Austin Scott

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on December 15, 2018, the Valdosta State University Blazers football team secured their fourth NCAA Division II Football National Championship in a 49-47 thriller over Ferris State University in McKinney, Texas. The Blazers 2018 season was anything but ordinary, finishing 14-0 and scoring 50+ points in eight out of 14 games this season. Valdosta, Georgia in Georgia's Eighth District is affectionately known as ``Title Town,'' home to football powerhouses in the state and across the nation at both the high school and collegiate levels. I want to congratulate the Blazers, Coach Kerwin Bell, Valdosta State President Richard Carvajal, and the entire football and athletics staff at Valdosta State for this accomplishment. Georgia is very proud of you, and I hope you will take time to celebrate another title in Titletown.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, December 18, 2018, one of South Georgia's most influential and storied residents, Mr. Parker Greene, passed away. I, like many, was saddened to hear the news of his passing and offer my continued prayers to his wife Lucy, as well as his family and community, during this time. In 1970, Parker and Dr. Lucy Greene moved to Valdosta, Georgia and quickly became integral members of the local community. Shortly after coming to town, Parker signed up to serve on the Chamber of Commerce military affairs board where he worked to maintain a strong relationship between the community and Moody Air Force Base, which calls the surrounding Lowndes County and South Georgia region home. Over the years, Parker and Lucy continued in various roles to strengthen the partnership between Moody, Lowndes County and Valdosta. They worked with military officials and local, state and federal leaders to prevent the base from being closed or realigned with other missions. In 2005, Parker was named by then-Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to the Georgia Military Affairs Committee, where he advocated for all Georgia military installations and facilitated communication between the Governor's office and Pentagon and Air Force officials. Parker also served on the first Air Combat Command's civilian advisory council, where he acted as a liaison between the Air Combat Command and local community leaders. For this stalwart service to our nation and South Georgia, Parker was awarded the Loyce W. Turner Award for Public Service given by Valdosta State University Public Administration Advisory Council and the Air Force Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor the Air Force bestows on a civilian. Greene was also awarded the first ever Chief of Staff of the Air Force Award for Exceptional Public Service by Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the 18th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. In his passing, countless U.S. Air Force leaders, including Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, have offered their condolences and thanks for nearly 50 years of civilian service to our nation's Airmen. Earlier this year, the South Georgia region was named a ``Great American Defense Community'' by the Association of Defense Communities and USAA. This honor is a testament to the years long, tireless work of local leaders in South Georgia, including Mr. Greene and his wife Lucy. While we mourn the loss of Mr. Greene, we also celebrate his life well lived and his invaluable contributions to South Georgia which will be remembered for decades to come. Goodspeed, Parker Greene.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank Chairman Conaway and Ranking Member Peterson for their leadership during this process. I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the conference report to the 2018 farm bill to provide the first major reforms of our Nation's agriculture policy in nearly 5 years. For the last several years, Members of both sides of the aisle have worked to make sure that our Nation's primary agricultural policy works for American producers. This year, I was honored to, once again, be chosen to serve on the farm bill conference committee to fight for the good people of middle and south Georgia who dedicate their lives to agriculture. I am confident that this bill delivers the reforms that our farmers and industry stakeholders desperately need to keep our producers in rural communities growing and innovating for the 21st century. This bill strengthens the farm safety net and provides certainty and flexibility that our producers need. It also ensures that our farmers can provide the food, nutrition, and fiber, not only for America, but the rest of the world. In this legislation, we have laid the groundwork for expanding quality broadband access to rural America by giving the USDA the tools and resources to bridge the digital divide that is leaving millions of rural Americans behind and hindering our communities from thriving. I am very glad that two amendments that I offered were included in the final agreement, which will bring modernization and accountability to broadband services and spur broadband infrastructure investment in rural America. Bridging the digital divide is something I have been fighting for, for years now, and I look forward to seeing the growth in network service and infrastructure development through the provisions of this bill. In this conference report, we also found some common ground to make improvements to SNAP. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this conference report.