E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019 No. 71 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was verse populations. Providing care to leader, about someone who has changed called to order by the Speaker pro tem- our most at-risk population was a the healthcare system not just for my pore (Mr. CUELLAR). focus of his for 30 years, and it is one district or Columbus, but for the Na- f that he has never lost. Mr. Speaker, I tion, and those two words are ‘‘thank know that firsthand because I had the you.’’ DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO opportunity to witness his work. Thank you for being a leader. Thank TEMPORE I am so honored that David is with us you for being a public servant. But The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- today in the gallery. most of all, Dave P. Blom, thank you, fore the House the following commu- As president of the entire OhioHealth thank you for being my friend. I salute nication from the Speaker: system for the past 17 years, Dave has you. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The WASHINGTON, DC, molded and elevated OhioHealth’s com- May 1, 2019. mitment to all of the communities it Chair would remind Members to avoid I hereby appoint the Honorable HENRY serves as the largest hospital system in referencing occupants of the gallery. CUELLAR to act as Speaker pro tempore on central Ohio. f this day. Let me tell Members what I have wit- CONGRATULATING DAVID BLOM NANCY PELOSI, nessed. ON HIS RETIREMENT Speaker of the House of Representatives. When we talked about our babies and f infant mortality, I remember it so well The SPEAKER pro tempore. The when Dave made that call and said we Chair recognizes the gentleman from MORNING-HOUR DEBATE are going to keep our babies healthy. Ohio (Mr. STIVERS) for 5 minutes. Mr. STIVERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Thus, he spearheaded Wellness on today to recognize the career of Dave ant to the order of the House of Janu- Wheels’ Women’s Health, or as we like Blom as he retires after 17 years of ary 3, 2019, the Chair will now recog- to call it in our home district, WOW, service as president and CEO of nize Members from lists submitted by and what a wow it has been. the majority and minority leaders for OhioHealth this July. There is not enough time for me to While his leadership in the industry morning-hour debate. highlight all the things that this in- The Chair will alternate recognition is unparalleled, as a veteran, I want to credible leader has done, but let me focus on what strikes me about Dave between the parties. All time shall be fast-forward to my time in Congress. I the most, and that is his commitment equally allocated between the parties, can remember how and when Congress- to improving access to healthcare for and in no event shall debate continue man STEVE STIVERS and I talked about those who have served our Nation. beyond 11:50 a.m. Each Member, other the great work, and there was an op- In 2014, the Department of Veterans than the majority and minority leaders portunity when then-Speaker Boehner Affairs was facing rising numbers na- and the minority whip, shall be limited wanted to revise the whole system for tionally, and, unfortunately, many vet- to 5 minutes. our veterans. STEVE STIVERS, a vet- erans were not receiving the good care f eran, and Dave Blom, caring about our that they deserved. As a result, the veterans, thus, he was appointed to the Congressional Commission on Care was CONGRATULATING DAVID BLOM Federal commission to reform the De- ON HIS RETIREMENT formed, a 15-person task force that partment of Veterans Affairs. would make recommendations about The SPEAKER pro tempore. The I can remember the exciting day how to best serve our Nation’s veterans Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from when Dave Blom walked into my office, with healthcare. Ohio (Mrs. BEATTY) for 5 minutes. and it was the same day that we were I knew Dave’s knowledge of Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise having the House Chamber’s joint ses- healthcare and longstanding commit- today to express my deepest gratitude sion to hear the Japanese Prime Min- ment to our Nation’s heroes made him and to recognize the career of David P. ister. I remember how excited he was an outstanding candidate for that Com- Blom, who is retiring as president and to hear that we were going to host the mission, and I was proud to work with CEO of OhioHealth after 36 years. Japanese Prime Minister, how great it my colleagues, Representative BEATTY David became president of Grant Med- was when he sat front and center in the and Representative Tiberi, at the time, ical Center, located in downtown Co- gallery to hear that message. to secure him an appointment from lumbus in my district. The list goes on and on, but today is Speaker Boehner. Dave set out to make healthcare simply a day to say the two most pow- In 2015, Dave Blom and the Commis- more accessible to underserved and di- erful words that I can say about a great sion got to work. After over 10 months b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H3343 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:40 May 02, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01MY7.000 H01MYPT1 SSpencer on DSK3G9T082PROD with HOUSE H3344 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 1, 2019 of effort, they ultimately produced 18 effigy did not look like a character Mr. Speaker, I cannot help but re- reforms for the VA and Congress, in- from Biblical times. Rather, it was a flect that, this week, the United States cluding the VA Mission Act, which stereotypical Orthodox Jew dressed in is observing Holocaust Remembrance gives veterans access to local providers ninth century Hasidic garb. Week and honoring the 6 million Jews outside the VA system and guarantees Feeding into these dangerous inci- and millions of others murdered by the timely access to care. dents, just last week, the international Nazi regime. Dave was a vital contributor to these edition of The New York Times pub- In the memory of all of those lost to reforms, and I know he counts his time lished a disgusting anti-Semitic car- anti-Semitism and other forms of hate, on the Commission among the most re- toon. The paper subsequently apolo- we have a moral responsibility to warding experiences of his life. gized, but the damage was already stamp out intolerance and prejudice in It is impossible to quantify the im- done. It was an astonishing editorial our time. Otherwise, as the late Elie pact that he has had on the lives of failure by one of the Nation’s most im- Wiesel famously said: ‘‘To forget the millions of veterans and their families portant papers of record. I was pleased victims means to kill them a second across this country, but it is certain to today to see the editorial board of the time.’’ resonate with veterans far into the fu- Times directly address this issue. f ture. Especially at these times of growing HONORING HOLOCAUST VICTIMS I am incredibly grateful for Dave’s anti-Semitism, we must all be extra service and his leadership, and I wish vigilant, lest we add fuel to the flames The SPEAKER pro tempore. The him all the best in his next chapter of of hate and intolerance. Chair recognizes the gentleman from life. I am confident that he will remain Whenever and wherever we see anti- Kansas (Mr. MARSHALL) for 5 minutes. Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise involved in central Ohio and its com- Semitism, we must speak out to stanch today to honor the 6 million Jewish munities for a long time to come. I am it, for what begins as stereotypes and men, women, and children who were also fortunate to call him a friend. He cartoons far too often leads to violence violently murdered for their religious is a great leader in healthcare, and he that has claimed so many lives beliefs by the Nazi regime. has been a great leader for our country. throughout our history. This week remembers the victims Our Nation was founded on the idea I thank Dave Blom for his service to who lost their lives to this evil regime that every American of every religion our veterans, and I congratulate him and honors the survivors who beat the has the fundamental right to practice on an incredible career in healthcare. unthinkable odds. f their faith without fear of persecution Sonia Warshawski, a Kansan from or violence. This was established in the STOP ANTI-SEMITISM Overland Park, was a young teenager very first amendment to our Constitu- when Nazi Germany invaded her home The SPEAKER pro tempore. The tion and enshrined in our Bill of in Poland. She was imprisoned, locked Chair recognizes the gentleman from Rights. But this right has been shat- inside a Nazi concentration camp, and Illinois (Mr. SCHNEIDER) for 5 minutes.