Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Dale Heaston of Richland, Washington for being awarded the American Optometric Association's 2017 Distinguished Service Award.

This award signifies above-and-beyond service in the field of optometry, which Dr. Heaston exemplifies. Since graduating from the Illinois College of Optometry, Dr. Heaston has been providing quality care to patients in Central Washington and ensuring that the needs of underserved communities are met.

He has advocated on behalf of optometrists at both the state and national levels, working with local and state organizations to educate communities about vision and eye health and to create public awareness of the profession. He has worked with lawmakers across Washington State to promote legislation that supports optometry and currently serves as a Federal Legislative Keyperson for the American Optometric Association.

Dr. Heaston's dedication and contributions to his profession are admirable and right to be recognized. Please join me in celebrating his accomplishments and congratulating him on this award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a constituent from my district, Mike Miller, of Ritzville, Washington, who was recently selected as the new Chairman of the U.S. Wheat Associates.

Mike is a fourth-generation farmer and a family man who has served on many local, state and national boards. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Washington Grain Commission and has been representing Washington as a U.S. Wheat Associates Director for six years.

He has been very active in supporting wheat research and development, and I know he will be an excellent leader for the U.S. Wheat Associates, as they continue to promote the quality and value of all six U.S. wheat classes to international markets.

Please join me in congratulating Mike on his new position.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize two groups of young men, the Boy Scouts Jamboree Troop 3218 and the Grand Columbia Council, both from Washington State, as they recently attended the 2017 National Scout Jamboree.

In the 107 years since its founding, the Boy Scouts of America have instilled the values of hard work, responsibility, resourcefulness, and citizenship into the hearts and minds of thousands of young American men. The National Scout Jamboree brings together first class scouts from all 50 States to participate in a variety of Scouting traditions and to celebrate their organization.

The Boy Scouts of America have made a marked difference in our Nation, in Washington State, and in my Fourth Congressional District through the schools and values they teach our young people. I have no doubt that these young men will continue to be leaders in their families, careers, and communities.

Please join me in thanking these troops for their commitment to American values, service, and leadership.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I

call up House Resolution 478 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), my friend, 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, the House Rules Committee met yesterday and reported a rule, House Resolution 478, providing for further consideration of H.R. 3219, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act of 2018. This legislation includes four individual appropriations bills: Defense, Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs. The rule provides for further consideration of H.R. 3219 under a structured rule.

Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for consideration of a critical measure that will prioritize funding for important components of our national security. This legislation directs funding for our troops and their families, our Nation's veterans, the legislative branch and United States Capitol Police, border and nuclear security, energy and water infrastructure investments, and vital appropriations to ensure our military has the equipment and readiness necessary to keep the Nation safe.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is composed of the serious and essential work conducted by the House Appropriations Committee over the past many months. As an appropriator and a member of this committee, I fully appreciate and understand the hard work my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have put in to report these key measures we have before us today.

The most important job we have as Members of Congress is ensuring the safety of our Nation. By supporting this rule, we can move the national security package forward.

H.R. 3219 includes a 2.4 percent pay increase for our troops. That is the largest military pay increase in 8 years. It keeps our military on the cutting edge of defense technology by investing in research and development and in equipment and weapons procurement. Under the legislation, we will restore readiness shortfalls and make much-needed critical investments for our troops to address ongoing threats around the globe.

We must provide support for our troops to combat terrorism and defeat ISIS. With the legislation, we take a major step forward in restoring the devastating cuts our Armed Forces faced under the Obama administration. The bill also increases funding for construction of critical military infrastructure to keep our troops safe and prepared.

The bill also provides for critical safety and enhanced security functions for the United States Capitol. In light of the recent horrific attack on our colleagues, on staff, and on the Capitol Police, the legislation provides increased funding for the Capitol Police toward increased training, equipment, and technology-related support.

The men and women who guard these hallowed Halls deserve to have access to every resource needed to do their job as safely and as effectively as possible. Under this bill, H.R. 3219, we can ensure that the Capitol Police and House Sergeant at Arms are equipped with these critical enhancements.

Regarding the important Energy and Water provisions included in the bill, the underlying legislation will improve public safety, will create jobs, and will grow our economy by funding the Army Corps of Engineers, prioritizing navigation projects and studies.

H.R. 3219 reduces regulatory red tape, including authorizing the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency as well as the Secretary of the Army to withdraw from the devastating waters of the United States rule.

