Pete Sessions

Mr. SESSIONS

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

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, we know why we are here. We are here because Republicans respectfully passed a bill that responsibly took items before the American people and answered the question--we answered the question about funding the government; we answered the question about the Children's Health Insurance Program. We made sure that we did not have a tax on medical devices that hurts so many people and so many seniors. We have made sure that we delayed for yet another year the devastating effects that would be mostly on union workers' paychecks related to the Cadillac plan. We further, then, said, ``We are going to delay the $70 insurance tax that would be on every single American.'' Mr. Speaker, the Republicans did this because we considered this to be the right thing to do. But most importantly, what we have done is passed our bill. We convinced our body that it was important to avoid shutting down the government. We voted ``yes.'' It was real simple: either ``yes'' or ``no.'' Mr. Schumer made sure that the answer from the Senate would be ``no.'' Mr. Speaker, I want you to know that we deeply believe not only in what we are doing, but we are going to stand for the people in the United States military. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following statement of Administration Policy: Statement of Administration Policy H.J. Res. 125--Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018--Rep. Frelinghuysen, R-NJ The Administration supports passage of H.J. Res. 125, the Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018. This legislation funds the Federal Government at current spending levels through February 16, 2018, providing more time for the Congress and the Administration to reach a longer-term funding agreement. The Administration supports the bill's multiyear funding extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). It also supports the legislation's delay of harmful Obamacare tax increases, including the medical device tax. The Administration believes that looming defense spending cuts are harmful to our national security and military readiness, and supports responsible efforts to undo the defense sequestration in the context of a two-year budget agreement. As funding discussions continue, the Administration will continue to reject arbitrary demands for lower priority domestic funding that jeopardize critical defense funding. The safety and security of our Nation depends on a strong military. Short-term funding measures are not ideal, but a lapse in funding for the Federal Government would be even more harmful for our military and our national security. If H.J. Res. 125 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign the bill into law. The material previously referred to by Ms. Slaughter is as follows An Amendment to H. Res. 708 Offered by Ms. Slaughter At the end of the resolution, add the following new sections: Sec. 3. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution the Speaker shall, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4871) making continuing appropriations for military pay and death benefits in the event of a Government shutdown. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or without instructions. If the Committee of the Whole rises and reports that it has come to no resolution on the bill, then on the next legislative day the House shall, immediately after the third daily order of business under clause 1 of rule XIV, resolve into the Committee of the Whole for further consideration of the bill. Sec. 4. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 4871.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. Parliamentary Inquiry

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yielded back the balance my time.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 4 of rule XVI, I move that when the House adjourns this legislative day, it adjourn to meet at 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 21, 2018.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the presentation of The Congressional Gold Medal to a great American Hero and Icon, Senator Bob J. Dole of Kansas. Therefore, I include in the Record this poem penned in his honor by Albert Carey Caswell. It's God's Will In life we are tested Do we somehow meet the challenge to move onward still? For only when we are armed with great faith, courage, and character, We all must accept God's will. And in the coming years, many a student here Shall learn of Jefferson, Washington, Roosevelt, Reagan, Bush, Kennedy and Lincoln's story. How sad to think, They'll not speak of the one who could have been of the greatest, And know of his glory. For one Robert Dole's life stands As a shining example of faith, A great true golden lesson of just how, ``Against all odds,'' From a tragedy to a triumph this wonderfully true authentic American folk tale And not know of or tell, Of how a dirt poor boy from Kansas grew up so very strong Who gave it all away upon a battlefield of honor, Saving a comrade No, no, they'll not sing of that song And while lying at death's door Armed with only his faith in our Lord, somehow he miraculously endured After years of operations and all hope given up, He walked out of that hospital door Oh what folklore, And yet no President's book will ever tell Of how he began as a freshman Congressman and would not stop And because of his great leadership by his party, And his country one day high above a pedestal he'd be placed atop Nor, will it ever be told Of his kind and warm heart of gold, And his wonderful sense of humor so And truly great charm And while throughout his life's path, Each and every heart he touched and cared for he left quite warm: Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Rabbis, Teachers, Priests and Preachers You may not speak of Presidents as you speak of Bob Dole And yet his exemplary courage, character, kindness, leadership, And great faith in our Lord all our children must be told And standing there on that at last final day of defeat, Knowing he was far, far, the better man still He called upon The Lord and spoke these words of faith for all to hear ``It's God's Will'',

