Marlin Stutzman

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of 600 people in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who are earning smaller paychecks today because of ObamaCare. Just last week, the largest school district in Indiana, Fort Wayne Community Schools, announced it would cut the hours of 610 part- time cafeteria workers and teachers' aides. These are hardworking folks who play a vital role in the education of our children. Officials running schools across Indiana and the Nation are beginning to realize these unsustainable costs and are taking similar measures to comply with its mandate. Mr. Speaker, we know now that President Obama's claim that ``under ObamaCare if you like your health care you can keep it'' was false. Now we know that ObamaCare is also hurting the very people it was meant to help. Employees in school districts across the country deserve certainty and security, and they don't have it. Americans are being crushed by the cost of the Affordable Care Act. We must repeal ObamaCare and start over for the sake of Americans and our Nation's children.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Mr. Speaker, life is hard. Across Indiana, moms and dads are working hard to make ends meet, and it's anything but easy. The national unemployment rate is 7.5 percent. More businesses are reducing employees' hours under the immense pressure and weight of ObamaCare's red tape. On top of all that, President Obama wants $1.2 trillion in new taxes on families and businesses. There is no timecard at the dinner table. Parenting is a 24/7, 365- day job. Unfortunately, moms and dads in the private sector have to consider missing a day of work when flu season strikes, when teacher conferences roll around, or when life throws another curve ball. The last thing Hoosiers in the real economy need is an outdated Federal law that makes things harder. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, too many families are forced to make a difficult trade- off: sit down with your son's teacher and you could see a thinner paycheck at the end of the week. Often, mom and dad will take turns after they've looked at the budget and the calendar. For single parents, it's another uphill battle. But while families on Main Street have to make tough choices, government workers have the flexibility to work overtime to cover these situations. We need to make sure that Hoosiers in the everyday world have the same option. Here in the House, we've introduced a simple, commonsense solution. Our bill gives Hoosiers and Americans a choice between cash wages and comp time for the overtime hours that they work. Government workers already get this option. So should everyday Americans. By fixing an outdated law today, we can give working parents more flexibility tomorrow.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, Kermit Gosnell is a real-life Hannibal Lecter. Gosnell operated an abortion clinic that severed the necks of hundreds of babies and stuffed their bodies into freezers, plastic bags, and cat-food tins. Soon, a jury in Pennsylvania will decide his fate. Mr. Speaker, the Gosnell case must give us a moment of reflection. Have 40 years of abortion on demand seared our national conscience and given us a false refuge behind euphemisms like ``choice''? More than 3,000 unborn children die in abortion clinics every day in this country. While none of these deaths attract the headlines of the Gosnell case, each loss is a tragedy. Each of these defenseless babies is just as innocent as Gosnell's victims, just as human as you and I, and just as precious as our own children. There is no moral distinction between killing a baby 5 minutes after birth or ending her life 5 minutes or even 5 days before delivery. In the coming weeks, more questions will be asked: Who referred patients to Gosnell's house of horrors, and what can be learned from these atrocities? Today, we all ought to re-examine our national conscience.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. I did.

