Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3823) to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, to provide disaster tax relief, and for other purposes, and providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 538 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), the ranking member, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and the underlying legislation. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3823, the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, the whole world is aware of a series of storms that have hit not only America's shores but those shores of so many of our territories, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

A series of these hurricanes over the past few weeks has caused great devastation in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and, of course, again, the U.S. Virgin Islands. These are people who are American citizens, and they are in these territories, and they are suffering from loss and devastation, and we have never seen an occurrence like this with two storms in succession.

While there remains much to be done and evaluated, this legislation takes important steps, I believe, that are necessary to begin providing relief to those individuals. We have had a lot of debate not only on this floor and not only at the Rules Committee, but certainly in the U.S. House of Representatives and the public media about what steps need to be taken, who needs to be there first, what FEMA's responsibility is, what the responsibility is for HUD, what the responsibility is for States, and what the responsibility is for citizens and their local communities. But the bottom line is that much of the evaluation, the undertaking of saving of lives, trying to work to save more property and to be there in support of people, is an ongoing project that will take a long period of time.

Specifically, this underlying legislation helps to address five targeted and meaningful tax provisions that provide relief and make it easier for people to recover and to return to their homes and to make long-term decisions from a money and tax perspective.

It will allow hurricane victims to keep more of their paychecks, deduct more of the cost of their expensive property damage, and provide more affordable and immediate access to retirement savings should people decide that they would choose to go that direction at this difficult time in their life.

This legislation also encourages more Americans--Americans who see what is happening--and companies to be able to donate, to donate to those who are in need by temporarily suspending limitations on the deductions for charitable contributions for hurricane relief efforts this year. This is an important step, and it removes obstacles that might be in the way for the public to get involved and to help their fellow citizens.

Taken together, these five tax provisions go a long way, we believe, in helping these people recover from these storms.

The rule also makes clarifications to ensure Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are treated equitably in all tax sections of this bill.

I spent time this week speaking with the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ms. Plaskett) in talking about not only their immediate needs, but also the long-term needs. Both were vigorous in not only their request for help, but also, equally, I think, balanced in their request for the legislation that would take place today.

They represent so many hardworking people, people who are proud people in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and they are looking for a way to work through not only where they are, but, in looking forward over the long term, about how they are going to put their islands back together.

I have had many phone conversations with both of them over the last 48 hours. They have asked for our prayers, they have asked for our help, and I have pledged to do both. But I told them that I believe this House of Representatives would very carefully understand their special request at this time because the islands are under increased pressure simply to get planes that would land to allow not only the bringing in of emergency supplies, but also taking out people who would need to come ashore, for those that might be children, elderly people, or the sick.

In addition to the tax provisions of H.R. 3823, which addresses some of the frailties of the Flood Insurance Program, we have included important reform pieces that are pro-consumer and increase competition at a very difficult time now that these hurricanes have landed on our shores. This provides options for all Americans.

The language that passed out of the Financial Services Committee 58-0 and on the floor of the House last year 419-0 has now been placed in this bill, also. We believe it is another example of bipartisan support, not only by the gentleman from the Financial Services Committee, Jeb Hensarling, but also his ranking member, Maxine Waters, who very carefully, last year, in preparation probably for what would lie ahead in the future, to provide a free market opportunity for more people to receive flood insurance. It is part of this package. It passed here last year 419-0. It is an integral part of what might be an answer maybe only for a few people, but it is an option and an opportunity, and I appreciate Chairman Hensarling and Maxine Waters for being a part of passing that last year out of the Financial Services Committee 58-0.

This bill also reauthorizes the FAA, the Federal Aviation Administration, for 6 months, their funding levels, which would, I believe, be most important to all areas of the country. This is a bipartisan bill.

This is an opportunity for people who live in rural areas and people who live in urban areas to note that the FAA, day in and day out, 24 hours a day, is a vital part of the important transportation component of landing planes, bringing people to and from work and back safely. It also is a part of our families who travel the system, and the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA, needs this money and needs the operational capacity to move forward.

It also comes at a critical time when the radar system that is in Puerto Rico has failed, and it is necessary that we continue to fund the programs at the FAA so that they can get these systems back up and online to increase traffic to meet the needs of the islands and to make sure that this is done safely.

Now is not a time to play games with an essential program, and I believe that this is very important for each of the Members to understand. This is a vital part of this package.

