Matt Salmon

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, on October 10, 2016, Taiwan celebrates the National Day of the Republic of China, more commonly known as double- ten day. I wish all Taiwanese a safe and happy National Day, and hope for many more to come. I lived in Taiwan for two years while serving a church mission, and quickly grew to love the people of Taiwan, their way of life, democratic values, and open-market principles. Taiwan has left a lasting impression on me and I have celebrated and worked to protect the U.S.-Taiwan relationship ever since. In Congress, I've striven to ensure that Taiwan's close friendship and faithfulness as a global citizen is never forgotten. Just this year, Taiwan reminded the world once again that a vibrant democracy can thrive in the region with the peaceful election of a new leader through genuinely free and fair elections. I congratulate President Tsai once again and wish her well in leading her people. Congress has also acted to include Taiwan in the international community and prevent marginalization efforts by China. As the world grows smaller and more interconnected, it is not only unreasonable that Taiwan is not at the table, it is dangerous. For that reason, I want to express my profound disappointment that the United Nations failed to include Taiwan in the International Civil Aviation Organization Assembly this year. As we all know, Taiwan airports are among the busiest in the world, and pressure from China should not lead to putting passenger safety at risk. I urge the UN to include Taiwan as a participant in all future ICAO assemblies; in addition to all other international organizations as they would be a valuable addition to addressing our many global challenges. Congress and the United States stand firm in our commitment to Taiwan, and will continue to do so. I look forward to celebrating another double-ten day along with my friends in Taiwan this year and in the years to come.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of House Resolution 634, recognizing the importance of the United States-Republic of Korea- Japan trilateral relationship to counter North Korean threats and nuclear proliferation, and to ensure regional security and human rights. I thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their support of this legislation as well as all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for this bipartisan effort. As we have all seen, North Korea continues its provocations, which we saw again as recently as 2 days ago, when Kim Jong-Un's regime launched three more missiles during the final day of the G20 summit. Not only did this fly in the face of multiple U.N. resolutions, but was a calculated challenge to the international order. The administration's strategy of strategic patience with North Korea clearly has not worked. What is also clear is that we must work proactively with our allies to counter North Korean threats and nuclear proliferation. The Republic of Korea-Japan relationship has improved dramatically in recent years as each partner has recognized the shared interests and values of the other, demonstrated by the deep and longstanding alliances each of them has with the United States. Our three nations working together as one against North Korea's threats will foster improved regional security and secure fundamental human rights for the North Korean people. I have no doubt that North Korea will continue its provocations, and we must stand firm with our allies to counter its aggression. This resolution puts forth congressional intent to bolster the trilateral relationship and offers further support for regional ballistic missile defense systems. Our alliances with Korea and Japan are the cornerstones of peace and security in northeast Asia. We enjoy robust security with both countries, from the forward deployment of assets, to joint military exercises, to information and intelligence sharing. In fact, Korea recently elected to deploy, as Mr. Royce just referred to, the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, known as THAAD, which will support existing U.S. and Japanese assets in the region in our mission to deter North Korean aggression. In light of North Korea's ongoing nuclear tests and missile launches, it is imperative that the United States work even more closely with these allies to counter this persistent threat. I introduced this resolution to reaffirm the importance of the trilateral relationship in this tense and unstable time. It supports regional allied responses to North Korean threats and human rights abuses, and calls for expansion of information sharing and other diplomatic relationships between our three countries. This is a very important measure for the security of our homeland; that of our allies, Korea and Japan; and the international community at large. I encourage all Members to support this legislation.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to pay tribute to a highly respected American company: The Boeing Company. This July marks 100 years since William E. Boeing founded the business after he turned a small building he bought in Lake Union, Washington into a combined factory and seaplane hangar. In its centennial year, Boeing continues to prosper as the world's largest aerospace company and the largest manufacturing exporter in the United States. Today I wish to congratulate the company on its 100th anniversary. Most people know Boeing for its long tradition in aerospace initiative and innovation, but behind its reputation is a corporation fueled by a legendary American entrepreneur and engineer: William E. Boeing. William E. Boeing experienced many setbacks before becoming successful. In fact, when Boeing was only 22 years old, he dropped out of Yale. Even though it was