countless communities like the one I grew up in. Ohio will be directly impacted by this rule. Fifty-nine percent of our electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, and Ohio's coal industry employs thousands of hardworking Americans. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote to stop this rule, to stop the war on coal, and to stop this rule which could cause hardworking Americans to lose their jobs. I urge my colleagues to support this joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I missed votes on Monday, January 30, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call No. 66 and Yea on Roll Call No. 67.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 621. (By unanimous consent, Mr. McCarthy was allowed to speak out of order.) Legislative Program

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 599.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 594, YEA on Roll Call No. 595, YEA on Roll Call No. 596, YEA on Roll Call No. 597, and NAY on Roll Call No. 598.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 588 YEA on Roll Call No. 589

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained on rollcalls 590 and 591. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 590 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 591.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 34, the 21st Century Cures Act. At its core, this legislation, while not perfect, ensures our country will continue to be at the forefront of medical innovations and breakthroughs. Also important is what the bill does for States like Ohio that are fighting the opioid epidemic. Just today it was reported that Ohio has seen more opioid overdose deaths than any other State in the Nation. This bill would especially help Ohio reverse this devastating trend. I also applaud the inclusion of my bill, H.R. 1343, the Establishing Equity in the Hospital Readmission Program. The Hospital Readmission Program was created due to concerns that too few resources were being spent on reducing acute care hospital readmissions. While reducing acute care hospital readmissions is important, my bill ensures that we are not disproportionately penalizing those who see a large number of our most vulnerable patients. This is one of the many commonsense, bipartisan reforms to improve our healthcare system included in the 21st Century Cures Act, and I urge all Members to support this bill.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my congratulations to Dick Goddard on a lifetime of success in Northeast Ohio and to offer my best wishes on his retirement. As an Akron, Ohio native, Dick has left a legacy in Northeast Ohio with his passionate involvement as a meteorologist, animal activist, and sports enthusiast. Dick's weather career started early during his service with the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict. Initially assigned to the Severe Storm Forecast Center at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, his military career soon brought him to the Pacific Islands to an assignment with the Atomic Energy Commission for the first full-yield hydrogen bomb test. After his discharge from the military, Dick began working for the National Weather Service, while simultaneously attending Kent State University and later graduating with a bachelor's of fine arts. Dick's news career began in 1961 working as an on-air meteorologist at Cleveland's KYW-TV. While at KYW, Dick made meteorological history when flying with the United States Navy Hurricane Hunter on the first low-level, nighttime penetration of a hurricane. In 1966, Dick became chief meteorologist at WJW-TV, Fox 8 Cleveland, where he spent the remainder of his career. During his tenure at Fox 8, Dick captivated his viewership, being named ``Ohio's Best Meteorologist'' and being voted as ``Best Weatherperso''. Directly aligned with his career was his passion for animals, which would be clearly highlighted during his segments on air. Demonstrating his compassion for animals even for the smallest of creatures, Dick is well known for his annual ``Woollybear Festival''; drawing more than 100,000 people each year, it is Ohio's largest single day festival. Among the years of animal advocacy, Dick persistently promoted programs for dog & cat care and adoption. As a huge milestone for animal rights and as a culmination of his tireless work, in June of 2016, House Bill 60 of the Ohio Assembly was passed. Otherwise known as ``Goddard's Law'', House Bill 60 sets to protect animal abuse in increasing the severity of penalties as a 5th degree felony. I ask my colleagues in the House to join me, along with the thousands in Northeast Ohio in paying homage to the man more commonly known as the weather man whose passion for meteorology could be paralleled only to his love for animals.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Johnson for his leadership on the Subcommittee on Social Security and for his leadership on this legislation. Identity theft is an issue that has become all too prevalent in recent years. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission received over 490,000 identity theft complaints in 2015. This represents a 47 percent increase compared to 2014. As a personal victim of identity theft, I understand the frustration, fear, and sense of helplessness of having your identity stolen. I also understand the worry that victims have that someone will use their identity to file other fraudulent claims. The Federal Government and Federal agencies have a responsibility to carefully protect every American's identifying information. That is why I was stunned to learn that the Social Security Administration provided a full Social Security number on over 230 million documents that it sent out in 2015. This represents 66 percent of all mailings. The volume of documents that contain Americans' full Social Security number puts Americans unnecessarily at risk of having their identity stolen. In fact, in a recent report, the inspector general of the Social Security Administration stated that the ``more SSNs are unnecessarily used, the higher the probability they may be used inappropriately.'' This led the inspector general to recommend that the SSA should take steps to remove Social Security numbers from documents and that the Social Security Administration should be at the forefront of limiting the use of full Social Security numbers. Our legislation helps address this problem. H.R. 5320 simply directs the Social Security Administration to remove full Social Security numbers from mailings when they simply are not needed. To northeast Ohioans, this is just common sense. Also, this bill will ensure Congress provides the proper amount of oversight over the Social Security Administration, requiring the administration