Steve Stivers

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1448, the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act. As a Major General in the Ohio National Guard and a Congressman who represents 43,000 veterans in my district, I know the struggle of the invisible wounds of war. I have met with a Vietnam veteran who was unable to leave his house for decades, a soldier who was deployed to Iraq who, when he returned, was addicted to heroin for 7 years, and another who was under my command in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His only goal was to take his fiancee out to dinner. Unfortunately, these three stories are not unique, but these three have happy endings. By working with service dogs, these veterans got their lives back. Under the status quo, veterans aren't able to access this lifesaving treatment that these three veterans have gotten. We have a chance today to change that by passing this bill. The PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act would establish a pilot program. This is not even a permanent program; it is a pilot program at the VA to provide grants to local service dog training organizations so the veterans can benefit from work-therapy by learning the art and science of training a dog for service. After graduation, the veteran can adopt their canine partner if the veteran and/or his VA health provider agree that that veteran will benefit from continuing courses of treatment from that therapy dog. I have seen the peer-reviewed information from Kaiser-Permanente and Purdue University that shows that these programs work. They reduce the amount of psychotropic drugs that these veterans are on. They reduce suicide. They improve overall mental health. Today, we lose 22 veteran and Active Duty members a day to suicide. We can't let that go on. This can help that effort. It is a small price to pay. We can't afford to wait any longer. I am, today, calling for us to pass this bill today, take it to the Senate, get it hotlined and signed and on the President's desk by Memorial Day. I do want to thank the bipartisan folks who have helped on this: Chairman Takano; Ranking Member Bost; Representative Rice, our lead cosponsor; now-Governor Tim Walz, who was the sponsor in the last Congress; the floor leader Steny Hoyer; now-Governor DeSantis; Sheriff Rutherford; Dr. Dunn; Representative Slotkin; and Representative Sherrill. They have all played a very important role. I want to thank the staff on Mr. Bost's team, Samantha Gonzalez, Christine Hill, Maria Tripplaar; on Mr. Takano's staff, Matt Reel and Heather O'Beirne Kelly. Lastly, I want to thank my legislative director, Mimi Bair, for all her hard work, and my chief of staff, Nick, for his hard work on this as well. I know this is asking for a parting gift, but I would ask you all vote ``yea'' on this bill. I look forward to seeing this signed soon. I want to thank my colleagues for their bipartisan effort on this and earnest work to help our veterans.

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

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following letters of endorsement for H.R. 1996, the SAFE Banking Act of 2021. Due Process Institute. Washington, DC. Support H.R. 1996--SAFE Banking Act Due Process Institute supports the SAFE Banking Act, H.R. 1996, and urges you to vote in support of this bipartisan bill when it comes to the House floor this evening. Nearly every state has legalized a form of marijuana, including medical marijuana or cannabidiol (CBD). Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have either decriminalized marijuana or legalized recreational use for adults. The cannabis industry is growing. The American cannabis industry saw $17.5 billion in sales in 2020, a 46 percent increase over the previous year. The industry, which already supports 250,000 jobs, is expected to continue to grow, particularly as more states legalize marijuana. Although nearly every state has taken some step to liberalize marijuana laws, Congress has not yet taken action to support their self-governance, which creates a problem for businesses operating legally under state law. Because of the federal treatment of marijuana, the owners or employees of legitimate cannabis-related state businesses are forced to make cash-only sales rather than doing business with federally regulated banks. Additionally, proceeds from any legitimate state cannabis-related business can currently be considered unlawful ``proceeds'' from a crime and subject to federal anti-money laundering and forfeiture laws. The SAFE Banking Act provides safe harbor and other protections for financial institutions--banks and credit unions--that transact with legitimate cannabis-related and hemp-related businesses. (Hemp was federally legalized in 2018.) The bill also protects ancillary business entities that transact with legitimate cannabis-related legitimate businesses and creates a regulatory framework. The legislative history of the SAFE Banking Act shows broad bipartisan support. In the 116th Congress, the SAFE Banking Act passed with 229 Democrats and 91 Republicans voting for the bill. The SAFE Banking Act the House will vote on this evening has 168 co-sponsors, boasting diverse support from across the ideological spectrum. Due Process Institute encourages Members to vote YES on the SAFE Banking Act, H.R.1996. Due Process Institute is a bipartisan nonprofit that works to honor, preserve, and restore principles of fairness in the criminal legal system.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Perlmutter for his hard work on this. I am an unlikely person to support this bill because I am opposed to recreational marijuana, but I came to this because a company that is just outside my district that sells nutrients now finds themselves in the situation where 25 percent of their profits come from selling to legal marijuana businesses, and they are being threatened, a Fortune 500 company, with losing their bank accounts. We can't let that happen. We have got to make sure that we stand up for safety and stand up for common sense. That is what this bill does. Three points about this bill. Number one, it encourages safety because money that is in a bank account can be frozen and can be tracked. By the way, this bill also increases suspicious activity reports, so this idea about money laundering doesn't work because there are suspicious activity reports that are expanded under the bill, and you can freeze and track the money, which is really important. That is why a lot of folks in law enforcement like this bill. The final thing is, this bill includes provisions to stop Operation Choke Point that Republicans couldn't even get passed when we had the presidency, the Senate, and the House, and we got that negotiated into this bill. It helps in a big way to make sure that there's not an Operation Choke Point in the future, so nobody can choke off legal businesses from their bank accounts and from access to the payments system. That is a big deal. I want to thank Congressman Perlmutter for allowing that. Finally, before my time is up, I want to acknowledge Congressman Warren Davidson, who isn't going to be able to fly in in time for this. Congressman Davidson has been working on this bill with me for almost 2 years with Congressman Perlmutter. Warren Davidson has done an amazing job. I just want to acknowledge his hard work, all his efforts. We wouldn't be here today but for Congressman Warren Davidson. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1996.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of the 15th Congressional District of Ohio to express sincere gratitude to the dedicated men and women of the Ohio National Guard for their exemplary commitment to service and to our great State. Since the creation of the force in 1788, these extraordinary individuals have prioritized the health and safety of communities from Wilmington to McConnelsville, from Hilliard to McArthur. But in the past year, the citizen-soldiers of the Buckeye State have truly embraced their role as a ``trusted team of soldiers, airmen, and civilians,'' serving through ``agility, collaboration, excellence, and leadership.'' Through a once-in-a-generation pandemic, the Ohio National Guard provided invaluable support. From manning food banks and managing COVID-19 testing locations at the onset of the pandemic, to now administering vaccines to their fellow Ohioans, our State is incredibly grateful for their service. As the coronavirus raged, our nation saw a period of social unrest unlike anything in recent decades. Once again, the Ohio National Guard answered the call. Whether it was the Statehouse in Columbus, or the Capitol in Washington, our soldiers were willing to put their own safety in jeopardy in order to ensure the wellbeing of their fellow citizens. Perhaps at no point in recent history has more been asked of our National Guard, and at no point have they answered with more conviction. They worked diligently day-in and day-out, never failing to embody the motto, ``Always Ready. Always There.'' As a Major General, and as a Member of Congress, I am filled with pride and gratitude of these men and women and of the sacrifices that they have made. It is an honor to recognize their hard work, and I ask my fellow colleagues to join me in expressing thanks for all that they have done, and all that they will do, for Ohio and our nation.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Great American Outdoors Act. My district has 120 projects that benefit from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, from community parks to the Wayne National Forest, to the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Public lands, forests, and parks give folks the opportunity to connect with the outdoors and with each other, especially in this time of the coronavirus. I also represent a bunch of small businesses, like Rocky Boots in Nelsonville that employs 2,800 people and depends on a thriving outdoor recreation economy. In my district last year, $1.37 billion was spent on outdoor recreation. And at a time when there is such a backlog in maintenance, this maintenance support will create 100,000 jobs. During a time when we have 11.1 percent unemployment, Congress should be taking every opportunity it can to create jobs. Mr. Speaker, this bill isn't just about conservation, it is about jobs and the economy, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' It is a Senate bill that passed the Senate 73-25. It is not perfect, but it is a good bill, and it is a bill we should support.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Graves for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this en bloc amendment. There is a lot of bipartisan support for an infrastructure bill, so it is a shame that today we are considering a political messaging bill that is dead on arrival in the Senate. Part of the reason this legislation will fail is that it is a wish list for progressive priorities, many of which are outside the scope of what Americans consider to be addressing real and immediate transportation needs. The bill was drafted without any bipartisan input. As the ranking member on the Housing, Community Development and Insurance Subcommittee, I believe that housing and infrastructure are important enough to merit their own debates. While there are a few good ideas in this amendment, there are also a few bad ones. The underlying bill spends about $100 billion on housing programs. That is done without any debate in the House on the House floor other than this 15-minute debate. In fact, we haven't done much debate in the Financial Services Committee. Housing needs deserve their own debate. They deserve their own time. The majority would be wise to do hard work and bring truly bipartisan housing-specific bills to the floor. Instead they have chosen to package housing priorities with transportation priorities, which are both important, but it makes it less likely that either one of these will ultimately become law and be addressed. Very quickly I will speak to one amendment that, in particular, I think merits more discussion than it will receive today, and it would eliminate the Faircloth Amendment. That was an amendment that passed during the Clinton era that capped the number of housing projects. Bill Clinton signed that into law. I think it is really telling that we are going to undo it without any real debate. That was passed in 1998. That was a consensus change that moved us away from constructing new public housing units after decades of examples, including the infamous Cabrini-Green Homes in Chicago showing the idea that concentrating low- income Americans in inner cities did not reduce poverty, and it did increase crime. Even more so, it was another Democrat President, Barack Obama, who created an innovative and highly successful Rental Assistance Demonstration project. We had a hearing in the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance earlier this year on housing, and a lot of people from the public housing sector talked about how successful the Rental Assistance Demonstration project was at getting private capital to public housing units. It converts them into new, modern, privately owned, project-based section 8 properties. In fact, thanks to RAD and other modernizations, notable housing authorities like San Francisco and Atlanta no longer have any units of public housing, and they have experienced remarkable turnarounds in terms of crime rates and reduced poverty levels. RAD is a truly bipartisan success story. It has raised $12.6 billion in private funding to convert 100,000 units of public housing to private-market housing, and it rehabilitated troubled properties creating better outcomes for the residents. All of this has been achieved without Congress' providing billions of dollars of funding. It has been private money that has funded the RAD program. Instead of looking to RAD and other modernizations for our housing infrastructure, this bill instead focuses on going backwards to a time of failed housing policies at the very moment when, frankly, we need to be looking at 21st century infrastructure. It just doesn't make sense that the only way the majority can justify doing it would be to slip an idea like this, with 25 en bloc Democratic amendments, into a partisan 2,300-page bill. That just doesn't make sense. We should have a separate debate about housing policy. I believe there are a lot of things we could come together on. Again, the RAD program was started under Secretary Donovan and President Obama. It was a Democratic program that has been very, very successful, and it has been lauded by Republicans and Democrats alike. I don't think we should be setting unrelated policy in a 2,300-page bill with an en bloc amendment like this. I wish that we had taken a different road. I, unfortunately, have to oppose this en bloc amendment. But I am hopeful that we can come together and have a focused debate about the future of Federal housing policy, and I believe that we can come together as Republicans and Democrats to find a solution.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself and my colleagues, Representatives Troy Balderson and Joyce Beatty, as well as the people of Central Ohio to celebrate the career of one of Ohio's most distinguished citizens, a man who devoted his life to building a historic company and to the improvement of his community, Mr. Leslie Herbert Wexner. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Wexner has lived the American Dream. The child of a Russian-Jewish immigrant and a first generation American, he attended The Ohio State University and served in the Ohio Air National Guard. He then got his start in the retail industry working at his family's store, Leslie's. He used that first-hand experience to found The Limited, taking the company public on the New York Stock Exchange just six years later. Since then, he grew L Brands to, at one point, include household names such as Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Abercrombie and Henri Bendel. He has consistently been ranked among the Top 100 Best Performing Chief Executive Officers and was named the longest-serving CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 2012. His success as an entrepreneur is matched only by his extraordinary impact as a philanthropist who