risky, he moved to Washington to start in the logging business on land that he had inherited. Although Boeing started to buy more timberland and gain more wealth for his family, he was never cut out for the meticulous, reserved life of a logger. As he continued his logging business, he decided to attend an aviation meet in Los Angeles in 1910. At the meet, he became enthralled with airplanes and tried to get a ride on one of the boxy airplanes, but had no success. In 1914, flier Terah Maroney brought a Curtiss-type hydroplane with him when he visited Boeing and his friend, U.S. Navy Lieutenant G. Conrad Westervelt. The pair took turns riding with Maroney above Lake Washington and after a few turns, the two realized that they could build a better airplane. On July 15, 1916, William Boeing incorporated the Pacific Aero Products Company and just four months later, Boeing and Westervelt had the first test flight of their first plane. The seaplane/biplane was the Bluebill, B&W Model 1. The plane flew 900 feet, marking the beginning of the largest aerospace company in the world. One year later, the company was renamed Boeing Airplane Company. Boeing helped America get through the hard times. During the Great Depression, the company and other airlines formed the United Airlines to provide continent-wide U.S. air service. In World War II, Boeing provided planes that helped the Allies defeat the Axis power. Today, they help America through yet another battle: the War on Terror. To fight the War on Terror, Boeing supplies us with a number of tools for our defense. One of these great tools is the AH-64 Apache Helicopter. Entering service with the United States Army in 1984, the AH-64 Apache Helicopter is the primary multirole combat helicopter for the U.S. Army and for a growing number of our allies' defense forces. The Apache was built to fight our enemies during the day or night in adverse weather conditions and challenging battlefields. These helicopters have been used in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Anaconda, and continue to be used for peacekeeping operations in order to fight terrorism around the world. I am honored that Boeing uses its plant in Mesa, Arizona, to produce these revolutionary fighting helicopters for America's defense. The company has had a tremendous impact both nationally and globally, and this impact is seen in Arizona. In my state, the Boeing Company works with 387 businesses and supports 46,000 employees with 3,851 of those being direct employees. Boeing has also given millions in charitable contributions to our state and has created jobs and economic opportunity while working to create the world's most advanced and innovative aerospace products and services. Today, the Boeing Company continues its success under the leadership of Chairman, President, and CEO Dennis A. Muilenburg. Passion and competence hold this venerable company together, while innovation drives it further. As the company celebrates its centennial year, the passion and spirit of William E. Boeing lives on as Boeing continues its long tradition of leadership and innovation in aerospace. May it have one hundred more.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Chair, I rise today to speak to an action taken by the Puerto Rican Secretary of Health who issued Administrative Order No. 346 on February 9, 2016. This Order is noteworthy in that it was issued without the benefit of review by Puerto Rico's legislature, and without any prior notice or comment period afforded to impacted parties that typically accompanies the publication of such Orders. Order No. 346 imposes an unprecedented set of regulatory requirements and fees on the nutritional dietary supplement industry that will invariably increase the cost to consumers who rely upon nutritional supplements as an adjunct to their normal diet. This Order creates significant economic barriers to acquiring nutritional supplements that have been widely accepted by consumers as a way of maintaining healthy lifestyles and preventing adverse health events in their lives. The Congress has recognized the importance of encouraging American adults to maintain minimum average daily intake of a variety of nutrients that are essential to maintaining health and well-being. The U.S. government has encouraged and funded a broad range of consumer education initiatives across the spectrum of public health agencies in the federal government with the goal of providing consumers with valuable information about the importance of the minimum daily nutritional intake standards required to maintain good health. Nutrition experts at the Harvard School of Public Health have emphasized the importance of a food pyramid that recommends a ``daily multivitamin plus extra vitamin D (for most people).'' Researchers at Tufts University have designed a specific food guide for the elderly that features the benefits of daily supplements of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12 that are needed for optimal health. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has issued a policy statement that emphasizes the importance of good food choices, and it also recognizes that nutritional supplements can help some people meet their daily nutritional needs. Supplements should be seen as one component of the search for a healthier lifestyle, including improvements in overall food habits and engaging in physical exercise. Much of the current research on nutrition and health focuses on prevention of chronic disease, but the primary reason most people use multivitamins and other nutritional supplements is to support overall wellness. I was astounding to me to find out about Order No. 346 issued by the Puerto Rican Secretary of Health that imposes a set of onerous market access fees in Puerto Rico for nutritional supplements, including a $25 fee on retailers and distributors for every variation of the supplement by size, flavor, and stock keeping unit (``SKU''). But the ``money grab'' did not stop there. Manufacturers must file an application and pay an additional $500 fee every 2 years for products that they intend to sell in Puerto Rico. Wholesale and Retail distributors must also register and pay an additional $100 fee every 2 years. Facilities are subject to inspection, and must pay a $50 fee every 2 years. In addition, Order No. 346 also imposes an additional significant administrative burden by requiring quality control data, Certificates of Analysis, the process used to obtain the product, label samples, promotional materials, Advertisements, Laboratory Certificates, and any and all warning statements which the FDA does not require of retailers of any regulated goods, which includes foods, drugs, and devices. These requirements are transparently only justifications for the imposition of this new regimen of fees. This onerous new fee structure may have the unintended consequence of usurping the role of the FDA in regulating the introduction of nutritional supplements into commerce as this Congress has determined by statute to be sufficient. There has not been any significant incident in Puerto Rico where a nutritional supplement manufacturer has introduced a tainted product to consumers. Nor is there any record of any significant number of adverse events attributable to the sale of nutritional supplements to Puerto Rican consumers. Furthermore, there are no reports of abusive commercial activities by nutritional supplement retailers in Puerto Rico. Finally, there are no unique public health concerns or issues attributable to nutritional supplement manufacturing or sales to consumers in Puerto Rico that have not been fully and adequately addressed by the FDA. Federal public health agencies, research organizations, and non- government organizations widely encourage the use of nutritional supplements to maintain minimum dietary intake, particularly for at- risk populations like the elderly and low-income families. Intuitively, one would think that the Public Health Agency responsible for the promotion of health and well-being of the people of Puerto Rico would be tearing down any barrier that exists for its people to access nutritional foods and supplements that promote the health and well-being of families. But the reality is, and it is a conundrum that is well known to this body, is that Puerto Rico is in the midst of a serious financial crisis for which it is seeking relief. As I understand it, Order No. 346 is a transparent and perverse way for the Puerto Rican government to generate revenue. I cannot help but remember the lyrics of a favorite song of mine sung by country music star Waylon Jennings, ``Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.'' Is it not wrong to be looking for new revenue by increasing the costs to Puerto Rican families for nutritional supplements that assist them in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and thereby help them avoid adverse and costly health events that would incur potentially avoidable costs both to patients and government health care programs? Is it not wrong for the Secretary of Health to impose a back-door tax on nutritional supplements without the benefit of a statute authorizing these fees enacted by the Puerto Rican legislature? Is it not wrong to single out one industry, particularly an industry whose products support a public policy to promote the health and well- being of its citizens--particularly the elderly and children? How can the Puerto Rican government come to this Congress and expect to be taken seriously in their request for fiscal relief from their current debt burden when they are continuing to enact policies like Order No. 346 that are so grossly counterintuitive to good government policy? My colleague, Mr. Zinke, has authored a legislative remedy that will nullify Puerto Rico Administrative Order No. 346. I fully support this legislative effort that will protect the people of Puerto Rico from arbitrary and onerous restrictions on their access to nutritional supplement products, and threatens to damage the economic growth of the economy in Puerto Rico. If Administrative Order No. 346 is allowed to stand, the cumulative effect of a new layer of bureaucratic ``red tape'' and the unjustified imposition of regulatory fees will make Puerto Rico the costliest place to do business by natural products retailers anywhere in the United States or its territories. Low income consumers will likely be forced away from legitimate retailers on the Island and seek access to reasonably priced products on the Internet. The problem with that strategy is that the Internet is well known as a haven for counterfeit products and fly-by-night suppliers who regularly avoid the scrutiny of the FDA and failed to maintain good manufacturing practices for the production of its products. The perverse outcome of Administrative Order No. 346 is that it will actually increase the threat to public health among the citizens of Puerto Rico. An equally perverse outcome of Administrative Order No. 346 is that many Puerto Rican families will be unable to afford the increase in prices on nutritional supplements that they rely upon, and they will likely forgo those expenditures. Low income families will be hit the hardest as they are less likely to get nutrition they need from food alone, and nutritional supplements our key part of their maintaining the health and well-being. And I would ask my colleagues to consider this: Administrative Order No. 346, if it is allowed to stand, sets a dangerous precedent for every legitimate business operating in Puerto Rico today. If the