Finally, the underlying legislation extends several expiring health programs that would be finishing at the end of the year, including the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program and the Special Diabetes Program for Native Americans.

I do want to note that this package is focused on health programs that are expiring, and Chairman Greg Walden from Hood River, Oregon, who is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has every intent to make sure that he will move legislation extending funding for CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program, because we know that it expires soon. The chairman has looked into this and certified back to me that the money that is necessary to keep this program going is not in jeopardy and that he looks forward to a time when he can move CHIP not only to where it is considered on the floor, but to the Rules Committee, where it can be equally and fairly debated.

Before concluding my opening statements, I just want to affirm to the people in my home State of Texas and other areas affected by these disasters that this is the second of a series of responses to these natural disasters. On September 8, this body, the United States House of Representatives, passed initial emergency response legislation, providing $15.3 billion in aid.

To provide some historical context, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the United States in August, followed by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma in September and October. The House responded by passing an initial response in September to provide immediate emergency relief; then, after some evaluation, determined the actual needs on the ground, that is, by an analysis that took place, and that is when the House passed a more comprehensive package that included many of the provisions that are in here that we are doing, but they did that in December.

There was some debate yesterday at the Rules Committee about the timing,

about delay, and I assured the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), who is a distinguished member of our committee, that, while I did not know the exact timing or delay, what might be a delay in that timing, that I believe that that is forthcoming; that, as there is a broader evaluation, as time moves on, as we go from saving people, trying to do recovery, to where we then move to the next phases of this opportunity, we will then know more specifically the needs of programs, the work that needs to be done by this Congress, and the help that we can provide to these areas.

I want to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) not only for his vigorous, what I believe, support of making sure that people-- albeit they might be in Florida, but where they were a part of these storms, I felt Mr. Hastings' care and concern for them, to make sure that what the House of Representatives did was well managed, and I appreciate his feedback.

This body has every intention of providing further relief to our fellow Americans. We also understand that the Federal Government, while it has responsibilities, it does so by working with the States. It is done through FEMA.

I have been personally very pleased not only with the actions of President Trump and this administration, but I want to add that I am proud of the House of Representatives. I believe the leadership that Paul Ryan has provided not only by being on the ground and looking at these areas, but also staying up to date on a day-to-day basis means that the House is nimble and able to move forward as we need to.

What we are talking about today is targeted tax relief for those in need, ensuring the FAA can continue its functions allowing planes to land in Puerto Rico, and continuing our emergency responses.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the honorable and distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves), my friend.

Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentlewoman, my colleague, that I have one more speaker left, so she may run down the time as she chooses.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I appreciate the distinguished gentlewoman bringing this up. Perhaps, Mr. Speaker, she was not in the body on the floor earlier when I brought up

what I believe is an answer to this CHIP--Children's Health Insurance Program--reauthorization.

I talked specifically with the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Greg Walden, who is very excited about the opportunity to move the CHIP bill. The opportunity to do this is not dire or urgent. As a matter of fact, there is money in the bucket right now to fund, as it has been, the program to continue.

Chairman Walden indicated that, while he does understand that the program is scheduled to run through September 30, that the analysis from the nonpartisan Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission shows that States have enough funds remaining in their accounts through the end of this year.

Chairman Walden is interested in looking at it again and gaining information about it to see what sorts of changes, additions, or updates that we choose to do. He intends to do that in and through the committee providing information on a bipartisan basis. I trust not only what Greg Walden said, but I also know of his desire to deal effectively in this manner.

I want to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois for bringing up this important question, and I want to provide a timely answer to her, and I appreciate her very much.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. Speaker, responding to the gentlewoman, I do not, but I will talk to Chairman Walden immediately, and I will come and find you during the vote, or as we end here, and I will let you know.

I appreciate, once again, Mr. Speaker, that the gentlewoman is very concerned, as is her committee, about children's programs, women's programs, and she would expect me to respond accordingly, and I will talk to Chairman Walden and get back to her with an answer.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

A good bit of the dialogue that is occurring today has been an active discussion for a long period of time in the Financial Services Committee--Jeb Hensarling from Dallas, Texas, the chairman of that committee.