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a great American Hero, The Eagle of The Senate and his coming battle. Our hopes and prayers are with John McCain. I ask that this poem penned in his honor by Albert Carey Caswell be included in the Record. There is darkness And there is light Coming out of the darkness burning ever so bright With the kind of faith of our Fathers, which built this Nation ignites Of hope, faith, honor, service, and courage ever so bright Now, there is a battle, And there is a fight Looming out in the darkness on the floor of the Senate on this very night With all of our Nation's prayers in sight As once again, America's Son, her Hero, her friend, John McCain is in the battle for his life. As this great leader's heart once again must somehow ignite But, where there is darkness, there is the light. And you'll find men like John McCain, this Top Gun whose soul burns ever so very bright Coming out of the darkness burning so bright Who out of this darkness will bring his light, The kind which built this great Nation to its very height As has John been armed with throughout the generations, with ``The Faith of His Fathers'' so all in plain sight Who have fought and served this Nation with all of their might Like Father Like Son, as has John always this one Courageously served this Nation, starting with his ancestor serving under George Washington As his Grandfather and Father, the first Admiral team serving this Nation as one All too has John all in his life's work in what he has done Showing us all, the definition of courage as one of America's Greatest of Sons Not as The Lion of The Senate but as an Eagle this one Who throughout the years has soared on the floor of the Senate, battling for each and every one Crossing the aisle, this man of such style when it had to be done Leading everyone Now there's a battle And there's a fight Upon, the Senate floor on this very night With America's Hero heart burning bright Coming out of this darkness shining his light To teach us all what is magnificent and what is right Now, it's fourth and long As America's Son's heart beats strong. My money is on John, Whose life sings like a song, Who has always come out of the darkness, With the heart of a champion and an eagle to which it belongs. No matter the battle, No matter the fight, Even as a POW, this Hero came out of that darkness shining bright. John, your roommate in the Hanoi Hilton Bud Day, up in Heaven, is watching over you on this very night. Because, John has always come armed with his light. No matter the battle, No matter the fight, Either way John, the world still wins. Continuing as the leader of the Senate, as America's friend Or as an Angel in The Army of our Lord whose time so begins To watch over us again and again To fight that battle against the darkness which we must win John, win that war. Win that fight! For you have blessed this great Nation with all of your light But, my money's on you John, because in the end the darkness does not match the light, The kind brilliance which emanates from your great soul on this very night. God bless you our Son in your upcoming fight As you bless our hearts once again, we look upon your light. There is light. Amen.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem, on behalf of Albert Carey Caswell, to honor a great American family of faith and courage. On March 6, 2012, CW2 Edward ``Duane'' Cantrell of the United States Army, a team leader of The Green Berets, with four Purple Hearts, and 6 Tours in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars died in a house fire while trying to save his two lovely daughters Isabella and Natalia. They all perished together. Left behind in the wake of all of this sorrow and heartache was his wife Louise, who has taken the most horrific of circumstances and created a foundation in remembrance of them and to provide scholarships, and other assistance to help passionate and committed young dancers to fulfill their dreams called ``Dancing Angels''. She is an inspiration to us all. Rise Rise up to heaven with tears in your eyes Little Sisters who've brought such joy in their little short lives As before our Lord you now lie As so gently he wipes away all of those tears from your eyes Don't worry your safe now, in our Lord's arms you now lie And your Daddy is right by your side So hush little girls don't you cry With your most courageous Mother left on earth in your name to vie Who for all of you and us must somehow still try For she has so many hearts to heal And so much inspiration for all of us to feel To so teach us To so beseech us To so show this world what is real And she has so much more to do Until, one day she comes up to heaven to be with you But, its not yet her time for our world needs to look upon her warm hue So dance, dance for her and your Daddy and our Lord up in heaven in view And she will hear you on the wind And she will feel you in the morning when she awakes, as next to her all night you have been To help her find the strength, all in what a heart of courage can mend As up to heaven on this day Two little beautiful Angels, Isabella and Natalia have so made their way As they begin to dance night and day As they begin their dance, which makes our Lord smile and pray And if