Todd Rokita

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the importance of life. Thomas Jefferson famously wrote that every man has the right to ``life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'' I hold this quote near and dear because we must defend these rights. That is certainly true with the right to life for a baby. Last week, I met with Rachelle Heidelbaugh with Faith2Action. Rachelle told me her story about when she chose life and how she has continued fighting for life through Faith2Action. Her story was truly moving and pulled at the heartstrings. I couldn't help but give her a hug because her story is so meaningful and her efforts are truly saving lives. While Rachelle visited, we talked about the Heartbeat bill. The Heartbeat bill would ensure that every unborn child with a heartbeat is protected. We need to do whatever we can to protect life, and this bill will allow us to keep on protecting unborn boys and girls. Rachelle gave me the Heartbeat Bill Hero Award like many in this House have gotten. The award is this small token that I am proud to carry because it represents thousands of lives that are being saved. I will always stand up for a baby's right to life, and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H.R. 490, the Heartbeat bill legislation.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on October 31, 2017 as my flight to Washington D.C. was delayed and prevented me from being on the House floor in time. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 591.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding and for hosting this Special Order. In my humble opinion, the people of New York are lucky to have a gentleman like him representing them; and I know it is the highest honor of his life as well. I also want to associate with my good friend, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr), for the remarks he made. I think he has made an excellent record of not only the premise of the deal, but the effect of the deal so far. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentleman from New York that Mr. Barr is going to be critical in leading the effort forward in sanctions, whether they are part of the JCPOA or not. I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for his words tonight as well. Earlier this month, President Trump set a new direction for the United States, a direction of leadership. He made clear that we would no longer allow the Iranian Government to continue to pursue nuclear weapons, continue funding terrorism, or threaten the very existence of our great friend, Israel, the strongest ally we have in the region. President Trump made clear that, unlike the previous administration, we will not reward Iran for chanting ``death to America,'' and we will not allow this terrorist regime to dictate our Nation's foreign policy. Getting the Iran deal done was the only thing the previous administration cared about. Think about that, just getting the deal done. I think we all remember that sentiment around here: getting the deal done no matter how terrible was the only thing the previous administration cared about. We had to get the deal done. We had to get the deal done, as bad as it was. It is unlike our current President who has demanded action to hold Iran accountable, guarantee our national security, and protect Israel and our allies across the world night and day. I appreciate the President's leadership on this and other matters. The United States never should have signed onto the deal in the first place, Mr. Speaker, because it was a bad deal. It gave Iran immediate access to $150 billion, it allowed the Iranians to continue their ballistic missile research, and it contains a sunset provision that will allow the Iranians to return immediately to enriching uranium without consequence. Now, even then-Secretary of State John Kerry said: ``Some of the $150 billion will end up in the hands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists.'' That was our Secretary of State's direct quote admitting that some of this $150 billion was going to get to terrorists. There is no situation in which the United States should allow money to get to terrorists. Hoosiers that I represent see this quite clearly. Surely, the Americans that the rest of us represent see the same thing. But then-President Obama and Secretary Kerry allowed this to happen and were cheered on, in fact, by many in this very Chamber and many in the Senate. This year alone, Iran has tested their ballistic missiles at least three times, and they tested a rocket space launch vehicle. Now, in their most recent test in September, they used a ballistic missile with the potential range to hit Israel, the only stable democracy in the region. As Mr. Barr pointed out, Mr. Speaker, intercontinental ballistic missiles aren't even meant for Israel. They are meant to come here. They are meant to go to our other allies--a bad deal indeed. The threats Iran poses are truly extreme: terrorists, a nuclear arms race, and continued threats to America and its neighbors. Unfortunately, we cannot go back in time and stop then-President Obama from signing this disastrous Iran nuclear deal--and, by the way, it is signing in the theoretical sense because Mr. Yoho is also right, Mr. Speaker, when he said that this was a set of papers that truly had no signatories. It was an executive action by then-President Obama for sure. But, all in all, no matter what the semantics, it was a bad deal. But we can--we can--move forward by creating tough sanctions like, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Barr was pointing out and making sure Iran is held accountable. That starts tonight with the work that Lee Zeldin and other Members of Congress are doing. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York again for yielding to me, and I thank him for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, let's get it right this time. Let's make sure Iran doesn't become the threat that the previous administration has allowed it to become.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a prominent Hoosier leader. Mr. Julian Ridlen passed away on October 10, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. Julian was born to Charles Fred and Doris Franklin Ridlen in Decatur, Illinois on February 4, 1940. He graduated from MacArthur High School in 1958. On June 1, 1963, Julian was married to his wife Susanne Smith in Logansport, Indiana. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history, with minors in political science, chemistry, and English from Anderson University. He then pursued his J.D. at the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. before becoming a practicing attorney in 1968. Anyone who knew Julian will tell you that he held three remarkable qualities: he was a historian, a true statesman, and had a deep love for the political process. He was no stranger to public service and frequently sought opportunities to provide leadership in various levels of government. He was elected City Court Judge in Logansport in 1971 and again in 1975. He then served as Indiana State Treasurer for two terms from 1979-1987. During this period, Julian was responsible for the creation of the Indiana Bond Bank, which has had a significant impact on the State of Indiana by helping us utilize our outstanding bond ratings and passing the interest savings onto all of our local schools, county and city governments, parks, and countless other entities. For the past ten years, Julian served as Judge of the Cass Circuit Court, serving as Senior Judge until his retirement in December 2016. In this capacity, he spearheaded many local initiatives that will benefit our community and the great State of Indiana for years to come. Julian possessed another quality that can be recognized all too well: a servant's heart. Over the years, he was very active in various local organizations throughout our community, giving back more than we could ever return to him. He served in leadership positions as President of the Red Cross Board, Chairman of the U.S. Bicentennial Committee, Vice President of the United Fund, and President of the Youth Services Bureau. He was an active member of the Kiwanis Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Mental Health Association, and the Salvation Army. Julian also served as an Elder and taught Sunday school at Calvary Presbyterian Church. Julian leaves behind his wife, Susanne, to carry on his legacy of service to fellow Hoosiers. His passing is a great loss for our community and the State of Indiana. Today, we recognize and respect that he led an amazing life and impacted more lives than we will ever know. Rest in peace Julian, he will never be forgotten.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute a remarkable Hoosier, Mr. Larry Servies, who is being honored by the community in Montgomery County for his 67 years of service as a volunteer fireman. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for his leadership and service to the Waveland community. Mr. Servies is a lifelong Hoosier and Waveland resident. He was a charter member of the Waveland Community Volunteer Fire Department and served 30 years as its chief. In those years of leadership, he has been credited with overseeing the purchase of a new fire truck, building a new fire station, steadfastly meeting regulation requirements, and providing quality training to future generations of volunteer firefighters. Though he has already devoted 67 years of service to the Waveland Fire Department, it is my understanding he is not going anywhere and plans to remain a member of the department as long as his good health stays with him. Mr. Servies embodies the generous spirit and dedication to community like so many of our volunteer firefighters in Indiana and across this country. He is an army veteran, a member of the Waveland Covenant United Methodist Church, and has been active in various community service organizations and trade associations. As a long-time businessman, Mr. Servies owned and operated a furniture store, hardware and lumber business, and funeral home which provided needed products and services to the Waveland community. I am honored to congratulate Mr. Larry Servies for his dedication to helping make Waveland a safer and better place to live. His commitment to the community serves as an example for all of us on how to be good citizens. May God continue to bless Mr. Servies and the Waveland Community Volunteer Fire Department.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairwoman and all the members of the Budget Committee who voted for this budget, and now it is on the floor. I encourage all Members of the House to vote in favor of this budget, and that is because our national debt continues to grow exponentially every day, every hour, every minute, and every second. We cannot afford to have any more time waiting to address the spending crisis that we are in. This budget begins to put these irresponsible elitist policies behind us, and creates a culture around here that makes sure that our friends and neighbors who really need the help get the help without forcing our Nation's bills on our children and grandchildren, future generations, some of whom don't even exist yet. Specifically, this budget reforms mandatory spending so it is focused on those, Mr. Chairman, in our communities who really need help. This will ensure that our country will focus limited resources on those who are most vulnerable, while encouraging a culture of self-reliance instead of government dependence. We should be measuring, Mr. Chairman, success of these programs on how many people we get off of them, not how many people we trap in them. Mr. Chairman, as the chart I am holding shows, because mandatory spending is over two-thirds of our total annual spending, reforming this part of our spending is the only way to really get our debt and deficits down. This budget, for the first time, starts addressing this part of the pie, $203 billion worth, and that is because of the leadership here of Republicans in the House of Representatives. Now, this budget also protects our friends and neighbors by making sure our families are safe, that the military has the tools that they need, and that the administration has the money it needs to secure our border. This budget also jump-starts tax reform, which will put money back in the pockets of hardworking Hoosiers and all Americans. Mr. Chairman, in closing, as President Ronald Reagan once said: ``We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much.'' That is still true today, Mr. Chairman, except that that $1 trillion is now $20 trillion and growing. Again, I encourage all my colleagues to vote in favor of this budget.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Hoosier, Dr. Kenneth J. Ahler who passed away September 12, 2017. Not only was he a constituent in my district, but he was a great leader in the community. Dr. Ahler was born in Medaryville, Indiana in 1940 and has been a resident of Rensselaer for over 47 years. He was raised in Pulaski County where he graduated as valedictorian from Medaryville High School. He attended St. Joseph's College and graduated A.B. Magna Cum Laude in biology and valedictorian of his college class. He went on to attend Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and received his M.D. in 1966. After his internship and residency at St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend, Indiana, Dr. Ahler served in the United States Air Force Medical Corps. He was Chief of Out-Patient Services at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. He returned to Indiana and married Mary Margaret O'Donnell and was a founding member of the Clinic of Family Medicine in Rensselaer. He was elected Jasper County Coroner in 1973 and served for two terms. Throughout his professional career he served on numerous medical organizations. He was a member of the St. Augustine Catholic Church in Rensselaer, the American Medical Association, a distinguished member of the Indiana Medical Association, the Jasper County Medical Society and more. He served the community further as a member of the Rensselaer Rotary Club, Executive Council member and President of the Sagamore Council Boy Scouts of America, Chairman of the Jasper County Development Foundation, a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, and he was awarded a Sagamore of the Wabash in 2004. Dr. Ahler and I had a shared love for St. Joseph's College. Although we served at different times, both of us served the college as members of the Board of Trustees. I frequently heard from alumni about his affection for the students there and how they were always first in his mind when making decisions as a Trustee. It is no surprise to me that he was a favorite of those students for his dedication to his alma mater and those affiliated with the college. Dr. Ahler will join his beloved Mary Margaret in heaven, and leaves three children, thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild to carry on his legacy of service to Hoosiers. May Kenneth rest in peace, he will not be forgotten.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Chair, I mistakenly cast a ``no'' vote on rollcall vote 492. While I am counted as a ``no'' vote, I intended to vote ``yes'' on the amendment. Vacating Demand for Recorded Vote on Amendment No. 175 Offered By Mr. Murphy of Pennsylvania

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an important Hoosier institution, the Boy Scouts of America Troop 533 from Munster, Indiana, which is celebrating its ninetieth anniversary this year. Boy Scout Troop 533 was organized in 1927 by Mr. Maury Kraay, an eighth grader attending Munster Public Schools. He gathered classmates, local boys, and a retired school principal to form Munster's Boy Scout Troop. Troop 533 was present on June 14, 1927 when President Calvin Coolidge dedicated Wicker Park in Highland, Indiana. The Troop was also heavily involved in the World War II effort by organizing parades and rallies for war bonds, planting and maintaining gardens for local consumption, practicing blackout drills, carrying warden messages and reports to sector headquarters, and participating in wartime recycling programs. More recently, Troop 533 organized Cub Scout Packs in Munster elementary schools in the 1960s. In 1982, the Troop presented the colors during the dedication of the first Munster Town Council meeting in the town's newly constructed municipal complex, and began leading the Independence Park Fourth of July Parade a year later--an honor it still holds today. During the Little Calumet River flooding in 2008, Troop 533 assisted with filling sandbags to protect public and private property and later helped with yard clean-up, raking, moving dirt, and re-graveling driveways after the flood waters subsided. Troop 533 has positively influenced countless Munster families by leading many boys to success, including producing over 100 Eagle Scouts. The scouts and their adult leaders have long served the community in which they live and love. They have lived by the Boy Scout Oath and Motto, and my hometown of Munster is better for having Troop 533 a part of the community. Mr. Speaker, as a proud father of a young Cub Scout, I am honored to congratulate Munster Boy Scout Troop 533, on its ninetieth anniversary and look forward to their continued service to fellow Hoosiers and our nation.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I was disappointed last week to read about some criticizing the general aviation community as a ``special interest group'' that was trying to stand in the way of progress and modernization. We are for modernization, as modernization has already taken off, and we have been partners from the very beginning. The fact of the matter is that GA is not some special interest group. We are family, friends, and neighbors. There are doctors, teachers, community leaders, and, most importantly, small businessmen that rely on general aviation to create jobs. They are just like, in fact, my son, Ryan, who is with us today, who absolutely loves aviation and wants to be a pilot when he grows up. And that is because he has been exposed to general aviation. General aviation is an important part of our community and our economy. It employs 1.2 million people and adds $219 billion, Mr. Speaker, of economic output. So I ask my colleagues to side with general aviation on any bill that comes to the floor, like the one that came out of the Transportation Committee, and vote against such measures. Moving a system where everyone is treated equally to a system where one user benefits over another is a bad idea and one that we should reject as anathema to American exceptionalism.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the service of Major General David E. Wilmot of the United States Army for his extraordinary dedication to duty and service to our Nation. General Wilmot distinguished himself through exceptionally meritorious service from October 24th, 1985 to July 30th, 2017, while serving as an Assistant Surgeon General and National Guard Bureau Surgeon, Headquarters Department of the Army. His lasting contributions include an exemplary career as a family practice physician, flight surgeon, commander, and deputy headquarters surgeon, in numerous assignments across the Active and National Guard components of the U.S. Army. He quickly established himself as a unique combination of Soldier, leader, clinician, and key strategic thinker, culminating in service as the Assistant Surgeon General/Deputy Chief of Staff, Quality and Safety for U.S. Army Medical Command/Office of the Surgeon General, a position he was hand selected for. His singular Warrior centered focus on reducing harm and enhancing the quality care through compassion, excellence, transparency and accountability resulted in better and safer care for Military Health System beneficiaries across the globe. He performed with consummate distinction in all of his assignments, the impact of which stems from his capacity as a proven senior healthcare executive, and dogged champion for quality care and patient safety. The distinguished accomplishments of General Wilmot culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his country and reflect great credit upon him, the Army Medical Department, the United States Army and the Department of Defense. General Wilmot is a native of Brownsburg, Indiana and married to Mrs. Lori Wilmot. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the selfless service of Major General David E. Wilmot as he and his family proceed to the next chapter in his remarkable career and continue to serve our great Nation.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute the distinguished ``Voice of the Heartland'', Greg Garrison, who has announced that he will retire from his radio program on June 9, 2017. I wish to express my admiration and appreciation for Mr. Garrison and his constant dedication to his conservative Hoosier values. Greg's commitment to the rule of law and justice began before he took to the airwaves, serving the community through his law firm Garrison Law, which focuses on personal injury, business, and commercial law. It was through his diligent work in his practice that he gained fame during the high profile prosecution of boxer Mike Tyson in 1992. That case lead to opportunities to offer legal analysis nationwide for major trials such as O.J. Simpson and Timothy McVeigh, and on various media platforms such as 60 Minutes, the Today Show, 48 Hours, the FOX News Channel, Rivera Live and ESPN. Greg became a Hoosier treasure through his radio program that began twenty years ago. His program, Garrison, became an institution of measured thought and Hoosier values. He connected with his listeners through his warm demeanor that sounded more like a friend than a commentator. He was a positive influence on the lives of the countless Hoosiers that spent their mornings listening to him. I have known Greg for almost as long as he has been on the air. As Secretary of State, I was a guest on his show on several occasions, speaking about the need to improve election integrity with the adoption of the state's photo ID law. We also discussed investigations into voter fraud and redistricting reform. As a member of Congress, my appearances were more frequent as a regular on his program until he cut back his hours and moved to a later timeslot. I will always remember he asked tough, but fair questions teeming with Hoosier common sense. While it will be sad to not hear his voice over Indianapolis' airwaves every day, he will not be disappearing from the scene completely. He plans to be on the radio every now and again and he plans to stay active in his law practice. But his daily presence will be missed. Congratulations to Greg on twenty years of service to the Hoosier state and a happy and well-deserved retirement.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a prominent Hoosier leader and my close friend, Mr. Nelson Jaeger Becker, who passed away on April 7, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. Nelson was born in Logansport, Indiana on September 16, 1940. He graduated from Logansport High School, received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Tulane University, and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Tulane University Law School. He also graduated from the Culver Summer Naval School and served in the United States Air Force as a JAG officer where he attained the rank of captain. Nelson was passionate about the law, the legislative process, serving the community, and politics. He practiced law in Logansport from 1968 up until his passing. He dutifully served the residents of Carroll and Cass Counties as their State Representative for over a decade in the Indiana House of Representatives. During that time, he served as Majority Whip and Speaker Pro Tempore. Nelson continued to serve the state legislature as a government affairs professional for several industries providing the part-time legislators with facts to help them make decisions on policy issues facing the General Assembly. Nelson's service to the great State of Indiana did not go unnoticed. He was a recipient of Indiana's highest civilian award, The Sagamore of the Wabash. Nelson truly cared about the City of Logansport and it showed through his actions. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of Logansport Savings Bank and the Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Logansport. He was also the former President of the Cass County YMCA Board of Directors and the United Fund Board of Directors and held memberships with the First United Methodist Church, the Elks, and American Legion. I had known Nelson for many years and always appreciated his advice and council on a variety of issues. Nelson was one of the very first people to support me in my bid for public service. And he was quite literally the first person to turn his verbal support into concrete action. I will never forget that . . . or the small group of Logansport leaders who met with me in Nelson's house one evening in 2001 to support my goals for public service. Nelson leaves Dixie, his beloved wife, five sons, and fifteen grandchildren to carry on his legacy of service to fellow Hoosiers. Anyone who knew him well knows what a great loss his passing is for our community and the State of Indiana. May he rest in peace, he will not be forgotten.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a decent and generous American, Mr. Robert George Evans, Jr., who passed away on March 16, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. Robbie was a lifelong New Orleanian. He graduated from Archbishop Shaw High School and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from the University of New Orleans. After college he rose to the position of Vice President for the family steel drum business, Evans Cooperage. He later founded Con-Tech International which began selling industrial steel drum parts and related items. Under his leadership, the company has grown into an international corporation supplying steel and hundreds of custom manufactured parts to various industries across the globe. I met Robbie through a mutual friend, Jerry Bonnet. It was a few years after Hurricane Katrina and I was still Indiana Secretary of State. My office had ``adopted'' an inner city school in Indianapolis, and I heard that Robbie and New Orleans were doing some amazing work with parental choice in schools in the Hurricane's aftermath that basically destroyed a lot of public school infrastructure. We had been personal friends ever since that first meeting. Robbie helped lead a ``Phoenix from the ashes'' movement in the New Orleans schools. The success was due to the need to throw away the old bureaucracy, rules, and the attitude that the schools existed for the adults in them rather than for the kids. Robbie helped turn that all- around, attracting national attention for the model. He devoted hundreds of hours annually to improving New Orleans public schools and the lives of the students attending them. He was an unapologetic advocate for inner-city students attending Lafayette Academy and Esperanza Charter School. He served as a board member for the Choice Foundation where he was both the Vice Chairman and Executive Committee member. Robbie served on many other boards and committees, each with a goal to improve and enhance the economic environment or educational opportunity of his community. Robbie was a man of high character and integrity. He had a servant's heart for his community and those who live in it. His love for New Orleans and its culture was evident in his words and actions. Robbie was an art, architecture, and history enthusiast. He loved to travel the country and world meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. He was a friend to many people and an advocate for more. His obituary was correct in all respects, including that he indeed was a terrible driver. Robbie leaves Barbara, his beloved wife of 34 years, his daughter and son, and many other family and friends to carry on his legacy of service to their communities. Anyone who knew him well knows what a great loss his passing is for New Orleans and our nation. Rest in peace Robbie, you will not be forgotten.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman. I am really proud, Mr. Speaker, of the Budget Committee. We did great work last week, and everyone was heard: six motions on the Republican side, six motions on the Democratic side, and the debate was civil. Tones weren't raised; theatrics, by and large, weren't employed; and we made the bill better. That was the process the week before that when the committees of jurisdiction had this legislation. It is my hope that, as we pass this bill off the floor of the House-- and it is a bill being passed off the floor of the House and not into law right now--and as it goes to the Senate, that the bill will continue to be improved. That is the legislative process. I am very proud of the members of the staff of the Budget Committee for being a major part of that process and starting that process. We did good work. You don't have to pass this bill to find out what is in it as we had to with ObamaCare. This process will continue. I am very pleased, also, that we have Medicaid block grants, or lump sum payments to the States, that are available now to cover at least our able-bodied children and adults. It is a huge step forward in letting States have the flexibility they need to decide who really needs this assistance, how they should get it, and what they should get in terms of health care. This is good legislation. This is what we were sent to do, and we are keeping our promises to the American people by passing this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a prominent Hoosier leader and my dear friend, Mr. Mark S. Davis, who passed away on March 4, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. Mark was born in Kansas City, Missouri before moving to West Lafayette as a child. He graduated from West Lafayette High School and earned his law degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He began his career working in economic development in Indianapolis, Greater Lafayette, and Flint, Michigan before opening law practice in Lafayette. Mark cared deeply for our community and it showed in what he was able to help the community thrive. He was one of many of a dedicated team to convince Subaru of Indiana Automotive to locate in Tippecanoe County nearly 30 years ago. This effort led to the creation of thousands of jobs and an incredible impact to our economy Mark was a vocal proponent of the Hoosier Heartland Corridor, the 36-mile highway upgrade which has improved access and safety while bolstering economic development in several Central Indiana counties. Mark was a man of high character and integrity. He had a servant's heart for his fellow Hoosiers and frequently worked pro bono legal cases for the less fortunate. I never met someone who had anything but positive comments about Mark. He was active in the Rotary Club of Lafayette Indiana and in the Tippecanoe Republican Party, where he served as Party Secretary. Just last summer Mark arranged for me to speak with the Rotary Club where he graciously introduced me before my remarks. Mark leaves Mary Kay, his beloved wife, four daughters, and eight grandchildren to carry on his legacy of service to fellow Hoosiers. Anyone who knev--him well knows what a great loss his passing is for our community and the State of Indiana. May Mark rest in peace. He will not be forgotten.