Providing for Consideration of H.R. Save American Workers Act of Providing for Consideration of the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, and Providing for Proceedings During the Period From September Through September 2018

Floor Speech

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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1059 and ask for its immediate consideration.

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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and the underlying legislation.

The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3798, the Save American Workers Act of 2018, and H.R. 5895, Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act of 2019.

Mr. Speaker, today is quite an unusual day, not only for our Nation, but also for Members of Congress. As a result of that, I have had a discussion with my dear friend, Judge Hastings, and we have decided we are going to try to expedite that which we do today, so all Members need to be advised we might finish the process of the rule on the floor some 55 minutes early

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3798, the Save American Workers Act of 2018 and H.R. 5895, Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veteran Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019.

Since 2010, the American people have been dealing with the impacts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare. As we now know, Obamacare contains a number of provisions that have greatly impacted the labor market, the workforce, and employers of all sizes. At the broadest level, the bill created massive mandatory spending spending programs that have contributed greatly to the country's debt and financial burdens on the American tax payer.

At the center of this is the employer mandate. The employer mandate impacts hiring and employees' hours because it requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees to provide health insurance and carries a specific fine for noncompliance. Under this, employees who work 30 or more hours per week are considered full-time. In addition, complex reporting requirements make the burden of this provision even greater for employers.

The employer mandate requirement has resulted in employers reducing workers' hours to 29 hours per week or less in an attempt to minimize the mandate's devastating impacts. These reduced hours have caused millions of workers to receive less take home pay.

The 30-hour rule does little more than discourage employment and financial stability for American workers--especially low wage workers. According to a Hoover institution study, 2.6 million Americans making less than $30,000 were at risk of having their hours and wages cut as a result of Obamacare's 30-hour rule.

H.R. 3798 would give employers and workers more flexibility by changing Obamacare's definition of full-time worker from 30 hours per week to 40 hours per week and from 120 hours per month to 174 hours per month for full-time equivalents. In addition, the bill gives employers retroactive relief from the employer mandate penalty. Thus, any employer that owed a penalty for failing to provide coverage during that period would no longer owe it, a big help to some our small businesses.

The bill also includes a provision that will delay the implementation of the Obamacare tax on high-cost health plans, known as the ``Cadillac tax,'' until 2023, granting employers one additional year of relief from the tax.

Finally, in light of the repeal of the individual mandate penalty, H.R. 3798 removes burdensome regulatory requirements on some providers of minimum essential coverage.

Mr. Speaker, this rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 5895, Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019.

This three-bill Appropriations package provides funding for fiscal year 2019 in three very important categories. This bill is a product of members working across the aisle in a wonderful display of bipartisanship and I am pleased to see this body take up such an important measure.

The agreement addresses one of our fundamental responsibilities here in Congress, taking care of our veterans. The bill provides $5.3 Billion above FY18 levels and ensures funding for VA medical care. It funds VA medical care at $72.3 Billion, providing for 7 million veteran patients to be treated in FY19. The bill strengthens veteran programs like mental health care services, opioid abuse prevention, suicide prevention, and rural veterans health initiatives. Additionally, the legislation continues to rebuild infrastructure for our service members and their families with $10.3 Billion for military construction projects, an increase of $241 Million.

The second part of this appropriations package, energy and water, prioritizes our national security and invests in American infrastructure. The bill supports a strong nuclear national security strategy with a total $560 Million above FY 18 levels for the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons security programs. It also provides a much-needed influx of funds into our nation's water resources infrastructure by directing $7 Billion to the Army Corps of Engineers.

Finally, the legislation directs a much-needed increase of $29.8 Million for our extremely dedicated and brave Capitol Police Officers. This money will ensure their safety, the safety of our Capitol complex, and the thousands of guests who visit every day.

Mr. Speaker, the distinguished gentleman, his work with me is appreciated. On behalf of not only Judge Hastings and myself, really, the Rules Committee, which both of us represent, with great anxiety, we recognize, as our Members do, about the storm that is headed to the United States of America.

We want to wish all the people who are in the storm's way the very best, but we are attempting to do what we can to make sure we complete our work properly.

Thus, I ask for my colleagues to vote for this conference report, which will do so much to move us not only to the point where we can continue to work together, but to fund the important activities that need to take place.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues support this bill and the underlying bills.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good rule and so are the two underlying bills. it has become abundantly clear that Obamacare has failed the American people. Our nation's healthcare system is broken and only getting worse.

The American people are counting on us to empower individuals, families, and employers to spend their health care dollars the way they want. They are counting on us to remove the federal government from their health care and the first bill is another step in the right direction.

The second bill is a wonderful example to bipartisanship--the package isn't perfect, but it is a good bill. It takes care of our veterans and our military, it provides much-needed funding for our infrastructure and our waterways, and it ensures we are providing the Capitol Police officers the funding they need.

I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bills.

The previous question was ordered.

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