Jason Smith

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th anniversary of Wappapello Lake and Dam in Wayne County, Missouri. Lake Wappapello hosts 2.5 million people annually and has made an incredible impact on its surroundings. Senator John Overton proposed the Wappapello Lake and Dam project in June of 1936. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the project in 1938 and completed Wappapello Lake and Dam in 1941. It was constructed along the St. Francis River in order to provide flood control and hydroelectricity to southeastern Missouri. Wappapello Lake is one of five man-made lakes in the St. Louis District and is one of the nation's oldest Corps of Engineers projects. The project includes 44,000 acres of land and water, providing ample opportunity for water recreation. With largemouth bass, white bass, channel catfish, crappie, and bluegill atop the list, fishing is a great pastime for lake goers. Lake Wappapello State Park is located on the edge of the lake and is run by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The 1,854-acre State Park offers fishing, swimming, picnicking, and, lodging as well as trials for horseback riding, all- terrain biking, and backpacking. The park also offers camping with both modern and traditional, rustic campgrounds. For the special place it holds in the hearts and lives of many in the community, as well as its place as a landmark in Wayne County, it is my pleasure to recognize the 75th anniversary of Wappapello Lake and Dam.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, the language of the amendment is very clear, very clear. It does one simple thing. It means, if the activation of this levee ever occurs, that the Federal Government is obligated to rebuild it. It is a limiting amendment that is crystal clear. It provides that, if there is an activation, that the Federal Government is obligated to build it back, simple as it is, making sure the Federal Government is responsible for its actions. I ask the body to support the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, in May of 2011, under the strong objections of numerous folks in southeast Missouri and my predecessor, the Army Corps of Engineers activated the Birds Point levee, which is the second time since 1937. This resulted in an extensive amount of damage: over $156 million worth of damage and flooding of over 130,000 acres. In that place, homes and communities were completely destroyed and crops were lost. After the water receded, many residents simply chose not to ever return home and back to their community. These are individuals that lived there for numerous generations. One community, a small town called Pinhook in Mississippi County, right in the boot heel, that no longer exists after the activation of that floodway. The amendment that I have today is quite simple, Mr. Chairman. It says, when an activation of the Birds Point levee occurs, we must build it back. Not anything else other than if there is an activation, the government must build it back. If they destroy a community by activating and blowing up a levee, they must build it back. The amendment is extremely simple. Had families in the Birds Point floodway had the assurance that a plan was already in place, perhaps they would have chosen to return back to their home for generations. When river levels rise, safety is always the number one concern. But the Corps of Engineers should never, under any circumstances, breach a levee without already having in place plans for its restoration, allowing for residents to return to their lives as soon as possible. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and give assurance to Americans who live in floodways that their homes and livelihoods matter, and to remove any uncertainty that, should the worst happen, their lives can return to normal. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center on celebrating their 65th anniversary serving the healthcare needs of Kennett, Dunklin County, and the surrounding areas. The hospital opened its doors and admitted its first patient on May 21, 1951 under the name Dunklin County Memorial Hospital. Since then, it has been renamed and grown into a fully licensed, 116-bed facility that offers an extensive range of services including inpatient and outpatient, medical, surgical, obstetric, behavioral health, diagnostic and emergency care as well as primary care and family care clinics. The medical center provides a full continuum of care to patients through a dedicated team of physicians, nurses, and staff. Every year, the hospital serves approximately 50,000 patients from six different counties. This includes the 15,000 Medicare beneficiaries and 20,000 Medicaid beneficiaries that are also served by the medical center. Throughout its years of service, the hospital has remained dedicated to exceeding patient expectations while delivering compassionate, safe, quality care. Therefore, it is my privilege and honor to recognize the Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center on celebrating their 65th anniversary before the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the hard work and dedication of Tim Cooper. Mr. Cooper went to work as a custodian for the North St. Francois County R-1 School District on April 8, 1970. He was 20 years old. He retires from that same school district on June 30, 2016, just a day shy of his 67th birthday. Mr. Cooper has been a custodian who took his job very seriously, but at the same time, he took every opportunity to be a friend to the students and staff he saw every day. He worked first at Desloge Elementary School, then preferred a change of scene at the high school. But, a year later, he returned to the elementary students and staff he loved so well at the same school, now called Parkside Elementary. His Principal, Brandon Gregory, calls Tim ``one of the greatest men I have ever worked with who takes care of everyone around here. He seeks neither praise nor recognition.'' His coworkers say he is what ``makes Parkside.'' Former students say they always looked up to him--and they still do. One former student recalls him helping her dig through the lost and found until they located her purple winter coat. He is respected and loved by all. Mr. Cooper has lived the motto that whatever you do, do it well. He has loved his work and that has shown through every one of the 46 years he's been a part of the North County district. For his dedicated service to the students and staff of the North St. Francois County School District, it is my privilege to honor Tim Cooper today before the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Hartville