has made incredible contributions to Central Ohio. The Wexner Foundation began in order to fill a void in the North American Jewish Community, and has since expanded its mission, with programs including the Wexner Service Corps, the Wexner Field Fellowship, Wexner Senior Leaders, and Wexner Alumni Summits. Beyond that, he and his wife, Abigail, have empowered individuals throughout Central Ohio with their charitable works, including support for the Columbus Foundation, The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and the Wexner Center for the Arts. To attempt to quantify Mr. Wexner's impact is impossible. As Mr. Doug Kridler, president and chief executive officer of the Columbus Foundation once said, ``Les blew the ceiling off our sense of the possible in Columbus.'' Mr. Wexner tackled projects large and small. From growing his business and providing thousands of jobs, to supporting developing leaders and encouraging medical breakthroughs, he has undeniably helped make Central Ohio a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. We all have come to know Mr. Wexner for his tireless work ethic, and his commitment to improving the lives of his neighbors. He has done a phenomenal job of building consensus and demonstrating the importance of civility in the process. His impact will be far-reaching for years and years to come, and as he begins this next chapter in his life, we are confident that our communities will continue to benefit from his exemplary leadership. It is an honor to recognize his retirement, and we ask all of our colleagues to join us in congratulating Mr. Les Wexner on an extraordinary career and wishing him and Abigail all the best.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of Ohio's 15th Congressional District to recognize the life and legacy of Colonel Walter P. Betley, a true American hero. Colonel Betley made a mark in our community in many ways, most notably, by committing twenty-eight years of service with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Through tours of duty in World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Colonel Betley earned not one, but two, of our nation's highest honors: Bronze Stars, for his achievements. Following his time in the Armed Forces, Colonel Betley continued his career of service, empowering the next generation by teaching vocational skills at the Eastland Career Center in Groveport, Ohio, where he worked for over two decades. A man of many talents, Colonel Betley went on to found the Woodworkers of Central Ohio and the Central Ohio Woodturners, and self- published his autobiography, From Cold Water Flat to Colonel. But most importantly, Colonel Betley is known to many for going above and beyond his call of duty. His granddaughter remembers Colonel Betley as ``truly one ofthe good guys.'' Let there be no doubt about his unwavering devotion to our nation and the positive impact he had on all whose lives he touched. Like a pebble dropped in a pond, the ripples created by Colonel Betley's life are far-reaching, but his legacy will live on in the memories of those who knew him and loved him. Central Ohio is undeniably a better place because of Colonel Walter Betley and the tremendous life of service he lived, and I am honored to celebrate his legacy.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. David P. Roe) for yielding time. This bill is, indeed, a blending of a bill that Governor DeSantis had in the last Congress and a bill we had in the last Congress, and we now have 321 cosponsors on this bill. Mr. Speaker, as you know, our servicemembers returning from war sometimes have invisible wounds. I served as a battalion commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and soldiers under my command came back with post-traumatic stress and, indeed, some even with traumatic brain injury. All too often, we see the links between military service and mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress, as well as traumatic brain injury and even suicide. Mr. Speaker, we lose 20 veterans a day to suicide. Congress has to work to address that situation. Mental health and the suicide epidemic that are facing veterans can't be solved with a single solution, but it is important we look at this comprehensively and come up with as many building blocks as we can to address this crisis. That is why I introduced the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act, which is based on clinical evidence from Kaiser Permanente and Purdue University. The PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act would establish a pilot program in the Department of Veterans Affairs authorizing the Secretary to give grants to local service dog training organizations so that they can work with veterans, and veterans can receive training to train service dogs and also end up with a service dog if it is appropriate for them. This effort has been 10 years in the making, and it is time that we actually bring it to a conclusion. I am grateful that so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle support it. Mr. Speaker, I want to give a special thanks to Representative Kathleen Rice, my lead Democrat cosponsor, and the many other folks who worked on this bill. I also want to thank the majority leader, Steny Hoyer, for bringing it to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, 321 Members of Congress don't agree on a lot, but they agree we have got to address the problem of veteran suicide