One of our bright young stars is from Tampa, Florida, and his name is Dennis Ross. And Mr. Ross has heard the debate going on and came down here. He has been an active part of not only understanding the needs of communities, but, more importantly, how we are going to have a fix and answer in a long-term way to look at this flooding problem and the Federal flood program.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this discussion that we are having here on point that we have now had two speakers from my side, Mr. Ross and Mr. Graves, who have come down to talk about the debate that has been well alive across the country, about how we deal with emergencies, how we deal with flooding, how we deal with the opportunity for States, and communities, and citizens, the free enterprise system, and what I would say FEMA, or the Federal Government, to get closer in understanding the needs of communities, and the answers to long-term decisions that take place.

What you heard Mr. Ross talk about was a bill that he worked on with the gentlewoman, a Democratic colleague from Tampa, and they worked on this piece of legislation, got it passed 58-0 out of the Financial Services Committee, 419-0 on this vote. We need to pass--we need to include this. We need to put this as part of the options, an option that would be available for people back home, no matter where that is, to have a chance to have more control of their own lives, to work in their own communities.

I really appreciate the gentleman, Mr. Ross, coming to talk to us today. The hard work that he and Kathy Castor, the gentlewoman from Tampa, did on a bipartisan basis comes to play. Even though they did it a year ago, it would be in play today, and it will be in play 1 year from now, when storms come back, as an option and opportunity. Instead of us searching for answers, it would be one of the answers available.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

They say that success has many fathers, and you could say many mothers. Success is, many times, in the eye of the beholder. But when lots of people see it, they can get better prepared, and then people see that as a model.

I would like to take just a minute, if I can, and talk about a model of success that I use. Back home, I have an opportunity to meet with a number of subject matter experts on issues and ideas. One of them is a man named Bill Dewey. Bill Dewey is an air traffic controller at DFW Airport in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Dewey and I take time to sit down and understand the intricacies of his job, the FAA air traffic controller-- safety, planes.

DFW is home to American Airlines. Mr. Dewey handles traffic that goes to Dallas Love Field, home for Southwest Airlines.

What Mr. Dewey has done with me is given me, from a working professional relationship that he has as not only a former member of the United States military as an air traffic controller but real live in the tower at DFW Airport, day after day, seeing how important the FAA is.

We should remember, Mr. Speaker, that it is not just money and time that we are doing here. We are patting the employees of these agencies. The FAA has so many dedicated employees--just like Bill Dewey, my dear friend, who is at DFW Airport. This also is a support for those employees to let them know that we are going to fund their programs and we are going to take care of them. So we should, at the same time we do that, say ``thank you'' to the men and women who are there 24 hours around the clock to provide safety.

We have now been a number of years where we have not had a plane crash with a fatality, and we are lucky. Part of it goes to the safety of the system at the FAA.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, what a shock it is to see the President attacked when he is the one who is going to make sure, by challenging Congress, that we get this issue done.

Mr. Speaker, there was a question the gentlewoman, my dear colleague, Ms. Slaughter, asked. The question is timely and important, and I would like to respond back to her. She asked about the health center program, and the answer I have gotten back from the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Walden, the gentleman from Hood River, Oregon, who is a phenomenal leader to this conference, is that it will not have to access mandatory appropriations until early December, and that Chairman Walden understands and appreciates that the gentlewoman, the ranking member of the Rules Committee, Ms. Slaughter, has asked a question, and he thanks you for asking that. He understands that we do have a timing issue and is preparing quickly to address this issue. He wanted me to thank the gentlewoman for bringing that up at this time.

I want to thank Chairman Walden for that message.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I want to thank my colleague not only for this long week that we have had at the Rules Committee, but I also want to thank her other members, the gentleman from Worcester, Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), for not only their vigorous debate and conversations that we have had, but actually trying to prepare us at the Rules Committee for that which we believe would lie ahead.

Today, you heard the gentlewoman ask about several important issues. Part of our job is to kind of pitch and catch, and that is to catch the things that come our way. But she is using her vision to look ahead, and I admire that. I do owe her answers, and her background and experience would tell her, let's get moving on these things if we are going to get them done. I hope that I have provided her with feedback from the gentleman, Mr. Walden, saying exactly that.

Mr. Speaker, as the hurricane was still over Houston, Texas, dumping 50 inches of rain, I received a conference call from a number of people in Houston as they were preparing to reestablish not only their own communities within Houston, but also the livelihood of the business community, and to be prepared.