to justify the continued use of full Social Security numbers on mailed documents. All Americans should have the confidence in knowing that the Social Security Administration is doing everything within its power to protect Social Security numbers. I urge all Members to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and a great American, James ``Jim'' Carmichael, of Wooster, Ohio. Our nation, the state of Ohio, and his beloved Wayne County lost a friend, a father, a husband, and a dedicated public servant on July 13, 2016. God, country, and family were Jim's guiding stars. He was a man of incredible faith, integrity, and love. Jim served in the Ohio Army National Guard from 1959 to 1964, and from 1971 to 1979, he was the mayor of Shreve, Ohio. During this time he was president of the Wayne County Mayors Association and president of the Shreve Friends of the Library. Jim was also a member of the Shreve Police and Fire Departments. He continued his public service as a member of the Wayne County Board of Elections from 1980 to 1999, and served as the board's chairman from 1989 to 1999; Jim also served as chairman of the Wayne County Republican Party from 1981 to 2000. In 2001, Jim was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, an office he held until 2009. During his time in the legislature, he held a number of positions including Assistant Majority Whip, Majority Whip, and Assistant Majority Floor Leader. He also led as the Chairman of the House State Government Committee and Chairman of the Ohio House and Senate Cancer Caucus. After his tenure in the Ohio House of Representatives, Jim was elected Commissioner for Wayne County from 2009 until this year. Jim loved his community. He served as a Merit Badge Counselor for the Boy Scouts' Citizen in the Nation merit badge. He was also very proud to be a longtime fan of Tri-Way-Shreve School and sports, and loved to cheer on the home team. Jim is survived by his wife Carolyn, his daughters Keely and Debbie, grandchildren Matt, Lindsay, Jamie, Garrett, Grace, and Gavin; great- grandchildren, Aubrey, Gage, and Evelyn, and his sisters, Ruth Flinner and Jane Carmichael. I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in paying tribute to a reliable friend, a thoughtful lawmaker, and very simply, a good man.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Chairman, it is not too often I come to the floor to oppose an amendment, especially at this late hour; but when I was sworn in as a Member of Congress, I took an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution. I have grave concerns that this amendment is unconstitutional. The U.S. Constitution expressly prohibits the Federal Government from enacting what are known as bills of attainder. A bill of attainder is a law that legislatively determines guilt and inflicts punishment upon an identifiable individual without provision of the protections of a judicial trial. Courts use two main criteria to determine whether legislation is a bill of attainder: one, whether specific individuals are affected; and, two, whether legislation inflicts punishment. Clearly, the specific prong is met here: this amendment punitively targets a specific individual--the IRS Commissioner. The Supreme Court has held that targeting specific employees for reduction in pay is punishment. Specifically, in United States v. Lovett, the Supreme Court held that a provision in an appropriations bill which cut off the pay of certain named government employees was punishment and struck down that provision as unconstitutional. Under this precedent, punitively targeting the IRS Commissioner in an appropriations law by reducing his pay is an unconstitutional act. Some might claim that because the IRS Commissioner is appointed, the precedent is somehow not applicable. To the contrary, in Lovett, the three government employees who had their pay cut were, in fact, political appointees. Others might claim that because it names an office rather than an individual, it will somehow pass a constitutional test. This is a distinction without a difference. There is only one Commissioner of Internal Revenue. He is readily ascertainable. My fellow colleagues, this is not about whether you believe the IRS Commissioner has done a good job or whether you believe he has committed an impeachable or censurable offense. This is a separate question, and this should be dealt with in a separate process. This is not about defending the IRS Commissioner. This is about defending the United States Constitution. We should uphold our oaths, and we should defeat this amendment.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to congratulate my Tax Counsel, Randy Herndon and his wife Christie, on the birth of their daughter, Eliana Joy Herndon. Their bundle of joy was born at 9:25 PM, on June 7, 2016 and weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. I would also like to congratulate their children, Micah and Anya, on becoming big siblings who welcomed their baby sister to the world. I am so excited for this new blessing to the Herndon family and wish them health and happiness.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016. I want to thank Chairman Brady and my good friend and colleague, Subcommittee Chairman Tiberi, for all their great work to advance this bill, which addresses many concerns in payments to hospitals, and especially outpatient departments. I heard from many of the hospitals in northeast Ohio, including MetroHealth, about the impact this payment policy had on their new facility. I am happy we are able to correct these issues for those facilities already under construction. I also want to thank my colleague from Ohio for including my bill, H.R. 1343--the Establishing Beneficiary Equity in Hospital Readmission Program--in the underlying legislation. The Hospital Readmission Program was created due to concerns that too few resources were being spent on reducing acute care hospital readmissions. While we do want to make sure hospitals are reducing acute care readmissions, we also want to make sure we are not disproportionately penalizing those who see a large number of our most vulnerable patient populations, especially those teaching hospitals who see a large number of dual-eligible beneficiaries, low-income seniors, or young people with disabilities who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid who would have been unintentionally hurt under the current program. Again, I want to thank the chairman for working with me on this readmission component of this bill, but also all of the other important provisions included in this legislation. These are commonsense, bipartisan reforms to improve our healthcare system. I urge all Members to support the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act of 2016.

