Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed the votes that occurred on September 27, 2018 due to the vehicle I was riding in being struck by another vehicle on the way to the day's first series of votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the four rollcall votes: No. 409 Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 1084; No. 410 Adoption of H. Res. 1084; No. 411 Passage of H.R. 6757; and No. 412 Passage of H.R. 6756.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Marc Gallaway from Selah Middle School for being named the Association of Washington School Principals Middle Level Principal of the Year.

A lifelong Washingtonian, Marc Gallaway earned his bachelor's degree from Central Washington University and his master's degree from Heritage University in Toppenish. He worked as both a special education teacher and a baseball coach before he came to work at Selah Junior High School in 2005.

Mr. Gallaway has served as principal at what is now Selah Middle School for the past 14 years. Every day, Mr. Gallaway nurtures a culture of positivity and teamwork among students and staff.

Mr. Speaker, I want to honor Mr. Gallaway for empowering students and teachers to embrace the Viking Way and thank him for his positive influence that he has had on students in central Washington.

This award is something that Mr. Gallaway, his students, and fellow faculty and staff should be very proud of. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Marc Gallaway on this significant achievement.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month

Mr. Speaker, September is National Hispanic Heritage Month, and I am proud to represent central Washington where Hispanic heritage and culture tells the story of many of my constituents and our communities.

I have witnessed firsthand how Hispanic Americans contribute to our communities through entrepreneurship, military service, and cultural diversity. I am proud to recognize my Hispanic American friends and neighbors in Washington's Fourth Congressional District.

I am also proud to support national appreciation of Hispanic American and Latino leadership and heritage as an original cosponsor of the National Museum of the American Latino Act. I support the establishment of a Smithsonian museum to recognize Latino contributions to American history, life, art, and culture.

In the United States, our shared values bring us together, and we cherish our Nation's diverse history. I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Recognizing Cathey Anderson for Energy Northwest's CEO Lifesaving Award

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cathey Anderson for the compassion she demonstrated aboard a flight from Nevada to central Washington.

Cathey did not think twice before springing into action when she noticed a man in his 70s who was traveling alone. He appeared confused and then lost consciousness.

Cathey recognized the signs of a seizure, and she took the initiative to help. She and two other nurses administered medical treatment until the flight landed, and they were greeted by medical crews upon arrival in Yakima.

Cathey is a registered nurse and the occupational health supervisor at Energy Northwest. She was awarded the CEO Lifesaving Award for her actions.

To Cathey's family and friends, her quick action was not a surprise, because it wasn't the first time she comforted a stranger in distress.

I thank Cathey for her willingness to help others around her everywhere she goes. Please join me in recognizing Cathey Anderson for receiving this prestigious award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kennewick Police Chief Kenneth Hohenberg for 40 years of service to the Kennewick Police Department.

Chief Hohenberg began his career as an officer at age 22, making him the city's longest serving employee. He rose quickly through the ranks. He served on patrol, both as a motorcycle cop and a DARE officer, a sergeant, a lieutenant, and then captain. He attended the FBI National Academy, an honor few police officers receive, and was named chief in 2003.

Not only is Chief Hohenberg one of the most respected police chiefs in the State, but he is also a widely admired member of our community. He has been named Benton-Franklin United Way Volunteer of the Year, Kennewick Man of the Year, and Tri-Citian of the Year.

In central Washington, we know him as a man who is constantly looking for opportunities to help and always willing to serve in and out of the police department.

I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Chief Ken Hohenberg for his tremendous service to the city of Kennewick and to Washington's Fourth Congressional District.

Congratulating Rowdy Barry

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rowdy Barry, Kennewick's own professional bullfighter, on a successful 33-year career.

Rowdy grew up around rodeos and has been bullfighting rodeos of all sizes since he was 18 years old. Putting himself between bulls and bull riders requires a true dedication to the sport. Rowdy sacrificed his time, as well as several injuries and broken bones, to keep riders safe and to provide a few additional laughs for the audience. On September 15, Rowdy will be hanging up his bullfighting hat for good at the Othello Rodeo.

Earlier this year, he was inducted into both the Kennewick Rodeo and Omak Stampede Halls of Fame. The Walla Walla Frontier Days posters honored him with some of his own artwork.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Rowdy on a career that will not be forgotten in central Washington. I wish him the best in his future.

Congratulating James Webb

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize James Webb, a Yakima native, for receiving the prestigious Louis H. Bauer Founders Award by the Aerospace Medical Association this year.

It is not every day that a man born and raised in central Washington is awarded the Aerospace Medical Association's highest honor, and Mr. Webb deserves it.

After graduating from the University of Washington, James joined the

United States Air Force, where he completed 175 combat missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as several other awards.

James was inspired to research altitude decompression sickness, finding solutions to help astronauts and pilots across the country and around the world.

Before receiving the Founders Award, James won five other awards from the association and also served as president.

Mr. Speaker, I thank James Webb for his contributions to aerospace medicine. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating him on this award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce an important piece of legislation authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to transfer title of certain Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) assets to the Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) in Central Washington.