and give access to veterans to service dogs if the veterans have post-traumatic stress. There is a Senate bill. This bill passed the House 2 years ago. My version of the bill passed the House 2 years ago but died in the Senate. There is now a Senate version with Senator Tillis, Senator Sinema, Senator Fischer, and Senator Feinstein. It is bipartisan. I am hopeful they will get that done in quick order here. We owe it to these veterans to give creative solutions to treat their mental health and their anxiety issues. Since it was brought up, I do want to mention that this VA study was authorized in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. It is 2020. That is 10 years. In that time, it was started, studied for 4 years, halted, then it began again. It has been delayed three times, and now they say it may be out in June. I am hopeful that it is, but we can't wait any longer. Our veterans can't wait any longer. In the interim, this has been studied at Purdue University and Kaiser Permanente, and the studies were conclusive: The efficacy of service dogs works. The results are undisputed. There is less anxiety. These veterans are on fewer drugs. There is a lower incidence of suicide. We can't wait any longer to address this crisis. We must pass this bill today. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I urge them to support H.R. 4305. God bless our veterans. It is time we give them the help they need.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of a public servant who has spent his life in service to our country, Commander Michael D. Cassady. On March 1, 2020 he will retire from the United States Navy after nearly thirty-five years of active duty service. Commander Cassady, a native of Millersport, Ohio, began his military career at the Naval Training Center, San Diego, California as a Seaman Recruit. During tours in the Philippines, Diego Garcia, Maryland, and Connecticut, Commander Cassady also dedicated time to pursue off-duty education at the University of Maryland, University College in 1991. He then received his commission as an Ensign, Medical Service Corps, United States Navy in 1993. Commander Cassady utilized his degree to better his community by supporting the health of his fellow servicemembers during tours in Iceland, Japan, Thailand, Australia, and Virginia. In 2006, Commander Cassady deployed to Baghdad, Iraq to support combat operations as the Civil Affairs Public Health Section Lead, Multi-National Division. He later embarked on two tours of duty as the Environmental Health Officer, U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, Italy. A firm believer in the importance of education, Commander Cassady earned a Master of Science in Management from Troy State University, a Master of Public Health from The Ohio State University, a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategy from the Naval War College, and a Master of Science in Education from Old Dominion University. He and his family have made incredible sacrifices and contributions in defense of our great nation. Endless support comes from his wife Rohini, and their children Rhyan, Kassandra, Briana, and David, and we owe them an additional debt of gratitude. There is no doubt his contributions have made our community, Ohio, and our nation a better place. I offer my congratulations, and sincere appreciation, to Commander Cassady for his service. I wish him all the best in his next chapter.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of Ohio's 15th Congressional District to celebrate Mr. Harlan Frank Plummer as he celebrates his 100th birthday. For over a century, Mr. Plummer has chosen to serve, to lead, and to make his community a better place. For over thirty-six years he served in the United States Army Air Corps and Air Force, ultimately earning the rank of E-8. I extend my appreciation to Mr. Plummer for his sacrifices in order to protect our freedoms in Alaska, Seoul, and Da Nang during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Following this extensive service, Mr. Plummer continued to dedicate his time and energy to support his fellow veterans by volunteering with the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service Program for over thirty-seven years. From his time as a Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service Representative, Mr. Plummer has spent over 11,000 hours going beyond the call of duty to help others lead meaningful lives. To quantify Mr. Plummer's impact is nearly impossible. His enthusiasm is contagious, his determination and dedication to service is inspiring to all those he meets. I can say, without a doubt, that all of Ohio, our nation, our world is a better place because of his leadership. I wish to congratulate Mr. Harlan Frank Plummer on his 100th birthday and convey my most sincere appreciation for his service to our nation.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Chair, I thank Ranking Member Walden for yielding, and I commend him for his efforts to limit drug prices and continue innovation. I have a concern about the increased costs that both H.R. 3 and H.R. 19, as well as Senate proposals, could have on small manufacturers through the part D redesign. These small manufacturers often serve the Low-Income Subsidy population that are our most vulnerable, and it would disproportionately affect their access to lifesaving and life-changing medications, such as drugs for mental illness and addiction. H.R. 3 is catastrophic to this population. Madam Chair, I ask to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Oregon and seek his commitment to ensure small manufacturers and the LIS population are not inadvertently penalized as this process moves forward of our alternative.