Mr. RENACCI

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3832) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prevent tax-related identity theft and tax fraud, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3832, currently under consideration.

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise to urge approval of H.R. 3832, the Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Prevention Act of 2016. I introduced this bipartisan legislation with my friend and colleague, Mr. Lewis, to combat tax-related identity theft. On a personal note, it has been an honor to work with Mr. Lewis. He paid me a great compliment when he said I ``rained passion and truth'' on the important issue of identity theft. Truthfully, since Congressman Lewis was first elected, he has been a legislator who has brought great passion and truth to every endeavor of his storied career. I truly thank him for working with me on this legislation. Tax-related identity theft is an evolving criminal activity that targets innocent taxpayers nationwide and robs the Treasury of billions of dollars each year. I was grateful for the opportunity last month to testify before the Committee on Ways and Means about my experience with tax-related ID theft. Last year, my personal information was stolen, and someone used that information to electronically file a fraudulent tax return for my wife and me. That return, which included a fraudulent W-2 from the House of Representatives, claimed a significant refund, with the proceeds directed to a bank account outside the U.S. So when it comes to ID theft, I truly understand the impact that it has on taxpayers in northeast Ohio and across the country. I am committed to cracking down on the growing threat, and this bipartisan bill is an important first step forward. I was pleased that two core components from this bill were included in the PATH Act that passed last December. The remaining components of this bill will help further shield taxpayer dollars from thieves and reduce the hardships that are caused by this criminal activity. They include establishing a centralized point of contact at the IRS for ID theft victims. This will make it easier for victims to resolve their ID theft tax cases and ensure a unit at the IRS is held accountable for handling a taxpayer's case from start to finish. Another one would improve the taxpayer notification of suspected ID theft. When the IRS determines there has been the unauthorized use of a taxpayer's identity, the IRS would be required--as soon as practicable and without jeopardizing an investigation--to notify the taxpayer and give instructions to the taxpayer about filing a police report. The last one I will mention would require the IRS to submit a study on the feasibility of establishing a program for ID theft victims to be able to opt out of electronic filing. This provision would require the IRS to report back to Congress within 180 days on this issue. I also thank my friend, Mr. Pascrell, for his work on this issue and for his amendments that were incorporated into the bill during this markup last month. Mr. Speaker, tax-related identity theft is one of the most pressing challenges that we face in the world of tax administration. This complex and evolving threat requires cooperation from Congress, the IRS, State revenue agencies, and industry stakeholders. While I am aware that not every tax-related ID theft problem is best served with a congressional solution, this legislation is an important first step in fighting ID theft and in better protecting victims. I urge all Members to support this bipartisan legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, May 13, 2016. Hon. Kevin Brady, Chairman, Committee on Ways & Means, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Brady: I am writing with respect to H.R. 3832, the ``Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Prevention Act,'' which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary. As a result of your having consulted with us on provisions in H.R. 3832 that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary, I agree to discharge our committee from further consideration of this bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 3832 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation, and asks that you support any such request. I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 3832, and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 3832. Sincerely, Bob Goodlatte, Chairman.

Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly).