Kevin Yoder

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Madam Speaker, I rise this morning to ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating my grandmother Edna Yoder's birthday. Born on June 28, 1911, my grandmother will turn 103 on Saturday, and I couldn't be prouder of her. She and my grandfather, Orie Yoder, spent their lives working on a farm and raising their four children, including my father, Wayne Yoder. She is a very principled and humble woman who believes strongly in her family and her faith. Over the past 103 years she has lived through the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and two world wars, to name a few. She has seen a lot, and to this day tells great stories, has a wonderful and cheery sense of humor, and, of course, dispenses plenty of advice. Each day when I get up in a nation of prosperity and freedom, I think of my grandmother and people of her generation who worked themselves to the bone, who helped build this great country so that their children and children's children would have the opportunity to realize their dreams. Today, my grandmother spends her time working puzzles, playing games, playing in the bell choir, and, of course, keeping up with her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren. Grandma, happy 103rd birthday to you.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, there is a crisis plaguing our country's next generation. Today, the unemployment rate for 18- to 29-year-olds is nearly 16 percent, more than double the general rate. Furthermore, the increasing cost and skyrocketing tuition rates for those wanting to get a higher education is placing a crushing burden on young Americans. Student debt has nearly doubled since 2007, topping $1 trillion, and a recent study from the University of Michigan says tuition for all universities, public and private, increased at an annual rate of 7.5 percent from 1978 to 2011. On average, when a student graduates college, they owe nearly $30,000, and if they attend a private or out-of-State school, that number is even higher. As someone who is still paying off my student loans, I sympathize for our college graduates who are weighed down with debt in an economy that is proving to be very difficult for young, educated jobseekers. Mr. Speaker, our obligation is to help build an economy rich with job opportunities, to contain the costs of higher education, and to support the young, bright minds in our Nation yearning to realize their dreams.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the chorus drawing attention to the appalling situation with the Department of Veterans Affairs. We have learned of the death of 40 veterans due to drawn-out wait times for medical care at facilities in Arizona. Even more disturbing is the coverup to not allow scrutiny and awareness of these tragedies. This may just be the tip of the iceberg. These men and women offered their lives defending the freedoms of our Nation, and yet our Nation can't afford them the decency of prompt medical care. Even with these sad and tragic cases, there are still hundreds of thousands of veterans who are waiting in line for services, medical care, and compensation for disabilities they received while serving our great Nation. It is time for Congress to take swift action to demand better results and greater accountability. It is time that Congress reform the veterans health care system to allow greater flexibility and more options so that veterans are not stuck waiting for care. Mr. Speaker, these men and women have earned benefits through their service to our Nation. We must keep our promises, and we must honor these American heroes.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, on the afternoon of Sunday, April 13--Palm Sunday and the eve of Passover--it was a beautiful spring day in Overland Park, Kansas. Many families were gathering across the community to be close and to celebrate these meaningful and important religious holidays; yet on that day of great beauty, tremendous evil was arriving in my community. On that day, hatred, combined with bigotry, would spur a tragedy of horrific proportions in Overland Park. That afternoon, a singing competition for the best high school singers in the metropolitan area was occurring at the Jewish Community Center just down the street from where my family lives. The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City has been in operation since 1914 and is a bustling center for events, meetings, discussions, exercise, and service of a diverse community where all people and all faiths are welcomed. That day, two members of my church, the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, were driving into the parking lot of the Jewish Community Center to participate in this competition--a grandfather and his grandson--when, out of nowhere, a man driven by hatred, anti- Semitism, and a life of racism decided to take their innocent lives. Reat Underwood, one of the victims, a 14-year-old boy and freshman at Blue Valley High School, had an amazing voice. Reat's love of theater came naturally to him. With that training, Reat began his theater career at age 4 in Camelot Academy. Reat was heavily involved with volunteering, and he cared about his community and was very active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Carrying on the traditions of his grandfather and uncles, Reat was a Cub Scout with Pack 3097 at Blue Valley Middle School and then a Boy Scout with Troop 37, the Red-Tailed Hawk District, where he had reached Life Scout. He was preparing for his Eagle