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, after more than twenty-one years of exceptional service to our Nation, Master Sergeant Scott A. Sturtz, United States Air Force, will soon retire from his position as First Sergeant of the 461st Operations Support Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. Master Sergeant Sturtz enlisted in 1997. After basic training, he learned to load weapons on F-15s and to perform maintenance on armament systems. He was initially assigned to the Chiefs of 335 Fighter Squadron and then the 4th Operations Support Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. Career highlights during this period include being selected as a member of the premiere loading crew that performed nuclear load for evaluation by nuclear surety inspectors. Additionally, he was selected for promotion Below-the-Zone to Senior Airman. In 2002, he was transferred to the 51st Maintenance Operations Squadron in the Republic of Korea working with A-10C aircraft and he became one of the first airmen in the country certified to load the GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition on the F-16. He returned to Seymour Johnson and was assigned to the 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, where he served in units with the Chiefs, the World Famous Rocketeers, and the Eagles. His vast duties included end of runway operations, supervising weapons load crews on twenty-two aircraft munitions, weapons load crew chief, weapons expediter, non- commissioned officer in charge, and unit deployment manager where he was responsible for directing mobility activities for 900 personnel in support of contingency operations across the globe. In 2015, through a rigorous process he was selected as a First Sergeant and served in the 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. Master Sergeant Sturtz has deployed around the world in his sworn duty to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. His deployments include Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, where his actions led to the delivery of 4,500 pounds of guided bombs during the Second Battle of Fallujah, and a Middle East deployment where his efforts resulted in the successful visit of President George W. Bush to the area of operation. Additionally, he has deployed for Operation ALLIED FORCE, Operation NEW DAWN, and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Currently Master Sergeant Sturtz is First Sergeant of the 461st Operation Support Squadron and is responsible for advising the group commander and two squadron commanders on health, welfare, and professional development for 249 Air Force personnel. It is a pleasure to recognize Master Sergeant Sturtz's successful and decorated career. On behalf of a grateful nation, I commend Master Sergeant Sturtz for his service, selfless dedication, and contributions to the security of the United States of America. I also wish to recognize the sacrifices and contributions made by Master Sergeant Sturtz's son, Jackson, his wife, Gina Sclafani, and her daughter, Sofia. His parents, Mrs. Delores K. Sturtz and United States Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, Mr. Stuart A. Sturtz have supported their son throughout his twenty years of faithful service. We are a nation indebted to veterans, service members, and military families who give so much to defend our Constitution and way of life. I extend my best wishes to Master Sergeant Sturtz and his family on the occasion of his retirement.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on the House, the Senate, and the administration to adopt a disaster relief bill before December 7. In recent months, we have witnessed catastrophes that have struck our Nation coast to coast, from wildfires across California, flooding in the Carolinas, and the incredible loss of agriculture in my home State of Georgia from Hurricane Michael. Agriculture is the largest and oldest economic driver in the State of Georgia. The past few years, farmers have faced low commodity prices, unfair trade practices from foreign countries, labor shortages, and low crop yields that have created a strain on their businesses. They have also hurt the surrounding rural economies. Hurricane Michael made all of these past losses pale in comparison. Following the storm, the likes of which Georgia has not seen in over a century, President Trump and Vice President Pence visited my district and heard firsthand from farmers about how they went from having the best crops to no crops in a matter of hours. This disaster has been heartbreaking, and without additional Federal assistance, it will break the back of Georgia's rural economy. Mr. Speaker, this is not a partisan issue; this is an American issue. I call on this Chamber to act now to help these farmers and others across our great Nation who are struggling with the aftermath of these disasters.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2591, Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow's Needs Act. As a lifelong outdoorsman and current vice chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, I am honored to be here today to discuss this bipartisan legislation. If enacted, H.R. 2591 would provide national, broad-based support to State fish and wildlife agencies to develop, guide, and enhance collective efforts to recruit new hunters and sportsmen, all while continuing to protect our Nation's natural resources. Through a system of user pay, public benefits, Pittman-Robertson is the foundation of wildlife conservation funding in the United States. In the early 1900s, many wildlife species were beginning to dwindle and disappear. To address this decline, State fish and wildlife agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with hunters and conservationists to help draft and enact the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. Known today as the Pittman-Robertson Act, this legislation became law in 1937. Since it was first enacted, the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Fund has collected over $11 billion from sportsmen and - women to be used by States to fund wildlife conservation efforts, habitat acquisition and management, public access to lands, hunter education, and development of ranges affiliated with hunter safety programs. These funds are collected from an excise tax on sporting equipment, which is coupled with State funds from the sale of sporting licenses. Over the past century, States have spent these funds to restore game and nongame species that were on the brink of endangerment and extinction. Specifically, Pittman-Robertson funds have helped rebuild white-tailed deer, turkey, duck, beaver, elk, osprey, and bald eagle populations. Effectively, Pittman-Robertson creates a direct link between those who hunt and participate in sportsmen activities and the health of the resources needed to expand and enhance those opportunities. However, in recent years, the increasing urbanization and suburbanization of our population has made it more difficult for the public to participate in hunting and outdoor recreational activities. Correspondingly, the average age of Americans purchasing hunting licenses and equipment is steadily rising as younger Americans are not joining the sportsmen population. This has a significant ripple effect, not only on the key Federal