Steve Stivers

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume because I have three quick points in response before I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee. First, with regard to the death tax, it is important to remember whose money it is in the first place. This money has already been taxed, and it is being taken. Some small businesses, like the gentleman's from Colorado, grow to be big businesses, and we are for that in America, and that is great. But just because somebody has the misfortune to die doesn't mean the government should take up to 40 percent of their assets. Second, with regard to the CFPB, this bill was bipartisan, and I hope that we can get it back to a bipartisan bill because the input from small businesses and credit unions and community banks is something that both sides of the aisle agree on. The disagreement is on the pay- for. Unfortunately, the gentleman from Colorado and his side of the aisle, when they were in charge, when they passed the Dodd-Frank bill, did not subject the CFPB to the appropriations process. Therefore, anytime we make any change that requires money, it requires an offset. So this offset simply says, beginning in 2020, it reduces the cap of the amount that the CFPB can take from the Federal Reserve as an exact offset. It was done by the CBO, was what the chairman of the Financial Services Committee said to us, and they did it as an exact offset for exactly the $700,000 a year it allegedly, according to the CBO, will take to run these three advisory committees. It doesn't apply any cap until the year 2020. It does apply a cap exactly offset by the amount that it will have cost to run these committees for the budget window, and that starts in the year 2020. I am really disappointed that we didn't find a bipartisan offset. I know that the chairman of our Financial Services Committee did say in the Rules Committee that he talked to the minority whip's office when he did the offset. Obviously folks on the other side of the aisle are upset about that. I am really sorry about it because I do want to acknowledge that it started as a bipartisan bill that passed our Financial Services Committee, which I happen to sit on, on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. In fact, I believe it was unanimous. So my last point to the gentleman from Colorado is, on comprehensive tax reform, we completely agree. America needs comprehensive tax reform, and nothing in these underlying bills would preclude us from doing comprehensive tax reform. But it is important that the American people know that we want to end the death tax. They know that we want to create a situation where there are permanent deductions that are the same for income tax States and sales tax States, and they will be treated fairly. Both those bills are about fairness. And of course the CFPB advisory committee bill is about input and making sure there is a real dialogue with small business before the CFPB creates regulation. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, before yielding to the gentleman from Texas, I don't think we are going to solve necessarily the philosophical disagreement we have on the death tax because, clearly, we think death is bad enough, it shouldn't be a taxable event; and the gentleman from Colorado thinks it is a preferable tax. On the other one, I would just ask the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Speaker, whether he thinks that having a temporary deduction for sales tax States like Texas--the gentleman from Texas is about to speak--is fair when we have a permanent deduction for income taxes for States like Ohio.

Mr. STIVERS. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. These bills today are about fairness. While I certainly agree with the gentleman from Colorado about the incentive in the deductibility of sales tax, it is really important that we put sales tax States and income tax States on a level playing field. Because Congress last year and the President did not enact these tax extenders until December 19, it is important to create a permanent system that creates certainty that does not prevent anything from being considered in comprehensive tax reform. In fact, our side of the aisle has proposed comprehensive tax reform last year and continues to work to enact comprehensive tax reform that simplifies the Tax Code and lowers the rates. On the death tax, we just have a fundamental disagreement. We think that repealing the death tax is fair. Small businesses and family farms should not be forced to be sold to pay the tax collector. With regard to the CFPB, I think getting input from small businesses, credit unions, and small banks will ensure that financial regulations passed by the CFPB are thoughtful and understand what the impact will be on the overall economy. It is unfortunate that the pay-for has become comprehensive. The pay- for is a simple offset that ensures that the CFPB doesn't spend more money than it costs to operate the CFPB, minus the small $700,000 a year cost for these three advisory councils. It is too bad that that became partisan, but I understand from the Financial Services Committee that that effort was worked with the minority whip, and it is too bad that it became partisan. The differences between the parties are clear. Republicans are for fairness in the Tax Code and ensuring we give input from our small businesses and Main Street before big Washington regulators crush small businesses with oppressive regulation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills.