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a prominent Hoosier leader and my dear friend, Mr. Maurice L. (Mauri) Williamson who passed away on January 30, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. Mauri was born in Economy, Indiana and spent his childhood participating in 4-H. He served in the Navy Medical Corps until 1946, after which he received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University in 1950. He was known throughout the state as the executive secretary of the Purdue University Ag Alumni Association, a position he held for 37 years. During his Purdue career, Mauri helped found the National Ag Alumni Development Association (NAADA) and started the Ag Alumni Fish Fry. Mauri put a lot of care and dedication into his work. After graduating from Purdue, he returned to the family farm, but he soon found he was better suited spending his time with people rather than with plants and animals. In 1961, he founded the Pioneer Village at the Indiana State Fair to preserve and display the history of Indiana agriculture. Mauri held court there each summer, visiting with his ever-expanding legion of friends acquired through his lifetime commitment to Purdue and to agriculture. He had a deep love for the Indiana State Fair and only missed attending while serving in the Navy during World War II. I was first introduced to Mauri when I served as Indiana's Secretary of State. He made it clear to me, in the way only he could do, the importance of farming and agriculture community to the past, present and future of Indiana. Even today, my family, and especially my two young sons, enjoys the fruit of his labor each August when we visit the Pioneer Village at the best State Fair in the nation. As a member of Congress, I continue to keep our past conversations in mind when voting on agriculture issues. Mauri leaves June, his beloved wife of 68 years, two children, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren to carry on his legacy of service to fellow Hoosiers. I believe this world is a better place because of his compassionate service to our community, state and nation. Rest in peace, Mauri. He will not be forgotten.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The gentleman talks about accountability. I want to reassure all the Members here that will be voting on this joint resolution that we are not throwing accountability out the window. What we decided last year when we passed the Every Student Succeeds Act is that accountability was a good thing. But the best leaders and the best persons to determine what that accountability should be and what that accountability should look like are found in our States and are found in our local jurisdictions. They know our best assets the best--our best assets being our children. They know what they need. So we are not throwing accountability out the window. We are saying accountability is to be measured at the State level by the States, by the local jurisdictions, and they are to simply report to the Department of Education what their accountability plan is in a transparent way so that, again, parents, teachers, and taxpayers can decide if that State is doing a good job, so that people like the NAACP--if they are and should be, as we all should be, worried about achievement gaps--could affect how to close those achievement gaps in those respective States and, by the way, perhaps come up with a more effective way, a better plan, a more aggressive plan to close that achievement gap rather than the one-size-fits-all bureaucracy that is the Federal Department of Education. That is the whole point. Secondly, regarding civil rights. Nothing in this resolution that takes back this draconian rulemaking from the Department of Education affects civil rights. We are very clear in the Every Student Succeeds Act that the civil rights protections remain. We agreed with that in a bipartisan way, and all of that remains. Don't let the gentleman from Colorado scare you into thinking anything different. There was a lot of talk about uncertainty from previous speakers-- uncertainty for States--and that blocking implementation of these regulations will create that uncertainty. Let me address that for just a couple of minutes. We, Congress, cannot allow Federal agencies to ignore the clear prohibitions against executive overreach. These regulations clearly attempt to reassert Federal control that was returned to the States by Congress under ESSA. Repealing these regulations is the only way to give States and school districts the certainty that they need with sufficient time to move the implementation process forward. The law itself provides enough guidance. We were very specific how we wrote this law. We were very specific in the requirements needed. That removes the need to have the kind of rulemaking that the Department of Education, either through habit or through direct intent, is trying to do here. We don't need to do it here. The law itself lays out clear criteria for the State plans. It states explicitly that the onus is on the Department of Education to demonstrate how a plan does not comply with the law that we wrote and that the President signed into law. It does not require, and the States are not required, to go jump through the hoops that the Department is trying to have them jump through now through this rulemaking. The law also requires the Department to review the State plans with deference to State and local judgments. The Department is trying to take that judgment away from the States and put it under its own umbrella. Under the law, as long as States can demonstrate that their plans comply with the statute, they will be approved. We wrote that into the law. Because of this, States can have the certainty that the work they began can continue. The Department, with this rule, is trying to unravel all that. The resolution stops the Department from doing that. I know Congressman Costello mentioned teacher performance. Others have talked about student assessment participation rates. Let me give you a few examples for the record, Mr. Speaker. ESSA allowed States to determine how to hold schools accountable for assessing students. The final rule limits States to only four options for assessing students and requires schools to implement a plan to address low test participation--not required in the law, not part of what we are doing here. The Department, by doing that, is making up law. Regarding teacher performance and some things that Mr. Costello referenced, ESSA explicitly prohibited the Secretary from mandating the creation of teacher evaluation