This straightforward legislation, in accordance with a December 2017 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Kennewick Irrigation District and BOR, will transfer title of works beginning at the KID's head gate and extending 40 miles east. The transfer includes the conveyance of land and project facilities and should be completed no later than two years after the enactment.

In working toward a successful transfer, the KID will include an Environmental Assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act as well as all necessary Endangered Species Act review, National Historical Preservation Act review, and a hazardous materials review. The KID and BOR have also committed to ensure that all stakeholders, tribal concerns, and local interests have a seat at the table throughout the process. In addition to ensuring the proper reviews are completed, KID will repay their allocated share of construction costs to the federal government.

Throughout Central Washington, there are several irrigation districts which work to manage and maintain reliable water supplies to cities, farmers, tribes, and recreational interest and they have done so successfully for many decades. The KID is no different. By completing this title transfer we can ensure there will be a safe, reliable, and efficient water supply for the next generation.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1001 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), 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, on Tuesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1001, providing for further consideration of the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 119, expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy. The rule provides for consideration of the concurrent resolution under a closed rule.

Mr. Speaker, my district in central Washington demonstrates the strength in utilizing a diverse portfolio of energy sources, while also working on the forefront of energy innovation in clean energy solutions for the future.

From the mighty Grand Coulee Dam, which is the largest hydroelectric power producer in the United States, to the Chief Joseph Dam, to the series of lower Snake and lower Columbia River dams, our region is undoubtedly blessed with low-cost, clean, reliable, and renewable hydropower.

In fact, hydropower provides our State with almost 70 percent of our energy needs. Improvements made to this technology to improve the efficiency, the safety, and the productivity of hydro demonstrate the importance of constantly improving our energy technologies.

Now, while we do rely heavily on hydropower, Washington also utilizes an array of other energy sources, both produced and imported, including oil, natural gas, coal, and a number of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

My district is also blessed with the only nuclear generating station in the Pacific Northwest, and that is the Columbia Generating Station, which is operated by Energy Northwest. Columbia produces 10 percent of the electricity generated in Washington and is a reliable, clean energy producer not dependent on weather conditions like some renewables are.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, while I am sure you are fascinated by this brief rundown of Washington State's source of energy, you may be wondering why I am speaking about such matters with the resolution before us today.

The resolution says, quite simply, that it is the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy--a simple statement. And while I could be spending my time listening to many ways a harmful tax would harm our economy and the American people, I thought I would also offer a demonstration of the many resources we have at our disposal for strengthening America's energy dominance.

Many of my colleagues, much like myself, support what we can call an ``all of the above'' energy approach. We believe government should not be picking winners and losers and should not be placing the thumb on the economic free-market scale. A carbon tax would be exactly that, a devastating hammer to what is currently an economy on the rise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution offered by the majority whip, Representative Steve Scalise from the great State of Louisiana, to oppose a carbon tax carbon tax as a solution to address carbon emissions and climate change, because, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, it simply is not a solution.

However, that is not to say that I oppose reducing carbon emissions. My constituents and the people of the great Pacific Northwest most certainly want a clean, healthy environment, and we should be doing everything we can to limit emissions. But a burdensome new tax that would fundamentally bring our innovative energy sector and growing economy to a standstill is not the answer.

Further, a carbon tax fails to recognize the diversity of our Nation and the different energy resources that exist in the United States. Quite frankly, the resources that exist in the State of Washington certainly may not be present in the State of North Dakota or Louisiana or Massachusetts.

We should be making clean energy more affordable, not making traditional energy sources more expensive. We should be cutting burdensome regulations that constrain the development and deployment of energy, whether it be nuclear, fossil fuels, or hydropower. These regulatory burdens should be removed and reformed to spur clean energy innovation with the power of markets, not within the hands of government bureaucrats.

Mr. Speaker, we, in central Washington, have another prize gem in our backyard. I am proud to represent the people that work at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. This premier Department of Energy lab is on the forefront of energy innovation. From enabling safe and sustainable fossil fuel exploration production, transportation, conversion, and end use, to transforming the U.S. power grid to meet economic, environmental, and security priorities for the 21st century, our national labs like PNNL delivers distinctive science and technology solutions for efficient and sustainable energy.

I am a proud member of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee where we continue to prioritize strategic energy research and development that will increase U.S. economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness.

Congress should continue to work on utilizing and empowering public- private partnerships to rapidly develop new technologies and then let the market catalyze its growth and commercial liability. There are great examples of these efforts taking place in the innovative high- tech communities of the Tri-Cities, Washington, where experts from the private sector are partnering with research and support offered by PNNL to develop grid-scale storage solutions and small modular reactor technologies, fundamentally transforming the future of nuclear power generation and battery storage technologies.

Mr. Speaker, my constituents want energy security and want a clean environment. They want economic growth, job creation, and they want to keep their low-cost electricity. The way to a cleaner, more prosperous future for our Nation's energy needs is not through more government bureaucracy. It is through empowering American innovation. That is why a carbon tax is wrong for my district in central Washington State. It is wrong for the entire State of Washington, and it is wrong for the United States of America. We need to innovate, rather than regulate the future of America's energy dominance.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

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

Mr. Speaker, my friends on the other side seem to be focused on closed versus open rules. We hear that time and time again. They are ignoring that the structured amendment process has routinely been used by both parties when they were in the majority.