Congress fails to nullify this order, nothing will stand in the way of the Government of Puerto Rico from imposing similar regulatory regimens on every other industry on the Island, without any notice or debate, and it will become the incubator for this terrible policy to migrate to other states and territories who are looking to enhance revenues. Much of what we do here in the Congress is to establish public policies to protect consumers from exploitive and predatory actions of unscrupulous manufacturers of products that economically harm our citizens. We are confronted today by a desperate Puerto Rican Government who appears to have set aside its duty to responsibly enact public policies that are consistent with the regular order of commerce, particularly as it relates to nutritional supplements, and has embarked on a clearly exploitive and predatory path to fleece nutritional supplement manufacturers and penalize its own consumers in the process. The Congress is now required to act to defend its own authority and regulatory framework for nutritional supplement products as administered by the FDA, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice. We must act in order to prevent this exploitive and predatory action by the Puerto Rican Government that will have the inevitable consequence of harming its own citizens.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. I do want to say one other thing. I know that the gentlewoman is going to be retiring after the end of this term, and I just want to say what a true honor it has been to serve with a statesman such as yourself. You are truly one of the bright spots in this place. There have been a lot of times when I feel like I kind of had to kick myself extra hard to get motivated to come back and get on that plane and come to Washington, D.C., and leave my family behind; but there are people that give me hope, and you are one of those people. You will be sorely missed. It doesn't matter whether you are a woman or not a woman. You happen to be. You are a fine, fine individual, and I am proud to know you.

Mr. SALMON. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. SALMON. I thank the gentlewoman. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak very, very lovingly and admiringly about one of the most wonderful people I have ever gotten a chance to know in my life. Her name is Laura Knaperek. I first met Laura when I was a State legislator. I was assigned to be on the health committee, and Laura was a citizen activist that came down to champion the cause of families, and specifically families with children with developmental disabilities. I was amazed then at her passion, and I remember telling her: You ought to run for office some day. She was a beloved member of the Arizona community and a tireless champion for those with developmental disabilities and one of the strongest advocates for families I have ever met in my life. She sought to lift people's lives around her. She was first elected to the State legislature in 1994. She set herself apart as a selfless public servant. A few weeks ago, our Speaker, in talking to the Conference, mentioned that there are two types of people in politics: there are doers, and there are be-ers. Laura Knaperek was a doer. She was not interested in having the title of being a State legislator; she was interested in solving the problems of the day. She was diagnosed, in 2012, with ovarian cancer. I remember seeing her shortly after that diagnosis, and there was no despair and no concern. Without missing a beat, she just wanted to talk about how she could uplift other people's lives. I remember Laura decided to champion an idea in Arizona, which I believe is an idea whose time has come. It is the right called the Right to Try. I think it was one of the very first States in the country that has tried to pass this by referendum. Laura was successful in doing this. It basically allows individuals with terminal diseases access to things that aren't necessarily approved by the FDA yet. If it is their last-ditch chance, they ought to have a shot at life, and that was Laura's contention. She championed this idea, and it passed overwhelmingly at the ballot. I am sad to say that, 4 years after her diagnosis, she succumbed to this dread disease. I was shocked because Laura was on Facebook and every other social media outlet constantly championing ideas and thoughts of others, and she never said anything about herself. She never wallowed in self-pity. She was the kind of person that realized that the greatest service that we can do is serving other people. In my church, there is a saying that, when you are in the service of your fellow being, you are in the service of God. I think Laura understood that better than anybody. Because of Laura, I introduced H.R. 3012, the Right to Try Act, introduced the last session of Congress. I think that Americans deserve the same opportunity that Arizonans have to be able to try to save their life and do whatever is necessary to save their life if they are terminally ill and they have no other options, no hope. I think that we can honor Laura and others like her by allowing everybody across the United States who suffers from a terminal illness the access to every tool available to help them fight for their precious life. The Right to Try, to me, is, in reality, a component of the God-given right to life. The Right to Try offers hope to those who have nowhere else to turn. Laura Knaperek passed away at the age of 60, leaving behind her husband, Robert, their 6 children, 19 grandchildren, and 1 great- grandchild. I ask my colleagues to join with me today in honoring Laura's life and pray that we continue Laura's fight to allow those with terminal illnesses another chance at life. I thank the gentlewoman.

