F. Sensenbrenner

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Mrs. Noem), the author of this bill.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in favor of H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015 introduced by Representative Kristi Noem of South Dakota. As we have heard on the floor repeatedly this week, human trafficking generally and child sex trafficking specifically is a horrible crime that sadly exists in all corners of our country. Studies suggest that over 290,000 youth are at risk of human trafficking in the United States, with children as young as 12 years old becoming victims of commercial sexual abuse. While Federal, State, and local law enforcement have made great strides to combat and eradicate human trafficking, there remains work to be done on this front. As in all things, to effectively combat human trafficking, we must first fully understand the problem. H.R. 350 requires the existing Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to survey and catalogue the methods being employed by our Federal and State governments to deter individuals from committing trafficking offenses and to report on best practices that can improve the response. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to report on Federal and State efforts to fight trafficking, including the grant programs aimed at assisting victims and fighting this crime. Finally, in order to help young victims move on from their trauma, H.R. 350 clarifies that existing Federal trafficking grants may be used for programs that provide housing for victims of sex trafficking. Currently, 29 States do not have shelter beds dedicated to the victims of sex trafficking. This provision would help address that travesty. Similar legislation was passed in the House last Congress but was not enacted into law. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle here and on the other side of the Capitol to pass this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, January 26, 2015. Hon. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for consulting with the Committee on Foreign Affairs regarding H.R. 350, the Human Trafficking Prevention, Intervention, and Recovery Act of 2015. As a result of those consultations, I agree that the Foreign Affairs Committee may be discharged from further consideration of that bill, so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor. I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding that, by forgoing consideration of H.R. 350, the Foreign Affairs Committee does not waive jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this, or any other, legislation. Our Committee also reserves the right to seek an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this bill, and would appreciate your support for any such request. I ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 350. Sincerely, Edward R. Royce, Chairman.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 350, currently under consideration.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 350) to direct the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking to identify strategies to prevent children from becoming victims of trafficking and review trafficking prevention efforts, to protect and assist in the recovery of victims of trafficking, and for other purposes.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This weekend is one of America's greatest sports traditions--the Super Bowl. As most Americans huddle around the television, either rooting for their teams or against the rival as the case may be, sadly, many American children are huddled on the streets or in hotel rooms-- the victims of sex trafficking. A sinister side to major sporting events and to other large events is that a portion of the attendants come looking to abuse young children as much as they come for the headline events. While no one knows exactly how much the incidence of child sex trafficking increases during these events, it is known that pimps do bring children and other victims from around the country to offer them for sale at the Super Bowl and at other similar events. During last year's Super Bowl, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies arrested more than 45 traffickers and rescued 16 child victims of sex trafficking, including victims as young as 13 years old and some who had been reported missing by their families. Compounding this tragedy is the fact that most States have no exception to their prostitution laws for minor victims of trafficking. These children must often fear arrest and prosecution when law enforcement manages to locate and rescue some sex trafficking victims. This must stop. In recognizing the need for protection and support for the growing number of child victims of commercial sex trafficking, an increasing number of States have taken steps to establish so-called ``safe harbor'' provisions that either decriminalize minor prostitution or divert minor victims to the services and support needed for recovery. H.R. 159, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, introduced by Mr. Paulsen of Minnesota and Ms. Moore of my own State of Wisconsin, seeks to continue this trend by encouraging the States, through preferential treatment in the Federal COPS grants, to enact safe harbor legislation that ensures these victims are treated as victims and not as criminals and that they are directed to support services and not to detention facilities. The bill also codifies a ``national human trafficking hotline'' that ensures young victims are eligible for enrollment in the Job Corps program. It requires the Attorney General to report on sex offender convictions, and it clarifies the authority of the U.S. Marshals Service to help locate and recover missing children, many of whom are vulnerable to becoming sex trafficking victims. This bill passed the Judiciary Committee by voice vote. Similar legislation passed on the House floor unanimously last Congress, but it was not enacted into law. There is no such thing as a child prostitute--just victims of commercial sexual abuse at the hands of adults, so I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 159. I reserve the balance of my time. Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, January 26, 2015. Hon. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding with respect to H.R. 159, the ``Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 1015.'' Thank you for consulting with the Committee on Education and the Workforce with regard to H.R. 159 on those matters within the committee's jurisdiction. In the interest of expediting the House's consideration of H.R. 159, the Committee on Education and the Workforce will forgo further consideration of this bill. However, I do so only with the understanding this procedural route will not be construed to prejudice my committee's jurisdictional interest and prerogatives on this bill, or any other similar legislation, and will not be considered as precedent for consideration of matters of jurisdictional interest to my committee in the future. I respectfully request your support for the appointment of outside conferees from the Committee on Education and the Workforce should this bill or a similar bill be considered in a conference with the Senate. I also request you include our exchange of letters on this matter in the Congressional Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor. Thank you for your attention to these matters. Sincerely, John Kline, Chairman.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 159, currently under consideration.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 159) to stop exploitation through trafficking, as amended.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation Act, H.R. 285, introduced by Mrs. Wagner of Missouri, is an important yet modest bill. It uses one word, just one word, to clarify that, just as it is against the law to prostitute a child on the street, it is likewise against the law to prostitute a child through an advertisement. By adding the word ``advertises'' to the existing Federal sex trafficking statute at 18 United States Code, section 1591, this bill makes clear that Congress intends to prohibit the knowing advertising of child sex trafficking to the same extent as the other conduct prohibited by law. H.R. 285 is a technologically neutral bill and applies to all advertisements that sell children for sex over which there is Federal jurisdiction, regardless of whether they appear on the Internet or somewhere else. It is important to remember that these advertisements, as well as all speech promoting illegal activity, are specifically not protected speech under the First Amendment. In order to bring a case against the trafficker under this legislation, the government must prove that the defendant knew that they were advertising and knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that the ad involved a minor or someone involved through force, fraud or coercion. However, this legislation raises the bar even higher for defendants who, while not directly placing the ads, do knowingly benefit from the placement of advertising. Specifically, the bill requires the government to show that these defendants knew that the advertisement involved a minor or a coerced adult. Reckless disregard is not sufficient. H.R. 285 only clarifies that people who advertise sex trafficking could face criminal liability. Under current law, there is the additional possibility of civil liability for defendants who violate the Federal sex trafficking statute. However, under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, online publishers of third-party advertisements are generally immune from civil liability for such advertisements. H.R. 285 does nothing to disrupt or modify the immunity already provided by section 230. Congress has criminalized advertising multiple times in recent years. Title 18 of the Federal criminal code currently prohibits advertising promoting counterfeit currency, section 491; obscene or treasonous material, section 552; and the unlawful sale of military medals, section 704, among other things. It is wholly appropriate for Congress to prohibit the advertising of illegal goods or services. Having done so for illegal advertisements involving animal cruelty, prescription drugs, and counterfeit items, today we take the commonsense step of prohibiting advertising that offers sex with children and coerced adults. While the Internet has indisputably done much good, U.S. law enforcement has identified online advertisements as the primary platform for buying and selling sex with minors. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 285, currently under consideration.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, 8 days ago Members of this House said the following: I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. This is a question of whether this House and its Members fulfill that oath. We have a choice here. We can either agree with what the President did or defend the Constitution. Vote ``aye.''