This majority has made it a priority to make in order amendments for floor consideration, which, I might point out, a majority of those amendments have been Democratic-sponsored or cosponsored. In fact, as of July 12 of this year, Republicans in this Congress, the 115th Congress, provided for the consideration of more than 1,650 amendments on the House floor: 745 of those were Democrat amendments; 630 were Republican amendments; and 280 were, proudly, bipartisan amendments, Mr. Speaker. So by no means are we stopping the process. That doesn't even count the thousands and thousands of submissions that Members make, both Republican and Democrat, to committees for consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I take exception to the fact that this is a totally closed process. It is open for participation by every Member of the House who represents constituents across this country.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Jenkins), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I will reiterate my earlier announcement that all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only, and I will not yield for any other purpose.

Mr. Speaker, getting back to the resolution at hand about moving away from regressive taxes and top-down, Big Government regulation, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions), the chairman of the Rules Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers on this side of the aisle, but before I reserve my time, I just want to remind my good friends on the other side of the aisle that my colleague and good friend from Illinois, Mr. Quigley, did offer this amendment in the Appropriations Committee just last week. We did spend a great deal of time debating and discussing this idea.

As the good chairman from the Rules Committee said, and I will repeat, of the funds that were appropriated, there were $380 million appropriated for the Election Assistance Commission, which was the last of the final payment of the $3.65 billion originally authorized under the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Of these 2018 funds, there are still 39 percent of these dollars available to the States.

There is no crisis. The money is available to States that want those dollars for assistance. In fact, to date, my latest information, Mr. Speaker, there are still 19 States yet to submit an application.

So there is no crisis. There is help available. States have an opportunity to receive the resources necessary to make sure we have what all American people want, that our elections are held with the utmost honesty and integrity.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have no more speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, as tempting as that sounds, I think that the adequate 30 minutes per side is enough for both of us.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman from Maine, as well as the gentleman from Vermont, getting back to the debate at hand.

I just want to share a few things that I have learned from a recent poll conducted by the Institute for Energy Research. They found that a resounding 85 percent of respondents agreed that we should not make energy more expensive.

Even more tellingly than that, though, when asked whether they trusted the Federal Government to spend the money from a tax on carbon emissions wisely, only 18 percent of the respondents felt that they would, while 74 percent said that they did not feel that way.

An overwhelming 73 percent of respondents agreed that the last thing that we need is higher taxes or more bureaucracy. And, lastly, 85 percent of respondents feared that consumers will wind up paying the cost associated with a tax or regulation, exactly what we have been saying.

The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, the American people remain profoundly skeptical of government intrusion into the free markets, and like I said before, a carbon tax would be wrong for our Nation.

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

Will the gentleman yield?

MR. McGOVERN. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

We are prepared to close on the Republican side.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to engage with my good friend and colleague from the State of Massachusetts, especially on a particularly important issue such as carbon tax.

It is my feeling and the feeling of the majority of this House that we need to move away from aggressive taxes and top-down Big Government regulation. We need to get behind innovative-centric solutions that remove bureaucratic barriers to clean, affordable, and reliable energy technology and allow for real global carbon emission reductions.

Our affordable and reliable energy supply must be the focus, along with a cleaner environment and a stronger economy. A carbon tax simply would not yield those kinds of results.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and support the underlying legislation, H. Con. Res. 119, which is simply this: Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy.

The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows

An Amendment to H. Res. 1001 Offered by Mr. McGovern

At the end of the resolution, add the following new

sections:

Sec. 2. Immediately upon adoption of this resolution the

Speaker shall, pursuant to

clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into

the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union

for consideration of the bill (H.R. 12) to modernize voter

registration, promote access to voting for individuals with

disabilities, protect the ability of individuals to exercise

the right to vote in elections for Federal office, and for

other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be

dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of

the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the

bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided among and

controlled by the respective chairs and ranking minority

members of the Committees on House Administration, the

Judiciary, Science, Space and Technology, Veterans' Affairs,

Oversight and Government Reform. After general debate the

bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute

rule. All points of order against provisions in the bill are

waived. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for

amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the

House with such amendments as may have been adopted. The

previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill

and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening

motion except one motion to recommit with or without

instructions. If the Committee of the Whole rises and reports

that it has come to no resolution on the bill, then on the

next legislative day the House shall, immediately after the

third daily order of business under clause 1 of rule XIV,

resolve into the Committee of the Whole for further

consideration of the bill.

Sec. 3. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX shall not apply to the

consideration of H.R. 12.

The Vote on the Previous Question: What It Really Means

This vote, the vote on whether to order the previous

question on a special rule, is not merely a procedural vote.

A vote against ordering the previous question is a vote

against the Republican majority agenda and a vote to allow

the Democratic minority to offer an alternative plan. It is a

vote about what the House should be debating.