Mr. STUTZMAN. I thank the lady from Missouri for yielding. I brought my two sons, Payton and Preston, along today. So it's a father and son outing here. Payton asked if he could come along to hear us talk about the Second Amendment. We, of course, we're farmers back in Indiana, and I grew up with BB guns. And Payton now has his little BB gun and a 410/22, and Preston has a little BB gun. So we enjoy the sport out on the farm. I want to just thank you for bringing this issue to the floor today because it's such an important issue for our country, and obviously a lot of things have happened over the past several years that brings this issue to us appropriately. I believe that we do need to have a discussion not only about our Second Amendment rights, but about gun safety and how each of us as Americans who owns a gun is responsible. Of course, my wife, Christy, and I are grieving, along with our family which is grieving for those who lost loved ones in Newtown and, of course, in Arizona, Colorado, Virginia and so many other places. We've had some cases in Fort Wayne of just irresponsibility, but also intended murder. But, of course, as we saw what happened in Boston, bad people can take any device and hurt people with those devices, and it is always sad to see. But one of the things that I know from constituents back home is that they don't expect knee-jerk reactions from Washington when it comes to legislation. And now I would like to just quote a couple of quotes from our Founding Fathers that I think are so important and quotes about our Second Amendment rights. George Washington said, ``A free people ought to be armed.'' Thomas Jefferson says that, ``The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.'' He also says, ``The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.'' I think that is why this motivates people to contact their Members of Congress, to let them know how they feel. Madam Speaker, we are a democracy that is represented by people we send to Washington. As we saw the votes unfold in the Senate, I think that each one of those Members in the Senate was representing the people that they were elected by. Of course, the President was very critical of the Senate after they were not able to pass a bill that he had wanted. But when he is criticizing them, he is criticizing each one of those particular Members and also the people that sent them to the United States Senate. To watch each different vote take place, I think it tells us that Americans across the country are not about just knee- jerk reactions but about responsibility when it comes to gun ownership, and it also shows their passion about protecting the Second Amendment. Many of these Members in the Senate did not want to vote for tighter gun control laws because they were representing the people from their particular States. So I believe that last week the American people spoke. It wasn't just the Senate. The American people, through their representatives, said that they don't want stricter gun legislation. We've already tried Senator Feinstein's so-called ``assault weapons'' ban in the nineties and it failed to reduce murder rates then, and it would, I believe, fail to reduce murder rates now. The American people understand that, and I believe that the United States Senate understands that, as well. They've seen this before. So while we watched the Senate work through the gun legislation, there was one particular amendment that I thought was very intriguing, and that was the amendment that Senator Cornyn from Texas offered. That was an amendment that--I have a bill filed here in the House, H.R. 578. It's called the Respecting States' Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2013, which basically allows law abiding citizens that have a concealed weapon permit to carry across State lines to those States that do have concealed carry permits. Senator Cornyn offered a very similar amendment to the underlying bill in the Senate. It almost passed. It was within three votes of passing, which I thought was very interesting that while the President was trying to enact stricter gun legislation, a bill that would actually let us as Americans travel across the country almost passed in the Senate. I think that sends a strong message to all of us as Americans that the Senate does understand and respect the importance of the Second Amendment but also is interested in letting those folks who are abiding by the law to also carry throughout the country. The bill that I've authored understands that instead of pursuing ineffective gun controls, we really do need to strengthen the protections for law abiding citizens who exercise their right to self- defense every day. One other comment is that my bill would simply make sure that law abiding gun owners who legally carry a concealed weapon in their home State may do so in other States. Illinois does not have a permit, so they would not be allowed to carry there, but just about every other State does. I think Americans have seen over the past couple of weeks that both sides of the aisle see that sweeping gun control legislation is misguided and it is an attack on law-abiding gun owners, and it is designed to advance another agenda instead of really saving lives. I believe what we really should be focused on is the people behind the weapon, the people that plant the bomb, the people that are taking these particular tools and hurting other people, whether it's with a ball bat or a crowbar or any other sort of device that people could pick up with their hands and hurt others. We really need to focus on the mental challenges that these people have. There has to be. There is information that we know about these particular people, and I believe that's who we need to focus on. We as Americans need to make sure that we teach our children safety. If someone has decided to purchase a gun, they have a responsibility to understand how that particular weapon operates and the safety measures that go along with it, just like I learned in my hunter safety course when I was 12 years old, and also by my father, who threatened me many times if any more windows were shot out that I was going to be paying for them. There are so many different exciting and joyful opportunities that families can do together as a family with firearms, but also there is a great responsibility that comes along with that. Also, as the quotes that I read before from our Founding Fathers show, there is an even greater right behind that, a principle behind that, that we do have a responsibility not only to protect ourselves but to protect other citizens that we live with. So thank you for bringing this issue to the floor, and thank you to all of those who have spoken, as well. I believe that as we continue these discussions that it should be thoughtful, that it be careful, and we in Congress have a responsibility to let people know that we do understand that this issue is an important matter. But as we've seen in the votes from the Senate, people want to know gun safety is the most important issue that we're dealing with.

