John Rutherford

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend from central Florida, Ted Yoho, and I have had those same conversations with constituents back home. The gentleman is absolutely right. They don't think it is crumbs. It is very significant in their lives. And I can tell you, as a freshman, I was very proud to be here at a very historic moment. And I think this Congress can be very proud of what was accomplished through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act because it is truly impacting on people's lives. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this time to thank all of my colleagues from Florida who joined with me this evening to highlight the successes of this historic tax reform. Across the Nation and back home in Florida, we have seen the incredible impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. More than 500 companies have announced pay raises, bonuses, increased 401(k) contributions, or even lower utility rates. Direct bonus announcements have reached over $4 billion across the Nation. Mr. Speaker, that is $4 billion in direct bonuses to employees all across this Nation. That $4 billion is going back into our economy and into the hands of hardworking Americans rather than to the IRS. Folks, this is just the beginning. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, and as my good friend from central Florida said, these are not crumbs. These are loaves of bread for countless Americans who have been living paycheck to paycheck, unsure about how they would be able to feed their families. These reforms, which are the largest in over 30 years, are helping grow small businesses and breathing life back into the American Dream for so many. So I want to, again, thank my colleagues from the great State of Florida for joining me this evening to shine a light on these great successes for Floridians and for all Americans. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the success of the A-29 Super Tucano light-attack combat aircraft in Afghanistan, a joint U.S. Air Force, NATO, and Afghan Air Force program. Starting in December of 2015, the 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base graduated the first class of Afghan A-29 pilots, and this April marked the 2-year anniversary of these pilots' first combat mission in Afghanistan, a remarkable milestone. As one U.S. Armed Forces commander stated: The A-29 combat mission in Afghanistan has been a game changer. The program's success has drawn the attention of our allies with more than 14 air forces using the A-29 and over 320,000 flight hours and 40,000 combat hours. Even our own Air Force is currently conducting experimentation on adding this light- attack aircraft to the fleet. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of this contribution in part because, since 2011, the A-29 has been built in my district in Jacksonville, Florida, by a team of more than 1,000 U.S. employees, 60 percent of which, Mr. Speaker, are veterans. The A-29 is truly made in America and includes the support of more than 100 suppliers and subcontractors across 20 States.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, music has been an integral part of the fabric of our culture for hundreds of years because it can capture a moment in time and space like nothing else. You remember where you were the first time you heard that special song, and time after time, it takes you back to a moment and a place of significance in your life. For me, Mr. Speaker, one of the most meaningful songs in my life is ``More Today Than Yesterday'' by The Spiral Starecase. It just so happens that that song signifies the bond between my wife, Pat, and I that we have shared now for over 45 years. And I can tell you, it is a priceless reminder of our lives and so many special moments together. And while we may not be able to put a price on a song's ability to transport us to a memory, we can all agree that the creators of the music we hold so dear should be fairly compensated for their craft. That is why I am so pleased to support the Music Modernization Act, which offers a long-overdue update to our copyright laws to account for the changing ways we consume music. Songwriters, musicians, producers, engineers, and artists should all have the opportunity to receive their fair due. And I thank Chairman Goodlatte, Ranking Member Nadler, and Representatives Collins and Jeffries for all their hard work to ensure that our copyright laws are all singing from the same sheet of music.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Master Sergeant William R. ``Bill'' Posch, who died on March 15, 2018, while serving his country in Iraq. His dedication to this Nation and its freedom will never be forgotten. Master Sergeant Posch spent his life helping others. As a teenager, he worked as a lifeguard for Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue, where he developed his passion for search-and-rescue missions. At the age of 15, he saved the life of a surfer who was drowning after having a seizure in the water. After this experience, he knew he wanted to join the military after he graduated from Fletcher High School. When he was just 17, he told the local newspaper that after graduation he was going to enlist with the intent of becoming a rescue swimmer. And he did just that. Master Sergeant Posch was an Air Force Reserve pararescueman assigned to the 308th Rescue Squadron, known as the Guardian Angel Airmen, at Patrick Air Force Base. This squadron is one of the most deployed in the Air Force Reserve, and this was reflected in the important missions that Master Sergeant Posch carried out. In his time with the Air Force, Master Sergeant Posch completed 143 combat missions, led a crisis evacuation of more than 126 Americans from the U.S. Embassy in South Sudan, and assisted with the rescue mission in Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. The Air Force awarded him many medals, including the Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal of Valor, and he was also named one of the Air Force's 12 outstanding airmen of 2014. He courageously served our Nation for 18 years, and we in northeast Florida will always be proud to call him one of our own. I salute Master Sergeant William R. Posch on his years of service and sacrifice to our country. He will forever be remembered as an American hero. May God bless him and our Nation. Recognizing Malia Domingo for Her Selection as a Florida Outstanding School Volunteer