I got a conference call from a group of gentlemen, Mr. Tom Singletary, Mr. Kevin Hedges, Mr. Steve Kessling, Mr. Wallace B. Livesay, and Mr. Steve Raben from Houston. They called me and said: We need, as quickly as we can, to get information about taxes, about people pulling money out of their IRAs, and what the rules and regulations would be for that.

Mr. Speaker, part of my job is to respond to people, to listen to them, and to listen to their needs. I will tell you that the Houston delegation, on a bipartisan basis, up and down the coast, going down to Blake Farenthold in Corpus Christi, all the way up to Garret Graves who is in Louisiana, felt the fury of Mother Nature. But it didn't mean that it had to divide us or to defeat us.

I have seen nothing but resolve that has come from not only those in Texas but also those in Florida, our two colleagues, Jenniffer Gonzalez who is located in Puerto Rico, and Stacey Plaskett who is a fine young Delegate out of the Virgin Islands. They have asked for help. They have asked for the things that would be necessary.

But our ability to effectively listen and turn around in the form of legislation, our ability to be able to schedule meetings and, on a bipartisan basis, be able to talk and sometimes agree and sometimes disagree but to get our work done is an amazing part of this experiment that we are engaged in.

I, myself, Mr. Speaker, want to thank you for not only your hard work of being here today but being a part of this process. As all of us work together, we can make this process work and give confidence to the American people. That confidence is expressed with what we do today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 538, I call up the bill (H.R. 3823) to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend authorizations for the airport improvement program, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, to provide disaster tax relief, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Irma's direct hit to the lower and middle Keys was devastating to my district. Many lost everything to the storm's 130-mile-an-hour winds and significant storm surge. Some lost their lives.

But fortunately, the Keys' recovery is well underway, and the resiliency and generosity of Conchs and other south Florida residents have been on display before, during, and after the storm.

While facing the prospects of receiving the full force of the storm, Key West police and fire departments decided to remain on the ground, risking their personal safety. They wanted to be there for their neighbors when the storm had passed.

Navy personnel, under the leadership of Captain Bobby Baker, who sacrifice for our country every day, once again answered the call to serve and stayed behind to ensure they would be there to get the runways open and ready to receive aid. Coast Guard Captain Jeff Janszen also stayed to make sure the Port of Key West could open.

Two days after the storm had passed, I visited with both of these leaders. They were working tirelessly to stand up their bases and had not yet checked on the interior of their own homes.

Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay rode out the storm at the Marathon shelter because he felt it was his responsibility to be there to protect his community. Officials from local municipalities from the city of Key West

to Ocean Reef have been working around the clock with their teams to get utilities up and running, roads cleared, and government offices operational.

I am grateful to our first responders and all the public officials and employees who have been working hard to serve the people of the Florida Keys.

I also want to thank my office's Florida Keys director, Nicole Rapanos, who has dedicated long hours to assist our constituents and our neighbors in the Keys so that they can get the resources they need. I am grateful for her dedication to her neighbors and proud to have her on my staff.

Community organizations are also playing an instrumental role in the Keys' recovery. Nonprofit groups like Star of the Sea Outreach, Rotary Club of Key West, and the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, just to name a few, have been volunteering their time, coordinating donations, and serving direct relief to the community.

Private companies and small businesses have also stepped up to help. Robert Spottswood, whose family owns the Marriott Beachside, opened up the hotel to first responders, Navy personnel, and others who chose to ride out the storm.

Baby's Coffee, which was left with its own damage from the storm, was providing their entire stock to residents of Key West, along with hot meals and coffee.

Ikon Builders and UDT have brought supplies to the food banks and donation distribution centers. The Marathon EOC, which has been operating 24/7 and where approximately one-third of employees had lost their homes, these people continued working to help in recovery and rebuilding, and the list goes on.

On the individual level, people have gone above and beyond to show their true Conch spirit. They have shared their own supplies and taken time to go help neighbors. The outpouring of support from local heroes in the Florida Keys has been so extraordinary, I could be here all day telling the stories of thousands upon thousands of acts of kindness. This powerful sense of community and humanity is one of the many reasons I am proud to represent these local heroes.

Mr. Speaker, clearly the Keys' recovery is well underway. Tourism will be opening up again next week, nearly 3 weeks earlier than anticipated. I have no doubt continued recovery efforts will make the Florida Keys an even greater one-of-its-kind paradise Americans from across the country and people from all over the world have come to love.

But the truth is, the Keys' tourism-based economy has been stalled, and perhaps the greatest devastation is the financial strain on individuals, families, and small entrepreneurs. Many of those facing hardship are themselves working to assist their fellow survivors, putting their personal interests aside. This community is doing its part to help their own, Mr. Speaker.

Now it is time for Congress to do our part to help our fellow Americans in my district and in similar communities throughout my home State of Florida, in Texas, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

When we debated this bill on Monday, I told my colleagues about how the tax credit for wages would allow small business owners like Owen, a crab and lobster fisherman whose traps were destroyed in the storm, to claim a tax credit for 40 percent of employee wages, up to $6,000 per employee, helping him get his team back to work as soon as possible.

This legislation would also allow up to 415,000 hurricane survivors in Miami-Dade and nearly 7,500 in Monroe County keep more of their paycheck by referring to earned income from the immediately preceding year for purposes of determining the earned income tax credit.

We are also making it easier for taxpayers to deduct more of the costs from the extensive property damage these storms left behind and allowing anyone struggling with initial recovery efforts to have immediate access to their retirement savings without penalty.

Lastly, this legislation will encourage more American businesses and individuals to continue generously supporting qualified hurricane relief organizations by lifting caps on charitable giving to these groups.

Mr. Speaker, hardworking Americans in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico need Congress to act. On Monday, this bill was derailed by political games, posturing, and name calling. I hope that will not be the case today because my constituents and those in other communities like my district don't have time to wait. This tax relief package deserves bipartisan support from my colleagues.

I want to thank Chairman Brady and the Ways and Means Committee staff for allowing me to shape this legislation for the benefit of south Florida residents, especially those in Monroe County who were hardest hit by Hurricane Irma. I want to thank Chairman Sessions and the Rules Committee for making in order my amendment that will provide additional benefits that are critical for our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico and the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, they are facing a terribly difficult uphill battle to rebuild their communities. I stand in complete solidarity with my friends Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, and will work to get them everything they need to rebuild their communities. I hope for their sake we can finally get this done today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), the distinguished chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. McMorris Rodgers), the distinguished chairman of the House Republican Conference.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I truly deplore the way some colleagues have decided to politicize such a sensitive, urgent, and important issue.

There are people in my community who are suffering, who lost their homes, yet they are still working hard to help their neighbors rebuild. For them to find out that this institution would oppose a measure to help them because some colleagues think it is just not good enough-- now, you heard them. They recognize there is a lot of good in this package, but it is not enough.

I am the Representative of the district that was hit the hardest by Hurricane Irma. Chairman Brady was here. He has been working hard back home to help his community recover while managing his responsibilities here as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He is calling for passage of this legislation that he sponsored.

Also putting their names on this legislation, Jenniffer Gonzalez- Colon, the Resident Commissioner elected by Puerto Ricans on the island to this Chamber, she has added her name to this legislation.

Also, Stacey Plaskett, a member of the minority who represents the Virgin Islands, she has added her name to the amendment we filed to make this legislation even stronger.

So the Members representing the districts that were hit the hardest, where people are suffering--and the gentlewoman from New York is absolutely correct; the suffering in Puerto Rico cannot be compared to anything else that we are seeing here on the mainland--their representatives want to see this legislation pass, but some of our colleagues say it is just not good enough. So because this is not good enough for them, people should get nothing.

We wonder. We wonder why so many Americans don't trust this institution, why so many Americans are frustrated with the politics in this country: because if it isn't perfect, if it isn't exactly what I want, then I am against it.

Now, fortunately, not all of the Members of the minority agree with this. When we first had this vote on Monday, 26 Democrats voted in favor of the legislation. And I thank them--not just for me, but on behalf of all of my constituents, the people of the Florida Keys, south Florida, and, of course, the people of Texas, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. I thank my Democratic colleagues and all of my Republican colleagues that supported this package. I invite more Members from both parties to support this package today because this is not the time to play political games.

Now, I understand some people here are frustrated about what may have happened in the past. I wasn't here, and I belong to a new generation of Members of this institution. Quite frankly, I think none of us on either side is interested in relitigating the old fights and the old debates. We want to see the solutions for today and tomorrow.

The people of Florida--Monroe County, the Florida Keys, and Miami- Dade--the people of Texas, Louisiana, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, they need us now. They need this solution now.

Can we do more later?

