Adrian Smith

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the question of adopting a motion to recommit on H.R. 1105 may be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 of rule XX.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 200, I call up the bill (H.R. 1105) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of repealing the estate tax. Repealing this death tax is a top priority for Nebraska's farmers, ranchers, and small businessowners--in fact, not just for Nebraska's farmers, ranchers, and small businessowners but for these folks all around the country. Agriculture, particularly raising cattle and crops such as corn, is a land- and capital-intensive process. These Nebraskans aren't sitting on piles of cash. In fact, their assets are the land and the equipment they use to help feed our Nation and to help feed the world. They pay income taxes on what they earn, and they pay high property taxes on the land on an annual basis. They take great pride in this work and want their children and grandchildren to continue in their livelihoods. They shouldn't have to jump through hoops to ensure their descendants can continue their work when they have passed on. The death tax doesn't penalize the wealthiest Americans. In fact, they probably don't even feel that penalty. They can plan their estates and give away their wealth as they see fit. It penalizes those who have worked all of their lives and who have reinvested in their family businesses to ensure their families and neighbors have every opportunity to be hard-working taxpayers. I certainly urge a ``yea'' vote to grow opportunity in the U.S. and to support that growing opportunity. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to allow the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady) to manage the time for the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gary Williams of Mitchell, Nebraska, on his dedication to serving the people of our state. Gary recently retired from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles after more than 35 years of service. Gary is a dedicated civil servant whose commitment to his work is a true testament to his character. He told me about his love for his job, which allowed him to make a positive impact on many Nebraskans during his years at the Department of Motor Vehicles. On behalf of the people of Nebraska's Third District, I thank Mr. Williams for his service and congratulate him on the start of this new chapter in his life.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise during National Agriculture Week, with yesterday being National Agriculture Day, to recognize the contributions of farmers, ranchers, and producers to our economy and well-being. Agriculture supports one in four Nebraska jobs and contributes more than $23 billion to our State's economy. I am very proud to represent Nebraska's Third District, now the number one agriculture district in the Nation. Our global economy presents great opportunity. Ninety-five percent of the world's consumers live outside the United States, and they all need to eat. As a result, we are seeing growing demand for Nebraska's agriculture products. Our State's beef exports reached a record high, $1 billion in sales, in 2014. The efficiency and forward thinking of our ag producers is making it possible to meet demand with fewer inputs and less waste. As founder and cochairman of the Modern Agriculture Caucus, I am committed to promoting scientifically based innovation and policies. On this National Agriculture Day and Agriculture Week, please join me in thanking the many producers working tirelessly to support our economy and help feed the world.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, on February 26, 2015 my vote on roll call no. 98 was not recorded electronically. I would like to state that I intended to vote ``no''.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw your attention to CoOpportunity Health, one of 23 insurance co-ops created by ObamaCare. These plans have been awarded approximately $2 billion in taxpayer dollars. CoOpportunity specifically received $146 million in Federal loans. On December 23, 2014, the Iowa insurance commissioner submitted a petition for an order of rehabilitation of CoOpportunity Health. The company now faces liquidation. Approximately 120,000 of CoOpportunity's customers, most of whom live in Nebraska, have been told they need to find a new insurance carrier. I am extremely concerned about this situation for Nebraskans needing health coverage and for the taxpayers who have seen millions of dollars lost and millions more put at risk. This is one more example of ObamaCare's failure. Last month, I sent a letter to HHS Secretary Burwell seeking more information about these concerns. Americans were promised they could keep the insurance they had and liked, and now we are seeing they cannot even keep the insurance this very law created. This is one more reason I look forward to voting tomorrow to repeal this harmful law.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. I thank the chairman for the time. Mr. Speaker, as you all know, a major portion of the Keystone XL pipeline will run through Nebraska's Third District. Nebraskans overwhelmingly support this project to improve access to North American energy and decrease the strain on our overwhelmed infrastructure system. As we all now know, the Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the process as established by the elected Nebraska officials. I urge my colleagues to support approval of this project, and I urge the President to sign off on the pipeline as a needed step to encourage private investment in infrastructure.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. ``. . . and to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.'' Section 9: ``The migration or importation of such persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.''

