Mark Takano

Should they be allowed to discriminate against people who are maybe LGBTQ or people who are non-believers?

If a religious social services organization were to receive Federal dollars and then also receive a religious exemption from serving LGBTQ individuals... that organization would be using Federal dollars to discriminate.

Religion should not be used as a shield for discrimination.

Liberty is fundamental, it is pre-political, it is pre-modern, it is part of our human history and is, I agree, is an important foundation for public morality and personal morality.

The government should not be in the business of forcing adoption.

I am a Christian first and a Congressman second. My faith is not divorced from my life.

I know last year we worked together on some of this legislation and I understand your concern that we are mandating to the VA how to conduct scientific research.

I appreciate the chance to return to the VA Affairs Committee to speak on this very important issue.

Many veterans with PTSD and chronic pain find prescription opioids ineffective and have turned to medical cannabis.

The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act requires the U.S. Department of VA to conduct double-blind clinical studies on the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis may have the potential to manage chronic pain better than opioids and treat PTSD.

I believe cannabis must be objective researched, period.

Today, as you know, it is a mere misdemeanor. Would that deter such conduct as we saw in the Upper Big Branch mine where 29 miners were killed on April 5, 2010.

Should Congress amend the Mine Act to make a knowing violation of a mandatory safety and health standard, which recklessly endangers the health or safety of a miner, a felony?

MSHA needs to address the standards now.

Refusing to implement new technology does not help miners.

The Mine and Safety and Health Administration is failing miners.

This is a health epidemic and we need to act now.

Even with this information, the MSHA silica standards still have not been updated.

I can barely contain my anger by certain people coming before this committee.

Research has shown that silica dust lodges in the lungs forever--forever.

And so I think probably two things, maybe the Federal Government would maybe help you out with is to help you with some of this planning money so local school districts and community colleges could work together on that but also to find a…

I think probably two things, maybe the Federal Government would maybe help you out with is to help you with some of this planning money so local school districts and community colleges could work together on that but also to find a source…

I had a, I don't know if I ever put this idea to a bill but I, there was a way which I was thinking about how we could maybe look at the Pell grant being made available to an early college high school program or a dual enrollment program…

I am delighted about the bipartisan interest in issues surrounding dual enrollment.