Steven Watkins

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Madam Speaker, last week the administration made yet another attempt to strip healthcare away from our families. Let me be clear: My community in the Central Valley needs more health coverage, not less. We need more doctors; we need more nurses; we need more mental health services; and we need everyone with a preexisting condition to have coverage. Each and every one of us in this Chamber has a loved one or a neighbor who would be hurt by this effort. This includes my friend Vicky, from Modesto. She was healthy her whole life until she had her first seizure. She was hospitalized and was having four to five seizures a day until her doctor was able to find a medication that worked. She has to pay $400 a month even now for this medicine, and she has insurance. Imagine if this lawsuit goes through. Vicky will completely lose her insurance. There are 100,000 other people in my community with a story just like hers. These are real people who would be hurt. Folks in my community have been crystal clear on this issue: We need more healthcare for more people. My community needs us to move this discussion forward, not backwards.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Madam Speaker, on March 12, 2019 I was absent from the floor due to a visit to the Oval Office for a bill signing. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 121.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Duty, honor, country. The United States possesses the greatest military in the history of mankind, and it isn't even close. How is that possible since, through the ages, warfare changes, our enemies change, the geography changes, the ideology that we are up against changes. I would contest that the reason we consistently win our Nation's wars is because our greatest attribute never does change. Those are the values that we hold dear. It is the leadership principles that every graduate of the United States Military Academy learns. How on Earth could that be encapsulated? The best I could hope for is to call on General MacArthur, who in 1962, to the United States Corps of Cadets, said: ``Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.'' The United States Military Academy has a sacred place in my heart, to the class of 1999, with duty in mind. I want to thank God for West Point. I want to thank The Long Gray Line. And God bless you USMA, my rockbound highland home.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1271, the Vet HP Act. The Vet HP Act would be a significant advancement for two critical issues burdening Eastern Kansans. My district, being both rural and home to tens of thousands of veterans, is a medically underserved district. With both VA and rural hospitals lacking a steady pipeline of health professionals, access to quality health care is not guaranteed for many of these folks back home. Secondly, aspiring health professionals from underserved areas are not afforded the same opportunities for clinical observation hours as medical school applicants in major cities, putting them at a disadvantage during the admissions process. The Vet HP Act would provide an opportunity for health students to gain clinical observation hours at VA hospitals, prioritizing students in health professional shortage areas, first-generation college students, students referred by minority-serving institutions and veterans, and, importantly, students who wish to train and stay in health professions experiencing staff shortages. This is a true two-birds-one-stone approach. Across the country we have aspiring health professionals who lack opportunity, and we have VA and rural hospitals desperately in need of a health professional pipeline. The Vet HP Act is a massive step forward for both issues. I urge passage of this common-sense, bipartisan bill.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, if this unanimous consent request cannot be entertained, I urge the Speaker and the majority leader to immediately schedule a vote on the born-alive bill.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to encourage the President to sign into law S. 47, the bipartisan lands package, which includes my legislation protecting the Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas. My first piece of legislation, the Fort Scott National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act preserves the legacy of the fort's role in the American frontier. This legislation solidifies the community's contribution to supporting the Union during the Civil War. Known locally as Lunette Blair, this antique structure is the sole remaining blockhouse that helped repel the Confederate invasion into eastern Kansas. It is only through the stewardship of the Fort Scott community that this blockhouse still stands. I thank my colleagues in the Kansas delegation for joining me in this heritage mission for southeast Kansas.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, duty, honor, country--these three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be. These words were Douglas MacArthur's in a speech to West Point's Corps of Cadets in 1962. Memorizing it will be one of the many challenges faced by a young man from my district, Chayne Dessaso of Leavenworth, Kansas. You see, Chayne has recently been appointed to be a cadet of the United States Military Academy at West Point, my alma mater. West Point will teach Chayne rifle marksmanship, military tactics, math, chemistry, a foreign language, boxing, engineering, swimming, gymnastics, orienteering, history, poetry, first aid, and philosophy. He will also learn about camaraderie, sacrifice, leadership, and the human spirit. And the world will be a better place for it. Well done, Chayne. Welcome to The Long Gray Line.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Chairman, I thank my Republican leader, Mr. McCaul, for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition of H.J. Res. 37, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. As a combat veteran, with many years of experience in conflict and postconflict environments, I am particularly concerned about this resolution. Passing it would pose a threat to many other important bilateral agreements that help keep us and our allies safe and make the world a better place. Even the resolution is misleading. Our Armed Forces are not engaged in hostilities in the Yemen conflict. Outside of Yemen, the U.S. Armed Forces support an ally, through intelligence sharing, threat analysis, and logistical support. The strength of our international relations lies on the numerous global relationships that we hold. We help each other understand, forecast, and eliminate threats. This is especially true in the Arabian Peninsula, where ISIS and al-Qaida have been notoriously active. Furthermore, pertinent facts relating to Yemen are classified, leaving Congressmen and -women to vote blind. Mr. Chairman, we have a long history of free-thinking bipartisanship when it comes to foreign policy. I ask my colleagues to think for themselves, not merely vote along party lines.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Madam Speaker, I was not present for Roll Call Vote Number 75. Had I been present, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 75.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Black History Month. Kansas is no stranger to the fight for equality. At times in our Nation's history, Kansas has led the charge. Bloody Kansas was a series of violent civil confrontations, in the 1850s, surrounding slavery. Brown v. Topeka Board of Education helped end racial segregation. In 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., chose Kansas to deliver his speech, titled, ``The Future of Integration.'' In that speech, he said that, if democracy is to live, segregation must die. Let us strive to live up to his memory; let us strive to come together; and let us choose greatness.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 66, which would establish the Route 66 Centennial Commission. The historic Route 66, The Main Street of America, travels through Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs, Kansas in my district. While the 13 miles of Route 66 in Kansas may be the shortest stretch, it certainly has its fair share of history and beauty. From inspiring the animated movie character ``Tow Mater'' in Cars, to being the very definition of `the open road'. Route 66 is a staple of hometown America--and there is no better representation of hometown America than in these three Southeast Kansas communities. Route 66 is not only an economic driver, it is part of the identity of the community. I am thrilled to see Congress is taking proactive steps towards the revitalization and preservation of Route 66 and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is Kansas Day. As Kansas celebrates her 158th birthday, I would like to take a minute to celebrate her. Our State motto is ``Ad Astra per Aspera,'' through hardships to the stars. This motto captures our State and the spirit of our people. We have had frontiersmen, space explorers, and leaders in agriculture and digital technology. We have won sports championships and Academy Awards. Leaders like Eisenhower, Dole, Roberts, and Pompeo have helped make the world a better place. From our history of Bleeding Kansas to Brown v. Board of Education, we are never afraid to fight for what is right. For 158 years, Kansas, you look great.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, this week is National School Choice Week. It is when we shine a light on the educational opportunities when they are tailored to the individual student. I was raised by four academics, and they would be the first to tell you that, in order to empower young people to develop into the type of adults who can solve the problems of tomorrow, their educational experiences need to be tailored. No parent, no teacher, no student wants an ill-fitting educational experience. Education is the great equalizer. It is the combat multiplier. It is the path that leads toward American dreams. God bless the American student. God bless the American teacher.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Madam Speaker, today, the House came together to pass H.R. 190, led by my friend and colleague from Kansas' Big First, Dr. Roger Marshall. This act helps service-disabled, veteran-owned small business men and women. The path of the American veteran is tough. So is the path of the small business man. Where those paths intersect are the people, innovation, and drive that make America the greatest country in the world. This legislation not only helps veterans but helps us all through economic growth and through job creation. When an American veteran finds his or her new mission, identity, and team in a small business, we got your 6.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. WATKINS

Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, many Kansans have followed the path from military to political service, names like Pompeo, Roberts, Dole, and Eisenhower. I stand on the shoulders of giants. I do so with humility and with gratitude that the people of Kansas have bestowed upon me such an honor. To my fellow Kansans: I won't let you down. To my colleagues: We will have our disagreements and our debates. We should. But we should also maintain civility and integrity, and we should work to make the government more efficient, more accountable, and more effective. God bless the 116th Congress and the great people of Kansas, and may God bless the United States of America.