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor my constituents Arne and Esther Larsen of Hebron, Nebraska, who will celebrate their 80th wedding anniversary on December 23 of this year. Fifty years of marriage is referred to as the golden anniversary, and 60 years as the diamond anniversary. However, there is no such reference for an 80-year anniversary because this accomplishment is so rare and unique. Much has changed since 1934. A stamp cost 3 cents, and Franklin Roosevelt was in his first term as President when Arne and Esther were married. In all this time, the Larsens' marriage has endured, a testament to their love, faith, and commitment to each other. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Arne and Esther Larsen on this remarkable occasion and congratulate them on 80 years of marriage.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the public service of Dave Heineman, Nebraska's longest-serving Governor. More important than his time in office is what he has accomplished. He has kept our State prosperous by supporting agriculture, opening new trade opportunities, reforming economic development incentives, and improving education through greater local control. He has also been an ally of taxpayers by keeping our budget balanced and also advocating for tax reform. Under his watch, Nebraska consistently ranks among the best States to live, work, do business, and raise a family. Mr. Speaker, I am thankful and grateful for Governor Heineman's leadership and service. I join all Nebraskans in wishing him and his wife, Sally Ganem, Godspeed as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge National Rural Health Day, which is tomorrow, November 20. The Third District of Nebraska contains over 50 Critical Access Hospitals. Rural hospitals are vital to rural areas. These facilities provide crucial care to some of our most elderly and vulnerable populations. Recent reports have stated these facilities are facing a disproportionate rate in closures. This year alone, 43 rural hospitals have closed nationwide. Because of ObamaCare, we are seeing the beginning of deep cuts to Medicare beneficiaries, which is a major patient population for these rural facilities. Rural hospitals are also having to deal with arbitrary regulations, such as physician supervision and a 96-hour pre-certification rule. These facilities simply do not have the power to abide by these regulations while continuing to provide affordable and efficient health care. I will continue to fight to ensure our rural communities maintain access to quality care, and I appreciate the opportunity to recognize National Rural Health Day.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. I thank the gentleman. Thank you to Senators Johanns and Fischer and certainly my colleagues here in the House. Mr. Speaker, under this legislation, the post office building in Chadron, Nebraska, would be named in honor of Sergeant Cory Mracek, a native of Chadron who was killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq on January 27, 2004. The son of Jim and Pat Mracek, Cory originally served with the Nebraska National Guard and transferred to Active Duty, where he served with distinction. Sergeant Mracek reenlisted after the September 11, 2001, attacks where he served as a paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne. Among other honors, Sergeant Mracek was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his courage and dedication. Renaming the post office in Chadron in Cory's home town will be a symbol of gratitude to a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose suspending the rules to pass H.R. 4572, the STELA Reauthorization Act. In many rural areas--including large portions of my district-- satellite television carriage of local stations is one of the only sources for up-to-the-minute news and weather. It is vital we maintain this link. Currently, a number of counties in Nebraska are assigned to designated market areas based in another state. Consumers within these ``orphan'' counties, such as Cherry County, are unable to receive local broadcast programming from within the State of Nebraska. While H.R. 4572 makes improvements to existing law, this satellite reauthorization is another missed opportunity to address the needs of orphan county consumers who wish to receive in-state broadcast programming over satellite. I am disappointed the STELA Reauthorization Act was again considered under suspension of the rules, whereby no member was able to address this issue on the floor through the amendment process. It was my hope the House would consider satellite reauthorization under a rule which allowed us to consider proposals like H.R. 4635, the Orphan County Telecommunications Rights Act, of which I am a cosponsor. Under this legislation, orphan counties could petition the FCC to modify which channels are considered to be part of their local DMA. Unfortunately, the current system for determining DMAs forces some of my constituents in Nebraska to watch local broadcast programming from cities in Colorado or South Dakota which are often hundreds of miles away. I understand STELA must be reauthorized by the end of this year to ensure satellite television viewers have continued access to local stations. However, because I believe the STELA Reauthorization Act should have been brought up under a rule to enable us the opportunity to consider needed changes to the bill for my constituents, I would have opposed the motion to suspend the rules had a recorded vote been called.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Natural Resources Committee for moving this bill and also to the gentleman from Montana for his remarks. Under Federal reclamation law, irrigation districts which receive water from a Bureau of Reclamation facility must repay their portion of the capital costs of the water project, typically under long-term contracts. I introduced this bill to provide members of the Northport Irrigation District early repayment authority under their dated reclamation contract. The contract in question is more than 60 years old and continues to subject landowners to burdensome reporting requirements and acreage limitations without generating revenue to the Federal Government. Allowing producers within the district to pay off their portion of the contract means the government will receive funds perhaps otherwise uncollected and the landowners will be relieved of costly constraints which threaten family-owned operations. For example, at a Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee hearing earlier this year, one member of the irrigation district testified the acreage limitation will prohibit parents who own land in the district from passing down or selling farmland to sons and daughters who also own land in the same district. As Mr. Daines mentioned, similar legislation has passed under bipartisan majorities and, according to the CBO, could generate as much as $440,000 in Federal revenue. This is a straightforward bill which would make a big difference to some family farmers in Nebraska.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on the Department of Justice to appoint a special prosecutor to examine political targeting at the IRS. Abuse of the Tax Code for political purposes by the most feared and powerful agency in the Federal Government is simply unacceptable. Despite promises of full cooperation, we have yet to receive all of the documents we have requested from the agency. The IRS tells us it cannot locate nearly 2 years of emails from Lois Lerner, a central figure in the investigation. We know the IRS has been aware of this concern for months and chose not to notify Congress in a timely manner. We must work to restore confidence that Americans won't be targeted for their political beliefs. The House of Representatives has already voted on a bipartisan basis to urge the Department of Justice to appoint a special prosecutor, and I hope that the Department of Justice will work to assure the American people that the scales of justice also apply to the IRS.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, on June 20, 2014 I inadvertently voted ``yea'' on rollcall no. 334. I would like to state for the record I intended to vote ``no.''