Scout boards with Troop 92, to be held in May. Reat will be missed by his family, especially his younger brother, Lucas, who gave a beautiful tribute at Reat's services. Reat's grandfather, Bill Corporan, who was taking Reat to this singing contest, also was a victim. Reat's family all lived in Overland Park, and his grandparents had moved there from Oklahoma, so they could live near their grandchildren. Dr. Corporan had met and married his wife, Melinda, in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and they were married in 1965. He graduated with a doctorate of medicine from the University of Oklahoma in 1972, and the whole family became very big Sooner fans. He operated family medicine practices throughout Oklahoma before finally moving with his wife to Overland Park to be close to their family. He continued serving his community as a physician and a medical director to the very last days. A third victim, Terri Lamano, was arriving at Village Shalom, a retirement community almost a mile down the street to visit her mother. She too became a victim of vile bigotry and hatred from that violence that afternoon. Terri worked as an occupational therapist at the Children's Center for the Visually Impaired in Kansas City. She spent her time working with children and families of those in need. Her daughter, Alissa, described Terri as ``a beautiful soul who always thought of everyone else before herself. She was the best mother, wife, sister, and friend that anyone could ask for.'' Sadly, Terri was taken from us just 2 days before her 25th anniversary with her husband. Today, I rise to pay tribute to these victims. We will never forget them. Our hearts break for them, and this Congress honors them for their beautiful lives and legacies. Although the events which transpired are evil and will have long- lasting effects in our community, they have also brought us together and strengthened the bonds between all of us. Mr. Speaker, my district is a diverse one, demographically. It is a strong community with a strong community spirit. With urban, suburban, and rural areas, the Third District of Kansas is a microcosm of the United States. Mr. Speaker, these hate crimes were shocking to our community as these types of actions were so foreign to us. The days following the horrendous act, though, were filled with love, community, and comfort as members of our entire community came together to support one another. Hundreds and hundreds of community members gathered together for an interfaith unity service at the Jewish Community Center. Vigils were held. Thousands turned out for memorial services. Mr. Speaker, this type of hate and violence has no place in our society, and our Kansas community, as many often do, rallied and demonstrated in unified voice and spirit that one act of violence cannot break our bonds and tear us apart. Mindy Corporan, a friend of mine and the woman who tragically lost both her son and father that day, stated something profound after these events. She said: We want something good to come out of this. We don't know what that's going to be, so we want people to let us know if they think something good has come out of it. Mr. Speaker, I was there for the week following the shooting. I saw the reaction of the entire community and the support and comfort our community has shown each other. Mr. Speaker, the entire Third District of Kansas honors Reat, Bill, and Terri and every single other human being who has been the victim of racism, discrimination, hatred, and evil. We honor them, each and every one of us, by doing our part to turn darkness into light and to turn hatred into love.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Gallaudet University's sesquicentennial. I am proud to serve as one of the U.S. Congress's members of their board of trustees during this momentous occasion. I acknowledge them both for their achievements as the Nation's premier institution for the Deaf, and for their storied history of excellence in education, improving access throughout America and the world. In 1856, philanthropist and former postmaster general Amos Kendall donated land on his estate in northeast Washington, D.C. for a place to educate the city's Deaf youth, and, eight years later, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill authorized by the U.S. Congress for the institution to grant college degrees. Theology graduate Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was inspired to dedicate his life to educating Deaf people after tutoring Alice Cogswell, a nine-year-old Deaf neighbor, and traveled to France, where he learned a manual communication method of instruction developed by renowned French educators Abbe Sicard, Laurent Clerc, and Jean Massieu. Upon returning to the United States, Gallaudet established the American School for the Deaf, the nation's first permanent school for Deaf children, in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1857, Gallaudet's youngest son, Edward Miner Gallaudet, took up his father's cause when he and his Deaf mother, Sophia Fowler Gallaudet, were invited by Kendall to run the newly established Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind in Washington, D.C., and with Kendall's resources and Gallaudet's leadership and vision, the fledgling school grew and flourished, expanding to provide instruction for aspiring teachers of the Deaf and to became the world's first--and today retains the status of the only-- institution of higher education devoted to Deaf and hard of hearing students, and to hearing students who pursue careers as