Mr. SALMON. First, before I start honoring this wonderful woman, I would like to say that I learned early in my life, in my church, that if you want to talk about something, you convene a meeting with a bunch of men; if you want to solve something, you convene a meeting with women.

Mr. SALMON. Actually, we are going to be reintroducing it, and we are probably going to rename it Laura's Law in honor of Laura Knaperek. There are very few times in your life that you meet somebody that you think they got the memo mixed up in Heaven, that God sent a memo that said that this person that is supposed to be an angel actually got to come down to Earth. That was Laura. She was an angel, a living angel, and somebody that gave a lot of people reason for hope through the course of her life, and she never, ever sought recognition. All she sought was helping others and changing other people's lives. Do you know what? That is the standard I think we all aspire to, but there are rare occasions where we find somebody that just embodies everything that is good.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of Senate Bill 2426, which is the Senate companion to my bill H.R. 1853 that passed the House earlier this year. This bill directs the Administration to work to bring Taiwan in to the International Criminal Police Organization, also known as INTERPOL. Taiwan is an important U.S. ally and I have long been a supporter of the government and people of Taiwan. In fact, I was lucky enough to serve a mission for my church in Taiwan and grew to love the Taiwanese people for their core values, democratic standards, open-market principles, and peaceful way of life. While in Congress, I have worked hard to facilitate policies that encourage Taiwan's continued vibrancy, to provide an example of hope and democracy around the world. Although Taiwan has proven to be a faithful, global partner for those in need, China seeks to marginalize Taiwan's role in the world. As such, I have pursued ways to further include Taiwan in the global community for its own good, but perhaps more importantly, for the benefit of the global community. Today, nearly every country is confronting threats of terrorism and international criminal organizations. Yet at a time when it is more important than ever that countries communicate about these ongoing threats, Taiwan is barred from directly participating. This is short sighted and must be addressed. For that reason, I introduced legislation to direct the President to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in INTERPOL, so that it can more fully engage in the international law enforcement community. The goal is to increase participation with important global actors to share information on international criminals, and together bring them to justice and protect would-be victims. I was pleased that after my legislation passed the House unanimously last year, Senator Gardner took up the cause and passed his companion bill, S. 2426, through the Senate. I wholeheartedly support this bill's final passage so that we can send this important, pro-security bill to the President for his signature. I encourage all Members to support this legislation.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to add my strong support to H.R. 757, the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2016, a critical bill to target the rogue Kim Jong Un regime in North Korea. I want to thank Chairman Ed Royce for drafting this important piece of legislation with Ranking Member Eliot Engel and moving swiftly to bring it for a final vote here in the House before sending it on to the President. North Korea needs to know that it cannot pursue a nuclear program without a tough response from the United States and our allies in the region. This latest nuclear test and missile launch test fly in the face of current international sanctions and against years and years of negotiation to end North Korea's nuclear ambitions. By their actions, it is clear that North Korea has every intention to continue advancing its nuclear and missile programs, in an effort to strengthen both domestic and international positions. This must stop here. This bill before us today will seize assets connected with North Korea's proliferation program. It will staunch the flow of cash from anyone involved in arms trafficking, luxury goods, money laundering, and other means of weapons proliferation in North Korea. H.R. 757 will also target the regime's horrendous and appalling human rights abuses, by requiring the Administration to develop a strategy that would protect human rights in North Korea and identify those in the North Korean regime who violate basic human rights and dignity. The time is now to take action and punish the North Korean regime for its destructive behavior. The time to act is now. We cannot wait for another nuclear test, another missile launch, another island shelling, another ship sinking, or another hacking attack. If the Administration will not act to hold the North Korean regime to account, then the Congress must. I am proud to vote in favor of H.R. 757 and strongly encourage all of my House colleagues to join me.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Ed Royce for bringing this important measure to the floor today and for being a constant champion of the people of Taiwan. I was able to go on a trip with the chairman to Taiwan, and I think that he is as close to royalty in Taiwan as anybody that I have ever met. They love Ed Royce. In fact, the guy that used to be called ``Mr. Taiwan'' was the former Senator from Arizona, Barry Goldwater, but I think Ed Royce has maybe taken that title away. I am just honored to be able to be here supporting this bill that he has allowed to come to the floor. I have been a long-time supporter of Taiwan, as have Members throughout this body on both sides of the aisle. Let me just segue for a minute. A lot of people out there get really, really frustrated by the partisan nature of what they see happening here in the Nation's Capital. A lot of people are frustrated: Why can't both sides just agree? I mean, after all, aren't we all Americans? The interesting thing is I wish more Americans could come and see our committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, in action because it is the epitome of bipartisanship. Besides the fact that Chairman Ed Royce leads the committee and demands that we exhibit bipartisanship, Ranking Member Eliot Engel is one of the best men I have ever met in my life. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Whether it is dealing with terrorism in the Middle East or fairness across the globe like this issue with Taiwan and common sense, he is always on the right side. He leads his delegation, his folks on that side of the aisle in something that we have long believed, but sometimes it kind of gets lost in the cacophony of arguments here on Capitol Hill on other things, but that is that partisanship ends at the water's edge. My hat is off to you, Mr. Engel, because you have always exhibited that, and I appreciate the way that you have led this body in that way. Taiwan is a wonderful, thriving democracy. In fact, I had an opportunity as a young man to live there for 2 years, from 1977 to 1979, while serving a mission for my church. While I was there in 1978, the Nixon administration normalized relations with China, recognizing the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole, legal government of China and declaring it would withdraw diplomatic recognition from Taiwan. The U.S. Government has since articulated a one-China policy, which was a dark turn for U.S.-Taiwan relations. Since then, we have seen a Taiwan that is marginalized in the international community. Taiwan's ambiguous sovereignty status has contributed to its exclusion from many, many international organizations, despite Taiwan's obvious willingness to play a larger role in international affairs and international security, as it should. From humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to law enforcement and global health, so often it has been denied the right to share its knowledge and its expertise in the international fora. This bill, H.R. 1853, would improve Taiwan's capability to contribute and benefit from the international community in the interest of international security. H.R. 1853 would direct the President to develop a strategy to obtain observer status for Taiwan in the International Criminal Police Organization, or INTERPOL. It would also require the President to report to Congress on efforts to encourage Taiwan's inclusion in INTERPOL. Since the early 20th century, INTERPOL has facilitated mutual assistance between criminal police authorities worldwide through the sharing of information, such as access to comprehensive lists of suspicious persons and criminals. As we all know and, I think, as every American knows, terrorism and other nontraditional security challenges no longer end at our borders or anybody's borders. These threats are global by nature. In order to secure domestic and international security, the sharing of information across borders is vital. Taiwan's exclusion from INTERPOL hampers efforts to prevent and respond to threats. To ensure that potential terrorists are barred from entering Taiwan, it is essential that Taiwan have direct access to INTERPOL and its I- 24/7 system, which provides real-time information on criminals and global criminal activities. Without this access, Taiwan is forced to cobble together its own list based on incomplete and untimely information obtained from a small number of friendly countries to Taiwan and Taiwan's own domestic intelligence. Equally important, Taiwan is unable to share the information that it gathers on criminals and suspicious persons with INTERPOL directly. Mr. Engel called this policy silly. I think that that is very, very appropriate and accurate. This puts everybody at risk, when we have a policy that plays politics instead of common sense. Cooperation between Taiwan and INTERPOL could be markedly enhanced if Taiwan is able to become an observer. H.R. 1853, with 114 bipartisan cosponsors, continues to carry the torch of congressional support for Taiwan's membership and inclusion in the international community. Taiwan is a vibrant, democratic society, with much to contribute to the international community. The United States must do more to fulfill our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act, which provides that the U.S. treat Taiwan the same as foreign countries, nations, states, government, or similar entities. This is a vote for U.S. support of Taiwan's inclusion in international affairs. This is a vote for international security. I urge my colleagues to vote to support Taiwan's participation in international policing efforts by supporting this legislation, H.R. 1853.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to stand up here today and welcome President Park Geun-hye next week coming to Washington, D.C., because the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea has been one of the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity in northeast Asia for more than 60 years, and we are united against the threat of a rogue regime in North Korea. About 28,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed in South Korea stand with their Republic of Korea counterparts in defense of the south. We support President Park's principled vision for peace, prosperity, and a democratic, unified Korean Peninsula. Our alliance today has grown far beyond this single threat, though. We also have strong alliances in economic development and many, many other issues. We are very, very excited about this wonderful relationship, and we welcome President Park next week.