The bill also funds important Department of Energy programs, including nuclear cleanup efforts, such as the Hanford Site, which is located in my district in central Washington State, as well as nuclear weapons programs to strengthen our national security.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation also provides the highest level of funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs in our Nation's history, ensuring that we keep the commitment to those who have defended our Nation. It supports vital medical care for our veterans, including mental healthcare services, suicide prevention activities, traumatic brain treatment, opioid abuse prevention, and homeless veteran services.

There are some issues here in Congress that are nonpartisan. Every single one of our colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives believes we must provide the best care possible for our Nation's veterans. I am proud of the significant strides this legislation takes to support veterans across the country.

The rule we consider here today provides for the consideration of a bill that is critically important to keeping our Nation safe.

By passing this legislation, we will continue to rebuild our military, ensure we maintain our military superiority, and boost defense efforts in the face of rising global threats.

The bill will aid in supporting our troops and their families, and improve access to care for our veterans. It will increase the safety of the United

States Capitol complex for Members and staff who serve here; for constituents, as well as the tourists from around the globe who visit this campus; and for the valued Capitol Police, who protect us all.

It will also aid in important infrastructure and construction investments to move the United States towards energy independence, improve our economic competitiveness, and fund nonproliferation efforts to prevent, counter, and respond to global nuclear threats.

Most importantly, this legislation will make major strides to projects our men and women in uniform serving across the globe who are protecting our freedoms.

I urge my colleagues to support this rule as well as the underlying legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, we do have a couple of speakers coming who are not here yet.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time at this point but look forward to having them participate as soon as they get here.

Mr. Speaker, the American people spoke loud and clear last November. They voted to support a stronger military, an unyielding national defense, and that includes the need for a much-improved border security. As the gentleman from Texas said, we have threats of human traffickers, drug smugglers, terrorists coming across our borders, and this is something that the American people said that they wanted, and we are responding to that with recommendations from the Customs and Border Protection agency.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the debate on both sides on this very important issue.

Let me just say that this has been a very open process. Not all may want to acknowledge that, but let me just point out that this rule makes 54 amendments in order: 21 of those amendments are from the Democrats, 16 from Republicans, and fully, 17 are led by bipartisan cosponsors. So that tells me that the openness of this process, the ability for people to bring their perspectives, their opinions in this important debate is real.

As far as the Rules Committee unilaterally striking language and reinserting other language, that is true. We struck section 9021 of the Defense Appropriations Act of 2018 and replaced it, though, with language from an amendment offered by Mr. Cole to the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018, which was adopted by the full House on July 13 of this year. It was replaced with language that was approved by this body. So again, Mr. Speaker, I think that points to the openness of this process.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I do know that even though some people would like to ignore the situation we have on our southern border, we do need to respond to those border protection agents who are asking us for help. We do need to respond to the crisis that we see along our southern border to keep our country as safe as possible. And we do need to confirm to people across the country that help is on the way.

Certainly, the border is one aspect of this important piece of legislation, but there are many things in this bill that will help our country and help our military forces keep our Nation safe.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, let me just say to my good friend from California, I agree that a new authorization on the use of military force is something that is necessary, something that we owe our military, and something that we should do.

The language with the Cole amendment, I think, starts us down that path. In fact, the Foreign Affairs Committee, just this week, is holding hearings on this very important topic.

I look forward to working with Ms. Lee on this, as well as all of us here in this House, to get us to the end result that I think is absolutely necessary, and I appreciate the gentlewoman's comments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs).

Mr. Speaker, let me just say that one of the beauties of Congress is being able to hear from people firsthand their experiences, who speak not just in theoretical senses but because of the life they live and their constituents, and so I appreciate very much the gentleman from Arizona and his testimony.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Sanford).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), my good friend.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the discussion we have had this past hour from all Members that have participated. Although we may have our differences, some difference of opinion, I believe that this rule and the underlying bill are strong measures that are important to ensuring the security and the prosperity of our country. The rule provides for further consideration of H.R. 3219, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act of 2018.

Let me say again, while my friends on the other side may not want to acknowledge it, this rule makes 54 amendments in order; 21 of those 54 are from my Democratic friends, 16 are Republican, and 17 are bipartisan, led by bipartisan cosponsors. In fact, the majority of the amendments that were made in order under yesterday's rule that provide for the initial consideration of this bill were also led by Democrats, so this reflects the balanced approach of the process under this rule.