Mr. Clarence Cannon's Precedents of the House of

Representatives (VI, 308-311), describes the vote on the

previous question on the rule as ``a motion to direct or

control the consideration of the subject before the House

being made by the Member in charge.'' To defeat the previous

question is to give the opposition a chance to decide the

subject before the House. Cannon cites the Speaker's ruling

of January 13, 1920, to the effect that ``the refusal of the

House to sustain the demand for the previous question passes

the control of the resolution to the opposition'' in order to

offer an amendment. On March 15, 1909, a member of the

majority party offered a rule resolution. The House defeated

the previous question and a member of the opposition rose to

a parliamentary inquiry, asking who was entitled to

recognition. Speaker Joseph G. Cannon (R-Illinois) said:

``The previous question having been refused, the gentleman

from New York, Mr. Fitzgerald, who had asked the gentleman to

yield to him for an amendment, is entitled to the first

recognition.''

The Republican majority may say ``the vote on the previous

question is simply a vote on whether to proceed to an

immediate vote on adopting the resolution . . . [and] has no

substantive legislative or policy implications whatsoever.''

But that is not what they have always said. Listen to the

Republican Leadership Manual on the Legislative Process in

the United States House of Representatives, (6th edition,

page 135). Here's how the Republicans describe the previous

question vote in their own manual: ``Although it is generally

not possible to amend the rule because the majority Member

controlling the time will not yield for the purpose of

offering an amendment, the same result may be achieved by

voting down the previous question on the rule. . . . When the

motion for the previous question is defeated, control of the

time passes to the Member who led the opposition to ordering

the previous question. That Member, because he then controls

the time, may offer an amendment to the rule, or yield for

the purpose of amendment.''

In Deschler's Procedure in the U.S. House of

Representatives, the subchapter titled ``Amending Special

Rules'' states: ``a refusal to order the previous question on

such a rule [a special rule reported from the Committee on

Rules] opens the resolution to amendment and further

debate.'' (Chapter 21, section 21.2) Section 21.3 continues:

``Upon rejection of the motion for the previous question on a

resolution reported from the Committee on Rules, control

shifts to the Member leading the opposition to the previous

question, who may offer a proper amendment or motion and who

controls the time for debate thereon.''

Clearly, the vote on the previous question on a rule does

have substantive policy implications. It is one of the only

available tools for those who oppose the Republican

majority's agenda and allows those with alternative views the

opportunity to offer an alternative plan.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from North Carolina for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of legislation that will commemorate the life and service of a young man from central Washington who died serving his country just over a year ago, on July 10, 2017.

Marine Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman grew up in Richland, Washington, with his parents, Eric and Susan, and his two brothers, Aaron and Hans. He attended Christ the King Catholic School, Hanford High School, and Columbia Basin College, where he met friends who would remain close to him throughout his entire life.

In 2010, with a world of opportunity ahead of him, he chose to dedicate his life to service and enlist in the United States Marine Corps. It was his goal to serve within Special Operations Command.

Throughout his service, he received 14 awards and decorations, including several Achievement Medals, Good Conduct Medals, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He had completed two overseas deployments, serving our Nation during Operation Enduring Freedom.

He achieved his goal, honorably serving as a critical skills operator in the U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Raider Battalion at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, when he was tragically killed in a KC-130 plane crash in Mississippi on July 10, 2017.

My legislation would designate the U.S. Postal Service facility at 4801 West Van Giesen Street in West Richland, Washington, as the Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman Post Office Building.

Dietrich and his fellow servicemembers gave the ultimate sacrifice, and I hope to honor his memory, as well as the memory of the 15 other men and women killed in the crash, with this dedication to their service.

Dietrich's strong ties to his family, friends, and hometown continue to be evident. An avid skydiver, Dietrich's death inspired his parents, childhood friends, and fellow marines to complete a memorial skydive over central Washington. He had a tattoo symbolizing his love of the Pacific Northwest and requested that his ashes be spread on Mount Rainier, where his Marine brothers-in-arms will hike this August in his honor.

We recently observed the 1-year anniversary of the devastating plane crash, and I know that the designation of this post office will mean a lot to Dietrich's family and to our community, serving as a local memorial and a reminder of the sacrifice he and his fellow servicemembers gave to preserve the freedoms that are the cornerstone of our Nation.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation to name this building, which will be visited often by friends and family, after a courageous young man whose life and service deserve this honor.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory, or what is known as LIGO, for its achievements in the field of gravitational discovery.

The American Physical Society recently named LIGO, which is located in my district in Richland, Washington, as a historic site for its groundbreaking detection of gravitational waves. These waves passed through the Earth on September 14, 2015, nearly 100 years after Albert Einstein predicted their existence. This discovery has opened up new opportunities for learning about the universe.

I am amazed by the work being done in central Washington. In addition to this recognition, three LIGO scientists, Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish, and Kip Thorne, also received the 2017 Nobel Prize for Physics.

A plaque that will be placed at the site reads: ``The precision required to detect these tiny disturbances in space-time, caused by emerging black holes, was made possible by the coordinated labor of over 1,000 scientific and technical workers.''

I want to thank the American Physical Society and the Nobel Committee for recognizing the hard work and dedication of these men and women, and I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating LIGO's scientists and employees.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado for yielding me some time this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3281, the Reclamation Title Transfer and Non-Federal Infrastructure Incentivization Act, which is offered by my friend from Colorado, Chairman Lamborn.

This legislation brings commonsense streamlining efforts to the Bureau or Reclamation to transfer Federal water projects to local water entities like irrigation districts and local water user associations.

Reclamation, or BOR, is the Nation's largest wholesale water supplier, providing one out of five Western farmers with irrigation water for over 10 million farmland acres that produce 60 percent of the Nation's vegetables and a quarter of its fresh fruit crops.

These projects in water districts are vital to my district in central Washington, where we grow over 300 different crops, including the iconic Washington apple--hopefully, you have enjoyed some of those--or Washington cherries, potatoes, and three-quarters of the Nation's hops production.

Reclamation's assets in Washington include 16 dams, three hydropower stations, four major water projects, and miles and miles of canals, which deliver water to the end users.

There are currently two water districts in central Washington seeking title to sections of Federal water projects--the Kennewick Irrigation District, the KID, and the Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District--both of which, for many years, have managed and maintained these important water delivery systems.

Now, this legislation would provide a streamlined process to transfer reclamation facilities to those local entities, which includes a number of benefits for the water users, but also a number of benefits to the Federal Government.

This streamlined process can reduce regulatory burden at the local and the State and Federal levels by cutting unnecessary paperwork and reducing staff time at all levels of government.

Additionally, through this process, local districts can take full control of these projects, which they already maintain and manage. By authorizing this streamlining process, local districts can leverage private financing through their ownership, which further reduces the Federal Government's spending and backlog of repairing and upgrading these projects.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation provides a win-win solution for the Federal Government and for the water users. These projects have been in place for many years, but Reclamation has been inundated and overwhelmed by some of the needs for a growing population and for water users. Local communities need this support.

Mr. Speaker, I was speaking with some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle just yesterday about this legislation, and they shared with me that they were worried that this was simply the privatization of Federal water projects and properties within Reclamation, but this is just not the case. This legislation simply allows the Department of the Interior to convey certain projects or facilities to these local entities, like irrigation districts, Indian Tribes, or State and local municipalities. This has nothing to do with selling off water assets to corporations.

Additionally, the entity receiving the assets must use them for the same purposes as intended by Reclamation. The transfer cannot have a significant effect on the environment, and the receiving entity must agree to provide the Federal Government with the equivalent present value of any repayment obligations.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation streamlines water uses for local communities while reducing government waste and burdensome regulations. It is simply a win-win for the American people. I look forward to voting in support of this legislation, and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, proud to share a snapshot of rising wages, more jobs, and increasing opportunity in the Fourth Congressional District of Washington, which I have the distinct pleasure of representing.

In the city of Yakima, unemployment is at 5.5 percent, as reported in April by the Washington Employment Security Department. That number is reportedly the lowest it has been for that month since electronic reporting began in 1990. Yakima County is the most populous county in central Washington and had a May unemployment rate at 6.0 percent, which is the lowest rate in decades.

In another major population center in Washington, the Tri-Cities, unemployment was at 5.2 percent in May. Wages in the Tri-Cities area are up 3.8 percent over 2017 and are among the fastest growing in the State.

The latest jobs report showed decreasing unemployment rates across my district in every single county, with Okanogan at 6.3 percent; Grant, 6.1; Franklin, 5.5; Douglas at 5.2; Benton at 5.1; Adams at 4.8; and Walla Walla at 4.3.

New jobs in construction, food manufacturing, and professional business services are largely driving the regional growth in the labor force. These numbers are more than just statistics, Mr. Speaker. Increasing employment opportunities mean families can provide a more secure future for their children. Graduating students are able to choose from more options after graduation.

My constituents deserve a Federal Government whose policies foster this kind of growth through lower taxes and smarter regulation. We should encourage entrepreneurs by helping, not hurting, growth.

Since tax reform was made law, local businesses in my district, such as Irwin Research & Development and Abbott's Printing in Yakima, have expressed optimism at the prospect of increasing investment and giving earnings to workers rather than the Federal Government.

The ability of businesses to write off the full value of equipment and other assets will help Buhrmaster Baking Company in Yakima plan for equipment upgrades. Chukar Cherries in Prosser has announced a $1.8 million, 12,000-square-foot expansion, in large part due to tax reform.

Cacchiotti Orthodontics announced hourly raises for their Moses Lake employees thanks to tax reform. Pacific Power, which serves Yakima County, announced that it will pass tax reform savings on to its ratepayers. Washington Federal, with branches in Moses Lake and Quincy, announced 5 percent merit-based increases in wages for all employees earning less than $100,000, as well as an investment in employee training programs.

Pacific Northwest companies such as Alaska Airlines, Costco, Boeing, Premera Blue Cross, and Starbucks have announced millions in increased benefits, raises, employee education, and nonprofit donations.