Absolutely. Everyone knows that this Chamber and the other will soon consider additional funding for FEMA--much-needed funding. I will support a robust package for FEMA because the agency is strained and it is working hard to help people all over this country and out in the Atlantic.

But to say that this is not good enough, so instead we will do nothing is just unacceptable.

I urge my colleagues to reconsider because I think it is important that we send a message of national unity to help those who are hurting. If we can do more in the future, we will and we should.

So, Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just thank all of my colleagues that understand how urgent this situation is, how much pain and suffering are being experienced in these communities, and I ask them respectfully to please support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, extending the Federal Aviation Administration's authority is traditionally something that gets bipartisan support. That hasn't been the case this time, as we saw on Monday when a prior version of this bill failed on suspension. It contained several extraneous provisions, but it didn't include some of the most important priorities that we face.

September 30 is nearly upon us. That is the deadline to reauthorize programs that the American people depend on. That includes things like the Perkins student loan program, which helps low-income students to finance their education.

There are 500,000 students across the country, including nearly 50,000 from New York, relying on it right now, but the Perkins Loan Program isn't anywhere in this bill.

The bill also does nothing to extend the Children's Health Insurance Program created in 1997 with broad bipartisan support. More than 9 million children get their health insurance through this program. Without continued Federal funding, States are going to begin running out of money to take care of some of the most vulnerable kids, and they can't wait until the end of the year for us to act.

Community health centers have also been left out of the bill, and they have told us that they will have problems from day one. If we don't extend their funding, an estimated 9 million people would lose access to healthcare.

These are essential bipartisan programs, Mr. Speaker, and what does it say about the majority's leadership if they are not extended by the deadline? It does not bode well for our ability to fund the government later this year, to raise the debt ceiling, extend the Flood Insurance Program, or reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

This bill is an incredibly important one. No one in this Chamber or anywhere that I know of in the world wants the FAA program stopped and their employees furloughed or airport projects brought to a halt. We should work together and get it right.

This package, however, has not been negotiated on a bipartisan basis. It didn't go through regular order. Committees have been shut out of the process, and Democrats, who represent half the population in the United States, didn't get a say.

We are all glad to see provisions included here to provide some tax relief for victims of the recent hurricanes. With regular order and a more open process, this could be a more comprehensive package of extenders that provide more tax relief for victims to recover and to rebuild. After all, the Democrats did suggest 21 bipartisan tax provisions which were included in previous relief legislation after previous disasters.

But none of those, except five, I think, are included in this bill. That is a shame.

We have said it before. This is, I think, the 44th closed rule this session, and that is just about all the bills we have done. This bill could either have been bipartisan extending the FAA authorization, or a comprehensive package of extenders that provided the tax relief necessary for hurricane victims to recover and rebuild. The bill before us is neither. I doubt many of us have had time to review the changes that were made last night.

I have often said that a bad process leads to a bad product, and, Mr. Speaker, I am afraid that is what we see with this bill. Another opportunity for bipartisanship has been turned into another political fight.

I, regretfully, reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 3440, the Dream Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would help thousands of young people who are Americans in every way except on paper.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record, along with extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).

Mr. Speaker, I think the previous speaker made a very important statement, that we should treat all Americans alike.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Barragan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds to respond to my friend.

I appreciate the information that the gentleman just gave us. We have been told the community health service will be in trouble from day one.

Mr. Speaker, I inquire of the gentleman whether he has the same kind of information about them?

I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I appreciate that because millions of people use the community health services, and the children, we cannot let them go unattended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds to say to the previous speaker that my understanding is the fallback provision on flood insurance came to the Federal Government because the private insurers didn't want to do it.

If we can get them to take it over, I think everybody would be relieved.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Jayapal).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gallego).

I thank the chairman for giving me that answer, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this is our 44th closed rule for this session of Congress which prevents Members from offering amendments to the floor. This has put this Congress well on its way to becoming the most closed Congress in modern history. Democrats have been routinely unable to do the job we were elected to do and amend bills to represent the concerns of the people of the United States which we are both privileged and obligated to serve.

Despite his promises, Speaker Ryan has shown a complete disregard for regular order since assuming the gavel. Bills routinely come before the Rules Committee that haven't even been considered by the relevant committees. The majority even moved a healthcare repeal bill through this Chamber earlier this year without a score from the nonpartisan experts at the Congressional Budget Office.