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Malia Domingo of Yulee, Florida. Malia was recently named one of Florida's outstanding school volunteers for 2017 and 2018 by the Florida Department of Education. She began her volunteer work in the sixth grade, earning 350 volunteer hours over the course of that school year. Malia first started volunteering at Yulee Primary School, working in four different kindergarten classrooms, aiding students with the accelerated reader program. In addition to this, Malia has worked with students who have special needs, spending hours with many students one-on-one to increase their learning. Malia also dedicated her time in the summer to the students with special needs by volunteering in an extended school year program. Malia is now in the 11th grade at Yulee High School, and in addition to being named one of the State's outstanding school volunteers, she was recently honored by Nassau County as the youth volunteer of the year. I want to congratulate Malia Domingo for her 6 years of community service and her dedication to improving the lives of all those she helps. Malia is a great role model for her fellow students, and she has made the Fourth District of Florida very proud.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, today the House of Representatives has a chance to take an important first step towards keeping our students and our teachers safe by passing the STOP School Violence Act. This bill is the result of bipartisan work of Representative Hal Rogers, Representative Ted Deutch, and also Representative Kilmer. We also incorporated, as we mentioned earlier, excellent ideas and key elements from legislation by Chairwoman Granger, Representatives Susan Brooks, Chabot, Rodney Davis, Messer, and Bost. I want to thank all of them for their work and commitment to this very important issue. I would also like to recognize in a very special way the dedication and passion of the parents and members of Sandy Hook Promise, who have been integral to us moving this bill forward. I really cannot say enough about that organization. As a career law enforcement officer and sheriff for 12 years in my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, I know firsthand the importance of communities working together to spot early warning signs of violence. This is why this bill invests in early intervention and prevention programs in our local schools, so that our communities and law enforcement can be partners in preventing these horrific acts from occurring. We need to give students, teachers, and law enforcement the tools and training they need to identify warning signs and to know who to contact, and provide them an anonymous tip source to provide that information. Now, I should point out here that those receiving the tips, the agencies that are charged with providing due process, are the ones who should provide due process here, not the tipster, not the child who may be calling in to talk about an issue that he thinks is important to law enforcement. That is their responsibility to provide due process to the individuals involved. This bill also gives funding for physical enhancements to help harden the target on our school campuses. I know from my law enforcement experience that security does require a multilayered approach. Our bill supports one very important layer of security for our schools. There is still much more work to be done, but the best way to keep our students and teachers safe is to give them the tools and the training to recognize those warning signs to prevent violence from ever entering our school grounds. This bill aims to do just that, Mr. Speaker. As I used to tell my community in northeast Florida when I was sheriff, I do not want to be the best first responder to an active shooter event. I want to prevent that occurrence before it happens, and that is the goal of the STOP School Violence Act.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Mr. Marvin R. Edwards, who was a veteran, a hero, and a predominant member of the Jacksonville community. Mr. Edwards served his country during World War II flying missions with the Office of Strategic Services, which was the precursor of the CIA. He often flew into enemy territory, collecting information that changed the course of the war. For his bravery with the OSS, Mr. Edwards was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2016. Following the war, he returned to Jacksonville, where he became an economist and a fixture in our community, starting organizations such as the Economic Roundtable of Jacksonville, which brings together businesses and community leaders to discuss economic trends. In addition to his passion for business and economics, Mr. Edwards was a champion of public schools and fought for accountability in local and State governments. He was active in the community and never shy about sharing his opinion on major projects in Jacksonville. Mr. Edwards passed away at 96 years of age. He is survived by his wife, Helene Edwards; and his children, Jeffrey, Douglas, and Carolyn. On behalf of a thankful city and country, I stand today to thank Mr. Edwards for his years of dedication to his community and public service. Congratulating Petty Officer 1st Class Genesis Mariano