professionals serving the Deaf community. Gallaudet presided over the first commencement in June 1869. Those graduating that day received diplomas signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, and to this day the diplomas of all Gallaudet graduates are signed by the current U.S. President. In 1969, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Model Secondary School for the Deaf Act (MSSD), and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare and Gallaudet President Leonard Elstad signed an agreement authorizing the establishment and operation of the MSSD on the Gallaudet campus. One year later, President Nixon signed the bill that authorized the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School. Those two schools are part of Gallaudet's Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, which is devoted to the creation and dissemination of educational opportunities for Deaf students nationwide. By an act of Congress, Gallaudet was granted university status in October 1986 and presently Gallaudet's undergraduate students have their choice of more than 40 majors. Graduate programs offer certificates and master of arts, master of science, doctoral, and specialist degrees in many specialties regarding professional service to Deaf and hard of hearing people. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support for Gallaudet University and their essential mission here in our nation's capital. I congratulate all of the faculty, staff, students, and all involved with the Gallaudet community on their sesquicentennial.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, not only is April National Autism Awareness Month, but more specifically, today, April 2, is World Autism Awareness Day. Today, we join with families all across the world in a sign of support, unity, and encouragement. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, nearly one in 68 babies born will be diagnosed with some degree of autism. Families dealing with autism are in all of our districts, and they are in our communities. They are our neighbors, and they are our families and friends. Yet far too little awareness and support occurs for these families that are raising an autistic child. April is one more opportunity to spread the word and remind others about autism, and to raise awareness about the importance of research and advocacy for Americans who are living with developmental disabilities. Families dealing with autism bear their challenges admirably and lovingly, raising children into adults who contribute to our country in so many ways. Today, we celebrate those families and their many accomplishments. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize April as National Autism Awareness Month.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, you wouldn't know it by the weather, but it will soon be April, and tax day is right around the corner. As Americans scramble to gather their W-2s and other important tax documents, many are unaware of the extra hidden taxes included in the Affordable Care Act that will ultimately fall on them. These hidden taxes will surprise and catch hardworking families and small businesses off guard and put a strain on family budgets that are already stretched thin. A 3.5 percent tax on insurance premiums, a 2.3 percent medical device tax--raising the cost of pacemakers, prosthetics, stents, and more--a tanning tax, an investment income and Medicare payroll surtax, the list goes on and on; and all these costs are passed on to Americans and families in our communities. That is hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars leaving our communities, out of the pockets of hardworking families in States like Kansas and heading to Washington, D.C. Mr. Speaker, with the many challenges Americans face today, the last thing they need this tax season is to carry a heavier government tax burden on their backs.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a truly great Kansan, a Jayhawk, and an American hero who embodies every sense of the term ``public servant.'' Senator Bob Dole has spent his life as a servant to the American people: as a soldier wounded in combat during World War II; he served as a Member of this House, the Senate, and ran for President. We in Kansas are so very proud of Senator Dole's legacy as our native son. Ten years ago, the University of Kansas, my alma mater, completed construction and opened to the public the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics on KU's beautiful west campus. The Dole Institute's official mission is to ``promote political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, balanced manner.'' This is precisely what Senator Dole stood for in his career, and it is what his legacy, the Dole Institute, promotes today. We all congratulate the University of Kansas on the 10-year anniversary of the Dole Institute, and congratulate and continue our appreciation for Senator Dole and all the work he does for his native State of Kansas and for his country.