This measure would impact one-sixth of our Nation's economy and tens of millions of people if it became law.

This is no way to run the people's House. The public expects more, and it is high time that we heed those calls.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question, the rule, and the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, first I want to acknowledge those individuals that Mr. Curbelo pointed out and congratulate them for their courage and their kindness as they attempt to get southern Florida back on its feet.

But the key phrase here that my friend from Florida mentioned was the following: Now it is time for us to do our part.

``Our part'' calls for a much more vigorous effort, a much more robust investment, and it could, it should, be done now. We don't have to wait to get this done. We don't have to parcel this out in the small amounts that are being suggested.

Now, earlier this week, I rose in opposition to H.R. 3823, the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act, as well. Today, I am disappointed to say that I am not going to support today's updated version of the legislation either, based on the word ``more.''

I take no issue with a clean 6-month extension of the FAA expenditure authority, but today's bill includes an extensive list of extraneous provisions.

If we are to include extraneous measures on this must-pass legislation, then the process of compiling the bill should have been done in a bipartisan manner. Instead, our Republican friends assembled their near-term priorities barely, if at all, consulting the Democratic minority, even though many of these issues are indeed bipartisan.

Worse, rather than work together to solve what is rapidly becoming an American humanitarian crisis, they chose to take most of the day off to unveil the tax cut for the wealthiest people in America.

The priorities at this moment are misguided. As I noted earlier this week, while I support the disaster tax relief in this bill, the package is plainly insufficient. I had hoped that we might work together in a manner on these provisions, but that has not occurred.

Traditionally, in this body, we honored and used to respect what is known as the national principle. It was a code of honor that bound us together when one part of the Nation was beset by disaster. Whether it was an earthquake in California, a hurricane in North Carolina, a tornado in Massachusetts, floods in Missouri, or forest fires in Alabama, we did not ask about gender, race, geography. We simply said the national principle prevails and the Federal Government will offer a robust response.

We are failing in that respect to set the precedent today. Instead, unfortunately, this disaster relief package that we will consider does not provide the comprehensive package of incentives and relief that will drive investment and speed up recovery in American communities in Texas, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the devastation across Puerto Rico.

These hurricanes left massive devastation in their wake, and the ongoing situation in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are dire. The situation not only justifies but demands a comprehensive package of incentives and relief to help these communities and their residents get back to their feet.

Republicans will hide behind an amendment they added to the Rules Committee last night. It is really a fig leaf, amounting to $68 per person in tax relief. We can do much more for our American brothers and sisters in the Caribbean, especially given that the administration continues to drag its feet in terms of sending an emergency supplemental request. That should be done forthwith. We can do better, and we must do better.

They are making vague assurances that we will get around to considering a more extensive package later, but delay and uncertainty will make the situation worse, not better.

Today's package should have included other powerful and proven tax incentives that we have extended in the past disaster recovery efforts consistently. I consider this a missed opportunity.

We need to do more to help our fellow Americans recover from these tragedies. Therefore, I intend to oppose this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), who is the ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), and I must tell you that anybody who has witnessed her heartfelt advocacy on behalf of the people of Puerto Rico in the last 24 hours would be moved. I also would say that nobody in this Chamber knows more about what has happened in Puerto Rico right now than the gentlewoman from New York, Nydia Velazquez.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from New York.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, you just heard the eloquent testimony from Ms. Velazquez about what the people of Puerto Rico are facing right now.

I wish that the majority would have approached this process differently. The reauthorization of the FAA could have been a simple, straightforward exercise. It could have and should have been a bipartisan effort. They saddled the FAA with unrelated partisan priorities, incorporated with little input from Democrats, and presented a weak tax package to address the recent major national disasters.

As I said when a version of this bill came up earlier this week, I wish the disaster tax relief section were better designed and more extensive. This updated bill still doesn't provide adequate relief to the affected families and communities who desperately need it. You just heard from Ms. Velazquez on that basis.

While waiving penalties on the withdrawal of retirement savings and expanding EITC and child tax credit provisions are helpful, the majority inexplicably left out some of the most economically powerful tax incentives on the shelf, including those that would be helpful to rebuild devastated infrastructure.

Given this damage and the needs of hard-hit areas, especially the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, I cannot understand why we are not including proven

assistance contained in previous disaster tax packages as we did to our family and friends in places like Texas and Louisiana.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this desperately needed legislation.

