eastern ukraine. obama does nothing. the u.s. does nothing. what does that tell north korea? i don't believe they are going to give up their nukes. that's my opinion. david, appreciate your call this morning. this is "politico" this morning. four primaries, mark sanford losing in south carolina. his fatal sin, crossing donald trump. the former governor, the congressman, sticking to his principles, taking on the president to the bitter end. president trump tweeting his opposition to the candidacy of mark sanford. call.hear one more georgia, milwaukee, go ahead, the house is coming in, so keep it short. caller: i would like to thank c-span for taking my call. with the summit with donald trump and kim jong-un --

host: george, i'm sorry, i should even put you on. call us back tomorrow. the house is coming in for morning our speeches [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2018] r. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the clerk: the speaker's room, washington, d.c., june 13, 2018. i hereby appoint the honorable ralph norman to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, paul d. ryan, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house of january 8, 2018, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. the chair will alternate recognition between the parties. all time shall be equally allocated between the parties and in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m.

each member other than the majority and minority leaders and the majority whip shall be limited to five minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. shimkus, for five minutes. mr. shimkus: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. shimkus: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, on the week of the congressional baseball game, one which i will wear the uniform of the st. louis cardinals, i rise today and honor the life and career of major league player albert fred cheney who passed away on wednesday, june 6, at 95 years old. he was born in my congressional district in germantown, illinois, on february 2, 1923. red grew up as one of seven children. his dad was a coal miner. he lived in his early days without running water or electricity. he married mary o'riley in 1947 and celebrated 52 years of

marriage before she passe away in 1999. together they had four children, 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. as 16 years old while working on a fence under the cilian conservation rps, h suffered an injuryh left eye. that injury made it hard for him to read a breaking ball from the right side so he learned to be a switch hitter. red tried out for the cardinals in 1942 and at his induction ceremony at the baseball hall of fame he said he and his friends hitchhiked a ride to st. louis on a milk truck. quot i never thought that milk truck ride would eventually lead to cooperstown and baseball's highest honor. he also spoke about his attitude toward playing the game. i would play any position my manager asked. whatever took thein i was illig to do. all i wanted to do was be on thalineup card and become a champion. and that was. after his discharge from the military, red started his major league career with the

cardinals in 1945 as a left fielder. the hometown kid finally had a chance to play for his hometown team. he played in 137 games and stole 26 bases that season. in 1946, red moved toecond base where i is wherhe played for the rest of his career -- which is where he played for he rest of his career and. in 19 seasons as a player, red compiled a .289 batting average with 8 home runs, 773 r.b.i.'s, 1,200-plus runs. and he spent -- the cardinals won the world series in 1946, 1957, 1982. he spent 74 consecutive years in may be as a player, coach and manager and spent 67 of those years as a st. louis cardinal. i'd like to end also talking about red and his faly as individuals. mary was very moved for reaching out to new players' wives, helping them adjust to life with a major leaguer.

mary sang the national anthem many time before cardinals games and organized a wives charity. makes d said was, what baseball so great, you canned hold the ball for 24 seconds and take the last shot, run out the clock or get a field goal. you have to get 27 out, one way or another. time doesn't run out until he gets the 27th out. his friend was stan musial. a lot of guys e privilege playing for red for many years and i was proud i was one of em. he's the most kindest, decent men i have ever known. more important being his teammate or roommate, however, is having been his friend for so many they don't come any beer i can't say it any better myself, mr. speaker. we've lost a great cardinal. and i thank you for this time and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. mcgovern, for five minutes.

mr. mcgovern: mr. speaker, i rise to bring attention to a recent study published by cranty in the journal of nutrition education and behavior theiesearch coirms what we already know about snap and what the agriculture committee has discovered during our thorough review of the program. that is that current benefits averaging only $er person per meal are not enough to diver the cost of a healthy . the doctors set out to explore how much it cost families to follow the my plate dietary guidelines set by the u.s. department of agriculture and then estimated the additional resources families on snap would need to follow these recommendations for a healthy diet. they discovered that a family of four with two adults and two children between the ages of 8 and 17 needed between $1,109 and $1,249 to follow usda's recommendations for ahy diet, including the time to prepare nutritious meals.

the research found this type of family, a family of four with two older kids would need an additional $627 per month to eat a nutritious diet. overall the research dmined that cnt snap benets only of the a 4 % to 6 food budget -- 43% to 60% of the food budget. these underscores the need for congress to protect snap and further expand access to nutritious food by increasing benefits. this is especially important as we continue to learn about the negative impacts erte by hunger and lack of access to nutritious food. ununatel some in this have d effos he o constituents put food on their table when times are tough into an ideological crusade. quite frankly, it's unconscionable. food out to be a fundamental right for every single person. republicans on the house agriculture committee and in the republican leadership of this house advanced a farm bill last month that would have done irreparable harm to our

anti-hunger safety net. it relied on negative sttycoect assumptions about the hardworking american families who rely on modest snap benefits. it would have slashed snap by $23 billion which would cause millions of americans to see their benefits reduced or eliminated entirely. and not only did this terrible bill single out those vulnerable adult who is are having a difficult time finding stable employment, it also targeted working families, older adults, and children. in the united states of america, the richest country in the history of the world, no person should go to bed hungry or wonering where his or her next meal is cing from. this congress ought to be focused on helping our constituents with a hand up when time are tough instead of demonizing the poor and ignoring their struggles. i'm encouraged that the senate agriculture committee is marking up a biparsafa bill today that protects snap from harmful cuts and makes investments in the program to help increase access to healthy foods. my republican friends in th

house should follow their example. as we continue through this year's farm bill process, i encourage members on both sides of the aisle to reject cuts to snap benefits. as research has long confirmed, snap helps reduce food insecurity, promote access to nutritious foods and improve health. we kno that snap benefits must be increased to cover the costs associated with a nutritious diet. i encourage my colleagues to consider this important new information and to join me in working to end hunger now. i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from louisiana, mr. abraham, or five minutes mr. abraham: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today to honor the life of william alan kendrick jr. a marine and life-long residt of gina, louisiana, who died

tragically on may 24. alan led a life driven by patriotism, faith. values he lived and expressed through music. he served as a bandsman in the marine corps for eight years and brought his enthusiasm for music and theater back to civilian life in his hometown of gina, a small rural community that i have the privilege to represent in my district. alan first dved s love of music at united -- memorial methodist united church when he joined the group known as the nali notables as a young student. as an adult, he created the nali memorial u.m.c. grace notes choir and doubled the choir after becoming its director. not surprisingly, alan incorporated his love for god

and country in his music and it showed when he performed at the notable arrangements during independence day, memorial day, and other veterans' events. he was also a member of the community theater group called acting up and a former band director at gina high sl. alan shared a quote on his facebook page that said -- music is not what i do, it's who i am. lived that life every day and all and all of us who heard his music are better for it. i joiall the who have been blsed by alan's music, and i mourn his presence as does the community. it will be hard not to think of him the next time i attend a service in gina. though i know his legacy and his patriotism will forever be a special part of gina and louisiana and hopefully the nation.

thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield back. the temre: the chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois, mr. gutierrez, for five minutes. mr. githes: -- mr. gutierrez:rker, last week a group of about a dozen of us wrote a letter to the head of the department of homelandecitalth and human services, and the attorney general. we demanded that the trump administration cease its practice of prosecuting asylum seekers to reunite families they separated from their families. children that they separated from their familiesnd to allow members of congress to visit the facilities where the children are being held. we gave these three trump administration binet secretaries a deadline to get back to us and so far we've heard nothing. not a peep. so now we're trying to figure out how to make it clear to the um administration that his agencys are taking children from the arms of moms and dads is absolutely 100% unacceptable

to us and most americans. let's look at what's going on here. in order to get more of you on that side of the aisle elected or re-elected, the president and his henchmen have devised an election year strategy to be mean as possible toasum seekers, to refugees,iner the president and attorney general said this is a national security strategy and that our national security depends on taking toddlers, infants, and children, most of whom are under the age of 12, away from their parents. come on. really? does jling a scared, frightened, terrorized 8-year-old who barely escaped her life from central america make any of us safer? well, it doesn't. the only person who might be safer because an 8-year-old child is in jail is a member of the house running r re-election on a get toughn imm and it isn't like they're takinghese children from their parents and putting them on the other side of the jail

or the other side of the for-profit detention center. no. they are taking the toddler, the infant, the 8 or 9-year-old and taking them to a government facility somewhere else. maybe in new york, chicago, seattle, thousands of miles away. and we're hearing the mos horrific stories. parents who have had their chin taken from them have committed suicide. imagine how you would feel if you had to walk from el salvador to texas to save the life of your son or daughter only to wind up in detention. now, imagine a man in a uniform comes up and says, hey, we are going to take your child to see a doctor. hours go by and realize they are gone forever. can you imagine? can you situietly and do nothing when that is how your tax dollars are being spent? we are scarring these children for the rest of their lives. we know this. taking children from their families and institutionalizing them at a young age will have