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, during our most recent constituent listening tour, I had the opportunity to speak with over 1,000 Kansans, many who continue to voice their frustration with a Federal Government that seems to create more problems than it fixes and builds too many barriers to success for those working to realize the American Dream. Mr. Speaker, the House must continue to pass legislation that helps regular, average, working American people. Despite the entrenched Washington interests, we must remove the Big Government barriers that are slowing the drive and ingenuity of our great Nation. We must pursue a robust, all-of-the-above energy policy that increases domestic energy production, making us less dependent on foreign sources of energy, keeping energy prices down for American families, and putting tens of thousands of Americans back to work. We must reform the Tax Code that is riddled with exemptions and loopholes and is unfair to the average American worker. We must put forward patient-centered reforms to our health care system that spur competition, quality of care innovation, and cost reduction. Mr. Speaker, we must make our Federal Government leaner, more efficient, and more accountable to the American people.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Madam Speaker, each day Americans use new and more common technology to communicate with each other, to read online, share photographs, shop and purchase goods, do their banking, and countless other everyday tasks. In this new tech age, Americans live their lives online, yet the Federal Government acts as if these communications are not subject to Fourth Amendment protections. In fact, the IRS has claimed that Americans ``do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy'' when it comes to their emails being read by the Federal Government. Thousands of Americans are joining together today in an effort to bring awareness to some of the unconstitutional and intrusive surveillance practices of our United States Government. February 11 is ``The Day We Fight Back.'' It is a reminder that law- abiding Americans have certain expectations of privacy and rights guaranteed in our Constitution that our government cannot unreasonably search and seize our personal property, including electronic property, without just cause. That is why I am a lead sponsor of the Email Privacy Act, which will apply the same Fourth Amendment protections to our electronic communication as the paper documents in your home file cabinet. Madam Speaker, let's pass this bipartisan bill. Let's draw clear lines to ensure our government protects the constitutional rights of every American.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, Americans want us to work together to help our economy grow, to support job creation, and to create opportunity for every American to succeed, but far too often our own government gets in the way of American job opportunities--stifling innovation and hindering job creation. The construction of the Keystone pipeline means thousands of jobs to Americans who are looking to get back to work--it means engineering, construction, energy, transportation, and manufacturing jobs--but our own government continues to stand in the way. The Congressional Budget Office now says the administration's health care mandates will damage economic growth and will lead to as many as 2.3 million American workers losing their jobs because of what this government has decided to do to them. These are real consequences for real families. Mr. Speaker, our economy isn't struggling because of the efforts of the American people. No. Our economy struggles because of bloated, expensive, and destructive bureaucracy that stands in the doorway of progress. As this government grows, opportunity shrinks. It is time that this Congress removes the weight of this government off the backs of the American people.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the major league soccer team from my home, the Kansas 3rd Congressional District-- Sporting Kansas City. In early December, 2013, Sporting KC squared off against Real Salt Lake in the MLS Cup final match at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas. The victory gave Sporting KC their first Major League Soccer title in thirteen years, and was only decided after 10 rounds of penalty kicks. When all was final, Sporting KC was victorious 7-6 in a shoot-out win, bringing the Philip Anschutz Trophy to Kansas City. Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes and the entire roster of players, including MVP defender Aurelien Collin, brought so much excitement to our community throughout the 2013 season. To have the Championship match played out in Sporting Park, in front of more than 21,000 loyal fans, only maximized the energy and atmosphere that night in December and it was simply amazing. We greatly appreciate the investment and leadership of Robb Heineman, Cliff Illig, Neal Patterson, Pat Curran and Greg Maday. Bringing Sporting KC to Kansas has been great for the team and the entire community. Mr. Speaker, the Sporting Kansas City soccer team is the first major league sports team to win a league championship at home in Kansas City since 1985. The pride and excitement the entire Kansas City community has with the club is great, and we all congratulate Sporting KC, the players and coaches, the organization staff, and everyone with a role at the park on their 2013 Major League Soccer Cup Championship. You make us proud.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, the new year is an opportunity for Congress to get back to work for the American people, and that means supporting good-paying jobs and a growing economy. Over the coming weeks, we are going to hear debating of proposals that would put more people on unemployment support for longer periods of time. Frankly, Mr. Speaker, that is the wrong direction for our country. What the American people want and need are greater job opportunities, not bigger government programs. Let's grow the economy, not the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, we live in the land of opportunity, the greatest Nation on Earth, a place for everyone. No matter what their economic or racial or socioeconomic background, everyone has a chance to live the American Dream. The policies of bailouts, borrowing, and Big Government only serve to threaten those opportunities. Rather than focus on expanding government programs, let's expand opportunity. Let's empower the American people to grow and build and create. Let's focus on bills that create more opportunities for employment, and let's come together to help honest, hardworking Americans realize the great American Dream.