Included in this bill are two provisions that are particularly important to my constituents in central Florida. One is tax relief for families and small businesses recovering from the destruction of Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma. The other is language taken from my legislation, the Private Flood Insurance Market Development Act, which will allow private sector insurers to compete with the National Flood Insurance Program.

The catastrophic impact of the three major hurricanes is heartbreaking and tragic. However, it has been inspiring to witness the outpouring of charity and goodwill from our communities in response.

Now it is time for this Congress to rise to the occasion. The tax relief for disaster victims in this legislation is a great first step.

This bill will help individuals in the disaster areas keep their jobs, support retirement savers paying for recovery, encourage charitable contributions to help victims, and put more money in the pockets of families trying to get their lives back on track after having lost everything.

To deny our constituents this relief because it is not enough is simply irresponsible. To be sure, I agree that more aid will likely be needed.

But is that really a good excuse to do nothing?

I certainly don't think so.

Mr. Speaker, this bill isn't just about providing immediate relief. Thankfully, it also provides some measure of long-term relief to communities vulnerable to floods--the most costly of all natural disasters.

Thanks to the inclusion of my legislation, H.R. 1422, this bill will provide consumers with more options and lower costs in the flood insurance marketplace as well as help to reduce the unacceptable number of homes not insured for flood losses.

Last Congress, this House passed nearly identical legislation by a vote of 419-0. That is why I was so disheartened to hear some characterize this reform as a long-time Republican priority. This isn't a Republican priority, and it is not a Democratic priority. This is a national priority.

The NFIP is more than $25 billion in debt and runs an annual deficit of $1.4 billion. Folks, this is an insurance company on the brink of being unable to pay out claims to policyholders without another taxpayer bailout.

The NFIP desperately needs to off-load some of its risk, and we can help by allowing the private sector to do what it does best: compete for customers by offering better service, lower prices, and more comprehensive coverage.

I understand some of my colleagues think competition will destabilize the NFIP. First, we need to be clear that the NFIP in its current state is beleaguered, it is not stable, and it is not sustainable. Reforms must be made.

Second, I would urge my colleagues to recognize that by forcing nearly all of the flood risk in this Nation into a single, government- run insurance program, we contribute to the NFIP's bloated and unstable risk portfolio.

So the NFIP needs some help, and consumers need competition. More coverage options will help make flood insurance an attractive investment for everyone, thereby reducing the number of uninsured homes.

With the NFIP alone, our constituents are severely limited. For example, an NFIP policy only covers up to $250,000 of damages.

In addition, NFIP policies do not cover homeowners displaced by living expenses.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation has an untold number of supporters. I include in the Record a letter from 15 major insurance, housing, banking, and trade associations in support of the private flood insurance provisions in H.R. 3823.

September 26, 2017.

Hon. Paul Ryan,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Democratic Leader, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi: The undersigned trades

and organizations strongly support the ``Development of a

Private Flood Insurance Market'' title of H.R. 3823, the

Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of

2017. This package includes bipartisan, clarifying language,

introduced by Representative Dennis A. Ross (FL-15) and

Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14), to increase acceptance

of private flood insurance products. This will increase flood

insurance options for consumers, thereby providing more

competition and coverage options to families and businesses.

The Ross-Castor language passed the House last year by a

vote of 419-0, and it was ordered reported out of the House

Financial Services Committee in June by a vote of 58-0. The

bipartisan fix clarifies what is already in federal law

(following the passage of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance

Reform Act of 2012 and reinforced in the Homeowners Flood

Insurance Affordability Act of 2014) intended by Congress to

allow lenders to accept private flood insurance in lieu of

federal

coverage to satisfy the mandatory purchase requirement.

The undersigned trades and organizations strongly support

inclusion of the bipartisan Ross-Castor language in the

Disaster Tax Relief and Airport and Airway Extension Act of

2017 that allows consumers the choice of government or

private flood insurance coverage. We ask for you to vote in

favor of this important legislative package when it is

considered by the House of Representatives.

Sincerely,

Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI)

Reinsurance Association of America (RAA)

National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC)

National Apartment Association (NAA)

American Bankers Association (ABA)

Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB)

American Insurance Association (AIA)

National Association of REALTORS (NAR)

National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA)

Financial Services Roundtable (FSR)

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (Big

``I'')

Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)

National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC)

Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)

National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions

(NAFCU).