[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8703]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               TAX REFORM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, while our Nation faces many challenges, 
perhaps none is more pressing than that of growing our economy. The 
positive impact of strong, sustained economic growth has the potential 
not only to help families make ends meet, but it will also address the 
many other pressures we face. The time is now for Congress and this 
administration to act on meaningful tax reform.
  The model is simple and straightforward. We need to simplify the 
ridiculously complex Internal Revenue Code, eliminate the loopholes 
that allow corporations and individuals to avoid paying their fair 
share, lower the rates for middle class families and small businesses, 
and broaden the tax base.
  As a certified public accountant, an independent voice for the people 
of Bucks and Montgomery Counties, I intend to push vehemently to make 
tax reform a reality in this Congress. Moreover, this can and must be a 
bipartisan priority.
  A 1.5 percent growth in GDP is simply unsustainable. If that trend 
continues, we will not be able to fund priorities such as bolstering 
our national security, taking care of our veterans, combating the 
addiction crisis, funding public education, preserving our environment, 
and a whole host of other priorities.
  Economic growth has three essential aspects: tax reform, regulatory 
reform, and a balanced budget. The REINS Act and the upcoming vote on 
the CHOICE Act will start this process on the regulatory side, which 
will revive the ability of community banks to support local economies 
and advance infrastructure investment that puts Americans back to work 
by rebuilding roads, schools, bridges, as well as our IT infrastructure 
and the electrical grid.
  The other critical component is tax reform, and we owe it to the 
American people to get this done. I call on my good colleagues from 
both sides to put politics aside and do what we were sent here to do, 
and that is to stand up for hardworking families and unleash the power 
of the American economy.


                            Type 1 Diabetes

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, over a million Americans, including 
200,000 young Americans, are living with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune 
disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin. This 
disease is fatal without strict adherence to a regimented schedule of 
multiple daily insulin injections or continuous pump infusions, along 
with close monitoring of blood glucose levels.
  My constituent Aislinn Keenan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when 
she was just 2 years old. She does not remember a day when she did not 
need to lance her finger multiple times a day to check her blood sugar 
or receive insulin injections. Despite these challenges, Aislinn and 
her family serve as an inspiration to all those facing this disease. 
Through courage and perseverance, they refuse to let type 1 diabetes 
stand in their way. Aislinn just finished her sophomore year at 
Villanova University.
  The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation projects that 5 million 
Americans will have type 1 diabetes by 2050, including 600,000 young 
people, yet only one-third of the people with type 1 diabetes are 
achieving safe blood glucose levels. Accordingly, I am urging my 
colleagues to fully fund the National Institute of Diabetes and 
Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  Presently, there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes and no cure for 
it once diagnosed. Only through robust funding and exhaustive research 
at the NIH can we continue to drive scientific progress to make the 
lives of those living with type 1 diabetes safer and healthier.

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