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, as Americans are making their New Year's resolutions, I think it is time that Congress makes a few New Year's resolutions of its own. Congress will resolve itself to stop asking for money and higher taxes from the American people to pay for more bureaucracy and more bloated Federal programs. Congress will actually try to balance its budget, something the rest of the American people have to do. Congress will resolve itself to stop the onslaught of rules, regulations, and mandates on our constituents that slow down the economy and kill jobs. Congress will focus more on programs that create jobs and less on programs that create government dependency. Congress will stop allowing the Federal Government to spy and read the emails of innocent Americans. Congress will resolve itself to live under the same laws it passes for everyone else with no special health care or retirement benefits. Lastly, Congress will resolve itself to spend more time listening to the American people and working together, Republicans and Democrats, to solve the problems our Nation faces. Mr. Speaker, these are a few New Year's resolutions for Congress that we would be well-served to follow.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, the number of Americans who support updating our electronic communication privacy laws is growing every day. Just today, The Washington Post reported that over 100,000 Americans have signed a petition asking President Obama to support changes in the 27- year-old privacy law called the Electronic Communications Privacy Act that currently allows government agents to search Americans' private emails without a warrant. The Constitution prohibits government from searching postal mail without a warrant. It defies common sense that emails should have any less protection. Our existing laws were written before Facebook and Google even existed. Just think how far we have come in regard to Internet technology. It is time to update these laws. The American people are shocked when they learn that their emails do not have the same privacy protections as their mail and other documents in their homes. That is why I introduced H.R. 1852, the Email Privacy Act, a bipartisan bill to affirm that Americans have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their emails. Mr. Speaker, it is time Congress and the President worked together to update our email privacy laws. I urge the House to pass this needed legislation.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Tom Trigg, Superintendent, Blue Valley School District, Ms. Debbie Bond, Principal, and all of the members of the ``Bulldog'' community of Mission Trail Elementary School. Mission Trail Elementary School's excellence in education has been noted time and again and now officially recognized as Mission Trail Elementary School has been named a 2013 Blue Ribbon School with further honors noting them as an ``Exemplary High Performing School'' by the U.S. Department of Education. As an ``Exemplary High Performing School'' they have been acclaimed for their continued hard work and the results which they have achieved through that work. This prestigious honor is received by less than 300 of the best schools across the Nation. I am proud to represent a school who achieves so highly, preparing tomorrow's generation to be the leaders in America and the world. The diligence of students, teachers, administration, parents, and the community as a whole contributes to this great achievement. Mission Trail Elementary School truly is a model to be upheld for education throughout our Nation.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, the American people are still most concerned about job opportunities and economic growth. They're concerned with their checkbooks and family budgets as the winter months and holiday seasons arrive. All too often, Washington, D.C., makes it harder on the economy and the American people, not easier. Layer upon layer of government mandates, regulations, and taxes suffocate our struggling economy and come down hard upon the hardworking American people. The House must remain committed to focusing on job creation, economic prosperity, and opportunities for all Americans to succeed. This week, the House will continue our efforts to put more Americans back to work by focusing on pro-jobs legislation that make it easier for our small businesses to access resources they need to expand and add employees. We will work to pass legislation that builds on hydropower in our country, creating good-paying jobs through continuing to develop our all-of-the-above national energy policy. Mr. Speaker, the American people want Congress to work together for the betterment of our entire Nation. We must come together and support these bipartisan solutions that encourage economic growth, better paying jobs, and lead to more economic prosperity for all.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, Americans are working hard to make ends meet during this sluggish economy, and a clear and predictable pro-growth energy policy will help to alleviate financial stress on American families as energy costs rise. But most of all, pro-growth energy policies will create jobs and put Americans back to work. If you are looking for legislation that will create jobs across America, there are several opportunities to vote ``yes'' this week in the United States House. The Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act, Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act, and the Protecting States' Rights to Promote American Energy Security Act are all pro-growth, pro-energy policies that the House will consider this week and will give all my colleagues an opportunity to show whether they are pro-jobs or not. These bills will promote natural gas pipeline infrastructure construction projects, expand onshore American energy production, and create jobs by passing these bills that will streamline government red tape and eliminate duplicative and costly regulations that only delay safe energy production on American soil. Mr. Speaker, let's unite on behalf of the American people and support these pro-energy growth, pro-job creation bills.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Madam Speaker, Americans want Congress to support policies that help put our Nation back to work. Creating jobs is the key to improving our economy. However, too often, government stands in the way of job creation by imposing costly regulations on businesses and municipalities, creating uncertainty and hindering job growth. I recently visited a wastewater treatment facility in my district. While there, I learned that new EPA mandates, specifically on wet weather wastewater treatment, will increase costs on Johnson County, Kansas, ratepayers by 25 percent. New EPA regulations on an energy plant in Kansas City, Kansas, will force the board of public utilities to make modifications--$250 million in costs--resulting in a 15 to 20 percent monthly increase in the average electric bill to consumers, families, and businesses in Wyandotte County, who are already feeling the crunch of hard economic times. These regulations are essentially hidden taxes on Kansas families, many of whom are already pinching pennies to pay their bills. Madam Speaker, regulations do not create jobs. Let's get government out of the way and let's put Americans back to work.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, the American people are looking for results from Washington, D.C. Even though we have a divided government, I still believe we can and must work together to solve the many challenges facing our great Nation. More than anything, we must work together in the coming months to help put more Americans back to work and kick-start our sluggish economy. We can work together to reform our Tax Code and make it simpler and easier to understand and comply with. We can work together to build a national energy policy that safely utilizes all of America's resources, putting people to work and keeping energy costs down. We can work together to support education, research, infrastructure, immigration reform. Yes, and even pass a farm bill. We can work together to reform important programs like Medicare and Social Security so we can preserve and protect them for the future generations while balancing our budget and controlling spending. Today, our economy may be stagnant, but our optimism and determination have never been greater. Let's work together to renew the prosperity and opportunity for all Americans in our great Nation.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of greater accessibility to taxpayer-funded research. This week is Open Access Week in America, and I am proud to be a lead cosponsor of the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act, better known as FASTR. Access to scientific research maximizes research investments and improves the quality of science while assuring transparency and efficient use of tax dollars. Simply put, taxpayers should not have to pay for taxpayer-funded research over and over again. Policies like FASTR have been a tremendous success already at the National Institutes of Health, and some of the best research institutions in America, like my alma mater, the University of Kansas, have helped lead the charge by instituting open access policies of their own. Now it is time to make open access the law of the land for all publicly funded research. I urge my colleagues to make a real impact on the quality of science and lifesaving research conducted in America, and urge them to cosponsor and support the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. I appreciate my friend from Illinois for putting together this hour for us to be able to come down and have a conversation about how we protect the American farmer. For months and months now, we have been having a debate in the United States House and Senate about how we can put together legislation that will ensure that the men and women who bring in the crops, who tend to the livestock, who create the food source for our Nation and the world have certain policies that are predictable and that encourage farming as a way of life to continue in the United States. So I join my colleagues here, those from down in southern Illinois to--we just heard from my colleague, Dan Benishek from Michigan, who believes passionately in agriculture and protecting farmers. We are here together today united, standing on behalf of the farmers in our country. So I call on my colleagues to help us get a