consequences for that child and for this country and our taxpayers for the rest of their lives. and we don't know for sure because none of the agencies have responded but we hear that parents are going to court in mass trials and having their asylum claims denied. not heard but denied and then the parents are deported. does the government then go on nd t chil in hicago, detroit, and send them bk to their parents? who knows. but probably not. there is a certain devious and genuinely cruel kind of evil in separating a child from their mother. and they don't expect anyone on the republican side of the aisle to anything because it's part of the strategy to help them keep their job. and they -- well, you know what, look. today, i'm going to be joining with a group of hundreds of advocates from a diverse array of organizations, issues, and

areas of this country and we're gointo demd answers. and it's just not luis gutierrez, but my friend and ally, joe crowley, will be together todayt a rally at freedom plaza at 1:30 here in washington, d.c., and we'll have other members. joe and i will have other members including some that signed that letter i talked about and got the ball rolling. because you know what, we cannot s back and let our government systematically ruin the lives of families and scar children for life. . when we said never gep, we meantever it. never again, means right here in the united states of america. mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that the letter to the cabinet secretary signed b11 democrats notwithstanding eavenses be placed in the record -- answers be placed in the gept it. without objection. mr. gutierrez: thank you, record. mr. peaker pro tempore:

speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the chair mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york, mr. katko, for five minutes. mr. katko: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today as a house considers legislation to address a heroin and synthetic drug epidemic plaguing our country to honor the memories of two young people from my district. morgan brittanya.x.e., who die interested a heroinverdose more than 2 1rs ago, and victor orlando wilson who drawned after using synthetic drugs that he bought over the counter almost six years ago. morgan and victor were touched by this terrible epidemic. they were both active members of our community and touched the lives of every person they interacted with. before she passed away, morgan worked at an animal hospital and treated sick and injured animals on a daily basis. victor was a high achieving gradua mexico hschool and enrolled in a community college where he studied criminal justice and psychology.

drug addiction is a terrible disease. morgan became addicted to xanax after the suicidof her boyfriend. she was just 17 years old at the time. morgan became dependent on xanax and need it to function on a daily basis. she then progressed to other pills in order to numb her . after a long battle with heroin and prescription painkillers, morgan found the strength of sow bright for eight months and -- sobriety for eight montnd was on a drug that makes it impossible for addicts get high on heroin or painkillers. ter she found out she was pregnant, morgan went off the drug because she did not want it to harm her child. unfortunately, post acute withdrawal set in and mrgan relapsed. morgan did not want to -- did not have -- morgan did not have to drive toe a dug house on circus' -- syracuse's west side to buy the heroin that killed

her. instead a person delivered it to her house after cajoling her to use it. aft doing one bag of heroin, one, deiana found her daughter lifeless in her bedroom. morgan overdosed and died, and unborn child died with her. morgan's drugealer anthony, was federally prosecuted and is now in prison for the next 15 years. however, north carolina prison where he belongs will never bring morgan back. victorilsonas your average go lucky teenager who had many friends. he was not only a go lucky teen many friends. he was not only a loyal friend but loving brother, uncle, and grandson. victor graduated mexico high school with an advance regents diploma and four years in the marine corps junior rotc program

in college -- rotogram. in college he at the young agef 19, went spice suffered a fatal reaction from smoking that synthetic marijuana, and drowned in lake ontario. after victor's tragic death, his mother channels her sadness and anger into advocacy and founded the victor orlando wilson foundation. which advocates for stronger legislation against synthetic drugs and assists individuals and organizations in proding services for mentally ill homeless and low-income youth. it is my honor to fight alongside theresa and this year i invited her to be 3450eu guest

at the state of the union to highlight the need to address and combat the use of synthetic drugs. i'm proud to fight in memory of morgan and victor and so many others. in this congress i introduced the stop importation and trafficking synthetic analogs act,hect modernizes a controlled substances act by speeding up the process of placing synthetic drugs on the controlled substances list. under current law, drug producers often make minor tweaks to illegal substance that is mimic the effects of banned drugs and use this loophole to prevent law enforcement from removing these drugs from circulation n addition, the act outlaws 13 synthetic fentanyls that have been died by the food and drug administration as an immediate threat to public health. together, by passing this legislation we can prevent synthetic drugs from, one, being imported into this country. two, being routinely mixed with heroin in fatal doses, and three, from being sold

over-the-counter in head shops throughout this country. victorfforts can't bring orlando wilson victor orlando wilson back, it can't bringing morgan ax back and so many others from our district and country, but it's a start in the right direction to stop this terrible epidemic. every hour in this country, five people die from heroin overdose. every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. we've got to stop. we have to keep pushing. i'm proud to be part of the legislation and proud that congress is acting in such a meaningful manner. wit that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york, mr. crowley, for mr. minutes. crowley: mr. speaker, the trump administration in its attacks on families seeking sylum are in full force.