To sum it all up, central Washington's economy is experiencing growth, and that is good news for workers and for their families. I will continue to work on behalf of my constituents to promote economic opportunity, and I am proud that this tax reform is working as it was promised to work.

Mr. Chair, I am proud to be able to rise and speak on this bill. I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 2083, the Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act, and I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation.

This bill was introduced on a bipartisan basis by members of the Pacific Northwest delegation to address the matter of predatory sea lions that are consuming alarming numbers of endangered salmon, steelhead, and other fish species in the Columbia River and its tributaries.

Over the past few decades, sea lion populations have increased tenfold, causing sea lions to expand their search for food. There is just too many of them for their traditional food sources.

Well, Mr. Chairman, they have found that source. Sea lions swimming up to the Bonneville Dam are gorging themselves on endangered salmon not only for food, but, Mr. Chairman, there are so many of them, they are also doing it for sport. I have seen this myself while visiting a dam, where I saw what scientists and river managers regularly see: fish passing by--through those windows that you can watch the migrating salmon--with massive bite marks through their bodies. Most of the time, that leads to fatality for these fish.

A recent NOAA study found that sea lions consumed up to 45 percent of several stocks of returning adult salmon last year. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife found that winter steelhead will go extinct if sea lion populations are not managed, placing the likelihood of extinction at 90 percent.

This bill would stop this severe problem by amending the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow NOAA to issue permits allowing State agencies and regional Tribes to use lethal take of sea lions in certain portions of the Columbia River and its tributaries. This legislation will help protect fish from sea lion predation and is desperately needed in order to save an endangered fish species.

Unfortunately, Ranking Member Grijalva and the minority of the House Natural Resources Committee have once again reverted to fear-mongering, just as they have done on other issues facing the Pacific Northwest. I have heard this legislation called the ``Slaughter Seals and Sea Lions Act,'' and it claimed the legislation will authorize a ``massive increase in annual permits to kill sea lions and seals.'' Nothing could be further from the truth.

This legislation demonstrates a targeted approach and a bipartisan, concerted effort over many years to come

to a consensus on this serious issue. In fact, the bill places strict limits on sea lion removal that are one-tenth the amount NOAA states would have no impact on sea lion population.

I am disappointed in these outlandish and false claims that the minority has propagated. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation state: ``We are saddened to see such an inaccurate, emotional, and nonscientific attack on legislation our region is desperate to see enacted.'' And, Mr. Chairman, I could not agree more.

Fortunately, the wide-ranging coalition and bipartisan support behind this legislation speaks for itself: from the three respective Governors of the three States of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; to the Yakama, Nez Perce, Warm Springs, and Umatilla Tribes; to groups like the Pacific Power Council, Northwest River Partners, Trout Unlimited, and Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, this legislation is supported by environmental organizations, the fishing industry, power and utility interests, State and Tribal governments, and both Democrats and Republicans alike right here in the House and in the Senate.

The ranking member earlier stated that this bill is not a silver bullet, and, Mr. Chairman, I don't disagree. I certainly acknowledge that this is just one tool to continue the tremendous efforts and significant resources our region has devoted to fish protection and mitigation, but it is an important one.

I continue to advocate for sound science approaches to managing our Columbia River system, including speaking out against the recklessly mandated spill order currently placed upon the Federal river system. That is why I supported H.R. 3144 earlier this year to stop this spill and to provide the experts who manage our river system with the ability to do so in a manner that is best for our fish species.

For the record, the minority of the House Natural Resources Committee called the bill the ``Salmon Extinction Act''--more disappointing hyperbole. I would encourage the ranking member and his staff to focus more on the science and less on the radical rhetoric.

Mr. Chairman, just as my bipartisan colleagues support this legislation we consider today, I continue to plead for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and in the Senate to recognize the science showing how dangerous spilling to the gas caps is.

Mr. Chairman, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2083.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 953 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), 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, on Wednesday, the House Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 953, providing for consideration of H.R. 6136, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act. This legislation demonstrates a pivotal moment in our Nation's history, one in which we can choose to, for the first time in decades, make significant improvements to our Nation's broken immigration system.

Mr. Speaker, I have been in this body for just about 3\1/2\ years, and throughout that period of time, and even before as I was working to become a Congressman, I have always been clear with the people of the Fourth Congressional District of the State of Washington that fixing our broken immigration system is a top priority and one that I believe my district, my State, and the entire Nation desperately needs.

With the rule that we bring forward today, I can look my constituents in the eye, and, with certainty, I can tell them that I believe that this legislation, the underlying bill, this consensus legislation that we have before us, is the best opportunity this body has had in many, many years--in fact, decades--to get something signed into law to make a true, lasting, substantive difference to improve our broken immigration system.

While it may not be perfect--few bills are--H.R. 6136, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act, includes several main tenets to addressing our immigration crisis, and, I should add, it is the only bill that we are considering that includes all four pillars that the President, on numerous occasions, has stated must be a part of any legislation that he will sign into law.

First, this legislation includes desperately needed appropriations for border security. The bill appropriates funding for further construction of the border wall, as well as technology, personnel, and modernization of our ports of entry.