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate Petty Officer 1st Class Genesis Mariano for being named the 2017 Sea and Shore Sailor of the Year. Growing up, Petty Officer Mariano's father served in the Navy until 1994, when he retired as a chief petty officer. Genesis credits his father's service as the source of his inspiration for joining the Navy. After his father's retirement, Mariano's family continued to reside in Jacksonville, where he attended school at Florida State College, pursuing his associate's degree until he joined the Navy in 2004, following in his father's footsteps. He went to boot camp in April of 2004, and upon completion, went to Field Medical Service School in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He worked at duty stations all over the world and is now the medical leading petty officer for Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific. He aspires to make chief petty officer and to eventually become a master chief. When asked about him, Mariano's commanding officers have only the highest regard for him. They speak of his integrity and his loyalty to his fellow soldiers and sailors, as well as his exceptional medical program expertise. One of Mariano's primary goals is to have an impact on all the sailors and marines he encounters. He wants to provide them with the same mentorship and leadership that he was shown during his early years in the Navy. Outside of his service, Mariano is actively pursuing his bachelor's of science in healthcare administration from Kaplan University. He currently maintains a 4.0 GPA and plans to receive his master's degree. So today, Mr. Speaker, I salute Petty Officer 1st Class Genesis Mariano for being named Sea and Shore Sailor of the Year. He exemplifies the Navy's core values in every aspect of his life, and I admire Petty Officer Mariano's commitment to the military and our Nation. I congratulate him on receiving this honor and I thank him for his service.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor World War II veteran William John Tomka, with whom I had the recent pleasure of joining to celebrate his 100th birthday on January 27, 2018. Born in Dover, New Jersey, to immigrant parents, William spent his formative years in New Jersey developing a love of music. This resulted in him becoming a music teacher until he was drafted into the United States Army on July 11, 1941. He left a successful job teaching in New Jersey to defend our great Nation. After completing his radio operations training at Fort Dix and Fort Bragg, he was deployed to Iceland as part of the 50th Signal Battalion in which he served as a technical sergeant leading a group of eight men who were also trained radio operators. His team was responsible for code, receiving and transmitting from the field, as well as in command vehicles. This group was part of the first American Army personnel to be sent in the European Theater of Operations. After 22 months in Iceland, he was sent to England to be a part of the invasion force of France on D-day. He was dropped onto Utah Beach on June 6, 1944, and bravely fought through the entire campaign of Europe, including the American bombardment of the German forces at Saint-Lo. He and his fellow soldiers later proceeded to serve at the Battle of the Bulge. When recounting his most memorable times in the Army, Mr. Tomka will tell you about his time in Europe after D-day. He told me about his time in France, where he witnessed American fighter pilots bomb the German forces, and of his time served in joint force with the Russians at the river of Elbe. Mr. Tomka was discharged after 3\1/2\ years of foreign duty on June 22, 1945. After his years of service, Mr. Tomka went back to his passion of teaching music. He started an instrumental music program in the Ridgefield school system of New Jersey. During his years of music education, Mr. Tomka obtained his master's degree from NYU in supervision and administration. While he was at NYU, he also played violin in the orchestra. Even at 100 years old, his talents are still impressive. At his recent birthday celebration, Mr. Tomka expertly played the clarinet, violin, piano, and sang for all of his family and friends. I salute Mr. William John Tomka on his years of faithful service to our country and to the public school system. He exemplified qualities of a true American hero. I, on behalf of a grateful nation, admire his service and sacrifice. 30th Anniversary of the David A. Stein Jewish Community Alliance

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the hardworking men and women of the David A. Stein Jewish Community Alliance on the celebration of their 30th anniversary of enriching the lives of those with a variety of needs. The JCA is a pillar in our Jacksonville community. The Jewish Community Alliance is a nonprofit community center affiliated with the Jacksonville Jewish Federation, the United Way of Northeast Florida, and the Jewish Community Centers of North America. Its focus is to enhance the quality of life for families and individuals of all ages, religions, races, financial means, and physical and mental abilities. To this end, the JCA has impacted tens of thousands of citizens in our community. Situated on the Ed Parker Jewish Community Campus, the JCA welcomes preschool-aged children to get a good start in life and embraces teens and adults to join classes on health, heritage, and a variety of subjects. The JCA is a spirit of intergenerational sharing of values and ideas. The afterschool and school-closed day programs give peace of mind to working parents, both married and single. Seniors and adults with special needs are offered opportunities to reach their potential with dignity and tradition. The JCA facility offers swimming, theater, and camp programs, fitness and exercise classes, sports teams, art, and academic classes to all members and welcomes all for membership. The JCA offers an array of creative and innovative classes, programs, and events to inspire and benefit its participants. Mr. Speaker, I ask Members of the House to join me in acknowledging the 30th anniversary of the Jewish Community Alliance and its commitment to our community. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the hard- working men and women of the David A. Stein Jewish Community Alliance on the celebration of their 30th Anniversary of enriching the lives of those with a variety of needs. JCA is a pillar in our Jacksonville community. The Jewish Community Alliance (JCA) is a non-profit community center affiliated with the Jacksonville Jewish Federation, the United Way of Northeast Florida and the Jewish Community Centers of North America. Its focus is to enhance the quality of life for families and individuals of all ages, religions, races, financial means, and physical and mental abilities. To this end, JCA has impacted tens of thousands of citizens in our community. Situated on the Ed Parker Jewish Community Campus, JCA welcomes preschool-age children to get a good start in life and embraces teens and adults to join classes on health, heritage and other diverse subjects. At the JCA, there is a spirit of intergenerational sharing of values and ideas. The after-school and school-closed day programs give peace of mind to working parents, both married and single. Seniors and adults with special needs are offered opportunities to reach their potential with dignity and tradition. The JCA facility offers swimming, theatre and camp programs, fitness and exercise classes, sports teams, and art and academic classes to all members and welcomes all for membership. JCA offers an array of creative and innovative classes, programs and events sure to inspire and benefit participants. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and Members of the House to join me in acknowledging the 30th Anniversary of the JCA and its commitment to the community.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor World War II Veteran, William John Tomka, with whom I had the recent pleasure of joining to celebrate his 100th birthday on January 27, 2018. Born in Dover, New Jersey to immigrant parents, William spent his formative years in New Jersey, developing a love of music. This resulted in him becoming a music teacher until he was drafted into the United States Army on July 11, 1941. He left a successful teaching job in New Jersey to defend our great nation. After completing his radio operations training at Fort Dix and Fort Bragg, he was deployed to Iceland as part of the 50th Signal Battalion, in which he served as a Technical Sergeant, leading a group of 8 men who were also trained radio operators. His team was responsible for code, receiving and transmitting from the field, as well as in command cars. This group was part of the first American Army personnel to be sent into the European Theatre of Operations. After 22 months in Iceland, he was sent to England to be a part of the invasion force of France on D-Day. He was dropped on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944 and bravely fought through the campaign of Europe, including the American bombardment of the German forces at Saint-Lo. He and his fellow soldiers proceeded to serve at the Battle of the Bulge. When accounting his most memorable times in the Army, Mr. Tomka will tell you about his time in Europe after D-day. He told me about his time in France where he witnessed American fighter pilots bomb the German forces and of his time served in joint force with the Russians at the river of Elbe. Mr. Tomka was discharged after three and a half years of foreign duty on June 22, 1945. After his years of service, Mr. Tomka went back to his passion of teaching music. He started an instrumental music program in the Flidgefield school system of New Jersey. During his years of music education, Mr. Tomka obtained his master's degree from NYU in Supervision and Administration, and while he was at NYU, he played violin in the orchestra. Even at 100, his talents are still impressive. At his recent birthday celebration, Mr. Tomka expertly played the clarinet, violin, piano, and sang for his family and friends. I salute William John Tomka on his years of faithful service to our country and the public-school system. He has exemplified qualities of a true American hero, and I, on behalf of a grateful nation, admire his service and sacrifice.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4555) to authorize the participation in overseas interagency counterterrorism task forces of personnel of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr RUTHERFORD

Mr RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as terrorists and foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria seek to return home or travel to other regions in the wake of the defeat of ISIS on the battlefield, cooperation among U.S. military, national security, and law enforcement agencies is vital. When these fighters move from the Middle East to the West or other regions, information collection and tracking becomes extremely difficult, especially when ensuring that all relevant Federal agencies have access to the same critical information. An enhanced, whole-of- government effort to share information and intelligence related to these fighters and their movements would improve security of the homeland. In order to achieve this, H.R. 4555 authorizes the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to assign DHS personnel to overseas interagency counterterrorism task forces to facilitate the sharing of counterterrorism information and combat threats stemming from overseas sources of conflict or terrorism. This will enable DHS to build on existing initiatives to colocate DHS personnel with other Federal departments and agencies that play a crucial role in the fight against terrorism. For example, assigning DHS personnel to the Department of Defense locations would facilitate better collection and sharing of information recovered from those conflict zones, which significantly improves our ability to interdict terrorists before they enter our country. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) for her very commonsense amendment to this bill, which made it stronger and better, and I do appreciate the bipartisan work on that. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this emergency supplemental bill. This emergency funding provides much-needed and, frankly, overdue relief to my district in northeast Florida. In September, Hurricane Irma caused flooding that the city of Jacksonville had not seen in more than 150 years. Downtown was literally under water, power was out for many days, and homes and businesses were shuttered. In our more rural agricultural communities in Nassau County and St. Johns County, crops were wiped out, hurting our agriculture community for months, if not years to come. The city of Jacksonville recently projected that Hurricane Irma will cost the city $85 million. I would be remiss if I did not commend the quick Federal response, the leadership of our Governor, and the planning and coordination of local emergency management officials and first responders, who saved lives and made our community safe and quickly back up and running. But the Federal support in this bill provides the next phase in emergency response that we so desperately need. I would like to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and his committee and committee staff for their work to get this bill over the line. I urge my colleagues in the strongest way possible to support this bill.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, in my 41 years of law enforcement, 12 years as a sheriff of Duval County, Florida, I can tell you I have seen many, many times where good, law-abiding citizens used legal firearms to stop dangerous people from harming them, their loved ones, and even their neighbors. Mr. Speaker, as a law enforcement professional, I want good people carrying firearms. The Fraternal Order of Police that represents thousands of officers all across the United States of America supports good people carrying firearms. Do you know why? Because we know, as law enforcement officers we understand that, at our agencies, our priority one response time target is 7 minutes. In a life-and-death situation, we target getting there in 7 minutes. That is in a well-policed community. I want to put Republicans, Democrats, and everyone on notice that, for that 7 minutes, you better be prepared to protect yourself. If an active shooter in a mall, in a school, in a church like we just saw in Sutherland Springs, Texas, is killing people, let's say to the tune of five people per minute, that is an average of 35 dead, unarmed citizens before the police can even arrive at the scene. Believe me, we want good, law-abiding citizens who are authorized to carry firearms to have the ability to intervene in a violent situation before law enforcement can even arrive at the scene. We need the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act to ensure that these good, law-abiding citizens can retain the constitutional right to bear arms legally across State lines and hopefully be able to stop a violent incident. Mr. Speaker, none of our other constitutional rights stop at a State line. Our Second Amendment rights should not stop at that line either. Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 38 and save lives.

Mr. RUTHERFORD

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko), my good friend, and sponsor of the bill.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3731) to provide overtime pay for employees of the United States Secret Service, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. 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. 3731, currently under consideration.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3731, the Secret Service Recruitment and Retention Act of 2017. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by my distinguished colleague, Mr. Katko, and negotiated between the House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. It would make small, but significant, changes to the Federal law to ensure that the men and women of the United States Secret Service are fairly compensated for performing their duties. This bill is necessary because, under current law, many Secret Service agents have hit the lawful cap that restricts overtime pay in some circumstances. This means that the brave men and women standing post, for example, at 2 a.m. in the morning are doing so for free. This is, without question, an untenable situation. H.R. 3731 makes two important changes to the law to address this problem. First, it raises the overtime cap to ensure that these agents are paid. Second, it includes a reporting requirement, directing the Government Accountability Office to study the Service's implementation of the recommendations of the Protective Mission Panel, or PMP. This change is intended to help address the recruitment and retention issues at the Secret Service. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will ensure that the Secret Service is able to recruit and retain an elite group of dedicated law enforcement officers. This is an issue that rises above party affiliation, or ideology. The protection of the President, the First Family, and others is something that, obviously, we all should want as American citizens. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jody B. Hice), who is a member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia.