Ted Yoho

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague, Mr. Huelskamp from the great State of Kansas, for holding this Special Order on the sanctity, the institution of marriage. Marriage, as we have heard, is the bedrock, the foundation of a society, and a strong society is necessary for a strong community. Strong communities are needed for strong States, and thus, they form a strong Nation. We have heard over and over again the different aspects people have brought out. Sociologists talk about how the family unit, a husband and wife, are the basic building blocks for a strong family, which is essential for strong communities. It has been proven over and over again, the family unit, people will have higher grades, higher economics when they come out of school. We toured several Head Start programs in our district, and I have asked the teachers over and over again: What percentage of the people are at the poverty level? It is 90-95 percent. My next question is: What percentage of the students here are from single- parent households? It is 85-95 percent all the time. That just shows you the importance of marriage. Marriage is an institution passed down through thousands of years of human history. The three great religions, and others, recognize the importance of a marriage, and it has gone through the test of time and it has been understood to be the union of a man and a woman. It is sanctified by God, and it is interesting to note that children only come from the union of one-half of a DNA strand from a female and one- half of a DNA strand from a father. That is nature's law; that's God's law. February is the month of lovers with Valentine's Day this coming Friday, February 14. February 14 is also the anniversary of my wife and I. I met her in the fourth grade, my fourth-grade sweetheart, Carolyn. This February 14 marks the 39th anniversary of Carolyn and I, and I am so proud of that fact. Somebody asked me today, What are you most proud of? I said, My marriage to my wife. We believe in a traditional marriage. We tend to stay that way. I just want to say: Thank you, dear. I love you, and happy anniversary.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. It wound up costing him over $400,000 by the time he was done, and he just threw up his hands. This is happening all over America. So I thank you again.

Mr. YOHO. I would like to thank the gentlelady from the great State of Missouri (Mrs. Hartzler) for the privilege of being able to address one of the greatest issues facing our Nation today--the unilateral imposition of regulations coming out of an administrative agency known as the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the strangulating effects those regulations have on business development and on our economy. Mr. Speaker, my home State, the great State of Florida, is fortunate enough to play host to a myriad of beautiful animals, landscapes, waterways, and beaches, and I believe that we all play a role in being good stewards of our natural resources. We all want clean water. We all want clean air. As Mr. Lankford was talking about his child's having asthma, I have asthma, and I know the importance of this. So, yes, we do want a clean environment. Many rural districts like mine often have unique needs, whether it is the farmer farming to put food on his table in order to keep his family fed or to feed a Nation or to keep the lights on at the storefront or bringing jobs back to our districts. Through projects like the dredging of the St. Johns waterway, which is a crucial infrastructure project in our district, it would create thousands of jobs, and yet we have to deal with EPA regulations. Congress must ensure that efficient and effective policies are being implemented that both boost the economy and uphold environmentally friendly industry standards. However, the EPA has overstepped its authority time and time again by imposing unwarranted, costly Federal regulations on States and on individuals. Last year, the EPA issued 1,624 rules and notices. In this year alone, the EPA has issued 148 new rules and notices. To sum this up, since the beginning of the 113th Congress alone, the EPA has issued 1,759 new rules and notices. In a little over 12 months, the EPA has issued, on average, just under 147 new rules and notices per month. That is just under 34 a week, just under 11 new regulations a day. This is an incredible rate. Every industry is affected, and they are finding it harder and harder to keep up. Take, for example, the highly debated cap-and-trade emissions standards the EPA and the current administration are pushing. This is going to affect every American. The EPA Web site says: Cap-and-trade is an environmental policy tool that delivers results with a mandatory cap on emissions while providing sources flexibility in how they comply. Successful cap-and- trade programs reward innovation, efficiency and early action, and provide strict environmental accountability without inhibiting economic growth. This is simply not true. It strangles businesses; it costs money; and it stifles economic growth. Overzealous regulations like cap-and-trade by the EPA, which is, again, an administrative agency, handcuff our economy and make America less competitive in the world because emerging markets like China and India will never adopt such destructive taxes; yet they put our manufacturers in a hold and make America less competitive, further restricting the opportunities in this country and lowering the job growth in this country. I have just a few stories I would like to share with you. One of them is about a constituent of mine. We have talked about this, and you held up the navigable waterways: He is a dairy farmer. He has been in battle with the EPA for over a couple of years. It has cost him over $400,000--$200,000 in fines. It is for a depression on his property that has been there for years. It is a depression that, when it rains, it fills up and it evaporates, yet he has fought the EPA on this for over 2 years at the cost of $200,000 in fines--$200,000 to fix it and in lawyer fees. This can't go on. It drives people out of business; In our area, I visited a power plant. That power plant was tasked with meeting a new EPA standard for their emissions. It cost them over $500 million, and they had 4 years to complete it. They got halfway through the project, and the EPA came out and said, Never mind. We changed the rule. They have already spent half the money, yet the EPA says, You don't have to comply. We see this over and over again. According to the new EPA studies, by their own admission, they said that the new rules on the carbon capture standards would have an insignificant effect on human health and our environment, yet it is going to cripple every American in this country and cost him a lot more in money. Our role in government is to legislate in order to make America safer and economically stronger, not to govern by an administrative agency which has little oversight and that winds up stifling business development and our economic growth. It is high time Congress reminds the EPA of what its original purpose was, and that is to protect human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on the laws that we pass, not regulations that stifle America. I would like to thank the gentlelady from Missouri for the opportunity and for organizing this. You did a great job and a great service to the American people.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, my friend, Congressman Perry, from the great State of Pennsylvania, for organizing this Special Order to talk about the importance of the National Guard to our great Nation. The Third District of Florida is home to the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center and to over 2,000 National Guardsmen and -women and their families. And we in the Third District of Florida, as well as the State of Florida, are extremely proud of the National Guard and of their service in the past, and especially in the recent years in the wars in the Middle East. They answered the call and performed admirably. The National Guard is a cost-effective force that is integral to the effectiveness of the United States military. Over the past 12 years, Congress has invested billions of dollars to train and equip the National Guard as an operational reserve. It would be a disservice to the taxpayers and to national security to squander this investment away. They are that well-regulated militia, the minutemen of our Nation, which is necessary in order to have a free and secure Nation. They are ready, when called upon, to aid our Nation in times of need. Be it for national security or for national disaster, they answer the call. We must ensure that their effectiveness and readiness is not adversely affected by a lack of our foresight. We are proud of all of our Guardsmen and -women, and we must not forget the great sacrifices that they have made in defense of our Nation. Again, I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Perry, for arranging this Special Order. Thank you for your service, too.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank my good friend from South Carolina (Mr. Rice), for bringing this resolution forward and for his leadership. This is a very important issue not only today, but as Mr. Woodall pointed out here, also for the future of our Nation--a constitutional Republic, as you so eloquently put it. Article II, section 3 of the Constitution specifically requires that the President: Take care that the laws be faithfully executed. This does not allow the President to enforce the laws he likes and ignore the laws he doesn't. This clause compels the President to ensure that all agencies within his executive branch are carrying out the laws created by Congress, the people's arm of government. The current administration undermines this body on a near daily basis; and if it is allowed to continue to do so, as you pointed out, the balance of power will no longer exist. In fact, it is rapidly slipping away to one side of the balance scales. It is our duty as representatives of the American people to speak out about this. And if not us, who? And if not now, when? The delay of the employer mandate, the extension of the substandard insurance policies, and the grant of the deferred removal action to certain illegal immigrants are just but a few examples of the executive attempting to legislate without Congress. Luckily, the Framers instituted a system of checks and balances. This Congress has no choice but to turn to the courts. I offer my strong support for Congressman Rice's STOP resolution, H.R. 442, which will enable the House to bring a civil action against the executive branch and allow future legislators to hold the executive branch accountable. I think this is the crux of this and this is the important part of this. Because it is for all future Presidents. Again, we have to stand up and start defending our Constitution. This administration, like others before it, has no problem creating mandates for the American people, but cannot seem to follow the most important mandate of our Nation: the Constitution. If you look at this, this simple little book, it is not an epic in volume. You can see it. It is very thin. But yet it is an epic in ideology of what free men and free women can do, and they are held accountable with their government by this little red book. The importance of this issue cannot be overstated. We must address this now so that all future Presidents will know that they must abide by the Constitution. No President, past or present, Democrat or Republican, should ever be exempt from the duties laid out by our Founding Fathers. That is why I support Congressman Rice's STOP resolution, H.R. 442, and I urge all my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, to support this resolution for America and for our Constitution.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 615, I was here to vote--voted but it did not register. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, the American people are losing trust in their government. The continuous dragnet collection of data by the NSA is just one of the many reasons why. Liberty and privacy are the foundations for which this country was established. Even though emails have replaced most handwritten letters and phone calls have replaced many face-to-face conversations, these principles still endure today. The administration defends PRISM and similar programs by relying on ``warrants'' whose mere existence mocks the Constitution. The FISA Court proceedings where these warrants originate take place behind closed doors and cater only to the government's case for increased surveillance. In these secret, one-sided proceedings, no one is there to advocate on behalf of privacy and individual liberty. No one is there to advocate on behalf of the American people. With no requirements for public disclosure of the Court's decision, Congress and the American people are left in the dark. This is unacceptable. Maintaining a secure Nation can be done within the bounds of the Constitution. Privacy and national security are not mutually exclusive. That is why I am a cosponsor of the LIBERT-E Act, the USA FREEDOM Act, and the NASA Inspector General Act to help address many of these issues. I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate, both Republicans and Democrats, to stand up for liberty.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Webster from Florida. I rise today in support of H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013. WRRDA is commonsense legislation that permits the Army Corps of Engineers to eliminate costly and duplicative projects, caps the time and costs of studies, consolidates and accelerates environmental analyses, and stimulates the U.S. economy through increased competitiveness in the global market and through job reaction. In my home State of Florida, our 15 ports have contributed over $96 billion to the State's economy and, perhaps most importantly, employs hundreds of thousands of individuals. Within my district, we have two inland ports in particular, Ocala and Lake City, which are uniquely positioned to import and export products quickly to Florida, the southeast, and to America's heartland. Encouraging infrastructure projects such as these spur job creation. In today's economy, we cannot afford to neglect these opportunities. We have, today, the opportunity to demonstrate that Congress can work towards the best interest of our country. So I urge my colleagues in the House to take swift action in voting to approve WRRDA and get our country back on the path to save infrastructure, global competitiveness, economic stability, and job creation.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker I rise today in honor of Charles William Young, better known to his colleagues and constituents as Bill. I am deeply saddened Congressman Young, a man who put all others before himself, has passed--he will be sorely missed. Although I only had the pleasure of working with Bill for a short time, I benefitted greatly from his leadership and the strong example of service to the United States and Florida that he set. Congressman Young leaves behind a long history of dedicated service to his constituents and the veterans of America. Bill saw the nation through, some of her most tumultuous times, and throughout all of it--he worked tirelessly to make sure our nation's veterans were taken care of. He was a constant fixture at VA medical centers in Florida and in the Washington, D.C. area always making sure the veterans were receiving the best possible care. I proudly join my colleagues in renaming the Bay Pines VA Medical Center the C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center as a small token of the nation's gratitude for his dedicated service. I urge my colleagues to pass this small gesture of our gratitude without objection.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Minnesota. I oppose the gentleman from Pennsylvania's resolution, H. Res. 378. Sugar is the only commodity where the U.S. is a net importer. This puts U.S. producers at a disadvantage. Our sugar farmers have to compete with sugar-producing governments and countries that heavily subsidize their farmers' production. Yes, this year this program did cost our government, but it is because Mexico is allowed to dump their sugar on our market because of NAFTA. This is a trade issue that we need to look at deeper. U.S. farmers would gladly give up their safety net as long as every other country discontinued their heavily subsidized programs as well. U.S. sugar farmers can compete with any other foreign sugar farmer and we can out-perform them, but they can't compete against a foreign government and subsidies. At the end of the day, this is a jobs issue. There are over 142,000 jobs in the domestic sugar industry, with over 12,000 in Florida alone. Many of these jobs would move to Brazil or Mexico if the intent of this resolution becomes law. There again, another industry would be weakened by our government policies. We in government should work to keep America stronger and more competitive, and I urge my colleagues to vote against this resolution.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, farmers and ranchers all over this country need certainty. Each year, farmers put their property on the line in order to feed our nation and the rest of the world. Agriculture is a unique enterprise, affected by both market and weather conditions. That is why we need to pass a 5 year farm bill and we need to pass it before the year is out. I represent the 3rd district of Florida, with thousands of acres of farmland with millions worth of production each year. This farm bill will ensure that those farmers can continue to produce the safest, most affordable food source in the world. Let us not forget, that a nation is not truly a nation unless it has a secure and abundant food supply--that has been the reason for the existence of the farm bill since the 1930s and it is still the reason we need a farm bill today. I urge all my colleagues in the House and the Senate to begin a conference so that American farmers and ranchers have the security they need for the next 5 years.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague from Texas, and I appreciate you wearing our stripes on your tie today. That is apropos. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address all of my colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, but more importantly, the American people, for they are the ones that we all need to listen to. They are the ones that will hold us accountable. We were sent here to represent the people. I represent approximately 700,000 citizens in north Florida's congressional district and had approximately 65 percent plus support of that district. One of the things I ran on was preventing the Affordable Care Act from being implemented, and I have voted to do all in my power to prevent this ill-conceived legislative malpractice of a bill from being a burden to the American citizens I represent. I also ran on the rule of law and the adherence to the Constitution. So when I hear my colleagues on the left--I mean, excuse me, to this side of the Chamber--say the Republicans want to shut down the government, I find it somewhat disingenuous. I am voting the way the majority of the people I represent have instructed me to do, as have my colleagues. Since we are the House, the people's House, we are the voice of the people. So when my Democratic colleagues say the Republicans want to shut down the government, keep in mind that it is the voice of the people that we represent whose voice you are hearing. That is the way a representative Republic works. Another issue that belittles this body and lowers our approval rating--I read the other day--with the American people, equal to or less than a root canal or a colonoscopy, is the drama, the theatrics, and the name-calling. Understand, no one on this side, as is true for your side, wants children, veterans, old people, or widows to starve or to be deprived of health care. We, as you, will take care of the needy, the truly needy. The name-calling, I have to admit, seems to emanate from one side more than the other side. I have heard childish, angry words like ``jihadist,'' ``terrorist,'' ``anarchist.'' Today, I heard ``Whack-a- moles,'' ``teabaggers'' and ``Tea Party radicals.'' Now, it is interesting, the word ``Tea Party'' reminds me of a time in our history. In fact, it was a pivotal point in this country in gaining its independence from a tyrannical government under the rule of law by the King of England. I am so thankful that the colonists at that time rose up--rose up--in opposition to a minimal tax placed upon all the tea sold into America. That led to the Boston Tea Party. So isn't it ironic that after 237 years, we have created a government that not only says you must pay the tax, but you also must buy our tea? Can you say the ``Affordable Care Act?'' Is it any wonder that today there is a new Tea Party in America with a mindset of limited government, fiscal responsibility, free enterprise, personal responsibility, and the Constitution? The Tea Party is a movement. It was a spontaneous movement that happened throughout this country. There is no national leader, there is no national headquarters. The American people said they were tired of Washington and the gridlock and politics as usual, and that led us to where we are at today. They said, like I did: ``I had enough.'' Now, as far as shutting down the government, nobody I know wants to shut down the government, because in the shutdown who pays? The American people pay. Therefore, it would behoove us to negotiate a settlement to keep the government up and running for the benefit of these people and for this great country. The Republicans have offered at four different times CR legislation that represented the voice of our constituents to keep the government open. Two of those offers were outright rejected by the President himself and the leader of the Senate, Mr. Reid. We worked through last Saturday up here until 2 in the morning and passed more legislation to resolve this issue and compromised. We did not hear back from either side--the President or Mr. Reid. Many of us in the Republican party were on the Senate steps of the Capitol on Sunday afternoon asking for a chance to sit at the table just to negotiate in conference to stop this gridlock and get America back to work again. Again, silence from the President and Mr. Reid. We did not hear from the President or Mr. Reid until Monday afternoon. Their answer was ``no negotiation,'' which translates to ``our way or the highway.'' On one other point, to clarify, is for the House and Senate to go to conference over the budget. Yet the Senate didn't offer a budget for over 4 years, the last 4 years. But now all of a sudden it is a problem if we don't go to conference. Again, one side is being disingenuous to the American people, because a budget does not fund our government. A budget is a wish list of the House of Representatives, of the Senate, and the President. Appropriations are what funds this government, and the House has passed four appropriations bills, and the Senate has failed to bring those up for approval by the Senate and then send over to the President to sign. So again, America, you are being fed misinformation. That is why this government is shut down. The American people need to hear the other side of the story. They need to hear that we amended our bills, the CR bills, four times from the House to negotiate with the Senate. They need to know that we requested to go to conference to resolve our differences, the way a Republic is supposed to work, the way differences have been resolved in this esteemed body since its inception. Mr. Speaker. Let's add an air of dignity to this damaged body, let's end the name-calling, let's end the bickering, let's go to conference on a continuing resolution, hash out our differences and get this government up and running again, and let's focus on the ensuing tsunami that is coming called our debt ceiling. This is a time for us not to be Republicans or Democrats; this is a time for us to be Americans. It is what the American people expect, it is what the American people deserve, and it is what I came to Washington to do.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague, the gentlelady from Minnesota, my home State, for putting this together. Mr. Speaker, when I was a lot younger, I remember watching President Reagan in the debates with Jimmy Carter. President Reagan once said, Now, Jimmy, there you go again. Here we are today, another day, another delay by the administration, another example of why the Affordable Care Act, or as the President likes to talk about ObamaCare, is not ready for prime time. Mr. Speaker, if fully implemented, this law was predicted to and is crippling our economy; businesses would cut hours, and they are; employees would lose benefits, and they are; and families would be forced into government-run health care exchanges. It was said by the President that if you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan. Well, tell that to my constituents who are being told by their insurance companies that due to the Affordable Care Act, ObamaCare, their current plans will not exist in 2014. Just yesterday, we had a Member of this Congress who said that his private plan, which he paid for by himself, was canceled within the last month. I don't believe he feels that he can keep his same insurance nowadays. With all these delays, even supporters of ObamaCare know and now realize that this law should have been read before it was passed. If we go back to that infamous day, when the then-Speaker at the time said: We have to read it to see what's in it. We have to read it to see how it's going to work--well, that day is here and we see what's in it, and we see how it's not going to work. Understand, America, that the people that our government has to sign people up on this, they're unskilled in the insurance industry, they're unlicensed, they don't have insurance to cover errors and omissions, they're unbonded; and we are going to give them our private information. I want you to think about that as this law changes and goes into effect. With your help, we can change it. We changed the dynamics in this Congress on the intervention in Syria. The American people stood up and your Representatives listened to that. We can do it again if you're willing to do that same kind of commitment. We need to get rid of this law, and it's now time for our colleagues in the Senate to act. They need to act in the best interest of America and not for preserving a legacy.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor all of the farmers, ranchers, farm hands, veterinarians and families who work tirelessly and have dedicated their lives to our nation's agriculture. As the 2013 National Farm Safety and Health week comes to a close, I am reminded of the tireless dedication to the safe and best practices that our farmers and ranchers employ while providing not just our nation's breakfast, lunch and dinner but the world's as well. As a large animal veterinarian, I have had the privilege of working alongside some of the best and hardest working Americans in the country who are typically referred to as salt of the earth type folks. I recognize that it is no easy task to feed the United States let alone the world as well, which is why it is so important to keep our farmers and ranchers safe. The Department of Labor identifies the agricultural sector as the most dangerous industry in America. As technology improves and we are able to better share best practices, I encourage everyone to do their part to promote the importance of safety in the agricultural industry. America is known as the bread basket of the world thanks to all our hardworking ranchers and farmers. Thank you all for continuing to build and promote a better, safer and more productive industry.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague from Arizona for putting this together. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the epidemic of veterans who not only commit, but consider, suicide. I again want to address what my colleague talked about, the quote of ``too trapped in a war to be at peace, too damaged to be at war.'' These are the words left behind by the soldier, Daniel, who tragically took his own life a few months ago. Daniel was one of many who had been affected by PTSD and who had come back from war with suicidal thoughts. This is an epidemic among our servicemen and -women, and it must be stopped. Again, it is estimated that more than 22 veterans take their lives each day. That's 30 percent of all veterans who have considered suicide. In Florida's Third Congressional District alone, there are over 120,000 veterans, which means, according to current data, about 36,000 veterans in my district have thought about suicide. This is unacceptable, and we must remedy this. We need to do all we can for those who have sacrificed the most for our Nation, and that cannot just extend to the battlefield. We must continue to take care of our soldiers when they come back home. That includes setting up programs to help veterans deal with PTSD and other psychological issues so they can get the proper help they need. We have to make veteran suicide prevention a priority, and I, along with my colleagues, will work tirelessly towards that end. George Washington said: To judge a nation's future military force and loyalty to that nation's military will be determined by how well that nation takes care of its veterans. Before our Nation engages in another war, I hope we look at the true cost of that war. If we look at the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it's not just the trillions of dollars or the thousands of lives that have been lost. The true cost of that war will be felt by this Nation for the next 60, 70, 80 years; and we need to make sure that we take care of those veterans and that we think long and hard before we ever do that again.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the valiant efforts of Colonel Donald Everett Ballard of the Kansas National Guard and formerly of the United States Navy. Colonel Ballard, a Corpsman Second Class at the time, was with the 3rd Marine Division and was awarded the Medal of Honor for extreme fortitude and gallantry in action on May 16, 1968, in Vietnam. Colonel Ballard's company was ambushed as they were evacuating a landing zone. Upon seeing wounded fellow marines, Colonel Ballard braved enemy fire to render medical assistance. As they prepared to move the wounded marines, an enemy soldier hurled a grenade that landed near the marines. After shouting a warning, Colonel Ballard threw himself upon the grenade to protect his fellow soldiers from the blast. When the grenade failed to detonate, Colonel Ballard continued his treatment and saved countless marines. It is for his courage and unwavering devotion to duty that I am proud to honor and remember the actions of Colonel Donald Everett Ballard.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my alma mater, the great University of Florida, and our incredible women's gymnastic team, who earned their first NCAA Super Six National Championship. I'm very proud of our Lady Gators, as they proved that hard work, tireless dedication and passion lead to great things. I know that, under the direction of Coach Faehn, many of these young ladies will represent not just the Gator Nation, but our Nation, the United States of America, in the next Olympics. Ladies, I commend you for your exceptional work ethic, your talent and drive in achieving this title. Congratulations, ladies. And as we like to say back home in Gainesville, it's great to be a Florida Gator and part of the Gator Nation.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, today, on September 11, I want to take a moment to reflect on that fateful event on the day of 2001 at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, the fields of Pennsylvania, and again in Benghazi in 2012, and ask that we always remember the resilience and strength of the greatest Nation on Earth. Mr. Speaker, there are moments in time when we cease to be Republicans and Democrats; politics and punditry melt away, divisions close and differences fade. We come together as Americans, regardless of race, creed, or religion. September 11, 2001, and again in 2012 were and will always be such occasions. On those days, our Nation came together. That is what makes our Nation great and unique. Not only do we come together to celebrate in triumph, but we stand together in tragedy. It is in the face of adversity when our resilience is truly tested, and as Americans, time and time again, throughout history, we have passed that test. Throughout the course of those days heroes ran into buildings and stormed a cockpit, went into burning embassies. They donated blood when it was needed and the clothes off their back. That, Mr. Speaker, is the true America. Not partisan gridlock, not tension-building punditry, not games of ``gotcha'' or smoke-and-mirrors legislation. The rallying cry of that day was simple in phrase but monumental in meaning: ``U-S-A.'' Country was first. Everything else was second. As we tackle the monumental challenges that lie ahead, I ask my colleagues to remember the spirit of that day; to do what is right for America, not for one party over another. The heroes of that day did what they did not because of any political party but because it was simply the right thing to do. It was the American thing to do. Americans, regardless of who they voted for, feel the consequences of our decisions each and every day. Today, of all days, let us all remember to put our country first and act as true representatives for the will of all the people.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, this week the House will spend a lot of time talking about education and what's best for our students, but I want to make sure we spend a few moments to recognize America's teachers. Just after the tornadoes in Oklahoma this spring, a constituent of mine pointed out to me that the teachers at the elementary school in Moore and in the terrible tragedy in Newtown were more than educators. They were first responders. They acted not simply out of human decency, but out of the deepest dedication to service to protect our children. While most of America's schoolchildren are out enjoying summer vacations, their teachers are preparing for the school year ahead. They sacrifice time with their own families and spend their hard-earned money because putting the students first isn't part of any Federal or State mandate. It's a special calling on the teacher, deep within their heart. I ask my colleagues and constituents to join me in honoring that calling, encouraging it, protecting it, and thanking all of America's teachers for their unselfish dedication and service.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Yes, ma'am. I'm hearing the same thing: close the border, secure the border. Somebody said, well, what percent would you want it secured: 70, 80, 90 percent? I said, well, if you were in an airplane and they only had 90 percent of the fuel to get from point A to point B, would you get on the plane? We want 100 percent security. I mean, secure is secure. You brought up the rule of law. I think this is really what we need to talk about because we are a country of laws and we are supposed to follow those laws. But when you think back what happened prior to the election with President Obama--as you said, he waived his pen--now, think about that. That's one man in a country of 330 million of us that chose to change our immigration laws and how we implement them and how we enforce them. One man in a country of 330 million without a debate, without a discussion, and without a vote. That's not acceptable. The American people are telling us that. In my district they say secure the borders, no amnesty, absolutely not. And it goes back up. What are we doing? Are we trying to protect a certain group or a certain business or are we trying to protect America? Again, our job is to protect this country. It's a national security issue. When I hear--like you brought up, Dr. Fleming-- ``comprehensive,'' when we hear that word ``comprehensive,'' I think we all kind of run and hide because it reminds us of comprehensive health care reform, comprehensive financial reform. I think when I talk to the people in our district, and you guys will probably mimic this, I don't have anybody against immigration; they want it done properly. So I think what we need to talk about is responsible immigration reform, but that can't happen until we secure the borders and enforce the rules on the law.

Mr. YOHO. I appreciate the gentlelady from Minnesota yielding. You were talking about the rule of law, and we heard about it over and over again and what the people back home think. I think the biggest thing is they're going to hold us accountable. They expect us to be accountable and they will hold us accountable, and the only way we can do that is by holding the President accountable. We must hold the President accountable and demand that he enforces the laws on the book, and if not, explain to us and to the American people why he chooses not to enforce the laws on the books. And if he is the chief executive officer of this country and he chooses not to do that, what would you do in business if you had the executive of your business not enforcing and running the company the way you are supposed to? I think we all know what would happen. And I'd like to end with this. There were three Presidents in the 1900s that handled immigration differently. They did what was best for Americans. They sent people home--the Presidents did--because they were looking out for the American citizens. And I have to admire Presidents that would look out for the American citizens. I always like to refer back to Theodore Roosevelt when he gave that speech at Ellis Island standing on the soapbox overlooking a crowd, realizing and acknowledging that we are a country with a lot of immigrants here. He said, We welcome all immigrants. After all, we are a country of immigrants. But what we expect you to do is this. There's room but for one flag. It's the American flag. You need to learn to honor and respect it. There's room but for one language. It's English. And you need to learn it. You need to assimilate and become Americans in our culture. We'll respect your cultures. I agree with that, and I am so proud to have a President that would stand up and do what's best for this country. In the end, I think we need to make English the national language.

