Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014 No. 145 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was with long memories who seek to punish who has been a tireless champion for called to order by the Speaker pro tem- those who helped us. justice for these Afghan and Iraqi na- pore (Mr. STEWART). Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal had tionals, in directing a letter to our f a front-page story about an Iraqi fam- friends on the Appropriations Com- ily that is caught in the bureaucratic mittee asking that they, like last year, DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO pipeline for the families seeking safety authorize urgently needed Afghan SIVs TEMPORE after years of service and now facing in the end-of-the-year appropriations The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- intense threats against them. package that we will soon have here on fore the House the following commu- There was a recent HBO feature by the floor. nication from the Speaker: comedian John Oliver on his program, We have stepped up before, but we ‘‘Last Week Tonight,’’ that, in graphic, need to avoid this Special Immigrant WASHINGTON, DC, Visa roulette so that these people are December 2, 2014. satirical, somewhat profane terms, cap- I hereby appoint the Honorable CHRIS tured the essence of the bureaucratic not in limbo, or, worse, resigned to the STEWART to act as Speaker pro tempore on nightmare faced by thousands in Iraq hell inflicted on them by the Taliban in this day. and Afghanistan. They and their fam- Afghanistan. JOHN A. BOEHNER, ily members are at risk of being as- Even with the leadership of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. saulted, kidnapped, tortured, raped, or Armed Services Committee, we will f killed simply because they were there still fall short of upholding our com- mitments for a need as great as 9,000 MORNING-HOUR DEBATE helping Americans. We are seeing some progress. I deeply visas for Afghanistan alone. That is The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- appreciate the tireless efforts of Chair- why our appropriators must help shoul- der the responsibility, and they need to ant to the order of the House of Janu- man BUCK MCKEON, Ranking Member hear from us, every Member of Con- ary 7, 2014, the Chair will now recog- ADAM SMITH, and their staff, the work nize Members from lists submitted by on the National Defense Authorization gress. It is our moral obligation to take ac- the majority and minority leaders for Act, which will help us uphold commit- tion to protect, not just those people, morning-hour debate. ments to our Afghan allies. but the security interests of the United The Chair will alternate recognition However, all of us in Congress have a States. It is not just their innocent between the parties, with each party responsibility, and there is an oppor- lives that are at stake. Think about limited to 1 hour and each Member tunity for all of us to step up and help the trust that is going to be necessary other than the majority and minority this desperate situation. Over the last 7 when we need help in the future from leaders and the minority whip limited years, it has been a battle to have foreign nationals for our soldiers, our to 5 minutes, but in no event shall de- America honor its obligations by effec- bate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. diplomats, and our aid workers. tively implementing this Special Im- Let’s sign the letter. Let’s all detail f migrant Visa program authorized by someone on every staff to pay atten- Congress to help those who helped us tion to this issue. Add our voices. It is SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA to escape. PROGRAM being done by the Armed Services We are seeing the results of many on Committee. Help the Appropriations The SPEAKER pro tempore. The this floor who encourage the State De- Committee in this next critical step. Chair recognizes the gentleman from partment to more aggressively imple- It should not be left to a comedian Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER) for 5 min- ment this Special Immigration Visa like John Oliver, God bless him, to utes. program. The Afghan program went carry this banner alone. Sign the let- Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, from an embarrassing 32 visas for all of ter, speak out, take up the cause. one of our responsibilities in this Con- 2012 to an average of 400 each month We must not fail those who are at gress is to protect the men and women this year. This is due to enhanced over- risk only because they believed our from Iraq and Afghanistan who put sight and pressure and cooperation promises and they helped Americans in their lives on the line to assist the from Congress. The program is now some of the most difficult cir- United States. functioning at a level that almost al- cumstances we have ever asked our sol- Thousands of Afghans and Iraqis who lows us to keep our promises to our al- diers, diplomats, and aid workers to helped us as guides, as interpreters, lies. face. must not be left to the tender mercies One thing we all can do is to join me This is a failure we can avoid, and we of al Qaeda, the Taliban, and others and my colleague, ADAM KINZINGER, can end this Congress on a positive 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. H8227 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:50 Dec 02, 2014 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A02DE7.000 H02DEPT1 SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H8228 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 2, 2014 note that can make everybody feel bet- (Mr. TURNER) is recognized for 1 FUNDING FOR ALZHEIMER’S ter as we approach the holiday season. minute. DISEASE RESEARCH There was no objection. f (Mr. QUIGLEY asked and was given Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I am hon- permission to address the House for 1 RECESS ored to welcome my good friend Pastor minute and to revise and extend his re- David Gray as our guest chaplain The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- marks.) ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair today. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Pastor Gray Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise declares the House in recess until noon today in support of funding for Alz- today. grew up active in the Presbyterian church and has gone on to lead a dis- heimer’s disease research. Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 6 min- Alzheimer’s is a particularly dev- utes a.m.), the House stood in recess. tinguished life of service. Holding both a law degree and a doc- astating disease both for the patients f torate of ministry, Pastor Gray is a and their families. Families watch their loved ones effectively disappear b 1200 former public servant, having served as a staffer in the Senate and a true spir- before their eyes. There are currently AFTER RECESS itual leader that has helped numerous more than 5 million Americans suf- The recess having expired, the House individuals and families grow in their fering from this disease, with one was called to order by the Speaker pro relationship with God. American being diagnosed every 67 sec- tempore (Mr. GARDNER) at noon. Currently, Pastor Gray serves as the onds. We must take preventive actions to f head pastor at Bradley Hills Church and resides in Bethesda, Maryland, address the growing population of Alz- PRAYER with his wife, Bridget, and their four heimer’s patients in this country. In Reverend Dr. David Gray, Bradley children. the fiscal year 2015 appropriations Hills Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, On behalf of the United States Con- process, I urge my colleagues to sup- Maryland, offered the following prayer: gress and the people of his hometown port increased funding for this re- Gracious God, Your love is never end- in my district of the 10th Congressional search. This research will help find ing. In these hallowed Halls, Your sov- District of Ohio, I want to thank Pas- ways to prevent, treat, and even slow ereign spirit comes to us, calms us, tor Gray for his commitment to his the progression of the disease, helping calls us, and infuses us with Your faith and for opening the House today to ease the burden on patients, care- grace. with his prayer. givers, and the Medicare system. Give us strength this day to look out- f Congress must continue its commit- side ourselves for the opportunities ment to fight against Alzheimer’s by ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER providing this crucial funding. which come from connection and col- PRO TEMPORE laboration. Give us faith to bring our f best selves and to seek Your will. Give The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ECONOMY us confidence that solutions can be Chair will entertain up to 15 further re- found and problems solved. quests for 1-minute speeches on each (Ms. FOXX asked and was given per- Grant us gratitude for the trust side of the aisle. mission to address the House for 1 placed in us, for the privilege of living f minute.) in this free land, and for Your presence CALIFORNIA ABORTION MANDATE Ms.