you listen closely on the wind, we can hear their little footsteps my friends And all of these lessons about life by Louise time and again To help all hearts of despair somehow to mend And that out of the darkness, light too can come in Whenever hearts of courage begin To against all odds to so fend Heartache and sorrow my friends Because, out of such pain and such sorrow, a new tomorrow from faith deep down within can begin! So dance, dance Little Angels, with but smiles on your face from heaven you send And let us remember life is so short, let not the minutes you waste time and again So hold your families close And ever remember what so means the most And from a distance what now seems like the very worst May not be this end, for isn't it up in heaven where we all wish to transcend And that's where all these Dancing Angels on this day can heard Dance, Dance, Dance Little Angels, hush little girls don't you cry Because, one day up in Heaven you will look into your Mother's beautiful eyes When, she comes up to be with you and Daddy and our Lord on high So Dance, Dance, and wipe all of those tears from your eyes Amen.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Woodall) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Woodall serves not only the Rules Committee and this body in the Republican majority, but he is also our designee to the Budget Committee and has excelled in excess of understanding the intricate details that not only move this great Nation, but the arguments, a balance between them. I appreciate the gentleman very, very much. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer some advice that I just received from the Governor of the State of Texas, Governor Abbott, who took time to call me. I also want to address the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), my very dear friend. During that record-setting year, we also made in order over 560 amendments. That is 560 amendments that people came to the Rules Committee, had literally a committee that engaged them on the substance of their ideas, listened to it, believed that that substance had a good place for debate on this floor. Not necessarily every idea should be vetted here. Sometimes it is vetted in committee, subcommittee. Sometimes it is vetted at the Rules Committee, and sometimes we do not make those ideas in order. This morning was no different. There were a lot of great ideas. As a matter of fact, the minority leader, Ms. Pelosi, came to the Rules Committee for several hours. The gentleman, the minority whip, Mr. Hoyer, came a slightly less amount of time, but no doubt came to the Rules Committee and offered us advice about not only what we are doing but presented the arguments about what they were for. They were given unlimited opportunity to discuss that. There was some limit that we had to offer our challenges back, but it was an open process, and I appreciate Ms. Pelosi and all the members of the committee doing that. Mr. Speaker, the reason why I came down is to say--and there are lots of stories that go on, but the story that I was just told by the Governor of the State of Texas is that Texas--not unlike the islands of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the great State of Florida that were in the way of a hurricane--was record-setting rain, 60 inches. It lasted 8 or 9 days. It did incredible damage. This body has taken time to now study getting money back to those affected areas, and the determination that was made by this body is some $81 billion. I just found out that the State of Texas has calculated their part of the $81 billion, and it is less than 15 percent of the total. Less than 15 percent of that total will actually be going to the largest storm in the history of America. I did not offer a complaint. I was surprised. I would have thought it would be in the 50 percent realm. I would have thought it would have been higher. But what I want to say is that not everybody gets everything they want in this town, not even if they are the Governor of the State of Texas, with a large delegation like Texas. It is a difficult time we all go through, and I offered and expressed my confidence to the Governor that I would certainly go look at this. It is the first time I learned of this. Less than 15 percent of the emergency funds that will be presumptively agreed to today, of this huge storm, goes to Texas. I just thought that was worthy of me to take time to come and pass on information that I had not known about, information that I was provided. It tells us how large the need is in this country when the largest storm only gets 15 percent. So I am a ``yes.'' I am a ``yes'' for the other 85 percent that is not going to be in Texas also. I am a ``yes'' because I have seen the fires in California, I have seen the damage from--and Judge Hastings kept us up to date. I have been aware of Ambassador Patrick Rooney, who talked with us about the devastation; and Tom Rooney in Florida; and certainly Byrne Buchanan, who spoke with us about the damage to the crops--lots of big problems. I am going to vote for the other 85 percent, too, not just the 15 percent for my home State. I want to thank the gentleman for allowing me time to share my ideas on the floor. I wish Judge Hastings a Merry Christmas.