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, this rule and the underlying bill should pass. If the underlying bill doesn't pass or gets vetoed, the Canadians will sell their product someplace else. That is what the choice is. The Canadians want to sell their product to us and to use this pipeline to connect the product with the refineries along the gulf coast. If they can't do that because the pipeline isn't built because of political arguments--not economic arguments--then what will happen is the Canadians will build their own pipeline across the mountains to a port in Canada on the Pacific Ocean. Where will that oil go? That oil will go straight to China, so that they can use that oil to compete against us, to undersell us, and to take American jobs away. The XL pipeline is a job-creator both for American workers in building the pipeline, as well as American workers who will be utilizing the oil that comes through the pipeline. We should not listen to what we hear on the other side of the aisle, which will end up being a huge job-outsourcing bill to China. We have done enough of that in the past. We shouldn't do any more of that in the future. I urge the passage of the rule and passage of the bill.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Colonel Andrew J. Frank who retired after 36 years of faithful service in the United States Army on September 30, 2014. As a fitting finale to his long and distinguished career, on July 28, 2014, Colonel Frank was awarded the National Intelligence Medal for Valor in recognition of his extraordinary heroism while serving in Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. As the Intelligence Community's second highest award, the National Intelligence Medal for Valor recognizes only the most exceptional acts of courage in the pursuit of intelligence community and national security objectives. On the occasion of Colonel Frank's retirement to my home-state of Wisconsin, I would like to take a moment to underscore his heroic actions to the House. On March 20, 2008, while serving as the Defense Intelligence Agency's Chief of the Defense Intelligence Support Organization in Afghanistan, Colonel Frank displayed unflinching leadership and bravery leading security activities for an inter-agency intelligence task force. Caught in an ambush by a numerically superior enemy force with a marked tactical advantage, Colonel Frank courageously disregarded his own safety, maneuvering through multiple kill zones over open terrain, on no less than seven occasions, to save the lives of his teammates, coalition soldiers, and civilian bystanders. He personally led the fire and maneuver of his team, rallied the Afghan National Police (ANP) to engage enemy forces, and heroically retrieved a critical resupply of ammunition desperately needed by his team. Colonel Frank's uncommon valor and determined leadership allowed his three-member team, trapped in two ambushes for over two and one half hours, to neutralize the enemy without a single loss of U.S. or ANP life. Colonel Frank's bravery under fire is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the United States Intelligence Community. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful Nation and my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Andrew and his family for their many years of faithful service and a job very well done. I wish them years of good fortune as they enjoy their retirement from military service in Wisconsin.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, through the following statement, I am making my financial net worth as of March 31, 2014, a matter of public record. I have filed similar statements for each of the thirty-five preceding years I have served in Congress. Assets

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chair, I rise today to support this amendment to the Fiscal Year 2015 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. I would like to thank Representatives Lofgren and Massie for their work on this issue. To my colleagues who supported the USA FREEDOM Act, this amendment further defends the constitutional rights we voted to protect. To cosponsors who didn't believe the FREEDOM Act went far enough, this amendment reclaims an important protection stripped from the original bill. I believe the amended USA FREEDOM Act is an important step toward striking the proper balance between privacy and security, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law. But as I said at the time of that vote, the FREEDOM Act was a first step--not a final step--in our efforts for reform. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act prohibits the government from targeting U.S. communications. The Administration believes, however, that as long as it incidentally or inadvertently collects Americans' communications, it can read our emails and listen to our phone calls without any judicial process at all. The Administration has admitted it violates our rights in this way, but it refuses to say how often or to what extent. The Obama Administration knows that FISA does not authorize collection of wholly domestic communications. It also knows that the content of our communications are, by and large, protected by the Fourth Amendment. But the Administration nevertheless believes that as long as those communications are inadvertently collected, it has the right to disregard the law and the Constitution. This amendment says that the Fourth Amendment means what it says and there should be no shortcuts around it. For those who believe the sky will fall and U.S. security will be undermined, it has only been since 2011 that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court opened the backdoor and allowed these illegal searches. This amendment closes that door. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Warhawks, who won the NCAA Division III World Series on May 27, 2014. The Warhawks, led by pitcher Scott Plaza and Head Coach John Vodenlich, displayed a tremendous amount of grit, determination, skill, and athleticism throughout their outstanding 44-7 season, which culminated in a resounding 7-0 win over Emory University in the championship game. With this victory, the UW- Whitewater athletic program accomplished something no other NCAA team has ever done before: sweep the three major men's sports championships in one year. The success of the UW-Whitewater baseball team has made the residents of Wisconsin proud and I salute the entire team: Daytona Bryden, Dylan Bersch, Jordan Kuczynski, Matt Langlie, Austin Jones, Colin Grove, Nick Kuhlmann, Hayden Fenner, Kyle Haen, Trey Cannon, Dylan Friend, Mike Nompleggi, Mikole Pierce, Austin Finn, Trent Diekvoss, Curtis Morgan, Donnie Manke, Steve Chamberlain, Jared Fon, Adam Gregory, Justin Mortensen, John Olejniczak, Mike Mierow, Brock Liston, Michael Gonzalez, Casey Power, Andrew Lowe, Connor Hurst, Scott Plaza, and Matt Roberts. Winning a national championship is never easy. On behalf of my congressional office and my constituents in Wisconsin's fifth district, I commend the coaches and players at UW-Whitewater for their hard work and dedication, and wish them continued success in the future.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the House for bringing the USA FREEDOM Act to the floor today. I was the chairman of the Judiciary Committee on September 11, 2001. In the wake of that tragedy, the committee passed the PATRIOT Act with unanimous, bipartisan support. The bill easily passed in both the House and the Senate, and President George W. Bush signed it into law. I believe the PATRIOT Act made America safer by enhancing the government's ability to find and stop terrorist attacks. We were careful to maintain the civil liberties that distinguish us from our enemies. We are here today because the government misapplied the law and upset the balance between privacy and security that we had fought to preserve 13 years ago. In a feat of legal gymnastics, the administration convinced the FISA Court that, because some records in the universe of every phone call Americans made might be relevant to counterterrorism, the entire universe of calls must be relevant. That decision opened the floodgates to a practice of bulk collection that Congress never intended when the PATRIOT Act was passed. Senator Leahy and I introduced the USA FREEDOM Act to end bulk collection, increase transparency, and to reestablish a proper balance between privacy and security. After months of input and negotiations-- in a historic echo of its vote on the PATRIOT Act--the Judiciary Committee unanimously passed the FREEDOM Act. The challenge we faced was to draft legislation that was tight enough to avoid abuse without infringing on the core functions of law enforcement and intelligence collection. Perfect is rarely possible in politics, and this bill is no exception. In order to preserve core operations of the intelligence and law enforcement agencies, the administration insisted on broadening certain authorities and lessening certain restrictions. Some of the changes raise justifiable concerns, and I don't blame people for losing trust in their government, because the government has violated their trust. Let me be clear: I wish this bill did more. To my colleagues who lament the changes, I agree with you. To privacy groups who are upset about lost provisions, I share your disappointment. The negotiations for this bill were intense, and we have to make compromises, but this bill still does deserve support. Don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good. Today, we have the opportunity to make a powerful statement: Congress does not support bulk collection. The days of the NSA indiscriminately vacuuming up more data than it can store will end with the USA FREEDOM Act. After the FREEDOM Act passes, we will have a law that expresses Congress' unambiguous intent to end bulk collection of Americans' data across all surveillance authorities. The bill requires that, in addition to existing restrictions, the government must use a specific selection term as the basis for collecting foreign intelligence information. And maybe more importantly, after this bill becomes law, we will have critical transparency provisions to ensure that, if the government again violates our trust, Congress and the public will know about it and will be able to do something about it. The FREEDOM Act gives private companies greater discretion to disclose their cooperation with the government. These disclosures give the companies increased autonomy and will alert the public to the extent of data collection. The bill also requires public notification of any FISC decision that contains a significant construction of law-- expressly including interpretations of the ``specific selection term.'' This is the end of secret laws. If the administration abuses the intent of the bill, everyone will know. That is why the FREEDOM Act will succeed. It bans bulk collection and ensures disclosure of attempts to dilute it. Today's vote is a first vote is the first step--and not a final step--in our efforts to reform surveillance. It gives us the tools to ensure that Congress and the public can provide an adequate check on the government. In a post- FREEDOM Act world, we have turned the tables on the NSA and can say to them: ``We are watching you.'' And we will. I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte, Ranking Member Conyers and Congressmen Scott, Nadler and Forbes of Virginia for all their hard work. I also want to thank the staff for so many long hours. I cannot overstate the amount of collective sweat and tears that my chief of staff, Bart Forsyth, Caroline Lynch, Sam Ramer, Aaron Hiller, Heather Sawyer, and Joe Graupensperger put into this bill. But most of all, I want to thank my wife. Cheryl has always been the world's largest and loudest advocate for the preservation of civil rights. She encouraged, supported--and some might say demanded--that I lead this effort. There is no question that we would not be here today for this historic vote on the USA FREEDOM Act if it weren't for her. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Warhawks, who won the Division III Basketball National Championship on March 22, 2014. The Warhawks, led by point guard KJ Evans and Head Coach Pat Miller, displayed a tremendous amount of grit, determination, skill, and athleticism throughout their season. In a hard-fought battle, Whitewater beat Williams College 75-73. The victory marked the fourth national title for the Warhawks. They now have the second-most basketball championships of all time in Division III. The success of UW-Whitewater basketball has made the residents of Wisconsin proud and I salute the entire team: Alex Merg, Patrick Souter, Brian Roedl, Quardell Young, Cody Odegaard, Sean Klemp, KJ Evans, Reggie Hearn, Eric Bryson, Terrence Bradley, Drew Bryson, Miles Chamberlain, Ryan McBride, Dylan Graf, Steve Egan, Alex LeGault, Clay Stevens, and Cole Van Schyndel. Winning a national championship is never easy. On behalf of my congressional office and my constituents in Wisconsin's fifth district, I commend the coaches and players at UW-Whitewater for their hard work and dedication, and wish them continued success in the future.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3826. I appreciate the work that the bills's sponsor, Mr. Whitfield, has done on this issue, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill. Wisconsin relies on coal for roughly two-thirds of our electricity production. Energy costs are consistently one of the many concerns my constituents share with me. The cold winter has made high energy bills the norm throughout Wisconsin. Instead of trying to alleviate these high costs, the EPA is pursuing policies that will drive energy prices even higher. The EPA's New Source Performance Standards require that now power plants capture, compress, and store about 40 percent of the CO2 produced in order to be compliant. However, the CCS technology required has not been adequately demonstrated. Ignoring the realities of today's technologies, the EPA is plowing full speed ahead. This action clearly marks yet another salvo in the Obama administration's war on coal. The next volley will be the rules concerning existing power plants. If done incorrectly, these new rules could effectively make it too expensive for our coal-fired power plants to continue operating. While this might be the dream of some, my constituents and yours simply cannot afford it. Fortunately, this bill restores common sense to the EPA's rulemaking process for power plants. By setting reasonable guidelines on the rules concerning new plants and subjecting any rules for current plants to congressional oversight, the bill will ensure that our constituents are able to afford their energy costs. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and prevent the EPA from unleashing chaos in the energy sector and picking the pockets of consumers.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House of Representatives today is considering H.R. 1944, the Private Property Rights Protection Act, as part of Stop Government Abuse Week. My bill aims to restore the property rights of all Americans the Supreme Court took away 9 years ago. The Founders of our country recognized the importance of an individual's right to personal property when they drafted the Constitution. The Fifth Amendment states, ``nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.'' In Kelo v. the City of New London, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court decided that economic development can be a public use under the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause. The Court held that the government could take private property from an owner to help a corporation or a private developer. The now infamous Kelo decision was met with swift and strong opposition. As former Justice O'Connor stated, ``Government now has license to transfer property from those with fewer resources to those with more. The Founders cannot have intended this perverse result.'' In the nearly 9 years since Kelo, polls show that Americans overwhelmingly oppose property being taken and transferred to another private owner, even if it is for a public economic good. Groups including the AARP and NAACP oppose Kelo, noting that, ``the takings that result [from the Court's decision] will disproportionately affect and harm the economically disadvantaged and, in particular, racial and ethnic minorities and the elderly.'' Representatives of religious organizations have stated that, ``Houses of worship and other religious institutions are, by their very nature, nonprofit and almost universally tax-exempt. These fundamental characteristics of religious institutions render their property singularly vulnerable to being taken under the rationale approved by the Supreme Court.'' Should the government be able to close churches if it prefers malls? The Private Property Rights Protection Act is needed to restore to all Americans the property rights the Supreme Court took away. Although several States have independently passed legislation to limit their power of eminent domain, the supreme courts of Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio have barred the practice under State constitutions. These laws exist on a varying degree. H.R. 1944 would prohibit State and local governments that receive Federal economic development funds from using economic development as a justification for taking property from one person and giving it to another private entity. Any State or local government that violates this prohibition will be ineligible to receive Federal economic development funds for 2 years. The protection of property rights is one of the most important tenets of our government. I am mindful of the long history of eminent domain abuses, particularly in low-income and often predominantly minority neighborhoods, and the need to stop it. I am also mindful of the reasons we should allow the government to take land when the way in which the land is being used constitutes an immediate threat to public health and safety. I believe this bill accomplishes both goals. I urge my colleagues to join me in protecting property rights for all Americans and limiting the dangerous effects of the Kelo decision on the most vulnerable in society.