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

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. I would like to thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 299, the Capital Access for Small Community Financial Institutions Act. I would like to thank Chairman Hensarling and the other bill sponsors--Mrs. Beatty from Ohio, Mr. Tiberi from Ohio, and Mr. Carson from Indiana. As you can hear, I lost my voice last night, but I am the voice for 1.2 million people who are currently denied access to the liquidity that the Federal Home Loan Bank system offers inside financial transactions. This bill would simply make a small statutory change that would allow nonfederally insured credit unions to apply for membership in the Federal Home Loan Bank system. It would not guarantee their memberships. They would go through the normal underwriting process like any other applicant. The irony here is that every other credit union can join the Federal Home Loan Bank system, and every other bank and many nonbank entities, like insurance companies, are allowed to join the Federal Home Loan Bank system. Only privately insured credit unions are denied. Currently, there are 128 small credit unions in nine States representing 1.2 million people, including firefighters and teachers and church workers and small business people, with total assets of $13 billion, people who are not insured by the Federal Government but who are insured by a mutual private insurance company and so are denied access to the Federal Home Loan Bank system. This bill would simply change that and fix it. Some important points are: one, there is no risk to the Federal Home Loan Bank system. Two, no more than $4 billion of that $13 billion could be pledged to the Federal Home Loan Bank system at any one time, and that is if all 128 credit unions joined the Federal Home Loan Bank system. Three, there is no concentration risk. There is no disproportionate risk with these institutions. I think it is really important that we give these 1.2 million people the access to the liquidity that the Federal Home Loan Bank system would offer them. I would ask my colleagues to support this legislation, which would give community financial institutions the ability to apply for membership in the Federal Home Loan Bank system and which would provide important liquidity to these 1.2 million people who might want to buy a home or live the American Dream. Again, I want to thank my cosponsor, who helped so hard to get this bill done, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty from Ohio; and I want to thank Chairman Neugebauer, Chairman Hensarling, and the other cosponsors of the bill.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 233) to allow reviews of certain families' incomes every 3 years for purposes of determining eligibility for certain Federal assisted housing programs.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I just want to ask all of my colleagues to support this legislation. It is common sense, and it simplifies an administrative burden. It saves money for taxpayers, and it allows people on fixed incomes, whether they be senior citizens or disabled, to have less onerous burdens. This is a commonsense bill. I thank the gentleman from Colorado for his leadership, and I urge everyone to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on this bill.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 233, the Tenant Income Verification Relief Act, and I am proud to cosponsor it with my colleague from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter). This is a very simple bill that helps relieve stressful burdens of fixed-income tenants who participate in the housing choice voucher and project-based housing programs all across the country. Additionally, it is a responsible reform bill that will allow housing authorities to work more efficiently and effectively at less cost to the taxpayers. I have heard from housing authorities from Columbus, Ohio, from Circleville, Ohio, from other parts of my district, and throughout the country about how burdensome this requirement is on elderly tenants as well as on the housing authorities. Current law requires tenant verification of income at move-in and recertification annually. This legislation allows for the recertification of residents' incomes every 3 years rather than annually for individuals and families on fixed incomes. It will permit housing authorities to verify these tenants' incomes when they change as well as annually. Based on a recent U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development study of these 2 million residents on fixed incomes, about half of them are on very fixed incomes that are not changing. Most of them are using Social Security as their main source of income. This bill is a great first step toward ensuring our Nation's low- income families have safe places to live, while also reducing administrative burdens on families and on these housing authorities and toward saving taxpayer resources. I ask my colleagues to join me and Mr. Perlmutter in supporting this commonsense legislation. Finally, I would like to thank the gentleman from Colorado for his leadership and for his commonsense approach on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS

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