systems. As the Federal Government, we are getting out of the business of teacher evaluation systems. It didn't mean the States couldn't do it. It didn't mean that most States wouldn't do it. However, the final rule requires States to establish a statewide definition for what an ineffective teacher means that differentiates between categories of teachers. Now, if you look at this in effect, in practical terms, it would be almost impossible for States to fulfill this requirement without implementing a teacher and school leader evaluation, something the law specifically didn't require, specifically prohibited. Yet, here we are with the Department's rule basically making States do it. Not what was intended. Not what we wrote. Not what we voted on on the floor of this House, and not what was signed into law by the President of the United States at the time. So these are the kinds of things that we are fighting against here, Mr. Speaker. These are the kinds of things that H.J. Res. 57, and H.J. Res. 58 for that matter, would stop the Department from doing. H.J. Res. 57 protects the positive reforms Congress made with Every Student Succeeds Act and ensures that those reforms are implemented as Congress intended. In doing so, the resolution preserves State and local control over K-12 education and provides States and school districts the certainty they need to proceed with the plans that they are already in the process of writing. That is why a number of groups--including the National Governors Association; AASA, the School Superintendents Association; and the Council of the Great City Schools--have spoken out in support of the resolution. It is also why the National School Boards Association supports this resolution, and it is why H.J. Res. 57 is supported by Citizens Against Government Waste. I am confident that Congress will continue working in a bipartisan manner to empower our State and local communities to take the lead in accountability. There will be accountability. By putting a stop to the Obama administration's flawed and overreaching accountability regulation, however, we can keep the promise we made to reduce the Federal role, restore local control, and ensure all children receive the high-quality education that they deserve. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute to say to the gentlewoman that I agree that we have to be careful to make sure underserved children are not vulnerable, which is what we did in the underlying law in a bipartisan manner when we passed it and when the President signed the law. I reject the premise that State and local leaders, however, cannot be trusted to deliver an excellent education to all of their students. More importantly, that premise was rejected by Congresses in ESSA itself. Beyond that, the criticism just levied is simply not true. The Department of Education has the right and, indeed, the obligation to enforce the law. That has never been in dispute. There are clear requirements in this statute for States to develop ways to hold their schools accountable and to report information about school performance to parents and their communities. That duty continues. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds. The effect of this action will not halt State implementation efforts. Let me say that again. The effect of this action will not halt State implementation efforts. Our intent is to require clarity and consistency so implementation can, in fact, continue. States are continuing to develop State plans that comply with the law, as you have already seen being done across the country. The States and school districts are in the driver's seat here, Mr. Speaker, and they should continue moving forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentlewoman: ESSA was a landmark bipartisan achievement. Unfortunately, the Obama administration's partisan implementation of it is what brings us here today. Instead of choosing to take every opportunity to work with us, the Obama administration is choosing to do through the regulatory process what it couldn't achieve legislatively. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Costello), who is doing a great job for his State.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I finally realized what is happening here. What the other side considers ambiguous is really flexibility. I think that is the difference here. But, let's be clear. What we intended through ESSA was flexibility for the States. Nowhere in the law are we ambiguous about what we intended. I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson), who, in the month that he has been here, has already injected a lot of energy to the committee and is doing a great job for his constituents.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I would only comment that the comments made to the rule in this regard--the ones I have seen--were almost all bad. They were negative against this rule, except for maybe a few groups. I would like to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) who is chairwoman of the full committee.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 57. Mr. Speaker, I was here also on this floor listening to the debate that just finished on H.J. Res. 58, and I have a feeling a lot of the same things are going to carry over because we are dealing with the same Department. In fact, we are dealing with the prior administration generally. I was struck by the words that we need to ``give direction to the States.'' I think, by definition, those words demonstrate how one side here thinks that they know best; that their judgment is somehow better than the judgment of governors, of State legislators, of parents, teachers, and superintendents themselves when it comes to this issue and, in fact, in a larger perspective, when it comes to most issues around here. We must give direction to the States--no. The fact of the matter is, when the President signed into law, when we passed ESSA--the Every Student Succeeds Act--in a lot of ways we were saying to the States: You give the direction. You set the way that you think is best to educate your best assets. Your best assets, of course, being our next generation. While we at the Federal level would like to be partners, the fact of the matter is it is their property. The tax dollars we are talking about are the property of the individuals living in the 50 States and