Mr. Speaker, it is our job, it is Congress' job, to appropriate the necessary funds to keep our Nation safe and our defense strong. This rule allows us to complete our efforts to complete the appropriations process for our top priorities, those of national security. I look forward, though, to bringing the other eight appropriation bills to the floor to fulfill the rest of our duty. Certainly, as an appropriator, no one wants to see this effort completed more than our committee and as I do.

I have appreciated the important advocacy my colleagues on both sides have brought forward through this process, from within the subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee, through the full committee, through the Rules Committee, and now, here on the House floor.

The measures included in this rule will provide vital resources for our national defense and for our military infrastructure. As I said, it will boost the pay of our troops, support our military families who sacrifice so much for our country; it will strengthen the care we provide for our veterans and enforce our border security to protect all of the American people.

This rule will also allow for further security improvements for the Capitol campus to protect all who visit here. It will also provide robust funding to improve our Nation's waterways, our infrastructure, our important nuclear clean-up, as well as nonproliferation efforts.

It also reinstates our top priority, providing funding for our national defense. We must begin to rebuild our Nation's military, and I am proud of this as a major step forward, restoring military readiness in order to keep our country safe.

Mr. Speaker, the underlying appropriations within this rule are of the utmost importance to the Nation, and we must move forward with this rule in order to get our job done. The men and women in uniform serving our Nation around the globe are depending on us.

I hope our colleagues, my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, will support this rule so that we can do that, get our job done.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of a constituent and distinguished soldier in our Nation's Armed Services, U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Dietrich Schmieman of Richland, Washington, who passed away on July 10, along with 15 of his fellow servicemen.

Sergeant Schmieman served honorably as part of an elite Marine raider battalion stationed at Camp Lejeune and was on his way to complete his predeployment training in Yuma, Arizona, before being deployed to the Middle East.

Our Nation owes a debt of gratitude to individuals like Dietrich who, through their service, have preserved the freedoms that form the cornerstone of our Nation.

Sergeant Schmieman's death is a tragedy. The hole he leaves in the lives of his friends and his family can never be filled. I join the Nation in sending prayers to his family during this very difficult time.

Please join me in remembering Sergeant Schmieman and his dedication to selfless service to our Nation.

Again, our prayers are with his family and his loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, my legislation would provide a much-needed ``commencement of construction'' extension to the FERC permit for the Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project located in my Central Washington district.

The Enloe Project is located at the existing Enloe Dam in the Similkameen River Valley, which is situated approximately four miles upriver of the City of Oroville. The original dam was constructed by BLM in 1920 for power generation but operations ceased in 1958 when the Bonneville Power Administration extended a high-voltage transmission line into the Okanogan Valley.

However, since 1958 the dam and its related power-generating facilities have sat dormant and the Okanogan Public Utility District (``District'') is now working on the proposed project to re-energize this infrastructure for hydropower development, as well as to relocate the site to the opposite bank, which offers numerous environmental and construction advantages.

The proposed 9 megawatt hydropower facility has faced several setbacks and regulatory hurdles, which have been addressed but have also delayed progress. However, despite these challenges the District has made considerable progress in fulfilling all of the pre- construction obligations contained in its FERC license.

H.R. 2828 would ensure this critical hydropower project can move forward and provide important renewable energy generation to the region. The Enloe Project makes economic and environmental sense, as it will convert currently untapped energy in existing flow releases into clean, carbon-neutral energy. Additionally, the Project will have a footprint that is roughly half the size of the existing facility but will provide approximately three times the generating capacity of the decommissioned plant.

Completion of the Project will provide Washingtonians and the Pacific Northwest region with a clean, renewable energy resource that generates an estimated 45,000 megawatt hours per year of carbon-free, renewable power. Further, the proposed project will create jobs and needed employment opportunities in a region with an unemployment rate that far exceeds the national average, underscoring the many positive benefits this project will have for the local community, state, and region.

This important legislation will allow for development of this critical hydropower facility to move forward under a realistic regulatory timeline and in a manner consistent with prior congressional actions on similar projects.

By passing this measure and extending the ``commencement of construction'' deadline for the Enloe Project, Congress can help spur hydropower development in Central Washington and ensure the Project's many benefits are realized, which will have a lasting impact on the region's energy supply and economic viability.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a region in my district, the Yakima Valley, for being recognized as the winner of the World Food Travel Association's FoodTrekking Award for Best Beer Experience.

John Cooper, president and CEO of Yakima Valley Tourism, nominated the region for the award, and this is just one example of the efforts John and his group are making to promote the budding beer and hospitality industries of the Yakima Valley.

The FoodTrekking Awards recognize excellent food and beverage tourism experiences all over the world, and it is an honor for Yakima to be selected as

the winner for the Best Beer Experience among the international applicants. Central Washington's beer industry is thriving and has greatly contributed to the increase in tourism as well as the overall economic development of the area.

As a third-generation hops farmer from the Yakima Valley, I am proud that our fellow growers and our local craft brewers are receiving recognition for their efforts in making our region a unique travel destination.

Please join me in congratulating John, his team, and the entire industry for helping bring such a prestigious award to Washington's Fourth District.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Immigrant Heritage Month. The month of June is a time for us to celebrate the people that have come to the United States to make a better life for themselves and their families. These individuals have come from all over the globe and play an integral part in the development of our country.

Since its founding, America has been a nation of immigrants. It is important that we acknowledge their contributions to our communities and remember that it was the goals and dreams of immigrants that formed our great nation. I am honored to represent Central Washington, where our culture and economy are deeply enriched by our immigrant neighbors and friends.

Please join me in honoring Immigrant Heritage Month, as I continue to work to ensure opportunity and prosperity for immigrants in my district and across the country.

Mr. Speaker, as this Chamber considers H.R. 1967, the ``Bureau of Reclamation Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act,'' I would like to provide some brief remarks regarding issues raised by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

The Colville Tribe has been participating in a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proceeding related a proposed pumped storage project on Lake Roosevelt and Banks Lake in north central Washington. A portion of Lake Roosevelt is within the boundaries of the Colville Reservation.

The Colville Tribe has raised several questions about the project's potential impacts to culturally and economically important fisheries in Lake Roosevelt, water quality, and to revenues the Tribe receives from the Bonneville Power Administration from the operation of the Grand Coulee Dam.

Because of these questions, the Colville Tribe and the project proponents have been involved in ongoing discussions in hopes of reaching an agreement on how to proceed with the project review process. As those discussions proceed, I would like to provide my commitment to work with the Colville Tribe and the project proponents as the legislative process moves forward.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his leadership on this important issue and for the opportunity to address the House on this very important topic.

Mr. Speaker, as you have heard, our Nation is facing an epidemic. Over the past two decades, opioid overdoses have quadrupled. Think about that. They have quadrupled in the United States. My home State, as Dr. Murphy has just mentioned, has faced significant increases in drug overdose death rates, including a 70 percent increase in synthetic opioid overdose deaths in just the last 10 years. It is clear that this is a crisis, which is why we in Congress are committed to combating this growing epidemic.

Late last year, Congress passed sweeping legislation, called the 21st Century Cures Act. It was bipartisan legislation that authorized $6.3 billion in funding to bring our healthcare innovation infrastructure into the 21st century. This legislation included $1 billion for opioid intervention and prevention treatment programs throughout all 50 States. Earlier this spring, the Federal Government began awarding grants in order to confront this crisis, including $11.7 million to the State of Washington.

While these funds will help expand treatment options, there is still much more work to be done at the Federal level, which is why I cosponsored legislation like H.R. 1057, the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention, or STOP, Act. Designed to stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl, which you heard about, and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders, this legislation will combat bad actors from China and India who have been taking advantage of weaknesses in international mail security standards to break U.S. customs laws and really wreak havoc on our communities.

This is just one step of the opioid crisis that we must address. We need to combat the illicit drugs coming into this country as well as equip doctors, nurses, and first responders with the resources they need to treat pain appropriately.

We also need to support better access to care for individuals suffering from psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. And, most importantly, we must ensure these drugs are not falling into the hands of our Nation's children.

My colleagues in Congress and I are committed to combating this epidemic to keep it from causing further harm to our Nation's families and communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Justin Smith Morrill Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2016. This legislation would honor a true American hero by posthumously awarding the Honorable Justin Smith Morrill with the Congressional Gold Medal. Mr. Morrill was elected to six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and six terms in the United States Senate, making him the longest serving Member of Congress in the 19th Century. During his tenure, he chaired the House Committee on Ways and Means, the Senate Committee on Finance, and the Senate Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Buildings and Grounds, he served as the principle advocate for financing and constructing the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress and planned the location of the U.S. Supreme Court Building. He also raised funds to complete the then-unfinished Washington Monument and advocated for the Smithsonian Institution throughout his service in Congress.