funding models that support the conservation of fish and wildlife, but also on the base of support for our public lands and on thoughtful natural resource policy. H.R. 2591 seeks to address this growing issue head-on. Without any Federal mandate or any increase in existing user fees or taxes, H.R. 2591 will preserve the current user-pay, public-benefit funding of wildlife conservation for generations to come, while further expanding flexibility of States to make decisions that are best fit for them and the preservation of their natural resources. Specifically, H.R. 2591 would clarify that a purpose of the Pittman- Robertson funds is to extend public relations assistance to the States for the promotion of hunting and sportsmen activities. For the first time, State fish and wildlife agencies could use Pittman-Robertson funds for proactive recruitment, including promotions on television, in printed publications, and on social media; educational field demonstrations to better teach the role that hunting plays in wildlife conservation; as well as initiatives aimed at enhancing access for hunting and range construction. These modernizations are essential in addressing the issues currently affecting Pittman-Robertson funds. To ensure that traditional wildlife conservation remains the primary focus of Pittman-Robertson, H.R. 2591 puts a maximum cap of 25 percent on the percentage of Pittman-Robertson funds that can be used for public relations by a State agency. Moreover, H.R. 2591 would expand the Multistate Conservation Grant Program by providing an additional $5 million per year from archery tax collections to provide for hunters and recreational recruitment project grants that promote a national recruitment program. While this legislation provides the authority for the existing Pittman-Robertson funds to be used on programs that will help ensure participation in outdoor recreational sportsmen activities and secure a funding base long into the future, it is important to note that H.R. 2591 does not mandate how PR funds must be spent. The discretion to determine the amount, if any, of Wildlife Restoration Funds spent on recruitment would remain entirely with each individual State fish and wildlife agency. Conservation organizations and State wildlife agencies alike have long advocated for increased flexibility for Pittman-Robertson funds. H.R. 2591 is supported by all 50 State fish and wildlife agencies as well as a significant number of the Nation's leading sportsmen conservation groups--just to list a few: the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Archery Trade Association, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Conservation Force, Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, Izaak Walton League, Mule Deer Foundation, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Sportsmen's Alliance, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Council, Wildlife Forever, the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council, and the Wildlife Management Institute.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge support for H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also known as the farm bill. Rural America needs our support. Farm income has fallen approximately 50 percent since 2013. That is one of the steepest drops since the Great Depression. The costs of production have steadily declined, while commodity prices have fallen. Unfair trade practices, like the dumping of specialty crops into our markets from Mexico, are hurting our U.S. producers. The digital divide caused by inadequate or a lack of broadband services has held back innovation, job growth, and education in rural America. Crises like the opioid epidemic have stricken rural communities across America, just as it has our cities. Mr. Chairman, the farm bill addresses all of these challenges while also taking the first major step in this Congress toward the President's vision of meaningful welfare reform. This is our opportunity to provide the needed certainty and support for our farmers and producers, while also providing commonsense reforms that will support the President's agenda of achieving prosperity in our rural communities. Passing a strong farm bill on time is key to this goal. I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this important piece of legislation and oppose those amendments that will hamper its ability to aid rural America and keep our producers feeding not only America, but the world. This bill provides certainty to one of America's largest job sectors, while also standing for our conservative principles. Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues join me in support of H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, the farm bill.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4910, the Veterans Cemetery Benefit Correction Act. If enacted, H.R. 4910 would require the U.S. Department of the Interior to provide outer burial receptacles, also known as grave liners, for veterans buried in cemeteries under the control of the National Park Service. Current law requires that the United States Department of Veterans Affairs provide an outer burial receptacle to a veteran buried in a national cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Administration, which is a branch of the Veterans Administration. Additionally, the VA can provide a reimbursement if the family chooses to purchase a liner in lieu of the government-furnished grave liner. However, cemeteries under the control of the National Park Service are not covered by this statute, and neither the VA nor the National Park Service currently are able to provide this benefit for veterans buried in those cemeteries. The Veterans Cemetery Benefit Correction Act simply amends the law to require the Department of the Interior to provide an outer burial receptacle for each new veteran's grave in a national cemetery under the control of the National Park Service, just as would be provided if they were buried under the Veterans Administration. This bill also provides for the reimbursement of a veteran's survivors who provide a privately purchased outer burial receptacle for use in a National Park Service cemetery. Of the 14 national cemeteries controlled by the National Park Service, two are still active: Andersonville National Cemetery in Georgia, which my colleague Mr. Bishop currently represents, and Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Tennessee. I am pleased to have introduced this bipartisan, commonsense legislation alongside my friend, fellow Georgian, and chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Senator Johnny Isakson, to ensure our veterans receive equal burial benefits, regardless of where they are laid to rest. It is now more important than ever to close the gap in benefits for veterans who are buried in cemeteries managed by the National Park Service. In doing so, we will ensure that all veterans and their families are receiving the benefits and respect they have rightly earned. I urge support from my colleagues on this bipartisan measure and commonsense piece of legislation.