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, first, I want to commend the gentlewoman from New York for her work on this. I think it is a great idea to have paid interns at the Ex-Im Bank. The sad part is it is not going to happen because this bill is not going to become law. Republicans agreed unanimously to support a bipartisan compromise, the Waters-McHenry bipartisan deal on Ex-Im Bank, that would have actually reauthorized the Ex-Im Bank and done it in a bipartisan way. Unfortunately, we are here on a partisan process. I have always supported the Ex-Im Bank. I signed the discharge petition last time for the Ex-Im Bank, but I can't support this product. Luckily, we have a path forward through the appropriations process, and we will be reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank on the CR. I think this general idea is a good idea, and I hope the gentlewoman will push it in the version that gets in the CR because this version, unfortunately, Mitch McConnell has said is dead in the Senate and it is under a veto threat. So I do encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, but, unfortunately, it is not going to become law. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I am going to sound like a broken record here, but Republicans have supported, unanimously, a bill that was bipartisan, the Waters-McHenry deal that would have reauthorized the Bank. Unfortunately, we are not here debating that. We have a much more partisan version in front of us. I agree with the gentlewoman from New York, and I thank her for her work on a diverse workforce at the Export-Import Bank. Our community colleges do an incredible job. Having several community colleges in my district, I want to recognize them. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I want to, again, remind everybody that Republicans unanimously voted for a bipartisan version of Ex-Im authorization, the Waters-McHenry bipartisan compromise. Unfortunately, that deal isn't on the floor. We have a version that is under a veto threat and that the Senate says is dead on arrival. While this amendment is great to add our colleges and community colleges to the advisory board, it is not going to become law. Luckily, we do have a path forward through the appropriations process, and I hope my colleague from New York will be talking to not only the Financial Services Committee staff but the Appropriations Committee staff to get this in the version that will become law through the CR. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment. It is too bad it is not going to become law in this version because it is dead on arrival in the Senate and under a veto threat. But I do hope that the gentlewoman works through the appropriations process to make this amendment happen because our colleges and universities can add a lot to the advisory board at the Ex-Im. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chair, I thank the ranking member for yielding. I don't want to fall into revisionist history. I was one of the Republicans who signed the discharge petition against my own chairman and against my own leadership in 2014 and supported the Ex-Im Bank. I would love to be here this afternoon to be supporting a bipartisan bill on reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank. We had a bipartisan bill in June, and it wasn't the Republicans who walked away from it. It was the Democratic majority that walked away from it. The bill was marked up on a party-line vote in the Financial Services Committee. I think it is really important to note that we will reauthorize the Export-Import Bank in the appropriations process, and many of us support that. We do not want a lapse. But this bill is going to the Senate where it goes nowhere. And the administration has said they would veto it. Let's not pursue a partisan vehicle here. The Rules Committee had an opportunity to allow for some amendments that would have addressed some very important issues, including one from my colleague from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that would have stopped China from stealing intellectual property. They chose to block consideration of those amendments. Ex-Im reauthorization is now, unfortunately, tied to the appropriations process, and I think we all know that. I want to reiterate that my fear is that we are needlessly moving forward with a party-line vote, or a mostly party-line vote, on something that has and should be bipartisan. Finally, I want to address some comments made earlier by one of my colleagues expressing skepticism about the ranking member, Mr. McHenry's willingness to back the reauthorization effort. We all know that the ranking member reached a deal with the chairwoman in June on reauthorization, and, again, it was the Democratic majority that walked away from it, not the ranking member. I just want to make sure everybody understood that that was what happened. Furthermore, the deal actually increased Ex-Im's lending cap up to $175 billion, something that I know our former chairman would have never done. So I think our ranking member has dealt in good faith through this whole process. I also think it is completely inaccurate that they didn't deal in good faith. Regardless of what happens today, I am hopeful that we will find a way to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, and I now know it is definitely tied to the appropriations process.