Mr. SESSIONS

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 668 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), my friend, the ranking member of the Rules Committee, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. The rule provides for consideration of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1, an act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018, also known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Mr. Speaker, last evening, the Senate, on a vote of 51-48, passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which I believe is in the interest of the American people. This is a bold, progrowth plan that will overhaul our Tax Code and unleash the free enterprise system. It lowers tax rates on businesses of all sizes so that job creators can focus more on bringing not only more work to their workers, but also hiring more workers, increasing paychecks, and growing a competitive marketplace all around the world. Mr. Speaker, we are trying to expand our economy, and there is nothing more important for any Member of this body than to know that the things that are happening in their own local communities are about the ability for people, whether they are just graduating from high school, whether they are graduating from a technical school, whether they are graduating from college, or whether they are looking for a second job or a longer career, to be successful in the marketplace in their own area, in their own home--not having to move somewhere to find a job, but in their own community. That is what we are trying to do. We are trying to increase wages for every single community across this country. My home of Dallas, Texas, has been home to so many people who have moved there as a result of the, really, unlimited opportunities that we see right now in Texas, and that comes because Texas has found itself to be their home because so many other companies have literally been run out of their States because of high taxes--high taxes that are placed on those companies and the employees to where it makes living and being competitive more difficult. During consideration of this legislation in the Senate, a few, relatively small provisions were removed through points of order in the Senate under what is called the Byrd rule, a parliamentary tool used during reconciliation. The first change made by the Senate under the Byrd rule strikes the language that allowed 529 accounts to be used for homeschool expenses. The second change modifies a provision that imposes an excise tax on the investment income of certain educational institutions. The change strikes a reference to ``tuition-paying'' students, making the exception to the excise tax available only if the institution has less than 500 students or if 50 percent or less of the students are located in the United States. A third small change simply strikes the short title. Mr. Speaker, all of these provisions were included in the underlying bill as it first passed the Senate and came to the House and passed. However, at the time that this was done, there were no parliamentary points of order which were raised, which were later done. Mr. Speaker, these minor changes will allow us to advance exactly the same discussion that we had in this body, exactly the same discussion that we have had with the American people, exactly the things that we have talked about up in the Rules Committee and across this country, as Republicans have talked about the importance of the status quo tax laws that we presently have--moved so many companies overseas, moved jobs overseas, and is not encouraging American companies to be competitive because America, when combined with State and local taxes and Federal taxes, is among the highest in the world, which means that American business finds itself in a competitive marketplace, may be a great product, but, on price, we are not as competitive. This will allow America to achieve the greatness that it needs for a great people who want and need to be great, also. This legislation is about making sure that the rising worker, whether they are brand-new in the marketplace or whether they are an entrepreneur, or a mother or a father out in the marketplace looking for a job, will find the ability to be successful. The United States is already the best place in the world to live. We are an incubator always for new ideas and small business, but we are now going to be able to celebrate that to make it easier. We are taking the Tax Code, instead of being the highest taxed Nation in the world, to be one of the lowest. It is going to mean great things for the American people, the American worker, and, most of all, for people who believe that we want America to be great again. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York. She has, as the Rules Committee has, taken a lot of time on this bill--we have spent hours not only discussing and debating the effects of the bill, what the bill is about, why we would do it--but most of all, her abiding ability to stand up and represent her party in their context, and I respect that. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne), a distinguished member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we do recognize we have a difference. We recognize we had a difference at the time we announced we were going to do this bill and we were going to change the direction we were going. This was part of a debate that happened during the Presidential election, where we had an argument. The Democratic Party very clearly said: We need to raise taxes. Every year we see where they are on the floor during budget time to raise spending $1 trillion and raise taxes $1 trillion. That is more than what they had done under President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Mr. Reid; except what happens when you do that is you kill the economy, you kill the investment in families, in jobs, and in small businesses. In the year after we had the massive tax increase, we had a GDP rate of zero. That is because there was this huge transfer from free enterprise to Uncle Sam, so the economy failed to grow. Then as the economy began to normalize, it normalized over the next 7 years at 1.2 percent. That is what the election was about, Mr. Speaker. Since the election, what has happened is we have added over 1 million net new jobs, despite a huge storm summer that impacted a lot of employment. Our stockmarket has risen dramatically, meaning that America wants to be great again, too. We are going to make it together. So we do recognize differences. They want a $1 trillion increase in spending, and they want a $1 trillion tax increase. We want to move it the other direction. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Woodall), who is a member of the Rules Committee.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining on both sides?

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

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

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer), the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Tax Policy for the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.