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of Lauren Daberkow, a retired mechanic at Dawson Public Power District in Lexington, Nebraska. For the third year in a row, Lauren traveled to Caracol, Haiti, as part of a rural electrification project through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Each year, Lauren transports the supplies necessary to service utility trucks, addresses maintenance concerns, and then offers hands- on training so local staff can address such issues in the future. While only 13 percent of the people in Haiti have regular access to electricity, when this project is linked to other electrification efforts, approximately 20,000 customers over the next 3 years will have access to electricity. Electricity can improve the quality of life through access to vital services like health care, education, and clean water. For this reason, I thank Mr. Daberkow and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association for their efforts to electrify communities around the world.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, next week, our Nation will celebrate Memorial Day to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation. May is also National Military Appreciation Month. We are grateful to those in our military for their service, and we strive to make sure they receive the benefits and the services they were promised and that they have earned. Unfortunately, the quality of services for veterans does not always match our gratitude. Veterans often face long wait times in scheduling appointments, and a record backlog of cases continues to go unaddressed. Serious allegations of mismanagement are raising many questions. This is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 4031, the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act, which will be considered tomorrow by the House. This legislation would allow the Secretary of the VA more personnel flexibility, resulting in more accountability. This Memorial Day and Military Appreciation Month, it is an honor to serve the men and women in uniform who have given us so much.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jan Thayer of Grand Island, Nebraska, who passed away on May 3 after a long battle with cancer. Jan was a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur, a community leader, and a friend to many. During her long career she was recognized with many awards, including The Grand Island Independent newspaper's Woman of the Year, the University of Nebraska's Businesswoman of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year, and she was named a member of the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame. These honors are a great testament not only to her tireless work ethic but also to her dedication to her community. I extend my deepest sympathies to her husband, Ernie, and their family. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Jan and the incredible legacy of service and big-heartedness she has left behind.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, given the fact that 95 percent of consumers live outside our borders, the U.S. must continue to pursue trade opportunities. The U.S. actually had a trade surplus with our 20 trade agreement partners in 2012. Trade agreements expand opportunities and fuel competition, which benefits consumers and can strengthen and protect American interests around the world. Though trade agreements make sense strategically and economically, some nations, however, are not playing by the rules. Barriers to agriculture are the most pressing issue for my home State of Nebraska, but every industry is subjected to outdated tariffs and nonscientific barriers which countries fashion to protect their own domestic industries. If the U.S. fails to lead, our exports will be placed at a competitive disadvantage to those from countries moving forward with aggressive trade agendas. To enhance U.S. leverage in the marketplace, we need to pass the Bipartisan Trade Priorities Act. By renewing this act, we would demonstrate seriousness about formulating enforceable, science-based rules and empower the rest of the world to follow suit.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Agriculture Week. It is a time to celebrate the extraordinary diversity, abundance, and evolution of American agriculture. In 1960, the average U.S. farmer fed 26 people; today, Mr. Speaker, the average U.S. farmer feeds 155 people by using less land, less water, less energy, and less fertilizer. Thanks to agriculture research which has given rise to new technologies and techniques, America's producers are adopting practices which allow them to meet food, fiber, feed, and fuel demands and preserve our natural resources for generations to come. From high-tech irrigation tools to biotechnology, growers are producing a more stable, safe, quality, and affordable food supply. As we recognize National Agriculture Week, we have much to celebrate but many challenges ahead. Knowing the forward-thinking nature of producers, combined with these exciting advances in agriculture, I am confident we will meet all of the demands of our growing world. As cochair of the Modern Agriculture Caucus and the rural caucus, I am committed to ensuring Federal policy reflects sound science and strives to complement, not undermine, this innovation.

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 107, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, ag producers have waited nearly 3 years for a long-term farm bill, and I would like to thank my colleagues for their efforts thus far. Policy certainty will help our country be competitive. Last year, conferees were appointed to negotiate and resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the farm bill. The House bill included language meant to encourage compromise on a fix to avoid trade retaliation from Canada and Mexico and bar individual States with unscientific laws from disrupting interstate commerce, something which will only burden producers and increase costs for consumers. I tend to believe if we are going to call a piece of legislation the farm bill, the measure ought to recognize that farmers and ranchers are the primary stewards of our natural resources, as well as the animals in their care. This farm bill does include important reforms, such as eliminating direct payments, and it helps hardworking taxpayers in finding an estimated $23 billion in savings. Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, I support this return to regular order. For these reasons, I will support the conference report before us today, but it is my hope this body will act quickly to find solutions to the outstanding issues not addressed in this bill.