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

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Warhawks, who won the Division III Football National Championship on December 20, 2013. The Warhawks, led by quarterback Matt Behrendt and Head Coach Lance Leipold, displayed a tremendous amount of grit, determination, skill, and athleticism throughout their undefeated season. In a battle of two of the best Division III programs, Wisconsin- Whitewater beat Mount Union in convincing fashion, 52-14. The win marked the fifth national title for the Warhawks and their first since 2011. The Warhawks have now won 20 straight postseason games dating back to the 2008 season. The success of UW Whitewater football has made the residents of Wisconsin proud and I salute the entire team: Jake Kumerow, Mickey Morgan, Tyler Huber, Marcus McLin, Zach Howard, Josh Williams, Ryan Givens, Nick McCullough, Steve Morris, Coleton Hrgich, Joe Worth, Chris Nelson, Justin Howard, Lake Bachar, Shiloh Weber, Jack Deichl Jr., Matt Behrendt, Tommy Coughlin, Zack Gehant, Ryan Storto, Shawn Shillcox, Dylan Morang, Andrew Keister, Joe Paulus, Chris Treptow, Booker Ross, Jordan Ratliffe, Bennett Young, Zach Mutton, JD Marconi, Dennis Moore, Nick Patterson, Aaron Williamson, Colin Buck, Robert Johnson, Brady Grayvold, Jordan Strasburg, Jordan Gruettner, Spencer Jacque, Zach Schober, Eric Kindler, Ryan Winske, Brandon Bebow, Cole Klotz, Bryan Spakowicz, Kyle Christensen, Justin Dischler, Kyle Wismer, Zach Nellis, Ricky Valadez, Paul Foster, Ben Threloff, Ryan Cortez, Jesse DeLorme, Yuri Pogosyan, Matthew Hoppe, Spencer Shier, Jamison Cook, Conner Peters, Eli Sloneker, Eric Trautman, Tim Regan, Harry Green, Austin Jones, Jordan Edgerson, Nick Froland, Nick Feliciano, Andrew Keel, Griffin Schaefer, Tyler Janczak, Johnny Wiederholt, Pat Suffield, Evan Kurkowski, Lucas Skibba, Joe Matuschka, Pat Costello, Weston Wegener, Nick Ryczek, Tony Koepnick, Cole Van Schyndel, Brent Campbell, Zach Koch, Andrew Fuller, Chris Davis, Collin Nolen, Brian Washington, Tommy Miller, Logan Solano, Derric Junakin, Andrew Mulshine, Mykael Bratchett, Kevon Clunis, Brandon Tamsett, John Flood, Marshall Rutherford, Ryan Kranz, Loussaint Minett, and Zach Franz. Winning a national championship is never easy. On behalf of my Congressional office and my constituents in Wisconsin's fifth district, I commend the coaches and players at UW Whitewater for their hard work and dedication, and wish them continued success in the future.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr Speaker, I am making my financial net worth as of March 31, 2013, a matter of public record. I have filed similar statements for each of the thirty-four preceding years I have served in the Congress. Assets: Real Property: Single family residence in City of Alexandria, Virginia, at assessed valuation. (Assessed at $1,378,823). Ratio of assessed to market value: 100% (Unencumbered)................$1,378,823.00 Condominium in Village of Menomonee Falls, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, at assessor's estimated market value. (Unen$134,700.00 Undivided 25/44ths interest in residence in Village of Chenequa, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, at 25/44ths of assessor's estimated market value of $1,370,700............................$778,806.82 Total Real Property.................................$2,292,329.82 3/31/13 Disclosure ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Common & preferred stock # of shares $ per share Value ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abbott Laboratories, Inc............................... 12200 35.32 430,904.00 AbbVie Inc............................................. 12200 40.78 497,516.00 Alcatel-Lucent......................................... 135 1.33 179.55 Allstate Corporation................................... 370 49.01 18,133.70 AT & T................................................. 7099.76991 36.69 260,490.56 JP Morgan Chase........................................ 4539 47.46 215,420.94 Benton County Mining Company........................... 333 0.00 0.00 BP PLC................................................. 3604 42.35 152,629.40 Centerpoint Energy..................................... 300 23.96 7,188.00 Chenequa Country Club Realty Co........................ 1 0.00 0.00 Comcast................................................ 634 41.98 26,615.32 Darden Restaurants, Inc................................ 2160 51.68 111,628.80 Discover Financial Services............................ 156 44.84 6,995.04 Dun & Bradstreet, Inc.................................. 1250 83.65 104,562.50 E.I. DuPont de Nemours Corp............................ 1200 49.16 58,992.00 Eastman Chemical Co.................................... 540 69.87 37,729.80 Eastman Kodak.......................................... 