Mr. STUTZMAN. Absolutely. I think that as Payton, our oldest, we've given him a bow and arrow, and he has his straw bales out in the back of the barn. And I think that any time he goes out, we always talk to him about look what's beyond your target and make sure that you're not shooting in a direction towards a house or towards any other one that's behind there. And it really does come down to awareness and responsibility and making sure that any time you're shooting, whether it's a bow and arrow, or whether it's a baseball, for that matter, throwing a baseball or shooting a firearm, that there is an awareness always around you. I know we see a lot of the tragedies that happen in cities, whether it could be from a stray bullet, and that's where we need to continue to focus on those people, whether it's through our churches, whether it's through charitable organizations, through schools, education, and helping people understand the great responsibility that comes with firearms. I feel fortunate to be raised on a farm where I could start at a very young age and was taught the lessons of responsibility with gun ownership. And then we're teaching the same with Payton and Preston. There is that point of fun and the enjoyment of having firearms as you're out in the woods or wherever you're at. But it also goes deeper than that. And I think that's why the Second Amendment goes to the very heart of Americans and how we were founded. Obviously, the men who fought in the Revolutionary War needed to have the access to a gun to defend themselves against the Redcoats at the time, and so they obviously had to learn the same thing. And it wasn't just to defend themselves from another army. It was also a tool used to provide food for themselves. We're very fortunate in so many ways that we don't have the responsibility of using a gun on a daily basis like people used to. With that, people don't use a firearm as often, and they do have a responsibility to make sure that they're trained when they do purchase one, and recognizing those that are around them when they're using them. But again, it goes to the heart of us as Americans and defending our freedom. And if it has to absolutely come to that, to defeat tyranny. That is what Thomas Jefferson mentioned about the Second Amendment.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, after decades of Washington irresponsibility, Americans are facing nearly $17 trillion of debt and struggling through a deficit-driven unemployment crisis. Unfortunately, this administration isn't offering solutions. Yesterday, President Obama introduced a budget that never ever balances and will only make these problems worse. Two months after he missed the law's deadline, President Obama introduced a reheated version of the same failed tax, borrow, and spend policies that created this mess to begin with. President Obama's budget raises taxes by $1.1 trillion, adds another $8.2 trillion to the national debt, and doesn't come close to addressing the long-term stability of our Nation's safety net programs. Under the President's plan, taxpayers can expect consequences of endless deficits and future downgrades. House Republicans are offering a real solution. We've put forward a reasonable plan that actually balances the budget in 10 years, not because we are interested in spreadsheets and timetables, but because Americans shouldn't have to wait any longer for success and prosperity. Let's balance the budget and put our trust in hardworking Americans.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding, and I appreciate his efforts to bring this particular matter to the attention of the American people. I also want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris), who just spoke so eloquently and factually and knowledgeably about this particular issue as a doctor. My heart is torn, as I stand here on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives as we're discussing a matter that's happened right here in our own country. I tell the gentleman from New Jersey that I was just meeting with a doctor in my office within the last couple of hours who worked in one of the neonatal clinics in northeastern Indiana. The work and the technology, the ability and the effort that doctors in a neonatal facility go through to save the life of a baby that is wanted is amazing and is heart-touching. And to then come to this particular matter and to hear the details of this tragic location in Philadelphia that was performing abortions like this is just heart-wrenching. Mr. Speaker, I would just share with this body that certain places are permanent reminders that evil men will do evil things, whether it's in Auschwitz's ovens, Cambodia's killing fields, and now a run-down brick building on the corner of 38th and Lancaster in west Philadelphia. In that building--crawling with animals, reeking with urine, and filled with blood-stained furniture--Kermit Gosnell was running a slaughterhouse. On a regular basis, he used a pair of scissors to sever the spinal cords of helpless babies who were born alive during illegal, late-term abortions. The loss of these lives should scar the conscience of civilized