Eagles Boys Basketball team for winning the Class 2 Missouri State Championship to finish their already impressive season. Coach Brett Reed led the team to a dominant 64-37 win over Iberia in the championship game at Mizzou Arena earlier this spring. The final victory came at the end of an 18 game win streak, concluding the best boys basketball season in Hartville history. In addition to winning the first Class 2 Missouri State Championship for Hartville, the team also won the Clever Tournament, the Mountain Grove Tournament, the Summit Conference, and became the Class 2 District 9 Champions for the fourth straight year. Ending with an overall record of 29-4, the team showed its ability to compete on a statewide level, with their only losses coming from opponents in higher classes. The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association recognized the outstanding success of the Eagles' season by naming Brett Reed the Class 2 Boys Basketball Coach of the Year as well as naming Ryan Ward the Class 2 Boys Basketball Player of the Year. In addition, Ryan Ward and Deric Jones were both named members of the All-State Class 2 Boys Basketball Team. For these exceptional achievements, it is my honor to recognize and congratulate the Hartville Eagles Boys Basketball Team before the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. The IRS has not shown this body, they have not shown the Missourians that I represent, and they have not shown all of the American taxpayers that they have been good stewards of user fees. They have a slush fund of nearly $500 million. This body, over a course since fiscal year 2013, has not cut $1; not $1 has this body cut in assistance to taxpayer services to the IRS. The Commissioner yesterday testified before the Committee on Ways and Means and said that he is the one who cut $134 million last year alone in taxpayer services. The government is supposed to help serve the people. The people are not supposed to serve the government. Mr. Speaker, there should not be one agency that is independent of Congress. Agencies were created by Congress. They should be funded by Congress. And no agency should have a $500 million slush fund that they can decide to spend the money any way that they want. This is not an uncommon practice for us to require agencies, when they collect user fees, to have congressional oversight and to be subject to appropriations. We are just trying to make sure that the IRS is held accountable, like numerous other agencies. Mr. Speaker, I ask the body to support this great piece of legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the fine gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, the law of the land is Article I of the Constitution. Congress has the power of the purse to appropriate funds, and Congress appropriated the funds in 2016, but the IRS is not following that appropriately. This is wrong.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, the question that we have before us is: Did we appropriate adequate funding for taxpayer services?

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. I would like to respond to the gentleman's prior comments. As a matter of fact, since fiscal year 2013, in budget sequestration, Congress has either maintained or increased funding for taxpayer services each and every year--never cutting it one time. Any cuts to taxpayer services have come at the clear discretion of the IRS Commissioner. Yesterday, in committee, the IRS Commissioner said that it was his discretion to cut taxpayer services. In fact, in the last year, they cut $134 million. In the last 4 years, Congress has not cut $1 in taxpayer services; so let's get the record straight while we are on the House floor. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Jenkins), a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the vice chair of the Conference.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative day in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 4885, currently under consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The IRS OWES Act is about protecting the American taxpayer, those who elected us to represent them, from an IRS proven incapable of best serving their interests. President Thomas Jefferson said: ``When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.'' Right now, the people of Missouri's Eighth District fear the IRS. They fear an unjust audit, political or religious targeting, and, most recently, they fear spending an average of 8 hours to complete their tax returns. That is simply not right. This bill is about liberating the folks of Missouri, along with all Americans, from the IRS. It is about making the IRS beholden to them and not the other way around. And it is about exerting our Article I authority of the power of the purse of Congress, making sure that unelected bureaucrats are not spending taxpayer money improperly and unwisely. A Democrat Congressman from the State of Missouri once said: ``I come from a State that raises corn and cotton, cockleburs, and Democrats. And frothy eloquence neither convinces, nor satisfies me. I'm from Missouri; you've got to show me.'' The IRS has not shown this body, they have not proven to the Missourians whom I represent, and they have not proven to the American people that they are responsible stewards of user fees. Through user fees, the IRS collects almost $500 million. It is nothing but a slush fund. Mr. Speaker, that is why we filed the IRS OWES Act. It provides Congress and the American public with greater oversight in how the IRS is spending valuable taxpayer resources. As is, the IRS collects various user fees that sit in an account where they can spend the money without Congressional approval. In the past, the IRS dedicated significant amounts of its collected user fees to improving the services provided to taxpayers who need assistance. The IRS in the past few years has turned these fees into a slush fund, diverting this money away from serving the taxpayer and, instead, putting it towards whatever they want--in particular, the implementation of ObamaCare mandates, something Congress has specifically withheld funding for. In 2014, the IRS allocated $183 million in user fees to serving the needs of taxpayers. That is 44 percent of the entire slush fund. Yet, in 2015, the IRS allocated a mere $49 million in user fees to help taxpayers. That is 10 percent. So in one year, they went from 44 percent of serving taxpayers to 10 percent in serving taxpayers, at their own discretion. Just yesterday I asked the IRS Commissioner in a hearing whether it