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Chairman, last month, I had the privilege of joining three young adults from my district to reintroduce the Homeless Children and Youth Act, a bill that will help young homeless youth get access to housing and better service and better to just count them, so we know what the extent of the problem is, so that we can serve them in the future. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was originally signed into law to help the neediest children among us have a quality education. As we consider the reauthorization, we need to not forget about vulnerable students who happen to be homeless. The Castro-Stivers amendment would require States to develop a plan on how school counselors can help these homeless students with their college readiness. By providing these children with college counseling and encouraging them and giving them hope, we can develop a brighter future not only for those children, but for America. I want to thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Castro) for his hard work on this, for joining me in the fight to help serve our homeless youth in this country and help give them a bright future. I want to thank the chairman and all the staff for their hard work. We worked with the committee on this amendment. That is why nobody else rose in opposition to it because we actually worked out the details. I appreciate their suggestions and willingness to work with us. I appreciate the gentleman from Texas for being willing to take those suggestions. This amendment is an example of how this House should work, work together to serve the people, to take care of those in need, to make sure we look out for the future of our country. I am proud to have been involved and appreciate the work of the gentleman from Texas and the chairman and those on the committee. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my alma mater, the Ohio State University, on being the first team to win the college football playoff. Go, Bucks. After beating the number one-ranked University of Alabama team in the Sugar Bowl, the Ohio State University beat the number two-ranked team, the University of Oregon, last night 42-20 to become the first undisputed national champion. Go, Bucks. This Buckeye team has heart, talent, and teamwork on their side. In fact, they are the first team in history to be ranked outside the top 10 in November and go on to win a national championship. Go, Bucks. This championship is a result of coaches like Urban Meyer, Luke Fickell, and Chris Ash, and impressive scholar-athletes like Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett, Cardale Jones, Ezekiel Elliott, Tyvis Powell, Darron Lee, Joey Bosa, as well as the entire Buckeye squad. Go, Buckeyes. Mr. Speaker, before I yield back the balance of my time, I want to leave you with this: O-H.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman for yielding me this time. I appreciate his work on this very important bill, as well as the work of the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Neugebauer, for this 6-year reauthorization of the terrorism risk insurance bill. This bill protects taxpayers by reforming the program to reduce potential taxpayer costs associated with the terrorism risk reinsurance program. It builds capacity in the private insurance market, and it ensures access to terrorism insurance for communities like mine in Columbus, Ohio, and southern Ohio, as well as all around America. The bill provides meaningful reforms by reducing the government's share of losses over time, by increasing the triggering amount over time, and ensuring that the Federal recoupment is increased over time. It also provides important transparency on data collection that will in the future let us know how much money insurance companies are billing for terrorism coverage and what the potential exposure is for terrorism losses. Those are all good things. The other thing that is good is it will build capacity in the private marketplace. When we increase the trigger, we build capacity in the private marketplace. But the most important thing is the certainty this bill creates. A multiyear reauthorization ensures that businesses across Ohio and across the entire country get access to terrorism insurance for multiple years. It creates certainty. It is good for jobs, and it is good for commercial development and construction. I think this bill is a very important reform and a great move forward. I again want to applaud the chairman for all of his work on it, and I applaud the bipartisan support this bill is getting today. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Missouri for yielding me time. I also would like to thank the gentlelady from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) for all her work on this bill. She has been dedicated and engaged and hardworking and willing to compromise to move this effort forward to help a lot of Main Street businesses that are in my district, her district, and that dot the map of America. I also want to thank Ms. Fudge and Mr. Gibson for their collaborative efforts and their work through the Agriculture Committee on this bill as well. Mr. Speaker, this bill is the culmination of over 2\1/2\ years' work. In 2012, Ms. Moore, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Gibson, and I joined together to introduce legislation that clarified rules under the Dodd-Frank Act with regard to margin clearing and reporting requirements of interaffiliate transactions. What that means is a lot of Main Street businesses in various industries, from agriculture to consumer products, that work across