people everywhere. This is not a discussion about abstract concepts like choice. We are talking about brutal deaths of newborn children. Mr. Speaker, Kermit Gosnell is a predator who must be publicly exposed and openly denounced. That's why I come to the floor, to bring attention to this case, that the American people are informed of it, aware of it, and realizing the acts that are happening within our own country. I have no doubt that in this life or the next he will be held accountable for his crimes. However, right here and right now we ought to take a serious look at our culture's careless disregard of this story in particular, and innocent life in general. How is it that in our age of constant news not a single major news outlet has devoted serious attention to the atrocities that weren't committed halfway around the world but in west Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? Has our national conscience been irreversibly seared by the deaths of more than 1.2 million unborn children every year in this country. I believe this is something that the media should be talking about. They talk about so many other issues that affect our country, and rightly so. But I believe this is one of those that should be discussed and reported on by the media. I've only seen a brief report on this within the last week. Mr. Speaker, I am confident that one day the era of abortion on demand will close and we will restore a lasting respect for life. However, until that day comes, each of us must take up the cause of those who cannot speak for themselves. I thank Congressman Smith for his unwavering commitment and his leadership and his efforts to protect life, and especially to bring this particular matter to the attention of the American people, so that we as a country will stand up and do the right thing for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support today of the balanced budget put forward by my friend and chairman, Paul Ryan, and the reasonable and practical approach that this Budget Committee has taken while they budget hardworking taxpayer dollars. Mr. Chairman, this budget debate goes deeper than spreadsheets and focuses on the longevity of the American Dream. Today, we are considering a Republican budget that actually balances in 10 years, calls for pro-growth, pro-job tax reform, and strengthens Medicare for our seniors and future generations, while in the Senate, Harry Reid and Patty Murray are considering a budget that never balances. It increases taxes by $1 trillion and let's Medicare and Social Security race towards bankruptcy. And it turns Medicare into a program that rations benefits to seniors. Make no mistake, Washington is approaching $17 trillion of debt and more than 12 million Americans are unable to find work. The decisions we make will either sink us deeper into debt or put us on a path that encourages job creation and restores the belief that, if we work hard and make tough choices, our kids will inherit a stronger country. Mr. Chairman, the choice is clear. If Hoosier families balance their budgets, Washington doesn't have an excuse. It's time the President and the Senate offer real solutions for hardworking Hoosier families. I commend Chairman Ryan and the House Budget Committee for their hard work, and I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. It's hard for President Obama to find a solution when he doesn't understand the problem. This week, he told ABC News that he doesn't believe that our country faces a debt crisis. Yesterday, Senate Democrats outlined a budget that never balances but that sinks us further and further into debt year after year. The American people understand that nearly $17 trillion of debt is no way to run a country. Hoosiers know that every penny Washington borrows today will be taken from taxpayer pockets tomorrow. Folks back home know this, and so do House Republicans. That's why I am proud to support the budget my friend and colleague Chairman Ryan introduced this week. Mr. Speaker, this budget actually balances in 10 years--something our Democrat colleagues' budget in the Senate never does. It never balances. Our budget encourages economic growth and promotes opportunity for all Americans. By simplifying the Tax Code, scaling back government overreach and strengthening the promises made to seniors, our budget puts this country on a responsible, balanced path. I commend Chairman Ryan and the House Budget Committee for their work.