Our border security system is broken and must be fixed, so I would look to my fellow conservatives and say: This is our one shot to get this done. This is our one opportunity to live up to the commitment we gave to our constituents when we said we would secure our border.

Mr. Speaker, I truly believe that this is our only chance, and we can't waste it. We can't squander it. Let's get our border secured once and for all, and keep our commitment to our people.

It also includes a desperately needed solution for the DACA population. I have shared with many of my colleagues time and time again that I have the second highest number of DACA recipients in my district in the State of Washington out of the entire Republican Conference. A full third of Washington State's DACA population lives in my district of central Washington.

I can tell you that I have met with literally hundreds of them, including just this week. Monday afternoon, I met with about half a dozen of these young people. They are smart, hardworking, respectful, caring members of our community, people that you would be proud to call your own constituents. I am proud that this legislation provides them with the certainty that they need so that they can continue moving forward with their educational and professional endeavors, and continue to be productive, upstanding members of society.

Do you know what they told me that they wanted and that they need? They would like hope. We can give it to them with this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this bill also, importantly, addresses the terrible situation that we have all been witnessing regarding family separation at the border. Children should not be taken away from their parents. We can enforce our laws and enforce our border while also keeping families together.

This situation has shown one more broken piece of an immigration system that is not working for anyone, and another example that shows why reform is so desperately needed. It makes clear that minors at the border must remain with their parent or legal guardian.

Mr. Speaker, I want to share an excerpt that comes from an interview that I just watched with one of our Border Patrol agents, a Mr. Chris Cabrera, and if I may quote him, Mr. Speaker.

``We've had this situation going on for 4 years now, and for some reason, we haven't fixed it. I don't think you can necessarily blame it on one administration or the other. It started under one and is continuing under another. It hasn't been fixed, and it needs to be fixed.

``Right now, we have this beacon of, `We'll leave the light on for you and let you come illegally into the country.' If you've seen some of the stuff we've seen down here, you would understand just how important it is to have a tough stance to divert people from coming here. When you see a 12-year-old girl with a Plan B pill--her parents put her on birth control because they know getting violated is part of the journey--that's a terrible way to live. When you see a 4-year-old girl traveling completely alone with just her parents' phone number written across her shirt, something needs to be done.

``We had a 9-year-old boy last year have a heat stroke and die in front of us with no family around. That's because we're allowing people to take advantage of this system.

``Let's be honest here, if we want this law changed, then that's on Congress. That's on nobody else but Congress. They need to get to work and change this law.''

So I would respectfully challenge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, but on the other side of the aisle especially, do not join Senator Schumer, who says there is no need for a legislative solution. There is a need. I urge you to reject much of the rhetoric that I have heard on the floor just today rejecting funding for border security.

It can be easy to make this political and refuse to move a solution forward that actually has a chance of being signed into law in an effort to score political points. That is really easy. But this is just too important. Congress can legislate on this. Congress must legislate on this. And with this bill before us, we can fix this.

Now, to me, something important this legislation does not address is the desperate need for a reliable, efficient, and fair program for American farmers to access a legal, stable supply of workers. Our broken H-2A and guest worker program has hobbled much of the agricultural industry from attaining a reliable workforce.

Chairman Goodlatte of the House Judiciary Committee has been a steadfast advocate for reforming this system, and I thank him for his dedication to this matter over the years. I am heartened by the commitment the Speaker, as well as the majority leader, have given to me and others for a stand-alone vote on agricultural workforce legislation before the August recess. And I pledge to Chairman Goodlatte to work with him and all of my colleagues on that legislation.

So while this bill does not fix every broken aspect of our immigration system, it does take a major consensus-based step toward addressing several main components, including providing certainty for DACA recipients and finally securing our border once and for all.

Honestly, Mr. Speaker, many of my constituents are asking me a pretty hard question: Why isn't this bill bipartisan? Why aren't any Democrats supporting it? I don't know the answer to that, but it may be just as simple as this: Because it is actually something that the President will sign into law.

Even though it provides certainty for the DACA population, which we all want, even though it addresses the terrible situation of family separation at the border, which I hear is something everybody wants to fix, anything that actually fulfills the President's goal of securing the border my Democratic colleagues seemingly refuse to vote for.

Now, I don't engage in hyperbole, but I do not think it is hyperbolic to say that my Democratic colleagues may not want to secure our border or enforce our immigration laws. That is what I see. It is clear to me their desire

to not give the President a ``win'' is more important than their desire to actually fix and find a solution to these issues.

Mr. Speaker, compromise is hard. It is tough stuff. Consensus is always difficult. Both of these things seem to have become four letter words. The same goes for cooperation and negotiation. But these are values that I, and many of us, have tried to espouse as we have worked together with colleagues from both sides of the aisle for these many months to find a solution to DACA while also securing our border.

But at the end of the day, we should all be operating under one reality--one thing that maybe some people do not want to accept or admit--whether you like it or not, the President has made it clear what must be included in any bill in order to be signed into law, he has told us what he needs. Now, I have acknowledged this, and I admit, it may be easier for some of us to admit than others, but that is the reality. If my colleagues refuse to accept that the President's top priority is securing the border, then consensus, Mr. Speaker, is just not possible.