was Congress or the IRS that cut funding for taxpayer customer service. Here were my questions and his answers: ``In 2014, you appropriated $183 million for taxpayer assistance; is that correct?'' The Commissioner said: ``Yes.'' I then followed up: ``In 2015, you appropriated $49 million for taxpayer assistance; is that correct?'' The Commissioner said: ``That is correct.'' I then followed up: ``So it was your decision to cut taxpayer assistance by $130 million; is that correct?'' The Commissioner of the IRS said: ``Yes.'' Instead of using those resources to grow taxpayer services, reduce wait times, and improve the public's interactions with the IRS, they are dedicating close to $200 million on technology to help implement and track the ObamaCare mandates. It is no wonder that last year the Commissioner of the IRS would call the level of taxpayer services abysmal. That is simply unacceptable. The pattern here is alarming. When the IRS has discretion, the agency uses that discretion in ways that harm Americans. It is the duty of the IRS to work for the taxpayers, not against them. I encourage my colleagues to do the citizens they represent a favor and support the IRS OWES Act. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 687, I call up the bill (H.R. 4885) to require that user fees collected by the Internal Revenue Service be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, what I am talking about is that Congress appropriated the necessary resources. The gentleman is talking about there being over $11 billion to the IRS, and they cannot appropriate the funds correctly.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the question of adopting a motion to recommit on H.R. 1206 may be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 of rule XX.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Don Romines of Houston, Missouri on receiving this year's Lifetime Achievement Award for his 45 years of service to the community. In addition to being the city's longest serving alderman, Don has volunteered and participated in numerous groups and projects dedicated to improving the community. From a young age, Don worked in the family owned and operated business Romines Motor Company. His parents were active members of the community, with Don's mother Vera holding office as the first female mayor of Houston. In 1972, Don married former Houston Middle School teacher Barbara Bridges, whom he later had two children with, Franklin and Tyler. In 1978, Don was first elected to the Houston City Council. In his thirty-plus year career, Don has spent more than 720 evenings at council meetings alone, which totals over 1500 cumulative hours of volunteering for the community. During his tenure as alderman, Don has worked on projects including airport expansion, park developments, street and sidewalk additions, and long range planning. In addition to his service on the City Council, Don has participated in the Houston Jaycees, volunteered at the fire department, the chamber of commerce, and the Houston Development Company. For these many accomplishments and his outstanding career of community service, it is my pleasure to recognize Don Romines in front of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ronald and Barbara McCall of Mountain Grove, Missouri on receiving this year's Century Farm Award. Receiving this honor is no easy task, and the McCalls have exemplified hard work, perseverance, and dedication to the community throughout their lives. The McCall family originally purchased the farm 101 years ago on February 11, 1915. Qualifying to be a Century Farm is a great feat. The farm must be in the same family for at least 100 consecutive years and the original tract of land has to be more than 40 acres. These farms represent an important part of American heritage, feeding generations upon generations and greatly improving the quality of life of Missourians. Their integrity and determination serve as a prime example for farmers across the nation. I applaud the hard work and achievements of the McCalls and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future. It is my pleasure to recognize the McCalls before the House of Representatives.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Roger Lindsey for his time and service to Cabool, Missouri. Roger has been an active member of the community and has shown great integrity and perseverance throughout his banking career. Roger started as a Cabool State Bank custodian in 1962 while he was still attending Cabool High School. He later became a teller, then a cashier and treasurer. In 1998 he became President of the bank, holding that position until retirement. His story exemplifies the American dream, and he was shown that hard work and determination reap great rewards. Roger also holds various titles within the community. He is the Past President of the Cabool Chamber of Commerce, Past President of the Cabool Alumni Association, and Past President of the Twin Cities Industrial Corporation. He is the Treasurer of the Gentry Residential Treatment Center Community Liaison Council, a member of the Cabool Athletic Booster Club, a member of the Cabool Votec advisory board, and a former coach for youth baseball leagues. His involvement and contributions to the Cabool community serve as a great example for all Missourians. For his outstanding career and community achievements, it is my pleasure to recognize Roger Lindsey before the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. SMITH of Missouri

Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Roberta Lybyer and the Lybyer Family of Cabool, Missouri on receiving this year's Century Farm Award. Receiving this honor is no easy task, and the Lybyers have exemplified hard work, perseverance, and dedication to the community throughout their lives. The farm was originally owned by Andrew S.P. Lybyer, the grandfather of Roberta's late husband, Floyd Lybyer. It was purchased 124 years ago on March 7, 1892. Qualifying to be a Century Farm is a great feat. The farm must be in the same family for at least 100 consecutive years and the original tract of land has to be more than 40 acres. These farms represent an important part of American heritage, feeding generations upon generations and greatly improving the quality of life of Missourians. Their integrity and determination serve as an example of the great work that farmers do for our country. I applaud the hard work and achievements of the Lybyers and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future. It is my pleasure to recognize the Lybyer family before the House of Representatives.