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I appreciate his hard work on this. Mr. Speaker, Hoosiers understand that welfare checks are not a substitute for paychecks. Last year, President Obama's administration really undermined commonsense and time-tested reforms by trying to weaken work requirements that were created in the 1996 bipartisan welfare reform law. These work requirements helped lift Americans out of poverty and into the workforce. In just 5 years, welfare dependency was nearly cut in half, more single mothers found jobs, and child poverty fell drastically. Unfortunately, President Obama's decision to reverse course will drive up government spending without doing anything to lower unemployment. Growing up on a farm in northern Indiana, I learned at a very young age that a good neighbor is someone who will roll up their sleeves to help someone pick themselves back up, that neighbors look out for neighbors, friends look out for friends, and family looks out for family. And that's exactly the commonsense approach that Chairman Camp's bill takes. This legislation extends assistance to fight poverty by restoring the work requirements that made welfare reform a success in the 1990s. I appreciate and applaud Chairman Camp for introducing this legislation to help American families without creating a permanent subsidy. Americans want to work, but we need to make sure that they have the skills and they're capable and willing to perform the jobs that are provided to them in their communities.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Thank you to my friend from Indiana. This is, I believe, the fifth speaker from Indiana. Maybe we're getting something right in Indiana--I don't know what it is--but thank you for sharing this bill. We do have a balanced budget in Indiana. We have made sure that we have taken care of the children in education, we've made sure that our law enforcement is taken care of, but we've also made those difficult choices early on that Washington could really learn from in budgeting. So I appreciate Congressman Messer for bringing this particular bill. It's a good government bill. And I know the other side of the aisle is talking about the sequester. I find it ironic that the Washington Times today has a headline that says 400 more jobs are created, in spite of the sequester. So I don't believe that the sky is falling here. This legislation requires the President to do some simple math and include with his budget, should he choose to submit one, an estimate of the cost of the deficit per taxpayer. Taxpayers just simply deserve to know how much they owe for Washington's out-of-control spending. After all, every dime that the Federal Government borrows is saddled on this generation and the next generation and generations to follow. Right now, the cost of Washington's $16 trillion of national debt totals more than $147,000 per taxpayer. In fact, approximately every minute, Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government borrows another $4 million per minute, leaving this generation empty promises and massive debt. This is no way to run a government. If the President refuses to break the cycle of bailouts, borrowing, and tax hikes, taxpayers deserve to know the true cost of the President's irresponsible decisions. The American taxpayers deserve transparency, and that's exactly what this bill does. Mr. Speaker, I applaud my colleague from Indiana, and I thank him for bringing this bill to the floor. I urge the support of all of my colleagues here in the House of Representatives.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, President Obama's sequester will take effect tomorrow. Because of the President's irresponsibility of cutting just pennies of waste for every dollar Washington spends, the men and women of the 122nd Air National Guard in my district face furloughs. Across the globe, our national security will pay the price for Washington's failures. How did this happen? It seems that during his Chicago-style campaigning, President Obama forgot that his primary responsibility is to serve as Commander in Chief. Today, instead of working to replace these security cuts with cuts to waste, President Obama and Harry Reid are trying to pass a tax hike in the Senate, a tax hike that the nonpartisan CBO says will increase our deficit for the next 2 years. It seems that instead of solving the problem, President Obama and his allies are only making it worse. Mr. Speaker, it's time to get serious about the $3 billion we borrow every day and cut spending in a responsible way that saves the American Dream and keeps our national security strong.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Madam Speaker, this week, President Obama outlined his vision for America: job-killing tax hikes, a job-killing national energy tax, job-killing wage controls, and job-killing stimulus spending. Equally telling were the items that the President did not mention. He offered no plan to pay off our $16 trillion of debt, no plan to replace the sequester cuts to national defense that he proposed, no plan to save our broken social safety nets, and no plan to restore the confidence of Americans in the real economy. President Obama believes that every problem can be solved with big government and another tax hike. President Clinton once declared that the era of big government is over. Not this President. President Obama believes more government is the solution to all of our problems. It's time to get this economy moving again, and my colleagues in the House are ready to work toward real solutions that encourage job growth, empower individuals, and break Washington's spending habits.