the attorney general jeff sessions just announced this week that victims of necessaryic violence -- domestic violence and gang violence will no longer asylum here in the united states. victims of domestic violence as nited ates.. victims of gang violence. will no longer be eligible for asylum, refuge here in the united states. this isn't about going after the perpetrators. what the attorney general is doing, he is targeting the victims. not the perpetrators, but the victims of domestic violence a of gang violence. meanwhile, the administration continues to engage in the sickening policy of taking children, babies, away from their mothers and their fathers.

just like this woman from guatemala. mr. speaker, this is an ugly hour for our nation. uglyier -- uglier than we have seen in a very, very long time. as a father myself, my heartaches when i hear the tories of toddlers screaming for their parents who are sitting in a cell within earshot . if that isn't psychlogical torture, i don't know what is. colleagues f my have recounted from their visits to detention centers, they are simply gut wrenching. colleague have recounted from their any one of my republican colleagues who supports these abominable policies should be .shamed

put yourself in the shoes of these people. they have justenoned hundreds if not thousands of miles to save their lives and to save the lives of their children . they have left everything they have knn behind. every person they have left because it's no longer safe to stay there. they arrive in the world's greatest nation seeking refuge and asylum and turn to american authorities willingly apply for that asylum. what happens? their children are ripped from their arms. screaming and crying. all because they tried to save their children from a treachers fat the republican party used to stand for and talk a lot about

family values. republicans of all stripes would tout it over . mialues, family values, valu. there is no value in ripping a child from the arms of their mother. it's inhumane. there is no value in keeping republicans of all stripes woul children alone in a steel cage of their e love family. it is cruel. there is no value in cannot zing a child who fend for themselves. it is torture. my colleagues, america is asking, the world is asking where cannot fend are your family values now? where is your outrage? where is your compassion? where is your courage? they don't need to do this to these families. and don't let them fool you. the law does not require, not one bit. this is a choice that is being

made by president trump. not the law. a choice. and it must stop. america must be on the side of children and families. america must remain a safe haven for those seeking safety and refuge. last week, 10 of my colleagues and i sent a letter to the department of homeland security and other agencies on this reprehensible action. we call on them to cease and desist with this so-called zero tolerance policy, and reunite separated parents andwith their. and we made very clear we expected an immediate response and, surprise, we have gotten no response. they have offered no response to how cruel they are being. no response to the harm that they are causing to these children. so i will stand in solidarity with these families. i will stand in solidarity with those fleeing violence and seeking asylum. i will stand up and shout out against these agencies -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired.

mr. crowley: are unacceptable. and democrats will keep fighting until the disgusting practice of taking children from their mothers ends. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the chair recognizes the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. fitzpatrick, for five minutes. mr. fitzpatrick: i rise today to recognize measm our community in bucks county, pennsylvania, who recently was honored as a red cross hero. last new year's eve, vincent sprang into action following a serious action in which an impaired driver crashed his vehicle into the home of his neighbors. jim and mary albright. vincent provided immediate assistance to jim, who was seriously injured, and was bleeding heavily from a sustained head wound. for the rest of that night, vincent comforted mary who had to face the devastating reality of an injured husband, damaged , and the death of the

family's beloved yellow lab because of this horrific incident. today, jim, who is fully recovered, refers to vincent as his and mary's guardian angel. i'd like to honor vincent for his quick thinking and selfless actions. i encourage all my constituents to follow his lead and to look out for each other in times of risis. mr. speaker, i'm proud to recognize a heroic young man who is already teaching our community in bucks county, pennsylvania, the values of respect and compassion. logan of fairless hills was born with a syndrome, rare disorder which affects facial bones and structure. recently logan has undergone several surgeries to alleviate his condition, and he often wears a headband to assist with his hearing. in the fall, logan will be