Mr. YOHO. I would like to thank the gentlelady from Minnesota, my home State, for allowing me to speak tonight on this very important topic. This is a perfect example where Congress has failed to lead on immigration for the last 30 years, and it's unacceptable. It's not just an economic issue; it's also a national security issue when we have open borders like this. Somebody said, well, you just want to exclude everybody. No, I don't. You know, if we look at our own homes, we lock the doors at night for a reason. The job of a mayor is to keep a city safe. The job of a Governor is to keep her State safe. The job of us in Congress is to legislate to keep our country safe. What we have right now is a situation that the American people are fed up with. They're fed up with the fact that Congress is not leading on this. This is a moment in time where we do need to lead and set some policies out front that are not Democratic policies, they're not Republican policies; these policies need to be what's best for America. If our policies are best for America, everybody wins. If we cater to a certain group or this group or this industry or that industry, what we miss is the mark. And again, that mark is to protect what is sacred about America, and that is the opportunity that people flock to this country for. That opportunity, if we put the work behind it, we all know that becomes the American Dream. And that really is what's under attack here. So us, as legislators, we need to come out with a policy that's best for America. I think if our Founding Fathers looked at where we are today, I think they would be outraged. Because, again, we have failed to act for the last 30 years. We have, you know, the estimate is--pick your number, 11, 12, 20, 30 million people here illegally. It's weakening our economy. It's also diluting that opportunity. I think all of us here are in agreement that if we don't protect that opportunity, there will not be a place that is that beacon on top of the hill that other people aspire to come to. So I'm happy to be here as part of this discussion. I think the worst thing that we can do is to pass a bill and that bill not be well thought out or not read. It would be like some of the bills in the past where I feel there was legislative malpractice when they passed bills and they said, we have to pass it to see what's in it, we have to pass it to see how it's going to work. We don't want to go there again. We want a bill that, when we pass it, our children and the children of the future can say, You know what? They did a great job. I'm glad they stood up and took their time to make a bill that was good for America and that protected that opportunity that we hold so dearly.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. Madam Chair, I rise today against this job killing amendment. Madam Chair, for years people have rallied against our domestic sugar program because they felt it artificially increased prices here at home. Nothing could be further from the truth. Prices have dropped dramatically over the past year, with the culprit being an influx of sugar from foreign countries. Worldwide agriculture is a distorted market due to foreign price and supply control programs, but sugar takes the cake as being the most distorted commodity in the world. Each year countries like Brazil and Mexico dump millions of tons onto export markets dropping the price of sugar below the cost of producing sugar. This is price manipulation at its worst. That is why I have joined with many of my colleagues in calling for a ``Zero-For-Zero'' policy that would reduce subsidies world wide. But until our trading partners agree with this policy, we should not place our farmers in direct competition with massive government controlled production by changing our already modest domestic program. I urge my colleagues to vote for thousands of American jobs by defeating this amendment.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Sessions). This bill has been a long time coming. With over 3 years of reviewing every single USDA program, 11 audit hearings, and 2 markups, we've finally brought a farm bill to the house floor--and I need to remind everybody, with a lot of bipartisan support. This is hugely important for the stability and security of our Nation's food supply; and without that supply, a nation like ours cannot truly call itself secure. I've worked in agriculture all my life, since I was 16 years of age, and I've seen the regulations that stood in the way of farmers and ranchers, and I've seen the regulations that have made sure our food supply is the safest in the world. This legislation cuts through the red tape by eliminating and consolidating over 100 programs, while bolstering farm risk management programs so that our farmers can keep feeding America during the tough times. I see a lot of theatrics and drama when we hear people talk about 50 million starving people in this country. I disagree with that. I think there are 330 million starving people at least three times a day. We call it breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But as far as 300 million nutritionally deprived people, I would beg to differ. The SNAP program does not take one calorie off the plate of anyone who qualifies for the program. Let me repeat that. The SNAP program does not take one calory off the plate of those who qualify for the program. We simply close the loophole that allows States to sign people up into the program without the proper qualifications. To have a secure nation, we must have a secure food source. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for the rule and for passing the underlying bill.

Mr. YOHO

Mr. YOHO. I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma. Mr. Chairman, I stand in opposition to Mr. McGovern's amendment because the amount removed from the food stamp program will not remove one calorie off anyone's plate that deserves it or requires this assistance. And I know the importance, personally, of having to go on food stamps. When my wife and I first got married, we were 19\1/2\. The interest rates in the economy went to 20 percent, and we had to get on food stamps for a short period of time. So I understand the need for those. But yet let's look at the facts here. Out of the whole bill, of $940 billion being spent over 10 years we're looking at here, 80 percent of that goes to the food stamp program, which is approximately $752 billion. Eighty percent of the farm bill is going to that. Only 20 percent is actually going to the farmers, and we've cut that drastically over the last couple of years. And so this is just a commonsense approach of reducing the amount of money that we're spending in this country. And I stand in opposition to this amendment.