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, growing up back home on the farm in Indiana, we all knew that ``if you don't work, you don't eat.'' Unfortunately, that doesn't hold true if you're the majority leader in the United States Senate. It's been 4 years since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has brought a budget to the floor of the United States Senate. You could build the Pentagon three times in that timeframe. It's time to pass a budget out of the United States Senate, and Senator Reid should not be paid until it's done. The House has acted responsibly. We've met our deadlines, and we have set our priorities. I was part of the House Budget Committee when we put together budgets that tried to get our out-of-control spending under control and rein in our $16 trillion of debt. The Senate has not acted one time in that timeframe. It's time to make the hard choices and do the work necessary to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington. It's time for Senator Reid to pass a budget or withhold his paycheck.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the men and women who have worked tirelessly to make Indiana the best place to do business in the Midwest. Coal produces the electricity that powers everything from manufacturing mainstays to small business startups. Mr. Speaker, coal- fired electric power plants provided 83 percent of Indiana's net electricity generation in 2011. Rising energy prices are squeezing small businesses, entrepreneurs, and families. Unfortunately, President Obama's EPA has waged a war on coal. Unelected bureaucrats have proposed a series of sweeping regulations that would destroy jobs and decrease domestic energy production. As a result of Washington's overregulation, the Energy Information Administration expects the pace of coal-fired power plant shutdowns to increase fourfold in the next 5 years. Today we have an opportunity to stand up for the American coal industry and the families and businesses that rely on the electricity it provides. We can ensure that regulations are sensible and not overbearing. We can make sure that coal keeps lighting homes, stores and factories in Indiana.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4057, as amended. This is a bipartisan bill that at its core will help our youngest group of veterans make more informed choices about how to use their VA education benefits. I think it's very appropriate today that as we remember 9/11 and those who died that day and those who have died since defending our Nation that we are discussing this bill on the floor. The post-9/11 GI Bill is a wonderful benefit that thousands of veterans are using or have used to advance their education and training. H.R. 4057 will further assist these veterans in making decisions on how to best use their GI Bill benefits through new, innovative online tools and by providing greater transparency on certain data from educational institutions. By helping these veterans make more informed choices, we are not only putting them on the path to successful careers, but we are saving taxpayer dollars that may have been misused at a training program that didn't suit the veteran's needs. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, I'm proud of the work that Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Braley, and the rest of the members of the subcommittee have done to improve this bill; and thanks to our colleagues on the Health Subcommittee for their provisions as well. I want to thank Chairman Miller and the ranking member for their support of this legislation. I ask my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his leadership on the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I rise in strong support for the Senate amendments to H.R. 1627. The bill is a product of many months of bipartisan work to improve the lives of our veterans and their families. I'm very proud of sections 706 and 707, which contained provisions I introduced in H.R. 1657 and H.R. 2302 respectively. Section 706 would tighten the process to debar firms that willfully and intentionally misrepresent themselves as veteran or service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses by stipulating a 5-year debarment period from contracting with the VA for the company and its principals. Section 706 would also require VA to complete the debarment no later than 90 days after such finding. Mr. Speaker, section 707 of the underlying bill would require VA to provide a quarterly report to Congress on the cost of the Department's conferences. Every year, VA spends millions of dollars on conferences. While I understand the need for such meetings, recent history is sufficient to demand an accounting so Congress can provide proper oversight of such spending. Section 707 would require VA to report on conferences costing $20,000 or more or on conferences attended by 50 or more people, including at least one VA employee. It would also require VA to estimate the cost of conferences to be held during the quarter in which the report is provided. In closing, Mr. Speaker, for our veterans and their families, I urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendments to H.R. 1627.