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for yielding. As we have talked a little bit, the question is: How do we help people get off of government programs? Not kick them off but give them a path off the programs. I think one of the things that has not been talked about enough is the fact that the current system is a trap, and the harder people work and the more they make, sometimes the less they have. So what we have done in our farm bill that is coming up is to change the assets that a household can have and remain on the SNAP program until they graduate off the SNAP program. Under current law, households without an elderly or disabled member could not have counted liquid assets above $2,250. Households with an elderly or disabled member could not have liquid assets above $3,250. These dollar limits should have been annually indexed for overall inflation and then rounded down to the next $250. But our bill raises the asset limits for an eligible household from $2,250 to $7,000. I want to say that again: $2,250. That asset limit is raised to $7,000 for an eligible household consisting of at least one elderly or disabled family member. It moves from $3,250 to $12,000. We want people who are out there doing the best they can to have the ability to work hard, save some money, and continue to improve their lives. We also exclude in this legislation the first $12,000 in the value of any licensed driver's vehicle in a SNAP household from the applicant's assets for purposes of eligibility determination. For many people on the SNAP program, they have to travel a long way to work or to get groceries, and we want them to be able to have that vehicle to get them there, especially in rural areas like the 24 counties that I represent. So excluding these vehicle assets is another benefit that we give to people in helping them have that avenue to graduate off of the SNAP program. Our bill also permits SNAP applicants to maintain up to $2,000 in a savings account. That is $2,000 that will not count towards the $7,000 asset threshold. So again, we are trying to help people who work hard, who do the best they can, be allowed to save some assets so that they are very comfortable when they graduate off of the SNAP program. One other thing I would like to point out: Resources of a household member who receives SSI or PA benefits, those benefits are excluded as well. Under our current farm bill, SNAP recipients are caught between a rock and a hard place: You work hard, you save a little money, you invest in a vehicle, and you get kicked off the program. Our farm bill actually fixes a lot of those things that people who want to graduate off of the SNAP program need fixed. So I am very pleased to be a supporter of this bill, and I think that this bill moves the law in a great direction to help those people who are out there actually working and doing the best they can graduate off of the SNAP program. And these asset threshold increases, along with the incentives to work, I think, move our legislation in a very good direction. And I am looking forward to having the vote on the floor and supporting this.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Armed Services be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 43, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition. Last week, I had the pleasure in attending the expo with a few of my colleagues. Known as North America's Premier Farm Show, this annual event in Moultrie, Georgia, attracts visitors from across the Nation to showcase farming technology, research, and equipment. More than 1,200 exhibitors participated to display the latest and greatest agricultural technology and innovation. Agriculture is the largest and oldest industry in the State of Georgia, and it is only fitting that an event that celebrates and encourages the success of agriculture be held in Georgia's Eighth Congressional District. American agriculture depends on strong and tireless advocates, and I commend the participants for creating an opportunity to educate the public on the importance of strengthening our farmers. As the world's agricultural leader, the expo recognizes the tireless work of American farmers and their role in providing a safe and affordable food supply. I could not be more delighted to stand here today and honor a truly spectacular event and look forward to its continued success.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would increase the appropriations for the Western Hemisphere regional security cooperation account by $10 million and reduce the appropriation for contributions to the international organizations account by $10 million. These funds will be appropriated to the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs account and are available for 2 years. Thus, the State Department would have to obligate the funds within that timeframe. Mr. Chairman, we lose between 4,000 and 5,000 of our fellow Americans to drug overdoses every month. This amendment reallocates $10 million to the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs account at the State Department. This will provide additional resources to combat the dangerous and illegal actions of transnational criminal organizations by supporting the efforts of the Government of Colombia in enhancing regional security capabilities to provide training and technical assistance to partners in Central and South America. Over the years, Colombia has made continuous progress in abating narcotics trafficking through various eradication operations and law enforcement efforts. Between 2009 and 2013, Colombia trained more than 22,000 military and law enforcement officers from Central America and the Caribbean countries in security operations and human and drug trafficking interdiction. By