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address our broken refugee system and its very real effect on families in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Our Nation has always been a beacon of hope and light for those who face violence, persecution, and oppression, but in recent years we have not been living up to that standard. And our failure has a severe impact on good, hardworking people that would make our Nation stronger. Take, for example, Bashiya, who currently lives in Columbus, Ohio. Bashiya, in many ways, embodies what we know to be American. She is the wife of a man who served our military. She loves her family. She is hardworking. And she has built a life for herself and her family in Ohio. In many ways her story is much like ours. Unfortunately, one piece of her story is missing. Her husband, Hamad, lives on the other side of the world in Australia. Hamad served alongside the U.S. Army as an interpreter in Iraq, and the repayment for his bravery was repeated and sustained threats against him, Bashiya, and their two young children. The danger they faced ultimately drove the young family apart. The refugee process, and particularly the Special Immigrant Visa process that was designed to protect people like Hamad failed him. The application and vetting process was dragging on with no end in sight, and the continued threats convinced Hamad that he needed to flee for his life, so he fled to Australia. That was in 2012. Bashiya and the two children continued to wait for approval of the Special Immigrant Visa program, and finally, in 2016, 7 years after they applied, they got the news they were waiting for. They were approved. Now, it has been 7 years since Bashiya has seen her husband and since he has seen his children. The system has torn the family apart. Bashiya's story is not uncommon. There are others. Jackie, a dedicated and compassionate social worker from Uganda, is the mother of two sons. Jackie has not seen her oldest son, Arinda, since 2014, when she fled Nairobi, Kenya and came to the United States. Arinda will turn 8 years old on November 13. And on November 21, his case to join his mother will have been pending for 2 years. For 2 years this family has been in bureaucratic limbo, and it has taken its toll. Jackie is seriously considering having her son adopted by a family in Canada so she at least will be separated by less time and geography. Our system is broken. We are forcing refugees to other countries like Australia and Canada, and we are not living up to the standards of the shining beacon for people facing persecution and violence. We are a Nation of immigrants. We are a Nation of opportunity, and we need to act like it. We will continue to encourage the administration to increase the refugee caps to make the vetting process under the State Department more efficient and to ensure resources are available to give refugees the certainty that they need. I hope that my colleagues will join me and make a difference for people like Bashiya and Jackie and make a difference for our communities, because we are all stronger when we embrace our history as the world's melting pot.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate one-hundred and fifty years of college football. In 1869, Rutgers College, now Rutgers University, won the first college game against the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, with a score of 6 to 4. Since then, this time-honored game has been woven into the fabric of our nation and the lives of countless Americans. I will always remember Saturdays spent at ``the Shoe'' as a student at The Ohio State University, gleefully cheering on the Buckeyes, and the comradery I felt with tens of thousands of fans there. As our differences are used to divide us, college football allows us to celebrate what unites our nation. We value grit and determination; we believe in teamwork, and in having the will to succeed; we embrace our individual roles to advance an idea or organization that is bigger than us. College football allows us to put aside our differences and rally around a common, unifying cause: victory for our team. Knowing that nearly five million Americans attended college football games during the 2018 season highlights just how ingratiated this game is in today's culture. It makes our communities grow closer and gives each of us a sense of pride that was honed during raucous chants of ``O-H-I-O,'' ``Roll Tide,'' or ``Hook 'em, horns.'' Beyond the undeniable excitement and sense of community our teams foster every Saturday, it is undisputable that the stories and memories made live on well after the lights have been shut off. Commemorating the memories, from the first game a child attended, bonding with their parents, keeping family tradition alive, to the tailgate where total strangers became lifelong friends--it's easy to see the importance this game has played in our history for over one hundred and fifty years. I am confident that, for the next one-hundred and fifty years, Americans will continue to eagerly await college football season and the excitement, pride, and unity it brings. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing this milestone for college football.