His greatest achievement was authoring the Morrill Act of 1862, which created the land-grant university system. Today, land-grant colleges and universities award nearly 1 million degrees annually and perform more than $37 billion in research. Additionally, almost 30 years later, Senator Morrill authored the Morrill Act of 1890, which created the flourishing system of historically Black land-grant colleges and universities. I am proud to be a graduate of Washington State University, in my humble opinion, the premier land-grant university in Senator Morrill's system. I have seen first-hand how the system of colleges and universities created by Senator Morrill has changed countless lives and shaped communities across the nation.

Justin Smith Morrill is a man who has provided generations and millions of Americans--particularly those from working class families and rural communities--with access to higher education throughout the nation. His achievements have inspired American history, values, and culture, and will be recognized and honored by generations to come. For these reasons, and many others, I urge all members to

join me in supporting this legislation to bestow Senator Justin Smith Morrill with a Congressional Gold Medal, a fitting honor for a great American hero.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Kayla Barron of Richland, Washington, who was recently selected for NASA's 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class. Kayla was chosen 1 of 12 from over 18,000 applicants to join just 338 people who have held the prestigious title of American astronaut.

Before applying to the NASA program, Ms. Barron attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where she received several medals and unit commendations while earning a bachelor's degree in systems engineering. She went on to earn a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Cambridge. She was a member of the first class of women commissioned into the submarine community as a submarine warfare officer.

Kayla is an exemplary role model for students interested in science and technology. I commend her for her hard work, and I wish her luck in her training and her future exploration endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 392 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 may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, before I begin the rule on the two measures that are before us today, let me just make a couple of comments that have come to mind in light of the events over the last week.

Mr. Speaker, you may know that this is the first formal debate that we have had as a legislative body since last Wednesday morning's shooting. I think

it is appropriate that we take a minute to reflect and remember those who were injured and are still struggling to recover from their injuries as well as those who did not receive physical injuries on last Wednesday morning but who are still recovering.

Let me also say, if I could be so presumptuous, Mr. Speaker, I believe that perhaps some people in the United States look to us here in Congress--their Representatives--and look and see how we act towards one another and how we conduct ourselves in our interaction with each other. Let me just say that if we are disrespectful to each other, others may see that and think that it is okay; that if Congress can be that way to themselves, maybe we can act that way, too. They may not even realize that. It may be just a subconscious thing.

I ask how can we expect others to have a high opinion of us if we don't even show each other the respect that we should and that we deserve?

I believe that we must all remember that we are--before we are Republicans, before we are Democrats or Independents--all Americans. We are all here trying to do what is right, what is right for our country, certainly what is right for our constituents, and we shouldn't say that someone is not here for those purposes.

I don't know your district, Mr. Speaker, and I might say that you don't know mine. So let's argue, which is what we are here for. As ugly as sometimes it can be, that is our job, to debate on the merits of ideas. But it is not our job to win a debate by degrading the ones who are making the arguments against. I think we all have this obligation to win debates or to argue debates on the merits of the issue. Last Wednesday reminded me that it is up to us, if we want changes, to make them and to begin them here in this body.

I was heartened in our meeting as a Congress in the auditorium over at the Capitol Visitor Center that there were several Members asking for a change in tone--a change in tone in how we interact with each other. It is important that we act civilly, that we be polite, and that we be respectful--kind of like how we treat each other on the journey over here from our offices in the elevators and in the hallways.

I would assert that this is also something that is the responsibility of our President, our country's leader, someone who can set the tone for our country, someone who can describe our hopes and our dreams and help us aspire to reach those things. It is also the responsibility of our media and for those advocacy groups that we all have and that we all work with. It is up to our parties. I think it is up to every single American.

We need to rediscover the faith that we should have in each other, our respect for each other and those bonds that make us one nation under God.

Now, it is simple to state, but how do we accomplish this?

It can start right here on this floor. Say something positive. We all call each other lady and gentleman. We all start off that way, and then sometimes the gloves come off.

I can assert to you that not every idea that is presented here is all good or all bad.

What is the risk of acknowledging a good part of a larger idea even if you may disagree with that larger idea?

I believe we have some very articulate people in this body who can figure out quite easily how we can accomplish that.