increasing funding for training and assistance activities conducted by Colombian police and military forces, we enable Colombia to train even more regional police forces to function independently. As it is here in the U.S., local law enforcement serves as the foundation for interdiction and counter-drug operations in Central American and Caribbean countries. Our strategic partnership with Colombia is aimed at producing both short- and long-term results in regional security. Over time, Colombian training and expertise provided to underdeveloped regional police forces will decrease reliance on U.S. funding. Part of this progress includes the development of Colombia's rural police force, where a vast majority of narcotics are grown, produced, and prepped for export to the United States. Just a few months ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Joint Interagency Task Force South and SOUTHCOM's headquarters in Florida to hear and see firsthand the challenges that migrant and drug interdiction within the Caribbean region pose on homeland and national security. I can tell you that it was an eye-opening experience, and I appreciate even more the work our Federal and local enforcement agencies are doing in interdiction and intervention. When it comes to stemming the flow of narcotics to the United States, a big part of overcoming the challenges we face is ensuring that our strategic partners have the support they need to continue their efforts to tackle these threats head-on. We must continue to support these efforts. They play a critical role in not only reducing the drug flow over our borders, but promoting stability and peace throughout Central and South America. It is no secret that the United States faces a drug epidemic that touches all corners of our Nation. This amendment is just one more contribution to a multieffort, multinational approach to all law enforcement personnel involved in these efforts, as well as our allies in the region. I thank them for the important work they do in reducing the flow of drugs into the United States. Mr. Chairman, I encourage adoption of the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I would just reiterate that it removes less than 1 percent of the account. So 99 percent of the account remains in place. It will help reduce the flow of drugs into the United States. We will lose between 4,000 and 5,000 Americans not next year, but next month. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's community pharmacies which play a critical role in our healthcare system. Many of these independent businesses operate in underserved or rural areas--like many of the counties in Georgia's Eighth Congressional District, which I represent--where access to carriers is already an issue and would be worse if community pharmacies did not exist. In areas where a doctor can be many miles away, local pharmacists deliver flu shots, give advice on over-the-counter drugs, and help with those late-night drugstore runs for a sick child. Many people in our rural communities see their pharmacists much more often than their doctors. There is a very personal relationship between the pharmacist, the patient, and the physician. As pillars in their community, they are also the businesses that contribute greatly to local economies. It is crucial that these pharmacies have an equitable playing field against large-scale competitors and middleman pharmacy benefit managers when trying to run a successful business in a challenging and complex environment. I want to reiterate, Mr. Speaker, all they ask for is an equitable playing field. No advantages, just equality. Where I am from, local pharmacists are often a fixture in their communities. These pharmacists have known most of their customers all of their lives. They instill a level of trust that is unparalleled. I frequently stop in at local community pharmacies when I am back home in the district and never fail to appreciate the unique value they add to their customers' lives. Unfortunately, on some of these visits, I am also troubled to learn how community pharmacies are finding it extremely difficult to serve the people who have depended on them for years and to compete with some of the larger entities in the healthcare marketplace. Take, for example, the increased prevalence of preferred networks in Medicare part D plans. Currently, many Medicaid beneficiaries are told by pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, which pharmacy to use based on exclusionary arrangements between those PBMs and, for the most part, big-box pharmacies. What most people don't know is that, in fact, in several instances, these big-box pharmacies actually own the PBMs that are creating these preferred networks. Patients must pay higher copays just because the pharmacy they want to use is excluded by the PBM, who again, as I said, in many cases, actually own the larger pharmacy that they force you to do business with. The majority of the time, the hometown pharmacy is never given the opportunity to participate in the network in the first place. Another issue I often hear about from community pharmacies is the burdensome DIR fees. Most Americans probably assume that it is a pretty simple transaction when they purchase medication from their local pharmacy. They go in, they pay a copay, and that is the end of it. But for the pharmacy, the transaction is anything but clear and simple. Pharmacy benefit managers use so-called DIR fees to claw back money from pharmacies on the individual claims long after the claim is thought to have been resolved. That means that a pharmacy often doesn't know the final reimbursement amount they will receive for a claim for weeks, or even months. Anyone who runs a pharmacy, or any other small business for that matter, knows you can't operate when you don't know what your reimbursements are. When competition is stifled and these small businesses suffer, so do hardworking Americans when they have had their choice to use a community pharmacy instead of a big-box business taken away from them. Another issue I frequently hear about is the lack of transparency in generic drug reimbursements to pharmacies. Generic prescription drugs account for approximately 80 percent of drugs dispensed. The reimbursement system for these medications is largely unregulated and a complete mystery to all of us. Now, if it is unregulated with transparency, that is fine. But it is unregulated without any