1080 0.30 324.00 Exxon Mobil Corp....................................... 9728 90.11 876,590.08 Frontier Comm.......................................... 504.616019 3.99 2,013.42 Gartner Inc............................................ 651 54.41 35,420.91 General Electric Co.................................... 15600 23.12 360,672.00 General Mills, Inc..................................... 5760 49.31 284,025.60 NRG Energy (Formerly GenOn Energy)..................... 28 26.49 741.72 Hospira................................................ 1220 32.83 40,052.60 lmation Corp........................................... 99 3.82 378.18 Kellogg Corp........................................... 3200 64.43 206,176.00 Merck & Co., Inc....................................... 7303 44.20 322,792.60 3M Company............................................. 2000 106.31 212,620.00 Express Scripts (Formerly Medco Hlth).................. 6656 57.62 383,518.72 Monsanto Corporation................................... 2852.315 105.63 301,290.03 Moody's................................................ 5000 53.32 266,600.00 Morgan Stanley......................................... 312 21.98 6,857.76 NCR Corp............................................... 68 27.56 1,874.08 Newell Rubbermaid...................................... 1676 26.10 43,743.60 JP Morgan Cash......................................... 345.12 1.00 345.12 PG & E Corp............................................ 175 44.53 7,792.75 Pfizer................................................. 30415 28.86 877,776.90 Century Link........................................... 95 35.13 3,337.35 Tenneco Inc............................................ 182 39.31 7,154.42 Unisys, Inc............................................ 16 22.75 364.00 US Bancorp............................................. 3081 33.93 104,538.33 Verizon................................................ 1880.97125 49.15 92,449.74 Vodafone Group PLC..................................... 323 28.40 9,173.20 Wisconsin Energy....................................... 2044 42.89 87,667.16 Total Common & Preferred Stocks & Bonds............ ................. ................. $6,465,275.88 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3/31/13 DISCLOSURE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Life insurance policies Face $ Surrender $ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Northwestern Mutual........................... 12,000.00 108,180.02 Northwestern Mutual........................... 30,000.00 260,254.77 Massachusetts Mutual.......................... 10,000.00 15,571.32 Massachusetts Mutual.......................... 100,000.00 409,111.38 American General Life Ins..................... 175,000.00 42,652.72 Total Life Insurance Policies............... ........... $835,770.21 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3/31/13 DISCLOSURE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bank & IRA accounts Balance ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JP Morgan Chase Bank, checking account............... 38,834.51 JP Morgan Chase Bank, savings account................ 64,532.38 BMO Harris Bank, checking account.................... 7,686.64 Burke & Herbert Bank, Alexandria, VA, checking 1,245.05 account............................................. JP Morgan Chase, IRA accounts........................ 158,071.11 Total Bank & IRA Accounts........................ $270,369.69 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3/31/13 DISCLOSURE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Miscellaneous Value ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2009 Ford Taurus..................................... 10,508.00 1994 Cadillac DeVille................................ 1,675.00 1996 Buick Regal..................................... 1,641.00 Office furniture & equipment (estimated)............. 1,000.00 Furniture, clothing & personal property (estimated).. 180,000.00 Stamp collection (estimated)......................... 160,000.00 Deposits in Congressional Retirement Fund............ 222,803.80 Deposits in Federal Thrift Savings Plan.............. 460,525.44 Traveler's checks.................................... 7,800.00 17 ft. Boston Whaler boat & 70 hp Johnson outboard 5,000.00 motor (estimated)................................... 