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. I thank the gentleman from Texas as well as the gentleman from Missouri for their support today and for the committee supporting H.R. 3501. I would also like to thank each of the members of the Indiana delegation for their sponsorship of this bill as well. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3501, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 125 Kerr Avenue in Rome City, Indiana, as the SPC Nicholas Scott Hartge Post Office. Growing up in Rome City, Indiana, Nicholas served his community with a smile. A Boy Scout, paperboy, wrestler, and member of the marching band, his cheerful manner and work ethic were contagious. Nicholas decided to enlist in the Army during his junior year of high school. His loving mother, Lori, proudly tells the story of her patriotic son who was so eager to serve his country that a freight train couldn't stop him. Only a week after graduating, Nicholas left for boot camp at Fort Benning, Georgia. Nicholas chose to serve in the infantry. In August of 2006, he and his unit, First Battalion, 26th Infantry, Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division, were deployed to Iraq. Far from the safety of his Indiana home, Specialist Hartge patrolled the streets of Adhamiyah, a neighborhood in east-central Baghdad. Despite his age, Nicholas' determination and attitude set him apart. Members of the 3rd Platoon in Charlie Company knew they could depend on him. In the midst of a war zone, Nicholas served with distinction and earned the respect of his fellow soldiers and commanders. His gifts and strengths were known to those he served with. With the goal of attending West Point, he worked with his commanding officer to prepare himself for the challenges ahead. During a leave, Specialist Hartge came home and took the SAT test in preparation for West Point. Although he could have taken a different path, Nicholas' devotion to his unit led him to put his pursuit of the academy on hold until he finished his combat tour. Putting aside his own safety, he returned to Iraq to serve alongside his unit. On May 14, 2007, his patrol came under heavy attack. While navigating through intense fire, his Humvee hit a roadside bomb. Specialist Hartge lost his life in that attack. Specialist Hartge was awarded the Bronze Star for his final act of heroism. Hoosiers in Rome City and Americans across the country enjoy our freedoms because heroes like Nicholas and his family have paid the dearest price. We can never take that fact lightly. Madam Speaker, Specialist Hartge lost his life serving the country he loved. Renaming the post office of the community that loves and remembers him is a small, but important, gesture to recognize this young man. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, on May 18, 2012, Sergeant Jabraun Knox from Auburn, Indiana, died at the age of 23 of injuries sustained when his unit received indirect fire in Kunar Province in Afghanistan. Sergeant Knox joined the Army in January 2009 and reported to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade in June 2009. Within a month, Sergeant Knox was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom until May 2010. His unit was then deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November 2011. Sergeant Knox's awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge. Sergeant Knox and his wife, Courtney, married on November 9, 2009 in the middle of his deployment to Iraq. Their first child, Braylon, was born October 17, 2011, just 2 weeks before Sergeant Knox was deployed to Afghanistan. Sergeant Knox selflessly gave his life as a service to defend our country's freedom in support of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. My heart goes out to his family, and I want to express my gratitude to them both for the service they have made for our Nation.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, today's opening prayer was given by my good friend and mentor, Matthew Barnes, who serves as chaplain at the Indiana State House and also serves as State director for Capital Commission in Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am only a freshman in this body, but it doesn't take a seasoned veteran to know that our government is made up of human beings who need wisdom, discernment, and grounding in the truth of God's word. A true servant-leader, Matt has made it his mission to serve, teach, and pray for those who are in positions of authority. In 2004, he was called to serve Indiana's elected officials. Matt ministers in love, knowing that he serves a God whose will is good and gracious and whose law is truth. In my time in the State legislature, I saw Matt give comfort and counsel to so many of my colleagues. His heart for the members of that body is inescapably clear. Matt and his wife, Miriam, have three wonderful children: Sarah, Micah, and Emma. Their work and sacrifice have made Indiana a better place. I'm honored that my friend has been able to join us today.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. I believe that we can deal with the problems that we face in spending without raising taxes, and that we can truly address tax reform in a bipartisan fashion. I ask that this body seriously consider the Path to Prosperity and support it.