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague Duncan Hunter for working with me in crafting this important piece of legislation. As the coauthor of this bill, I am very proud to see the House taking action on this front. I also want to thank leadership for bringing this bill to the floor. We are hearing some strange rhetoric here today, especially from the other side of the aisle. I hear about vulnerable cities. How about vulnerable taxpaying Americans? I hear about sanctuary for thugs like the one that killed Kate Steinle. Shouldn't our cities be a sanctuary for law-abiding American citizens who have a right to walk on safe streets? Make no mistake, this is a very, very important bill. From 2010 to 2014, the number 121 should stick in everybody's minds; 121 illegal immigrants with lengthy criminal records went on to commit murder after they were let out to do their heinous crimes. That is why I was so appalled to hear one of my colleagues from across the aisle call the murder of American citizens like Kate Steinle and my constituent, Grant Ronnebeck, a little thing. Such disgusting remarks and flagrant disregard for life, especially the lives of those that we claim to represent, I find repulsive. In fact, such callous remarks only serve to highlight the fact that it is time for the majority of Americans who want to see government fulfill its most basic constitutional duties, protecting its borders and its citizens, stand up and take America back. It is time to stand up and be heard and demand that our government fulfill these most basic duties. These sanctuary cities that refuse to uphold the law and openly broadcast the fact that they are flouting the law make our country less safe and only serve to perpetuate tragedies like the one that we saw in San Francisco. Not only are these supposed sanctuary cities ignoring the law, but they are broadcasting the fact to illegal immigrant felons like Kate Steinle's murderer, a seven-time felon who flat out admitted one of the reasons that he chose to stay in San Francisco--in fact, the predominant reason he chose to stay--was because he knew that they would protect him. Well, who is going to protect law-abiding Americans? When will American cities be sanctuaries for Americans and not for illegal felons? Unfortunately, these sanctuary cities are not being held accountable by this administration, which has demonstrated time and time again it has no interest in securing the border or upholding existing immigration law. With this in mind, I think that we have a responsibility to stand up and do what is right. This sanctuary cities policy and fixing it so that they have to abide by the laws that we pass here in Congress to protect our borders and protect our citizens has to be adhered to. It is just common sense.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Chairman, I take serious umbrage with the arrogance that purveys this city in that we are the font of all knowledge. In fact, I lovingly joke with my constituents when I go back and say, ``I am from Washington, D.C., and I am here to help you.'' It always draws a loud amount of laughter because everybody knows that that is not the way things really are. If we can't trust our parents, who have the biggest vested interest in whether or not their children succeed in education, if we can't trust the teachers, if we can't trust the local school boards, whose members also have to run for election, then we might as well just fold up and go home. I have a lot more confidence in parents, in teachers, in our local school boards, than I do in some nameless, faceless bureaucrat here in Washington, D.C. I say we put the power back where it should be: in the hands of parents and teachers and local school boards. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline), the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Chairman, I first want to thank Chairman Kline and Representative Rokita of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for working with me on this important amendment, which is to ensure that parents have more authority and power over their children's educations. My amendment is very, very simple. It would allow any parent to opt his child out of high-stakes testing, and it would protect schools from being punished by the Federal Department of Education if parents opted to take their children out of these tests. Since the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, called No Child Left Behind, the Federal Government has placed increasing importance on academic assessments in K-12 education. Assessments are important and even necessary to understand and measure a child's academic progress. However, academic assessments have become an overutilized metric to evaluate everything from the quality of a teacher to the strength of a particular program. Because of this frenzied obsession with high-stakes testing, more and more time is being usurped from actual classroom learning. It was reported that the testing for a student in the 11th grade could take up to 27 days, a total of 15 percent of the entire school year, and a lot of the teachers complain about having to teach to the test. In fact, I think that is why the NEA has come out in support of this amendment. Parents are becoming increasingly fed up with such constant and onerous testing requirements, and so are the teachers. While some States currently allow parents to opt their students out of assessments, there exists a simultaneous obligation on schools of a 95 percent participation rate in school assessments. If schools don't meet these requirements, they risk enforcement measures from the Department of Education, which, at worst, could include losing access to Federal funding. These factors create a strange environment of conflicting interests for students, parents, and schools. My amendment would ease a school's fear of penalties by directing that opted-out students not be counted among the 95 percent participation requirement while giving parents due power over their children's educations. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important amendment, which returns the power back to where it should be, with the parents. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, I think this is a very, very sad day when we have to make a Hobson's choice of either funding our national security or standing for the Constitution. We actually took an oath just a few short weeks ago to defend this Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. That is our role; that is our responsibility. If not now, then when? It is never going to be easy. It is never going to be easy. It has never been easy to stand up for freedom. I have heard some people say: Well, you Republicans, you just need to learn how to govern. If it was just about governing, then I think that the American people can just close shop and let the President just run everything, but we actually have a Constitution that we have to adhere to. Despots all over the world, they govern. They keep the trains running on time. But we stand for something different. We stand for a constitutional republic, where we have three coequal branches that all have an equal say. The Founding Fathers gave us a tool to deal with a time just like this. It is called the power of the purse. If we relegate that responsibility and dropkick it to the courts, as the gentleman from Florida (Mr. DeSantis) just said, then they have nothing else than to assume that we just basically folded to the pressure. I believe this is a sad day for America. I believe America deserves better. If we are not going to fight now, when are we going to fight?

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, every day more than 116 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During my first tenure in Congress, I worked very closely with Dr. Sydney Elias Salmon, founding director of the Arizona Cancer Center. Together, we were able to ensure American cancer patients received greater access to lifesaving clinical trials. Shortly thereafter, pancreatic cancer claimed his life. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth deadliest cancer in the U.S. and the only one of the four that does not have a known cure. In fact, in the last 5 years, 92 percent of those that have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer died during the first year of their diagnosis. Sadly, pancreatic cancer is one of the few cancers for which the survival rate has not substantially improved over the last 25 years. It is time that we eradicate the scourge of cancer once and for all. We must again focus American ingenuity, dedication, and resources in the fight against cancer, particularly pancreatic and lung cancers that have lagged behind in diagnosis and survivability. It is vital that Congress champion early detection and research during the 114th Congress.

Mr. SALMON

Mr. SALMON. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chairman, they say sunlight is the best disinfectant. We are trying to shed a little sunlight on some of the problems with the President's unconstitutional and illegal executive order of last year. I am incredulous that the leader of the opposition has now encouraged the Members of the opposition to vote, en bloc, against all these commonsense amendments defending the American worker, protecting the American worker, cracking down on the molesters and sex offenders, and making sure that they don't have a haven here in America, and making sure that those who want legal immigration are the first and foremost that we consider in this process, and that those who cheated the system have to get behind those folks that are doing it legally before their paperwork can be processed. It is incredulous that the other side would oppose such commonsense measures that I believe most of America is crying for. People are hurting out there. Maybe they haven't gotten the memo, but I think most of us have. The other thing that is incredulous is that when you hear a lot of squealing, you know when you have hit a raw nerve; you know there is some truth to what is being spoken. This amendment is simply a sense of Congress that we don't give a $3,000 benefit to those who have cheated the system, that we don't give a $3,000 advantage to them over hardworking, tax-paying American citizens who have been out of work for quite some time. As we know, President Obama recently issued a series of memos that would essentially grant legal status to millions of people residing illegally within the borders of the United States. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that such action has been taken by this administration, and history has a habit of repeating itself. Under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, DACA, up to 1.7 million individuals were granted legal status and were allowed to cut in line, being given preferential treatment over those who respected our laws and waited patiently for their immigration cases to be processed. Furthermore, while these individuals who were given legal status under DACA were initially required to purchase health insurance under ObamaCare, they were later exempted from that requirement. With this exemption, those given legal status under DACA are not required to purchase insurance. We just don't want that to happen again, and I would urge the other side to stand up for the American worker. That is why we are here. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SALMON. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), chairman of the full Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. SALMON. Madam Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson), the coauthor of this amendment.

Mr. SALMON. Madam Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.