20 ft. Pontoon boat & 40 hp Mercury outboard motor 8,000.00 (estimated)......................................... Total Miscellaneous.............................. $1,058,953.24 Total Assets................................. $10,922,698.84 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3/31/13 DISCLOSURE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Liabilities ------------------------------------------------------------------------ None Total Liabilities................................ $0.00 Net Worth.................................... $10,922,698.84 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3/31/13 DISCLOSURE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Statement of 2012 taxes paid ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Federal Income Tax................................... $135,247.00 Wisconsin Income Tax................................. $47,256.00 Menomonee Falls, WI Property Tax..................... $2,463.00 Chenequa, WI Property Tax............................ $19,975.00 Alexandria, VA Property Tax.......................... $13,618.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I further declare that I am trustee of a trust established under the will of my late father, Frank James Sensenbrenner, Sr., for the benefit of my sister, Margaret A. Sensenbrenner, and of my two sons, F. James Sensenbrenner, Ill, and Robert Alan Sensenbrenner. I am further the direct beneficiary of five trusts, but have no control over the assets of either trust. My wife, Cheryl Warren Sensenbrenner, and I are trustees of separate trusts established for the benefit of each son. Also, I am neither an officer nor a director of any corporation organized under the laws of the State of Wisconsin or of any other state or foreign country.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, due to my attendance at a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House, I missed eight recorded votes on August 1, 2013. I submit how I would have voted had I been present for those votes. On rollcall No. 428, the Waxman (CA) Amendment to H.R. 1582, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall No. 429, the Connolly (VA) Amendment to H.R. 1582, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall No. 430, the Murphy (PA) Amendment to H.R. 1582, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 431, the Motion to Recommit for H.R. 1582, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' On rollcall No. 432, Final Passage of H.R. 1582, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 433, Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 322, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 434, Agreeing to H. Res. 322, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 435, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1897, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr SENSENBRENNER

Mr SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2218, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act. This bipartisan legislation accomplishes the safe regulation of coal ash without jeopardizing job growth, raising energy costs, or burdening industry with costly rulemaking. H.R. 2218 establishes minimum federal requirements for the disposal of coal combustion residuals, which would be enforced by state-based permit programs. Rigid and costly EPA rulemaking will be avoided, tens of thousands of jobs will be saved, and health and environmental concerns will be addressed in a measured, responsible way. According to a recent nonpartisan study, the Environmental Protection Agency's latest attempt to regulate coal ash as hazardous waste could lead to net job losses of between 184,000 and 316,000. At a time of anemic economic growth, this is unacceptable. Of course, this most recent push is part of a broader ``War on Coal'' by the Obama Administration, which adheres to a radical, dogmatic notion of environmentalism at the expense of American jobs. It also proves that the President's claim of an ``all of the above'' approach to energy policy is an empty promise to the American people. Like my colleagues, I care deeply about the environment--Wisconsin has some of the most beautiful hills, lakes and farmland in the country. But I also believe we should be mindful of enacting environmental policies that will have an adverse effect on jobs and economic growth. Rather than rely on stale partisan talking points, which result in inflexible, overreaching policy prescriptions, the President should work with businesses and other affected stakeholders to craft workable solutions to climate change. We owe it to the American people to offer viable alternatives to the President's agenda. The Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act is a tremendous starting point for a bipartisan discussion on environmental issues. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this commonsense alternative to the President's War on Coal.