Mr. STUTZMAN. Madam Chairman, I rise today to participate in a debate that Americans deserve but, unfortunately, Democrats want to avoid. Madam Chairman, the Senate has refused to pass a budget in over 1,000 days; but as Washington races down the road of debt and decline, hardworking taxpayers deserve an honest debate and a real choice. That's why we've come to the floor today. This budget, the Path to Prosperity, gives the American people a choice between two futures: a future of deficit spending and taxes; or they can choose to set priorities, cut government spending, and keep Medicare solvent for future generations. Madam Chairman, as I sit here on the floor today and listen to debate, I hear a lot of talk about a balanced approach, about shared sacrifice. Well, Madam Chairman, I believe what Americans are looking for is leadership. They're looking for people who they can trust. I want to say thank you to the chairman of the Budget Committee, Mr. Paul Ryan, for leading the Budget Committee in a team effort to bring forward a pathway that shows real solutions to the problems that we face. Americans are asking themselves who can they trust in Washington. Well, the solution we always hear from the other side of the aisle is let's just raise tax taxes, raise taxes on the rich, let's eliminate loopholes. Well, you know what? I agree. We should eliminate the loopholes, get rid of the credits, the incentives, and make a fairer, flatter Tax Code. But until Washington is truly determined to fix the spending problems that we have, to save Medicare, to make sure that Social Security is around for future generations, I don't think we should seriously look at any tax increases. We can talk about tax reform, but Americans want us to address what we can control, and that is spending. We can talk about raising taxes or we can talk about tax restructuring. I believe tax restructuring would be a solution where we could find bipartisanship.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, Hoosiers across northeast Indiana paid $3.85 for a gallon of gasoline this morning. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and people in my district are looking for long-term solutions. Unfortunately, for the past 3 years, President Obama has rejected serious efforts to promote American energy security. By failing to put forward a responsible energy policy, this administration is making things worse at the pump. In 2008, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, ``Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.'' Well, if something doesn't change, Hoosiers could see those prices soon. In January, President Obama rejected the bipartisan Keystone XL pipeline and blocked the flow of over 800,000 barrels of oil each day. The President's decision does nothing to lower prices or protect us from uncertainty in the Middle East. It's a serious blow to Hoosier families already struggling in the real economy. Hoosiers deserve a true all-of-the-above approach. The House has already passed five energy bills that are being held up in the Senate. It's time to promote real energy security.

Mr. STUTZMAN

Mr. STUTZMAN. It's a privilege to be here to stand on the House floor with my colleagues this evening and discuss an issue that is facing Americans today that really we should not be standing here talking about. We face tough economic times, but instead we have to be dealing with the administration's rule that he is implementing that came out of the health care bill passed several years ago. This is a freedom-of- religion issue. This issue is not about birth control. This issue is about government control. I'd like to share a couple of lines from our founding documents that I think are very important. I think one thing that has happened over the past couple of years is that Americans have become more familiar with our Constitution, because I believe the Constitution has the answers for the problems that we face today. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to share this particular line that actually influenced the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment: All men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience. That is found in the Virginia Declaration of Rights. The First Amendment says this: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today and I believe that this is a threat to our freedoms. I stand here as a Baptist, along with my colleagues from many denominations who believe that this is a threat to our freedom of religion. Can you imagine the outcry if the President told journalists what stories they could write? This is no less appalling. The President's decision to force individuals of faith to violate their conscience is a blatant assault on the First Amendment. One of the things that is so foundational here in America is that we are a people of strong convictions. We are a people of faith. What this rule does is it puts the real American safety net at risk. We have so many faith-based organizations, charities, people that organize to help those who are in need. They are the backbone of the social safety net of this country. I believe that this rule interferes with those core beliefs and that HHS has jeopardized the mission that so many Americans have to help people across this country. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to share this quote by one of our famous and well-respected Founders and Forefathers of our country, and it is Daniel Webster, who said this in addressing Americans about preserving the principles of the Constitution. He said: It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. Mr. Speaker, I'd submit to you today that this administration, past Congresses, has good intentions; but they are beginning to control and to rule the people in ways that violate our constitutional freedoms and our liberties. So I want to thank the gentleman for organizing this Special Order because I believe that the people must know that this is a rule that will infringe on their First Amendment rights. The last quote I'd like to read tonight is a quote from Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson says: All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. I ask the American people to voice their opinion, to voice their freedom, and to let their Member of Congress know what this ruling does to the freedom of religion.