Greg Walden

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I include the following letters in the Record. American Benefits Council, Washington, DC, September 27, 2018. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Paul Ryan, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi: The American Benefits Council (the Council) supports the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6). We urge Congress to approve this measure as an important step toward addressing the nation's opioid addiction crisis. The Council is a public policy organization representing principally Fortune 500 companies and other organizations that assist employers of all sizes in providing employee benefits. Collectively, the Council's members sponsor directly or provide services to retirement and health plans covering over 100 million Americans. The opioid epidemic has touched workers and families across the country and employers have been on the front lines of this battle, striving to stem the tide of prescription drug abuse through innovative plan design and outreach. A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that the use of prescription opioids among people with employer-based health coverage declined in 2016 to its lowest levels in over a decade. Nevertheless, the annual cost of treating addiction and overdoses has increased more than eight-fold since 2004, from $0.3 billion dollars to $2.6 billion in 2016, and pain- related conditions have resulted in up to $635 billion in medical costs and lost productivity for employers. H.R. 6 makes a number of important improvements to current law by reducing the use and supply of opioids, encouraging recovery, supporting caregivers and families and driving innovation and long-term solutions to the opioid addiction epidemic. The bill also imposes tighter control on opioid prescription and treatment under the Medicare and Medicaid programs while also clarifying FDA regulation of nonaddictive pain and addiction therapies and allowing for more flexibility with respect to medication-assisted treatment. We are particularly pleased that the conference committee wisely excluded from the bill a harmful, unrelated provision that would have revised the Medicare secondary payer rules to require private insurers--including employer plans--to pay for an additional three months of care for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients before Medicare assumes responsibility for the payments. The Council strongly opposed this provision, as employers already shoulder significant costs for workers and family members and should not be required to bear unrelated additional costs by expanding the length of time plans must cover ESRD. We applaud Congress for developing legislation that will make America healthier, including many of the 181 million people covered by employer-provided health plans. Sincerely, James A. Klein, President.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen), who has worked so hard for these issues.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta). There is a lot of enthusiasm for this legislation, Mr. Speaker. We want to hear from Mr. Barletta about his thoughts on it. He has been a real leader on it.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) to speak about the legislation.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe I have any other speakers on my side of the aisle pending, so with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, before I close, I want to especially thank our staff on both sides of the aisle for their incredible work. They have worked day and night, literally, and all through the weekend--also, the folks at the Congressional Budget Office and Legislative Counsel. But I especially thank our team: Josh Trent, Kristen Shatynski, Caleb Graff, Dan Butler, James Paluskiewicz, Danielle Steele, Adam Buckalew, Melissa Froelich, Bijan Koohmaraie, Ryan Long, Peter Keilty, and Jenn Sherman, and the whole team at the Energy and Commerce Committee on both sides of the aisle. We worked through a lot of difficult issues, issues where we didn't start on the same side, but we ended on the same page as we listened to each other, as we listened to our constituents at home. Seldom are there times when you are legislating that you can say what you are doing will actually save lives. This is one of those times. What we are doing here today is saving lives. We will lift people out of addiction who are trapped there today. We will prevent people from ending up in that emergency room because they overdosed. Maybe they will find a better path. We will go after those who perpetrated this on the country and after those who try to smuggle in the illicit synthetics and fentanyl that are cut with heroin and kill our people. So today's effort is about people like Amanda, who left this world tragically at a very young age through an overdose. And it is about her parents. It is about Mike and Winnie. It is about Paula, and it is about her sons and sister. It is about a woman I met in Hermiston who had to travel 5 hours to find a physician who could oversee her treatment on Suboxone because nobody was available. We help fix that in this legislation. It is about my friends at Winding Waters in Enterprise, Oregon, who I was with last week, and the sheriff and others, who talked about the continuing problems and challenges they face and who have given me great guidance on these and other issues. From one end of my district to another, from one end of our country to another, we have all listened. We have heard. Frankly, we have cried as we have heard the stories of parents who help their children through addiction, only to drop them off at college and a matter of days later retrieve a body. That is what brings us together here today, Mr. Speaker. It is their stories that are woven deeply into this legislation. It is because of them that we will make a difference and we will do it right. We will know that, as we pass this today and the Senate after us, that more work does remain to be done. We are on a journey together, though, and we will find solutions. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I thank our staffs. I thank the American people who have reached out to us, counseled us, and helped us. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to strongly support passage of the SUPPORT Act. For patients and for communities, H.R. 6 needs to become law, and it will shortly. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I include the following letters in the Record. September 26, 2018. To The Members of the U.S. House of Representatives: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the bipartisan H.R. 6, the ``Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018.'' The Chamber will consider including votes related to this bill in our annual How They Voted scorecard. The opioid epidemic is ravaging families and destroying the lives of thousands each year, and it is crippling communities' and employers' efforts to staff workforce needs, create new jobs, and expand commerce. We applaud Congress for crafting comprehensive legislation to tackle the myriad of causes, such as the flood of illicit drugs into the United States, while removing a litany of barriers that inhibit prevention, recovery, and treatment options. The Chamber is pleased that H.R. 6 does not include the end stage renal disease (ESRD) provision included in an earlier version of the bill. That policy would have burdened employers already struggling to provide robust health benefits with hundreds of millions of dollars in additional health care costs. While H.R. 6 is important, more remains to be done. The Chamber urges Congress to address the 42 CFR Part 2 statute as hundreds of health care organizations have called for. Congress should align currently conflicting protections and allow providers access to a patient's entire medical record, including substance use disorder information, at a patient's request. We urge you to support H.R. 6. Sincerely, Suzanne P. Clark, Senior Executive Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon), who is a talented physician on our committee. Mr. BUCSHON: Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. This bipartisan bill will help our struggling communities to combat the opioid epidemic by increasing access and improving care to those in need and preventing new occurrences of opioid misuse and abuse. Section 2002, which I authored, would provide screening for chronic pain, address possible non-opioid pain alternatives, and increase early detection of opioid use disorder in seniors as they enter Medicare. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have worked with my colleagues on solutions to this serious epidemic, and I urge support of H.R. 6.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Brat) to speak on the measure.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) to speak on the measure.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, we have heard from doctors, we heard from pharmacists, and we have heard from many family members. Now we will hear from somebody who has a distinguished career in law enforcement. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California (Mr. Knight) to speak on this legislation.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Mimi Walters) who is from the West Coast and is a real leader on our committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), who is our resident pharmacist on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Walorski), who is also a real worker on this legislation, to speak on the measure.

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Roskam).

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I include the following letters in the Record. Corporate Health Care Coalition, September 26, 2018. Hon. Paul Ryan, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Charles Schumer, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Speaker Ryan, Leader McConnell, Leader Pelosi and Leader Schumer: The Corporate Health Care Coalition (CHCC) is writing to commend both the House of Representatives and the Senate on finalizing the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6), bipartisan legislation to address the nation's opioid crisis. CHCC is comprised of companies from varying industries that compete in the global marketplace and sponsor health plans for the benefit of our employees and other beneficiaries. Collectively, CHCC member companies provide health benefits for nearly 5 million Americans across every state in the nation. The depth and devastation associated with the opioid crisis is being felt by families and communities nationwide. CHCC therefore applauds lawmakers for working on a bipartisan basis to reach consensus on H.R. 6, which represents a critical step forward in providing necessary resources for treatment and prevention efforts related to opioids. We urge the House and Senate to pass this important legislation. Sincerely, Corporate Health Care Coalition.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their great work on the Nuclear Utilization of Keynote Energy Act, H.R. 1320. I especially thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson), who is one of our real leaders on energy issues writ large on the Energy and Commerce Committee. By any measure, atomic energy has brought tremendous benefits to the Nation. It has provided a baseload, emissions-free source of electricity that has powered homes and industry over the past half century. It has provided an infrastructure for our national and international security--from the technologies and fuels for our nuclear Navy, to the safety and security for civilian nuclear power the world over. However, a confluence of factors--abundant natural gas, power market designs, economic and regulatory burdens--they have all inhibited the Nation's nuclear industry over the past 10 years. So the challenge confronting Congress is how to preserve and enhance the beneficial use of atomic energy for future generations. To continue to harvest the economic and national security benefits associated with our domestic nuclear energy infrastructure, we must take steps to update the relevant policies. So these policies must be forward looking to enable innovation and the development and deployment of new, advanced nuclear technologies. This bipartisan bill by Mr. Kinzinger and Mr. Doyle updates the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's fee structure for the first time in nearly 20 years, Madam Speaker. It reflects thoughtful work on both sides of the aisle to achieve really good public policy. H.R. 1320 establishes reasonable and predictable timeframes for regulatory decisions so that companies like Oregon-based NuScale Power can develop business plans to commercialize new nuclear technologies while also protecting future consumers from high regulator costs. I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their great work on yet another piece of legislation out of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1320.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6511, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Reform Act. This bill is another product of the Energy and Commerce Committee's ongoing and bipartisan work to modernize the Department of Energy. The Committee's DOE modernization efforts are focused on ensuring the Department can more ably address current and future domestic and international energy and security challenges. These challenges range from maintaining nuclear safety and security to protecting the reliable supply and delivery of energy, and they require a DOE that has the appropriate organization, management focus, and authorities to succeed. H.R. 6511 was developed by Vice Chairman Barton and Ranking Member Rush to modernize the forty-year-old Strategic Petroleum Reserve, so it's prepared to protect our Nation from energy disruptions in the decades ahead. H.R. 6511 authorizes DOE to lease underutilized storage capacity, which will become available in increasing amounts as DOE conducts mandated drawdowns over the next several years. Rather than have DOE maintain empty caverns at considerable taxpayer expense, H.R. 6511 will allow DOE to develop the spare capacity, attracting much needed capital investments for additional improvements. H.R. 6511 will preserve the SPR's existing capacity, generate revenue for upgrades and maintenance, and improve the operational readiness of the entire SPR complex. H.R. 6511 is truly a win-win, and a perfect example of our bipartisan DOE modernization effort. I especially want to thank Mr. Barton for his work on this bill. He has been at the forefront of so many defining moments relating to energy security. From his leadership as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee during passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, to his tireless efforts to repeal the ban on crude oil exports, his work on this bill contributes to the great legacy he leaves behind at the Energy and Commerce Committee--and in the United States Congress. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6511.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the two bills that will bring some much-needed transparency into the drug supply chain process, and they will help patients afford the medicines that they really need. The Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act, sponsored by Senator Susan Collins, and the Know the Lowest Price Act of 2018, sponsored by Senator Debbie Stabenow, will, together, ban gag classes from Medicare and private insurance. These clauses restrict a pharmacist's ability to inform a patient that their drug would be cheaper if they paid out of pocket than if they paid through their insurance. And while there is already a regulation banning this practice in Medicare part D, this legislation will end the practice across Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans, Medicare part D, and group and individual insurance plans. These two bills mirror legislation authored by Representative Buddy Carter, who is carrying this legislation for the majority on the floor today. He is a very valuable member of our House Energy and Commerce Committee. And, by the way, he is the only pharmacist in the Congress, so he understands this from a very personal perspective from behind the counter. He was joined in this effort by Representatives Welch and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Anna Eshoo, Morgan Griffith, Debbie Dingell, Gene Green, and our chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Dr. Michael Burgess. I think all of us on the committee are very supportive of this effort. We, in fact, moved this bill, Madam Speaker, as you know, as an important part of our committee earlier this month, and it did pass unanimously. So I commend Mr. Carter for his good work on this issue. I first heard about the gag clause issue from a pharmacist in Grants Pass, Oregon, named Michele. That is in my district. She is an independent pharmacist. We were talking about a lot of these issues, about how we get drug prices down for consumers, and she told me that as a pharmacist, she was prevented, precluded under certain insurance contracts, from telling a patient that their cash price would be cheaper than going through their insurance. Can you imagine such a thing in America? Michele told me that she once even received a cease and desist letter for trying to help a child with a terminal illness access his medication--simply unacceptable, period. Madam Speaker, I am glad we are taking concrete action today to address this important issue. And as we have heard already, these bills are coming over from the Senate. We had them in the House, marked them up in committee, and did our work. At the end of the day, I decided the important thing was not who had which bill. It was, how do we help consumers the quickest. Taking the Senate bills, getting them down to the President's desk with the support of our colleagues who worked so hard in the House seemed like the best path. It is about putting consumers first. That is what we have done on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I encourage our colleagues in the House to support this legislative effort.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, obviously, in support of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act. I want to thank my friend and colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), our ranking Democrat on the committee, for working with me on this effort, but especially I want to thank Representative Brooks from Indiana for her tireless effort and the partnership of my friend, Representative Anna Eshoo of California. She and Mrs. Brooks really did the heavy lift here for the committee on this effort. They were able to shepherd this critical reauthorization to the floor today with unanimous support both in the subcommittee and in the full committee. So, for those out there who are watching our proceedings, know that actually we do work together and we do get some really important public policy done. These programs, commonly known as PAHPA, enable critical partnerships between the Federal Government, State and local authorities, and the private sector to ensure our Nation is responsibly prepared for and able to respond to public health emergencies. It is time that we get it right; it is critical that we get it right; and we are. It is not really a matter of if, but when, the next pandemic strikes. The projections simply are horrifying. A full-blown pandemic flu outbreak could literally kill millions of people within months--within months. We must have the tools, backed by stable and predictable funding, to respond to these threats and especially to the threat of pandemic flu. With this vote, the House will take an important step toward keeping our families safe in the worst-case scenarios of dangerous disease outbreak or in the case of chemical or biological attack. We are moving this reauthorization on time and in a bipartisan fashion. Like my colleague from Indiana, I remember when anthrax was sent to our offices and to the postal facility, and loss of life and illness and concern, and we all wondered what is next. That was part of what prompted us to get to this point and pass this legislation, not only today but back then. This is really important work, Mr. Speaker, and I commend my colleagues and the staff, who really do the incredible work to help us get it right. This is legislation now that will head over to the Senate, where I hope they will give it the same due consideration that we are about to here today, and then get this down to President Trump's desk, where he will sign it into law. Mr. Speaker, I want to again thank my colleagues and staff on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the eight World War II veterans and seventeen Korean War veterans from Oregon who are visiting their memorials on the National Mall on Saturday, September 15th, 2018, through Honor Flight of Southern Oregon. Every time I have the chance to meet one of these heroes, I am reminded of the poignant words of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. In a message to Allied troops just before D-Day, he said, ``The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.'' He was right then, of course, Mr. Speaker. But over seventy years later, liberty-loving people everywhere continue to owe these heroes for their extraordinary service and their incredible stories of sacrifice and bravery on behalf of our country. That's why it is my privilege to include their names in the Congressional Record today. The veterans on this Honor Flight from Oregon are as follows: Robert Ashmead, Navy; AI Axtell, Army Air Force; Joseph Bieber, Marine Corps; Dean Bosche, Air Force; Kenneth Brookhart, Navy; Joseph Browell, Navy; Al Carter, Army; Jack Cox, Navy and Army National Guard; Dale Dexter, Air Force and Marine Corps; Ron Duke, Army; William Evans Jr., Marine Corps; John Garbini, Army Air Force; Neil Haga, Army; Dale Heath, Navy; Charles Hewitt, Navy; Leonard Leach, Navy; Edwin McCurry, Army Air Force; Edward Parkes, Navy; Ruth Parks, Navy; Jack Rentz, Navy; William Staunton, Navy; Gerhard Tank, Navy; Dale Templeman, Navy; Fred Warren, Marine Corps; and Whitney Woodburn Jr., Navy. These twenty-five heroes join over 200,000 veterans who have been honored through the Honor Flight Network of volunteers nationwide since 2005 . I would also like to recognize the twelve guardians traveling on this trip who have also served our country: Michael Boehme, Navy; Melissa Candy, Army National Guard; Mark Collier, Navy and Coast Guard; Robert Fleischman, Navy; David Haines, Navy and Air Force; Terry Haines, Navy; Charles Hanger, Army; Evan Hanson, Air Force; Ron Kohl, Army Air Force; Pete Pringle, Navy; Charles Sharpes, Army; and Tanya Wilson, Navy. Mr. Speaker, at the height of the Civil War in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln wrote, ``Honor to the Soldier, and Sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause.'' Each of us in this chamber and in this nation should be humbled by the courage of these brave veterans who put themselves in harm's way for our country and way of life. As a nation, we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude owed to them for their honor, commitment, and sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we have today. My colleagues, please join me in thanking these veterans and the volunteers of Honor Flight of Southern Oregon for their exemplary dedication and service to this great country.