farm bill done. Farmers have been waiting a long time for Congress to work together to find a solution. We are obviously divided on a lot of things, but we ought to be united on helping protect the American farmer and our American food supply. In Kansas, farming is not just a means to make money, and certainly, it is a significant part of the Kansas economy. Along with several other parts, farming and agriculture is a key component of the Kansas economy. But it is also a way for Kansans and Americans to put food on the table for the world. Kansas is the number one wheat producer in the country, wheat that ends up feeding hungry Kansans, hungry Americans in all 50 States, and on most continents. They put in long, hard hours to bring in millions of bushels of grain, grain that will end up on the tables of the entire Nation and the entire world. But it is also a way of life. Now farmers at home right now--I just spoke with a farmer earlier today. Farmers are bringing in--they are harvesting their soybeans. Some are still picking corn. For generations, people have come to States like Kansas and Illinois and California and Michigan, and they have come to build a way of life. They have taken, in the case of Kansas, a prairie--it was undeveloped-- and they came out there, and they brought their families and they took risk, much risk to carve a lifestyle out of the prairie. And through that hard work, through that determination, through that sweat off their brow, they tamed the wilderness and, in the process, they helped build the greatest nation the world has ever seen. And along the way, they asked for little in return. They built a nation with great bedrock values, good schools, good communities. It was all centered around the small family farmer. So that is one of the things we are down here to protect and to talk about is continuing that American tradition of the small family farmer. And so they have worked hard. They work long days, sunup to sundown. Sometimes farmers will work through the night, 24-hour shifts even, to bring in the crops when the time has come. I grew up on a farm myself. I remember going out, my dad going out in the middle of the winter and bringing a round bale to our cattle and ensuring that the livestock could have feed. And that meat that they produced, we produced and farmers produce all across the country, that ends up taking care of Americans everywhere. So now those farmers, they are counting on us. When they plant their fall crops, they need predictability and they need certainty. It is time to move past short-term bills. It is time to move past short-term promises. We need to move towards long- term policies that will create stability, that will allow farmers to plant, allow farmers to go back to doing what they do best: growing food, feeding a hungry Nation. This fall, Kansas farmers are hard at work bringing in the autumn harvest, and they are planting the 2014 crop. They have patiently waited for Congress to act on a farm bill. Now is the time to move forward. The farm bill provides farmers with crucial safety net programs that allow them to protect their operations from uncertainty and the sudden downturns that can occur when growing crops and raising livestock. These programs are essential in providing farmers with the certainty they need to be successful. So as we have this larger debate about how to solve the debt crisis, I think farmers have been admirable in this debate. Farmers came forward and said, Look, you know, we receive direct payments. We know that is a burden on the Treasury. We know there are a lot of burdens on the Treasury. We hope that we can all pitch in to help solve our national debt crisis. We are going to voluntarily, we are going to give those things up. And every other group that comes before Washington, most groups give up nothing. They want more. In fact, in Washington, when you don't get more than you got last year, it is a cut. Farmers said, We are willing to take a cut. We are willing to take billions of dollars of cuts because we want to do our part to ensure that we are helping resolve the national debt crisis. So they were first in line to give up support, and some of that support was very crucial to farms and has been crucial to farmers to keep them from ending up in bankruptcy or farms from going under. They are giving that up. No more direct payments. Those are the kinds of reforms we need to do. Now, what they have asked for in return is a little protection of risk. The expense today to put out a field of crops like corn, soybeans, milo, or wheat, in Kansas, creates a tremendous amount of risk--risk that banks won't cover unless there is some sort of protection in the event of a flood, hailstorm, or a drought, and sometimes all of the above. You can wipe out a single crop overnight. These farmers have invested their entire livelihood. They don't have a 401(k). They don't have a pension. They don't have some corporate plan to protect their retirement. Their future is in the crop they're laying out in that field, and the proceeds from that crop are going to go to investing in the next crop. And so if that crop goes under and there is no crop insurance, there is no protection for those farmers, then those farmers go under, they go bankrupt, and that way of life ends. And so my heart goes out to those farmers that that may happen to, but it is a larger issue than just the farmers. Without crop insurance, without that protection, those farmers lose those farms and that means we don't have a food supply that we can count on. That means that the world doesn't have the food that they need to feed the hungry. I know most people get food from the grocery store these days, but it comes from the fields of Kansas and Illinois and places in between. So it is my hope that Democrats, Republicans, House, Senate, and the President will work together in the coming days to put a farm bill on the floor that we can all get behind that can go to the President's desk and receive his signature. We've got a lot of divisions, but we would be united today--all of us--in protection, in fighting for the American farmer.