transparency. Pharmacists are often reimbursed for generics by what is referred to as the maximum allowable cost list created by the pharmacy benefit managers. But the methodologies used to create these lists are not disclosed, nor are the lists updated on a regular basis, which frequently results in pharmacists being reimbursed below the actual acquisition cost for various medications. In recent years, these extra costs that affect prescription drug prices in community pharmacies have fallen on consumers. Take doxycycline, for example. Doxycycline is a drug that is used to treat a number of bacterial infections. As a generic antibiotic, it has been around for decades. I want to repeat: it is a generic that has been around for decades. In 2012, 30 capsules of doxycycline cost approximately $15. In 2017, the same dosage cost $115. That is a price increase of 667 percent. I want to give you a real-world example of the impact this has on low-income patients in the world. I have a wonderful OB-GYN in my area, and he told me that prior to the price increase, he would simply keep doxycycline in his office, and when he had a patient that needed it, he could simply give the patient--if it was a low-income patient--the drugs instead of having them go to the pharmacy to pick them up. But with a 667 percent price increase, they could no longer affor to simply give the patients the medication that they need. Nitroglycerin tablets are another example. Nitroglycerin has been used to treat chest pain and stop a heart attack and has seen similar price hikes in the past few years. Again, it is a generic drug that has been around for decades--no excuse in the price increases other than flat out greed. A drug that is even more common that has been affected by the lack of transparency in the drug market is insulin. As you may know, millions of Americans with diabetes rely on insulin. They have to have it, or they will simply die. According to the American Diabetes Association, the price of insulin in America has nearly tripled over the past 15 years, making the drug nearly unaffordable for many diabetic patients. The dramatic price hikes of insulin is ironic since, in the early 1920s, Frederick Banting, one of the scientists who helped to first develop insulin, sold the patent for the drug for $3 because their goal was to make the drug affordable and easy to access for everybody in the world. Now, nearly 100 years later, one vial of Humalog can cost nearly $400 in the United States, where it costs a fraction of that in other countries around the world. In Canada and Mexico, the same dosage of Humalog costs less than half, or sometimes even a quarter of what it costs in the United States. I understand that there is a tremendous cost in developing lifesaving treatments, new drugs, and the next development that is going to save a cancer patient, but these are generic drugs that have been around for decades. These dramatic price increases, the international price disparities, they are occurring, again, on drugs that have been around for decades because of this pricing scam put in place by the pharmacy benefit managers. In the coming months, I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to address the lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry, giving community pharmacies an equitable playing field to compete, which gives hardworking Americans the choice of affordable prescription drugs and which pharmacy they choose to purchase those drugs from. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman, Mr. Collins, for hosting this Special Order today.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne) for his work on the National Defense Authorization Act. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my fellow Members to support the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act. After nearly 13 hours of debate, my colleagues and I on the Armed Services Committee, we came together, we passed the legislation to provide critical resources and reforms for our Nation's military to undertake the 21st century threats that our country and the world faces. Part of facing these challenges is ensuring that our military personnel are able to combat the dangerous and illegal actions of transnational criminal organizations, particularly those close to home in the SOUTHCOM region. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman who spoke earlier about the opioid epidemic. I would just remind my fellow Americans that over 5,000 Americans die every month from drug overdoses. Just a few months ago, I, along with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey), had the opportunity to visit with the Joint Interagency Task Force South and SOUTHCOM's headquarters in Florida to hear and see firsthand the challenges that migrant and drug interdiction within the Caribbean region pose on homeland and national security. Included in the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act is a provision that I authored aimed at addressing the threat these transnational criminal organizations pose on our country and seeking to find new ways to support SOUTHCOM in their continuing efforts to tackle those threats head-on. To all of the members of the SOUTHCOM team, I want to thank you for the important work that you do in securing our coastlines, supporting our national security, and protecting your fellow Americans. To my colleagues, I urge your support in passage of the fiscal year 2018 NDAA to keep the U.S. military the best and most prepared fighting force in the world.