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his help on this legislation. I, too, agree in terms of the harbor maintenance trust fund. I rise in support of America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. This legislation includes really important language to assist irrigators in the Klamath Basin who are enduring another challenging drought year, and it helps ensure we are prepared if our farmers are hit again with severe drought conditions in the years ahead. This bill provides the Bureau of Reclamation with the authority to use the funds we secured earlier this year, about $10 million, to implement measures such as groundwater pumping and other priorities for our irrigators, and ensures that they have the authority to survive difficult water years we may face over the next 4 years. I also want to express, as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, our support for a couple other titles in this bill. Title II of the legislation modernizes the Safe Drinking Water Act to address regulatory compliance and infrastructure challenges facing communities across our country. It brings greater investment to improve our aging drinking water systems and supports State-led efforts in large cities and rural communities alike. For the first time in 22 years, Mr. Speaker, it authorizes capitalization grants for State drinking water revolving loan funds-- $4.4 billion over 3 years, to be exact. This is a big infrastructure bill. These loans are a crucial tool to help communities address compliance issues and address drinking water threats. I urge EPA to help each State realize the promise of this new authorization. As we brace for the horrible impacts of Hurricane Florence, I want to point out that title II also authorizes $100 million for areas affected by natural disasters that need help repairing their drinking water systems to deliver clean, safe drinking water. Our prayers are with those in the storm's path, Mr. Speaker. While this legislation won't make them whole, it will help them recover. Title III of the legislation will make substantial regulatory improvements to the hydropower licensing process, with the goal to deliver more clean, renewable, carbon-free, and affordable energy to consumers. This title incorporates several important bills that passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I am proud to support their inclusion in this legislation before us today. With that, I urge strong bipartisan support of the America's Water Infrastructure Act. I thank the gentlemen on both sides of the aisle and everyone involved for their work in getting this to the House floor, and I urge its passage.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend Steve McClure for his many years of service to Union County. Steve dedicated 28 years of his life to faithfully serving Union County, and he spent two years serving our great nation in the Vietnam War. I'd like to pay tribute to Steve's dedication to Union County and his leadership for eastern Oregon. Steve was born in Elgin, Oregon, and graduated from Elgin High School in 1964. In 1968, Steve was drafted into the Army and served his country in Vietnam, where he received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Following his time in Vietnam, Steve was in the service as both an active reserve and an inactive reserve until 1974. Throughout his life, Steve has always shown a willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of other people. Steve moved to Florida, where he started his family. His daughter Jennifer was born in 1973, and has now decided to follow in her father's footsteps of public service by serving as the Mayor of Weston, Oregon. His son Michael was born in 1976 and is now a computer programmer. The family lived in Florida until 1978 when they moved back to Oregon, and Steve worked on the family farm. In 1990, Steve was appointed to the Union County Board of Commissioners, and was first elected to the role in November of that same year. He has gone on to serve six four-year terms for a total of 28 years. During that time, Steve's commitment and loyalty to Union County and his friends across eastern Oregon has earned him the deep respect of his colleagues. Many people, including myself, have relied upon Steve's thorough knowledge of forestry and natural resource issues. In fact, Senator Bill Hansell remembers deferring to Steve on forestry issues when Hansell was a Umatilla County Commissioner, saying ``if Steve was for it, that's all we needed to know.'' Steve has a knack for public policy and is famous for his ability to get things to move forward. Both skills have been assets towards helping him effectively serve Union County and the region for many years. Understanding the challenges that we face in rural Oregon and how hard it can be for us to compete with metropolitan parts of our state, Steve took action. He rallied his colleagues, and maybe even twisted a few arms, to form the Eastern Oregon Counties Association to pool the resources of rural counties on common issues like improving the management of our public lands. Steve has shown tenacity, strength, and true leadership. Steve has always said that ``democracy means you always get your say, it doesn't mean you always get your way.'' Steve has always lived by those words, and has been willing to listen to anyone. Steve has always displayed dignity, integrity, and responsiveness. Union County and Eastern Oregon were lucky to have him as a public servant. Steve now has eight grandchildren, and three great-grandkids. As he retires from public service, he plans to continue serving in the capacity of a father, grandfather, and great grandfather. I am confident that Steve will impart his wisdom and knowledge onto future generations of his family so they may carry it forward. I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing and thanking Steve for his many years of I leadership in Union County. I wish him and his family all the best in his retirement.

Mr. WALDEN

Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I will close by again thanking my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Thanks to the gentleman from New York, the gentleman from Texas, my colleagues on this side of the aisle. I know Dr. Phil Roe, who chairs our Veterans' Affairs Committee, a very strong advocate and supporter of this, could not be here to speak on it because of a conflict. Mr. Speaker, let me just say this is really important. It will change lives. It will improve lives. With that, I hope our colleagues will join us in supporting this very important measure. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.