starting kindergarten. his school recently held an assembly in his honor to teach fellow students that even though logan may look different than they do, he's just like them. i commend logan for his bravery and i also commend the elementary school as well. i want to commend both for their willingness to spread kindness to their peers and our community. and i'd also like to recognize logan's pents, matt and nicole, for raising such a fine young man and for all that they do for individuals facing this challenge. mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from illinois, ms. kelly, for five minutes. ms. kelly: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today yet again because congress continues to do nothing as americans die from the scourge of gun violence. it's just over two years from the tragedy at pulse nightclu

that claimed 49 lives and changed hundreds of lives forward. one year since mass shootings in baltimore, maryland, and university city, missouri, that claimed two lives and wounded six others. nearly one year since the republican majority whip was shot a few miles from here preparing for the annual congressional baseball game, and i will add this past weekend, nine more murdered in chicago and over 30 shots. mr. speaker, what are we doing? how can we let this continue? we have school shootings almost weekly. people are dying in their homes nd movie theaters and city parks, and yet this house, this republican majority, does nothing. . mr. speaker, hear are the names of some of the americans this house, this republican majority have failed. patricia carney, lieutenant lonel steven dody, al,

sala, dr. griffith, clodine, zonea, connie, ruth, suzanne, hn romero sr., nancy stansbury, james welsh, meredith height, james dunlap, darrell hawkins, ryan morgan, maya bass, casey bernard, steven cano, corey, kelly flemming, daniel mozer, daniel robarg, rachel scott, isiah shoal, lauren townsend, kyle velazquez, lieutenant brian murphy, madison finch, samuel osales, tranese, ronnie, lazara, joseph graves, briana

jenkins, sarah, keone evs, ic garth, ben wilson, gloria mckey, kathryn cole, don e. hern. davita. joan similaron, rhonda ohler, , connie, cody corey lee shannon, antinette haywood, courtney taylar, kim sofia sanders, i ask unanimous consent to insert the names of 250 additional gun violence victims into the congressional record. amicans ths h ames of 250 failed. it's sad it took me too little time to find the names of 250 americans killed by gun violence. sad because we could save lives but refuse to do so. we could save other filies from enduring this trauma and pain. if you could find the courage

to put american lives before the n.r.a. checks and big gun lobbies. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the material will be entered into the record. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. ruiz, for fve minutes. mr. ruiz: i rise today to congratulate mr. kent breath waite after 39 years of service as teacher, counselor, role model fo the cochelly valley high school. heeft an impression on countless students. as a social studies and english teacher and advisor and mentor, he helped countless students prepare for and pursue a college education. more importantly, he instilled in his students a life-long love of learning. many years ago, i was one of s se students in mr. glish class. he was the kind of teacher who not only taught but inspired his students to work even

harder. he challenged my classmates and me every day, pushing uzz to write clearly, read carefully, and question the beliefs and assumptions we brought to his classroom. in the coachella value hey, the region i grew up in and -- valley, the region i grew up in and have the privilege to represent, there are too many young people that drop out of high school before they can graduate to pursue a higher education. teachers like him are helping students show they can achieve their dreams by pursuing their education. during his nearly four decades of teaching, he served his fellow teachers and the coachella valley unified school district in various positions and received prestigious recognitions from the california state assembly, house of representatives, and many local advocacy organizations for his excellence in teaching. most importantly, he has the gratitude of thousands of coachella valley high school alumni. he is joining his wife and fellow teacher, jennifer, for a well-earned retirement.

over her 38-year career, he invited holocaust survivors, vietnam veterans to speak to her classes, gave out scholarships to her students, and helped bring the advanced plcement program to coachella valley high school. like her husband, s has always gone above and beyond to serve her students. on behalf ofllthe students wh ves they touched, i'd likeoff my sincerest thankan congratulate them on their inspiring and meaningful careers. i rise today to congratulate mr. rafael barbosa on his retirement after more than 30 years of service as a guidance counselor for the students of achella valley high school. for more than 30 years, mr. barbosa has spear-headed coachella valley high school's efforts to making attending college a reality, leading college application workshops and connecting students with financial aid and scholarship students. he has influenced countless students' lives and our entire community is grateful r his dedication and commitment to the next generation of leaders.