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to this amendment to the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act offered by my friend and colleague, Mr. McClintock of California, that would strike a bipartisan provision that clarifies that the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act does not authorize a round of Base Realignment and Closures, otherwise known as BRAC. After nearly 13 hours of debate in the Armed Services Committee, my colleagues and I came together and overwhelmingly approved language in the final mark that prevented a BRAC for the next fiscal year. We passed that vote by a vote of 60-1. Many of my colleagues have argued that past BRACs eliminated excess infrastructure in the Nation's military or streamlined defense spending, but it is just not the case, Mr. Chair. Earlier this year, Secretary Mattis testified to the Armed Services Committee on the need to reassess our military's current infrastructure resources and needs before closing or realigning any current resources. The fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act required an updated DOD force structure plan and an infrastructure inventory. To date, DOD has not submitted the required infrastructure report. Quite simply, we may not have enough capacity and infrastructure to meet our current needs and our needs going forward as we look at the threats coming from Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and the threat of global terrorism and transnational criminal organizations. Who knows what threat we will face tomorrow. If the Secretary of Defense, I hope, will work with us to reassess our current capacity, then the need to halt realignments and closures to give him time to do so is all the more important. With outdated capacity information, there is simply no reason to close or realign an installation just to repurchase or rebuild a new one just a few years down the road. It is fiscally irresponsible in terms of defense spending and meeting our needs moving forward. I have nothing but respect for my colleague from California and have fought many fights to get rid of waste and cut government spending with him. This is just one that I can't support. I hope that my colleagues will join me in voting against Mr. McClintock's broken bucket amendment.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of Mr. Rogers' amendment allocating additional base funding for one of our nation's most critical battle management command and control platforms: the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or JSTARS fleet. JSTARS' critical mission is enabled by leveraging its extremely capable active radar system providing invaluable moving target indicator (MTI) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance targeting information to multiple users both on the ground and in airborne attack platforms. The demand for MTI capability within each geographic combatant commander's area of responsibility far exceeds what JSTARS can currently provide due to its limited legacy fleet size of 16 aircraft and strained crew resources. Thankfully, FY18 NDAA includes JSTARS Recapitalization funds, but the legacy fleet of 16 aircraft still has issues and challenges that the Air Force must successfully navigate to maintain viability until the current fleet is replaced by the Recapitalization program beginning in the late 2020s. Despite these issues and challenges, we are confident that the Secretary of the Air Force can develop a successful legacy JSTARS to JSTARS Recapitalization transition plan that would not prematurely retire E-8C aircraft, reassign crews or maintenance personnel, or otherwise increase the MTI ISR capability gap from what existing levels of aircraft are currently experiencing. To do this, we need strong support and necessary resources. That's why I'm here tonight in supporting additional resources for the JSTARS legacy fleet to update and maintain their critical battle management capabilities. As the premiere military in the world, we cannot afford to let this important military capability deteriorate before our eyes, putting our warfighters and strategic campaigns at risk around the world. One of the greatest duties we have as Members of Congress is to provide for our nation's defense, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure as well as other provisions supporting our warfighters and ensuring our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to meet the unique security needs of the 21st century.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that those shots were in my bag and on our side. We are going to win again next year. We always enjoy the friendship, and I look forward to seeing the gentleman again out there and standing up for the rights of sportsmen. I certainly appreciate his friendship and look forward to traveling again with him.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues, Senator Johnny Isakson, Congressman Sanford Bishop, Congressman Barry Loudermilk, Congressman Rick Allen, and Congressman Tom Graves, to remember the life of former Georgia Congressman Dawson Mathis, who passed away on April 17, 2017. Today, we honor Dawson's life, remember his spirit, and thank him and his family for their meaningful contributions to the state of Georgia. Born in Nashville, Georgia, Dawson Mathis attended South Georgia College before he moved to Albany, Georgia in 1964 to work at WALB-TV, where he served as the network's news director until 1970. Even at a young age, it was clear that Dawson had a knack for communicating with and representing all walks of Georgians, a trait that only shined more as Dawson began his political career. From 1971 until 1981, Dawson served as the Representative for Georgia's Second Congressional District. During his time in Congress, Dawson was known as a witty southern Democrat who could work cordially with Members on both sides of the aisle. As a legislator, Dawson was a gifted politician, but always a true statesman. Despite his success in working in the highest levels of government, Dawson never grew too proud to forget who he was. He was always known to be open and accessible, willing to talk to local reporters and constituents for hours on end. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Capitol Hill, Dawson never lost sight of advocating for the best interests of the Georgians he represented, and the legacy he left still benefits the people of Southwest Georgia today. Dawson was one of a kind, and his decade of public service greatly benefitted our state. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time as they remember the great man he was.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor First Lieutenant Weston C. Lee of Bluffton, Georgia, who died on April 29, 2017, in Mosul, Iraq, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. First Lieutenant Lee died from injuries sustained while part of a train, advise, and assist mission in support of partner forces. First Lieutenant Lee was assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy and condolences to his team, his family, and his friends who have suffered this loss. Thank you, Lieutenant Weston Lee, for your service and sacrifice to our Nation. Mr. Speaker, I would use the remainder of my time in a moment of silence in honor of Lieutenant Lee.