I believe our President has shown good-faith willingness to compromise on the issue of DACA. He has come a long way.

Unfortunately, we have not seen that same good-faith effort coming from all of our colleagues. It is disappointing, my friends on the other side of the aisle refuse to work with us to try to find a solution here.

Mr. Speaker, history will be our greatest judge. It is always easy to be a no, but I will always strive to get to yes for the betterment of our Nation's future. There is simply too much riding on this legislation for us to not work as hard as we can to get to yes. The people of this country deserve nothing less.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and support the underlying legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the gentleman that the Dream Act that he says is supported by many people in this Chamber would do nothing to address the issue that is happening at the border right now. The only piece of legislation before us today is the bill that we have in front of us, H.R. 6136, that if we pass that would solve that situation now.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Utah (Mrs. Love).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

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

The previous speaker just made the point I was going to. If you are going to negotiate in good faith and arrive at consensus, you have to accept who the President is and what he requires in order to sign legislation whether you like it or not. And one of the priorities that he has made as clear as day is that there will be border security and a wall. Refusing to accept that fact pretty much closes the door on the opportunity or any possibility of negotiation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Florida (Mr. Curbelo).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and would just like to respond to one thing that was said previously.

All of us have been using examples of young people and how they are being treated at the border. I take exception to the implication that we will all be judged accordingly by our Maker for doing so, in a negative way.

Let me just repeat what I said in my opening remarks, quoting a Border Patrol agent, Mr. Chris Cabrera. He told us that: ``If you've seen some of the stuff we've seen down here, you would understand just how important it is to have a tough stance to divert people from coming here. When you see a 12-year-old girl with a Plan B pill--her

parents put her on birth control because they know getting violated is part of the journey . . . something has to be done.''

That is exactly what we are doing here with this piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker.

If we pass this today, that will help solve this problem today. That is what we, as Congress, need to do. We need to be responsive to the plight of people trying to get here, as well as to the citizens of our own country.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, let me just say that I am proud to represent my conference and stand here with this piece of legislation that will provide the certainty and the hope for more than 1.8 million DACA recipients and Dreamers in this country. If you vote ``no'' on this bill, you will be denying those individuals what they for so long have been wanting.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be here representing my conference to do just that, to give them that hope, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions), the chairman of the Rules Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have got so many Members coming wanting to speak. How much time do I have remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Denham).

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

Mr. Speaker, don't believe me. I would say don't believe Mr. Polis either. Believe the border security guard that I quoted earlier who said that the situation we have at the border happened under the previous administration as well as this one.

Mr. Trump, our President, did not manufacture this crisis, but this bill before us will solve that situation, which is why we need to pass this rule.

That whole issue takes away from one of the most pressing issues of our time, immigration reform. We will solve that, but we can also address immigration.

I am proud of the bill we have before us. I am proud that we have had so many speakers come and speak on its behalf. This is the only bill in front of us that has any potential chance of becoming law. The President will sign this bill because it addresses his four main pillars: it provides for border security, which the American people want. And, certainly, as we have talked a lot today, it provides for those 1.8 million DACA recipients and Dreamers. It is a good bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill because it is the right thing to do.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 10 o'clock and 31 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, June 21, 2018, at 9 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, in America, 91 people die every day from an opioid overdose. According to the

Washington State Department of Health, from 2012 to 2016, almost 300 people in my Fourth Congressional District died from an opioid-related death. These alarming statistics demonstrate the desperate need for the 35 bills we passed this week in regard to this crisis.

I recently hosted an opioid summit in my district where I heard from constituents, Federal officials, law enforcement, and health professionals about the impacts this epidemic has in central Washington. One constituent bravely shared the story of her son, Eli.

Eli was exposed to opioids in high school. He struggled with recovery, and despite support from his family, it was difficult to find help. His addiction did not let him live out his full potential, and he ultimately passed away in 2014 at the age of 22 years old.

Unfortunately, there are many more stories like Eli's. We must put an end to this epidemic which is why I am proud to support the important legislation Congress is working on. By improving access to treatment, prevention practices, and law enforcement, we are saving lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 136th anniversary of the Yakama Nation Treaty of 1855.

On June 9 in 1855, the United States entered into an agreement with the confederated tribes and bands of the Yakama Nation. This treaty marked the beginning of a successful relationship between the Yakamas, the Federal Government, and the people of Central Washington State.

I am proud to display a copy of the treaty of 1855 in my office here in Washington, D.C. as a reminder of the Federal Government's obligations.

The Yakama Nation's presence and influence is evident in my district. The Yakama Nation Museum and Cultural Center provides students and visitors an inside look at the history and the values of the Tribes. The newly opened Yakama Warriors Association's Veterans Center provides resources and assistance to veterans on or near the Yakama Reservation. Events and celebrations bring communities together to honor and preserve the Yakama Nation's cultural traditions.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the Yakamas' input as I work to represent all of Central Washington, and I look forward to continuing to ensure their voices are heard on the important decisions that affect the land that we all love.