when i was a student at coachella valley high school, my goal was to one day attend medical school and become a doctor. that dream often felt very far away and at times i wondered whether it might come true. if it wasn't for the support and encf myourage teachers and counselors, especially mr. barbosa, i do not know whether i would have achieved my life-long dream of becoming a physician. mr. barbosa was my guidance counselor and mentor as he has been for thousands of students over the y few people have had such a positive iact on myife. mr. barbosa drove me to become a better student and a better person. he taught me the value of hard work, integrity, and perseverance. like myself, mstuden in my congressional district aspire to pur hig education but often struggle to afford the application fees, tuition, textbooks, and many other expenses. when the time came for me to apply for college and money was tight at home, mr. barbosa paid

for my application. as i'm sure he's done for others. without his generosity, the first step in my journey towards becoming a doctor would never have been possible. mr. barbosa also lent his voice to local and national conversations about the rising cost of higher ucation. as someone on the front lines of our public school system, i hope he will continue to enric this discussion with his insights. in recognition of the positiv impact he has had on if ahe livesf untless students and alumni of coachella valley high school, it was my privilege to host mr. barbosa as my guest for president barack obama's 2015 state of the union address. now on the eve of his retirement, i am honored to congratulate my counselor and mentor, mr. rafaelarbosa, on his well-earned retirement and wish him health and happiness n his new chapter of life.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. green, for five minutes. chairman, i'm proud to stand in the well of the house, i'm proud to be an american, and i'm proud to say that today i rise because i believe that separating children from their parent because they are fleeing violence is antithetical to american values. mr. chairman, i rise because i do not believe that this is consistent wh the golden rule , that this is not doing unto others as we would have them do unto us if we were similarly situated. i rise because i believe that this is not what the good samaritan would do. the good samaritan not only

provided immediate aid and comfort but also took the person who had been harmed to a place where that person could receive additional aid and comft and went so far as to say, i am leaving this with you. if this is t enough, i will come back and i will give you more. this is antithetical to our values, separating children from their parents, be it mother or father, it's still a separation of a child from the person that the child has grown to believe will be there to protect him or her. this is antithetical to what we believe in. it is antithetical to the notion that we are our brother's keeper, that we look out for others, that there is but one race and it's the human race, and that all of god's creation was meant to live in harmony as it relates to

humans. mr. speaker, mr. chairman, presiding officer, this is not being o's brother's keeper. you cannot be your brother's keeper without keeping your brother. weecome a country who would like to see those in harm's way helped but by someone else. if you're fleeing violence in syria, let's make sure that someone else can help you. if youe vioence, as mr. escobar was, jose escbar, my constituent, who was brought up from el salvador by his mother, trying to save her son, and now he has found himself separated from his wife and his two children with $20 in his pocket and sent back to el salvador. i went there to see him. i know of what i speak.

mr. speaker, this is antithetical to our values and it is detrimental to our existence as a great nation. it is time for us to take a stand and demand that this ason to criticize football players, that can find reason to say there was some fine people among those at charlottesville, that can find reason to call women names, it's time for this administration and this president to end this antithetical policy as it relates to american values. i proudly stand here as a proud american and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from alabama, ms. sewell, for five minutes. s. sewell: mr. speaker, i rise today to speak out for the millions of american families

who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic. every day we hear another story ofents who have lost their child to a heroin overdo or a young -- or young children are left behind without care as their parents struggle with addiction. in alabama, which has the highest rate of opioid prescription use in this nation, residents average 1.2 prescriptions per person. mr. speaker, this epidemic doesn't discriminate by age or income or gender. the opioid epidemic has taken from families of every background. now more than ever, these victims need our help. it is our job to help them find treatment, not as criminals, but as patients in need of care. mr. speaker, i am grateful that we are finally seeing as a society that addiction is not something to be criminalized but rather addiion is indeed a public health crisis and it

is not a crime. it i a chronic neurological disorder and it does make sense for us to find help for those who need it and not to put them in jail. unfortunately, during the 19's and 0' during the crack addiction, we criminalized that aictionnd destroyed so many families, many of whom are in my district. but mr. speaker, i am glad that we see that the opioid epidemic is indeed a public health crisis and i'm equally glad that, mr. speaker, we're finally working in a bipartisan way to actually find help -- the needed help that these families need in order to break such addictions. today, i am glad to see that republicans and democrats working together in congress rying to solth opioid epidemic and to help those in need. at a time when congress is struggling with bipartisan -- with partisan gridlock, i am

and happy to see that this week has been declared by my republican colleagues as opioid week, where we will talk about bipartisan bills in order to solve this crisis. i am proud to have introduced a bipartisan legistion with republican congressman peter roskam. our bill, the preventing addiction to susceptible seniors act, helps prevent abuse among seniors without limiting access to needed medication. for an at-risk senior, our legislation requires that part to create a lock in plan that prevents patients from doctor shopping. our legislation would also streamline communication between c.m.s. and part c and part d plans regarding program iny. mr. speaker, bipartisan solutions like these are a step forward in our work to solve the opioid crisis, and i look forward to my biit roskam coming before this body