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 38th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, key legislation that was signed into law on April 10, 1979. The Taiwan Relations Act has served as the foundation of U.S.-Taiwan relations for 38 years as Taiwan's democracy has flourished in peace and social harmony. This extraordinary and historic relationship between countries has been possible, to a large extent, because of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the United States this week. I see the summit between President Trump and President Jinping as a constructive opportunity to continue to build diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China. However, I believe it is imperative that the vital interests of our security partner Taiwan not be marginalized through these meetings. Taiwan is a great friend of the United States. It is appropriate and just that we continue to value our relationship and honor our commitments made in the Taiwan Relations Act and President Ronald Reagan's ``Six Assurances''.

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 372, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, which would take a big step towards creating a more business- and consumer-friendly insurance market that works for all Americans. As I listened to the comments just before I stood up, I heard that this is a fine bill. It is more than a fine bill. This is a good bill. Let me tell you how I know it is a good bill--because, a few years ago, both Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence voted for it. Now, what the Democrats don't want to tell you is that on February 24, 2010, less than a month before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, there was an agreement that allowing the insurance companies to be exempt from the antitrust laws in the country was a problem. So how is it that with a bill that passed 406 ``yes'' votes to 19 ``no'' votes--when it came out of the dark rooms, the Affordable Care Act was brought to the floor with the comments of: Well, you will have to read it to find out what is in it. Perhaps the Democrats should have read it to find out what wasn't in it, because the leadership not only sold America out, they sold them out. This bill passed 406-19. Yet, in the back rooms where they put the Affordable Care Act together, they didn't include the provision. While the Affordable Care Act certainly has played a major role in the disruptions patients and providers have experienced, the decades- old special exemption--which they voted to take away, and then the leadership of the Democratic party gave it back to the insurance industry--shielding insurers from Federal antitrust laws has eroded confidence and competition in the marketplace. Fortunately, we have a vehicle before us to walk back this special deal. The legislation currently before the House would inject much-needed competition into the health insurance market by eliminating the antitrust exemptions for health and dental insurers, leveling the playing field and giving consumers and providers more leverage and better options. There are very few antitrust exemptions in our country, and for good reason. This exemption is not only damaging to the consumer when they purchase health insurance, but it damages the healthcare providers, further limiting consumers' access to services. The dominance of the market that large insurers have enjoyed has forced many providers to move, close, merge, or sell to larger regional hospitals, impacting parties across the industry. In the 24 counties of Georgia that I represent, patients have few healthcare choices left that impacts their ability to receive quality care and negotiate a policy that meets their unique needs. Echoing that sentiment, I think anyone who has skin in the game will tell you that a majority of the problems in the healthcare marketplace trace their roots back to a lack of competition. Yet, the Democrats left the insurance industry exempt from the antitrust laws once again when they passed the Affordable Care Act. While insurance companies have the power to negotiate, just as they proved in the negotiations with the Democrats on the Affordable Care Act, pharmacies, physicians, and hospitals are left without a seat at the table. When the insurance companies get to determine who is and isn't able to provide healthcare services, the insurer-provider relationship is closer to extortion than negotiation. So why do we allow the health insurance industry that controls, through their contracts, who your doctor is, who your pharmacist is, which medicine you can get, and which hospital you can go to, to be exempt from the antitrust laws of the country? How could the Democrats do that to you in the Affordable Care Act? By definition, health care and health insurance are not the same thing, but when one industry, one insurance company controls such significant portions of the cash flow of all of the providers in a region, no provider can stay in business without a contract with that carrier; therefore, the insurance company gets to determine who is and who is not able to provide health care. Removing this antitrust exemption for health insurers means one more option for consumers, increased competition between providers, and greater certainty for insurers when it comes to hammering out policies and working for consumers across the spectrum. It should have been done long ago, but the Democrats turned their back on the American public and, again, granted the health insurance industry an exemption from the antitrust laws of the country. While this is certainly not an end-all, be-all to reforming our broken and dysfunctional healthcare system, it is a commonsense step towards untangling the mess our health insurance marketplace has become. I also think it noteworthy to mention, again, February 24, 2010, the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act passed the House with a vote 406-19 only 1 month prior to the Affordable Care Act being signed into law. And yet, the American citizens, once again, were sold out by the Democratic Party. I strongly believe this piece of legislation currently before the House lays a firm foundation in our work to fulfill our promise to fix our badly broken healthcare system. Today we have the opportunity to provide relief to consumers and providers alike, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 372, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017.