other jurisdictions. So now here we are using the Congressional Review Act to get rid of some regulations that are doing that very thing. We wrote a very specific law saying the States are in charge. Here we have a Federal agency inserting itself, not just interpreting law, but actually making law and taking us in the exact opposite direction that all of us intended. When I say all of us, I say that in a very bipartisan way, Mr. Speaker, because--I am now in my fifth year of being chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education here in the House. My first 4 years were consumed working with past Chairman John Kline, current Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, other members of the committee, and all our Democratic counterparts in getting this very bipartisan law passed and signed into law. Let me go back, Mr. Speaker, and set the table here. You will have to remember that under the No Child Left Behind law, which was the law of the land for some 13 years--perhaps a well-intentioned law, but completely unreasonable in terms of its forced, ridged, one-size-fits- all accountability system that heavily dictated how we would gauge and address school performance--that system represented a top-down approach in K-12 education. After 13 years, the data is in and the results are in. It simply didn't work. So that is why just a little more than a year ago, Congress passed-- again, former President Obama signed into law in a very bipartisan way--the Every Student Succeeds Act. With this law, Republicans and Democrats worked together to reform our education system to ensure that all children are able to receive the education they deserve. It represents a fundamentally different approach to education and, in the words of one superintendent, empowers local leaders to ``dream and lead and transform public education in this country.'' Unfortunately, almost immediately after the bill became law, the Obama administration began its attempt to roll back these bipartisan reforms. With the Every Student Succeeds Act, Congress promised to reduce the Federal role and restore State and local control over K-12 education. The law empowers States to develop their own policies to hold schools accountable to parents and taxpayers. For accountability to work, Mr. Speaker, it must be driven by the State and local leaders who are best equipped to directly address the issues in their school. Those leaders know better than any Federal bureaucrat in the Department of Education what their kids need, even down to what their kids' names are. I challenge any Federal bureaucrat to know better. Unfortunately, the Obama administration's flawed accountability regulation would reestablish the Washington-knows-best approach to accountability. It is the very same thing I mentioned earlier that we just heard regarding H.J. Res. 58. It is an approach that is deeply flawed. How do I know? What is the best metric to prove the point that that Washington-knows-best approach is deeply flawed? Look at it. Look at the test scores since the Federal Government has been involved in education. You see that they haven't gone up. Yet we have spent billions and billions of dollars since the 1970s here at the Federal level on local education to see no improvement in the test scores. Not only does the regulation dictate prescriptive accountability requirements, but it violates many of the prohibitions that we put in on the Secretary of Education. As we all saw, the top-down approach simply didn't work. So that is why we repealed No Child Left Behind and passed a bill to transform K-12 education. Our students deserve better than the failed policies of the past, and that is what the Every Student Succeeds Act does, if implemented as Congress intended. Now, our intent was not ambiguous, and the law is far from silent. We were very specific in the law we wrote. Our specificity dictated that the States and localities were back in charge. They were driving the bus again. No pun intended. The Department has taken some kind of ambiguity, I guess, some kind of silence, and has inserted themselves into the lawmaking role. That wasn't our intent. Our intent was for a new role for the Department, a much smaller role for the Department, a less supervisory role for the Department, and a less punitive role for the Department, one that would simply ensure that our specifically written law, as passed off this floor, passed off the Senate floor, and eventually signed into law, was followed as we wrote it. So an example of that was we require the States to have plans for how they were going to test, that they would test, but nothing more prescriptive than that. That is just one example, the testing. There were some other parameters. Then they were to submit those plans to the Federal Government, and the Department of Education was simply to check the box and make sure that the plans were done and otherwise comply with the law. The Department wasn't to be more prescriptive than that. It wasn't to give any more regulation than that. It wasn't to, frankly, give too much more direction than that because we recognize that this responsibility is primarily that of governors, State legislators, school superintendents, parents, and teachers. Now, States are already working to implement the law in their school districts. I want to be very clear that this resolution in no way does anything to stymie those efforts. States should move straight ahead. Instead, the resolution gives States the certainty they need to continue moving forward, confident that their plans will be reviewed by the Department of Education against the requirements of the statute and nothing more, with deference given to the judgment of these local legislators, local superintendents, et cetera, as the law requires. We are also committed to working with the new administration to ensure States receive the support they need consistent with the limits placed in the statute. So, my colleagues, by passing this resolution and blocking implementation of the Obama administration's flawed accountability rule, we can ensure that the promises we made under the Every Student Succeeds Act to restore State and local control in K-12 education are kept. I urge my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 57 and protect those important bipartisan reforms. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.