international boundaries use this central treasury unit structure to offset competing or offsetting risks, and that way they can decide what their total aggregate risk is and then make it much more affordable for a corporation. Unfortunately, under the Dodd-Frank Act and the way the rules were interpreted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, these companies were being charged double or triple the cost by imposing these central clearing unit ways of managing risk. It just didn't make sense, and it actually cost them more money. These companies did not add systemic risk, and that is what the rules on swaps were all about is to make sure we reduce systemic risk. These companies are using these swaps to offset risk to their company and their operating risks, and so this is a commonsense piece of legislation. In fact, Barney Frank, the author of the Dodd-Frank legislation, spoke in favor of this when he was the ranking member in the last Congress. Unfortunately, there was no activity on the bill in the last Congress, and over the last 2 years both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the CFTC have worked with us--with Ms. Moore and me--on these rules. They have done a pretty good job in that regard, but there is more to be done because their rules left out the folks that use these centralized treasury units as a specific business model. Just last month, in fact, the CFTC published a no-action letter that Ms. Moore referred to; but a no-action letter means that it is still part of the law, we are just not going to enforce the law. What we need to do is fix the law. It is really common sense. So this bill that Ms. Moore introduced fixes the law for that centralized treasury unit way of doing business. It makes sense. It does not add any risk to the system, and it allows these companies that are all over America to manage their risk in a smarter way without being charged two or three times as much and without risking that they are violating the law, even though it is not going to be enforced. So I applaud the gentlelady from Wisconsin for changing the law, fixing the law, and making it work for a lot of small, medium, and even large businesses across America so they can use their cash to hire Americans in this tough time, and hire more Americans and not waste it on unneeded cost that does not provide any safety to anyone. I want to thank the gentlelady from Wisconsin as well as the gentleman from New York and the gentlelady from Ohio for all their work, and I was proud to be a small part of this. I would urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, on October 10th Taiwan celebrates its National Day, commonly referred to as ``Double Ten Day'' because of its occurrence on the tenth day of the tenth month. On Double Ten Day, Taiwanese citizens pause and honor its first glimpse of becoming an independent and self-governing country. Exactly six months ago, on April 10th, the United States and Taiwan celebrated a special anniversary--the 35th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act. This bill passed Congress and was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. The Taiwan Relations Act was crucial in establishing a legal relationship between our country and that of Taiwan. The Taiwan Relations Act has been mutually beneficial to both the United States and Taiwan--boosting our economies and establishing a confidence of protection to the newly-established democracy of Taiwan. The people of Taiwan have contributed to our thriving economy in many ways--and for that, we are grateful. In fact, just last year, Taiwan imported nearly $26 billion worth of American goods. In Ohio alone we have reached over $450 million from exports to Taiwan--making the country Ohio's 5th largest Asian export market. We are grateful for Taiwan's friendship and look forward to many more years of this successful partnership.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Major General Deborah A. Ashenhurst for being elected Chair of the National Guard Association of the United States Board of Directors. General Ashenhurst has the distinguished honor of being the first woman to serve in this position. Since enlisting in the Ohio Army National Guard in 1978, General Ashenhurst's military career has been nothing short of outstanding. General Ashenhurst was commissioned as an Engineer Officer through the Ohio Army National Guard Officer Candidate School in 1980. After completing the Engineer Basic Course, she served as a reconnaissance officer with the 54th Support Center. Throughout her service, General Ashenhurst has commanded and held staff officer assignments located at all levels of the Guard. General Ashenhurst's most recent assignments include: the Commanding General of the 73rd Troop Command; the Commander of the 237th Personnel Services Battalion; the Director of the Property and Fiscal Operations for the United States Property and Fiscal Office for Ohio. She has also formally served as the Central Ohio Chapter President of the Association of the United States Army and President of the Ohio National Guard Association. Today, General Ashenhurst continues to serve our country with great commitment and enthusiasm. She serves as the Adjutant General of the Joint Force Headquarters--Ohio. She is also a member of the Ohio Governor's cabinet where she is responsible for commanding the Ohio National Guard and maintaining the military readiness of the Ohio Militia. General Ashenhurst has been unwavering in her service to both Ohio and to the United States. I offer my sincere congratulations to Major General Deborah Ashenhurst for being elected to this position. On behalf of Ohio and the country, I thank her for her service and wish her the best in her new role.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I was first made aware of the practice of rehoming earlier this year when it was discovered that a girl who had been adopted from Haiti was transferred back and forth from an abusive environment in central Iowa, where I live, to Idaho via a Yahoo Internet forum. Rehoming is the transfer of children into the custody of unvetted strangers without the use of the child welfare system, and currently there is no Federal law prohibiting it. That means there is nothing stopping dangerous and unfit individuals from using online mediums like Craigslist to seek custody and then abuse, neglect, or exploit children. As a father of two young children, the idea of children being treated as goods or property is reprehensible. Our Nation must address rehoming. That is why I am introducing legislation to establish Federal guidelines and reporting requirements for custodial transfers. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help me solve this problem of rehoming.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4189) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4000 Leap Road in Hilliard, Ohio, as the ``Sergeant Shawn T. Hannon and Master Sergeant Jeffrey J. Rieck and Veterans Memorial Post Office Building'', as amended.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to ask support for H.R. 4189, a bill to rename the U.S. post office located at 4000 Leap Road in Hilliard, Ohio, as the Master Sergeant Shawn T. Hannon, Master Sergeant Jeffrey T. Rieck and Veterans Memorial Post Office. Master Sergeants Hannon and Rieck were killed in Afghanistan in April 4, 2012, while serving their country as members of the Ohio Army National Guard. The House recently passed a bill to rename a post office after a third soldier, Captain Nicholas Rozanski, who died in that same attack, and that post office will be in Dublin, Ohio. Master Sergeant Hannon was a native of Grove City, Ohio, and served as the chief legal counsel at the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. I knew him personally as both a soldier and as one of the best advocates for the Ohio veterans community. He is survived by his wife Jamie and his son Evan. Master Sergeant Rieck lived in Columbus and worked in the Guard's Family Readiness office, where he helped families prepare for deployment and helped loved ones deal with deployments. His son, Joel, was 15 when his father made the ultimate sacrifice. These men dedicated their lives to helping other people and died while protecting our freedoms. This bill will help ensure that their sacrifices and service are always remembered. We also included the Veterans Memorial Post Office on this to make sure that all veterans' sacrifices and service are remembered when people enter this post office. I want to thank Chairman Issa for advancing this bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 4189. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. STIVERS

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5106) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 Admiral Callaghan Lane in Vallejo, California, as the ``Philmore Graham Post Office Building''.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 5106, introduced by Representative Mike Thompson of California. H.R. 5106 would designate the post office located at 100 Admiral Callaghan Lane in Vallejo, California, as the Philmore Graham Post Office Building. Philmore Graham was a naval veteran, engineer, and founder of the Continentals of Omega Boys and Girls Club in California in 1966. Over the next several decades, the Boys and Girls Club helped boys and girls graduate from high school and college and go on to become accomplished athletes, doctors, judges, attorneys, and teachers. Born in North Carolina, Mr. Graham graduated from Tennessee State University, served our country in the Air Force, and built a career at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. He was the first and, to this day, remains the only African American to hold the position of supervisor at Mare Island's department of nuclear energy, but it was his passion for bettering the lives of young people that led him to establish the Boys and Girls Club in Vallejo, California. Beginning with only six young men meeting in his garage, Mr. Graham grew the Continentals of Omega Boys and Girls Club to over 300 young people. Mr. Graham mentored them and encouraged them to apply themselves to their academics and get involved with sports and other extracurricular activities and instilled in them the value of hard work, self-respect, and perseverance. He truly made a difference in the lives of hundreds of young people and was beloved by all who had the privilege to know him. Philmore Graham passed away in June of 2014. He had received numerous honors and awards for his work, including the NAACP's Outstanding Citizen of the Year, the Salute to America Lifetime Merit Award, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Humanitarian Award, and the Omega Man of the Year and Citizen of the Year. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to the many accomplishments and contributions of Philmore Graham by passing H.R. 5106. I reserve the balance of my time.