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the National Day of the Republic of China. October 10 marks the beginning of the Wuchang Uprising which led to the creation of the Republic of China in 1912. The Republic of China, or Taiwan as it is more commonly known, has worked tirelessly to become a global player both politically and economically. With a thriving economy, Taiwan already plays a critical role in the global supply chain and serves as a major innovator in the technology industry. I am proud to represent Garmin Ltd. in my district which is an exemplary company conducting business internationally based in both Kansas and Taiwan. The Taiwanese community is a strong contributor to Kansas's 3rd Congressional district. In light of these contributions, it is my belief that Taiwan should be included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Taiwan currently plays a major role in ensuring U.S. interests in the Pacific. For decades we have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship based on trust. It is my hope that we can continue and strengthen this relationship going forward. To achieve this goal, I look forward to working with the Administration to see that a bilateral investment agreement is signed between our countries. Lastly, as long standing allies, it is time for us as a Congress to reconsider our diplomatic relationship with Taiwan by welcoming high- level officials from Taiwan to meet with their American equivalents in Cabinet level positions. I commend Taiwan on its National Day, and look forward to a continued partnership.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. Mr. Speaker, the American people understand the importance of making tough decisions and balancing their budgets. According to the Federal Reserve, over the past 3 months, Americans have worked to pay down their credit card debts by more than $6 billion; yet the United States Government continues to operate in the red, as it has operated in the red 55 of the last 60 years. Our national debt now stands at $17 trillion. Now the administration is asking Congress to increase our debt by trillions more. Mr. Speaker, Americans do not want to raise the debt ceiling again unless they see a path towards paying down the national debt and balancing the Federal budget. American citizens cannot take out a loan without a plan to pay it back. How can our Nation continue to borrow money without any plan to pay it back? Mr. Speaker, let's stop the culture of debt and despair in Washington, D.C. Let's put a plan in place to pay down our debt, and let's get our country back on solid financial footing.

Mr. YODER

Mr. YODER. I thank the chairman from Kentucky for his work on this legislation to help provide funding for Head Start kids to have an opportunity to realize all the opportunities that life presents. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask us to work together and set aside our differences for the good of the American people. We are divided. We have an ongoing dispute about whether Congress should receive special treatment and whether individuals should be given the same exemptions that businesses have been given under the Affordable Care Act. That is in dispute. Why can't we go forward with legislation and policies and things that we all agree on? The Senate has a position and the House has a position, and we can go on and on with this debate about whether we should fund special treatment for Congress, businesses, and labor unions under ObamaCare; but there are unnecessary casualties to that debate. Today, we have an opportunity to take Head Start off the table--a program that serves 1,146,468 kids nationwide; and 1,436 of these young students are in Kansas' Third District. These vulnerable students need our help. These are kids with little opportunity, disadvantaged by poverty and circumstances that put them behind from day one. Head Start for low-income children is a ray of hope, coming at a critical time when these young learners are developing their young minds. Head Start works for students, Head Start works for families, and Head Start works for the American taxpayer. So why can't we come to an agreement as to the funding for this portion of government? We can't come to it for every portion--we get that--but we are in agreement that this shutdown is unnecessary and that we can fund Head Start today. For some, this is a philosophical debate, but for the young learners at Head Start of Shawnee Mission, Kansas; Olathe, Kansas; or the Children's Campus in Kansas City, these are real lives and real futures at stake. They are counting on us. Surely we can take our partisan hats off for a moment and fund a bill to get each of these kids a chance to succeed. Let's pass a clean bill that funds Head Start today. Let's put aside our differences. Let's find common ground. We have the power today to take Head Start kids out of this debate and ensure their funding. Let's show the American people that today, on this issue, on these kids, there is no disagreement.