next week. i truly believe that we have the power to end this epidemic. i heard reports from alabama groups that our poison control center is getting fewer calls about opioid emergencies, and a udyhows that the opioid prescription rate in alabama has finally begun to decrease. states have implemented prescription drug monitoring programs that have pren successful, and many pharmacists have limited opioid prescriptions to seven days. if we're going to put a stop to the opioid crisis, we need to collaborate with every stakeholder. we also need to make sure that our societal safety net is working effectively to give addicts a path out of addiction rather than letting them fall through the cracks. . i want to share a story about a person in my district, a constituent from alabama. jessica was the victim of parental abuse as a child and introduced to opioids by a

doctor for a sports injury in high school. by 17 she was crushing and snorting pill she received 330 pills a month. jessica had three children and lo custody of all three at different points. she started using heroin after losing custody of her youngest son. then her brother died of a heroin overdose. i share this story because i believe that jessica's story then her brother died speaks to the financial stress that working class americans recovering from addiction feel every day. now in recovery, jessica works 10 hours of a night shift at the burger king. given the hours she works, jessica falls in the state's medicaid gap. she doesn't qualify to receive medicaid. have health insurance. jessica has been clean for over a year, but, mr. speaker, because she doesn't have health insurance, this makes her addiction problem and fighting it much harder. the bills that we're considering this week --

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. ms. sewell: it is no silver bullet but i believe we as a body can address this horrible epidemic. i'm glad we're finally seeing that addiction is a criminalization -- is not a criminalization but a public health crisis and seeking to solve it. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the recognizes the gentlewoman from florida, ms. castor, for five minutes. recognizes the gen from florida, c for five minutes. ms. castor: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, this week the house is considering a number of bills relating to the opioid public health edemic. i serve on the energy and commerce committee and over the past year relating to our committee has heard from experts, we have had ofthe opioid risis. all facets we have gathered facts, listened to witnesses, including those struggling with addiction from doctors and providers, from the drug enforcement agency, and more.

many families and experts back home have informed us and encouraged the congress to many my home district in tampa, florida, came to meet with to share his experience. he said, our son has been an addict for the last five years. during that time our family has discovered how impotent the health care system, government insurance companies, criminal justice system, and our family has been to combat this disease. prior to our personal experience, were liky -- like most americans who believed this was not our problem. but we were saddened by those who experienced the crisis. in addition, we cannot belie how futile and limited our resources and efforts to help our son overcome this illness have been. we still believe, although to a lesser degree, that the people with this illness

still hold the key tunlocking their own happiness torques managing this illness. abundantly t is with this illns clear as the resources necessary to provide even a remote chance for addicts to achieve temporary or permanent remission must be substantially increased. we have invested personally over $100,000 abundantly trying to help our son. his remarks echo what we heard from expertsll across the board in our committee. like dr. andrew colony, the director of opioid policy research at brandeis university. who emphasized that treatment has got to be expanded exponentially, and it must be easy to access. we have to build a new system in america that does not exist. now, democrats, we have urged our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us in truly tackling the crisis. and what became apparent in ommittee and what apparent through this small ball of bills on the floor this week and next, is that republicans still are not there. they are not willing to adequately address this public

ealth crisis because we need a robust, long-term solution that truly meets the challenge of the opioid crisis. a consensus has emerged and it's based upon these devastating facts right now. over 40,000 people are dying from an opioid overdose every year. in my home statef florida, we're losing about 5,00 people per year -- 5,700 people per year to overdose. a 35% increase from the previous year. and c.d.c. says opioid overdo have quadrupled since 1999. only 10% to 15% of americans suffering from opioid addiction are currently receiving treatment. those numbers cry out for a meaningful comprehensive approach, but our republican colleagues have failed to get there with us. we have been through this before. in the late 1980's and ely 1990's, we were struggling with the hiv-aids public health

epidemic. and for many years the congress was criticized for not adequately the crisis. there was a harlful stigma involved just like there is for opioidddiction. by the 1990's, early 1990's, congress came together and adopted the ryan white care act that provided resources all across the country in a consistent fashion, provided states and local communities and nonprofits to help us. now the death rate from hiv-aids is dramatically less. this is what we have to do when it comes to opioids. provide that comprehensive, long-term solution that simply isn't being demonstrate the in the small ball, these little bills, they are simply nibbling around the edges. mr. speaker, it is very difficult at the same time to be proactive in a meaningful way on the opioid crisis when repubcans and the white house continue to drag us backwards

when it comes to affordable health ce. just last week, the trump administration and the g.o.p. unched another attacnew attack on americans with pre-existing conditions. like opioid addiction. they attack on americans with asked strike down the affordable care act pre-existing protection. that is the bedrock protection contained in the affordable care act that says if you have a hert disease, an insurance 's, company cannot deny you coverage. and they cannot charge you exorbitant rates. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. ms. castor: the g.o.p. has never been for that protection. how are we going to adequate-l address the opioid addiction crisis when they want to tear away affordable health care including the protection on pre-existing conditions. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. ms. castor: we need a robust solution, comprehensive solution, otherwise this is nibbling around the edges. i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from california, mr. sherman, or five minutes.

mr. sherman: i rise to discuss the negotiations with north korea. i do so in my role as the ranking member of the asia subcommittee. just a month at ago i joined with the chairman of that subcommieemr. yoho, in sending a letter to the president sayinwe now need tougher sanctions on north korea. in ticks, we need to make it clear to the large banks in china that they can r do business with north korea. we had our foot on the neck of kim jong-un. we needed to press it down a ttle harder to get the concessions that we need. instead, we have a lifting of

the efforts. instead of ratcheting our sanctions up, we're going to be relaxing them. the word is out to businesses and banks in china, you can do a little bit more today and a little bit more after that. this is a giant victory for kim jong-un. the negotiations will go further -- forward, but those negotiations will go forward with kim jong-un being able to breathe because we no longer have our foot on his neck. four hours ago the president tweeted, there is no longer a nuclear threat from north korea. he might have well smiled with kim jong-un and said, peace in our time. now, i'm not saying what not saying what

happened in singapore is as fraught with danger for the world as what happened in munich in 1938. but what happened in munich will illustrate for us that just because you have a summit with smiles does not mean you are leading toward peace. but what happened in the president tweeted, there is no longer a nuclear threat from north korea. if you believe that, you probably believe that he has been faithful to all three of his wives. we hope that these negotiations lead to real peace, but so far they have led only a big win for the person president trump calls little rocket man. that's a big win for little rocket man. you see, the president's most famous book has been reissued. capitulation."ed "the art of the now, how do you exercise the art

of the capatu make enormous cono the other side. you settle for vague platitudes, and then you go on tv and say this is the best der.ev let's look at the concessions. the president has referred to our military exercisess provocative and indicated they will be scaled back or eliminated. gen the green light tochinesbu do business. the given kim jong-un prestige of a mee wh e president of the united states, not necessarily our most prestigious president, but a president of the united states nevertheless. what have we received in return? a vague statement about denuclein korean peninsula, but, as far as we

know, north korea doesn't intend to do that until the entire world is duclearized. he' released three american hostages and says he'll help us, allow us to find some of the bodies of our fallen heroes from the korean war. ose are basic, human civilization. he releases hostages. and for that we give major concessions. now the one concession we did not get is a halt for even nu i creation of fissile ml. there, north korea throughout the negotiations and while the president wa tweeting makes more enriched uranium, more plutonium, and building more bombs. that didn't stop for a minute. so we're told that there has been at least a pause in their testing program. keep in mind, russia hasn't test

add a nuclear weapon since 12990 -- 1990. are we going to say that they don't have nuclear weapons capable of reaching the united states and destroying our cities? the fact is north korea has proven its nuclear c. so they can go a while without testing. they are continuing to make more bombs that they have alread ven. a the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. sherman: we all hope we settlement.eful this has not been a good star the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. members are reminded to refrain from settlement. this has not engaging in person toward the president. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, charity declares the house in recess until noon today.

>> ahead of t house ssn, house speaker paul ryan and members of leadership came to the radio tv gallery this morning to talk about the issue of opioid addiction. here are their remarks to reporters.

disease -- mrs. mcmorris rodgers: good morning, everyone. this is kristen from eastern washington and struggled with oipped addiction for the last eight years. she was a successful, highly competitive swimmer when she was injured, she was prescribed some oippeds that led to a heroin addiction which has led her having four stints, rehab, losing her kids, numerous job firings. sher addiction has torn her family apart and it's not solved. she's a family that's close to me as well as those in eastern washington as she'sdi director's sister. need help t