We shouldn't impugn the motives of others. We don't assign blame. We don't get personal. In fact, if you look in the rules that were adopted by this Congress, in section 363 of Jefferson's Manual of Parliamentary Practice, it says: ``The consequences of a measure may be reprobated in strong terms; but to arraign the motives of those who propose to advocate it is a personality, and against order.''

So it says in no uncertain terms that we should not make this personal. We can object without being objectionable, and maybe--just maybe--others will see this and discover a tone that we need and a change in America. I believe that we can start this right here, today, with our very first debate right now.

Will we agree on everything?

Absolutely not. In fact, this is where our disagreements should show the most. We are duty-bound to shape legislation by pointing out weaknesses but also by accentuating strengths. Mr. Speaker, every debate, every speech on the floor or in committee, our interactions with the media, in townhalls, or press releases, we are being listened to and being watched. I hope that we can change our tone and begin to change the tone in the United States of America.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce that, on Tuesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 392, providing for consideration of two important bills: H.R. 1873, which is the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act; and H.R. 1654, the Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act.

This combined rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1873 under a structured rule, making three amendments in order, all of which were submitted by Democratic Members of our Chamber. H.R. 1654 will also be considered under a structured rule, with one Democratic and one Republican amendment made in order.

H.R. 1873 will help ensure reliable electric service and reduced wildfire hazards, which can result from inadequate vegetation management near power line rights-of-way on Federally owned and operated lands.

Mr. Speaker, over the past several decades there have been numerous electricity outages as well as incidents of wildfires due to contact between power lines and trees on Federal lands.

In 1996, my home State of Washington was impacted when three power lines in the Pacific Northwest sagged onto overgrown trees, leading to a massive electricity blackout that impacted 7.5 million people across 14 Western States, two Canadian provinces, and even parts of Mexico. Then, in August of 2003, an outage left 50 million electricity customers without power when a falling tree came into contact with transmission lines.

These are not isolated incidents. According to the U.S. Forest Service, in 2012 and 2013, contact between power lines and trees on Forest Service lands led to the outbreak of 113 and 232 wildfires, respectively. This legislation would reduce such wildfires in part by promoting Federal consistency, accountability, and timely decisionmaking to protect electricity transmission, grid reliability, and distribution lines on Federal lands from overgrown and under- maintained trees and vegetation.

H.R. 1873 will cut red tape to create a streamlined and consistent process for removing hazardous trees and vegetation without wasting time and money before they cause a wildfire or an outage. Preventing forest fires and maintaining a reliable electrical grid for our communities is an obvious priority for all of us here in Congress, which is why I was pleased to see this bill pass through the House Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support.

I have seen countless catastrophic wildfires devastate Western communities just in the past several years, which is why this issue must be addressed and resolved. However, due to existing regulations, it is extremely difficult for utility companies to remove hazardous vegetation or trees that have the potential of falling on these power lines.

The scope of this problem is evident when considering the U.S. Forest Service manages 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands-- encompassing over 192 million acres--that include 2,700 authorized electric transmission and distribution facilities.

Similarly, the Bureau of Land Management administers 245 million acres, including over 71,000 miles of electrical transmission and distribution lines on its Federal lands.

In order to perform infrastructure inspections and operate and maintain power lines on these lands, electric utilities must seek permission and approval from the appropriate Federal land management agency, which typically use processes under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to assess whether the proposed vegetative management measures comply with Federal environmental laws.

This often leads to delays and cumbersome bureaucratic requirements, which often prevent utilities from carrying out important vegetative management activities on a consistent and

timely basis. Yet the costs of operating, maintaining, and repairing these electric lines on Federal lands fall to the utility companies and their customers, which can lead to higher electricity costs for ratepayers.

Mr. Speaker, the rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 1654, the Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act. This legislation will streamline the permitting process for new surface water storage projects, which is critically important for many Western and rural communities that have endured severe droughts in recent years.

Currently, the regulatory process for constructing new surface water storage projects often involves applying for a host of Federal, State, and local permits, as well as approvals from various agencies, which can be a very cumbersome, costly, and time-consuming undertaking.

Additionally, conflicting permit requirements and agency reviews can add time to the project, the planning, and implementation process while also increasing the potential for last-minute surprises that could endanger the success of a project or require significant additional work.

In order to address this problem, H.R. 1654 creates what is seen as a one-stop-shop permitting process to expedite construction of both new and expanded non-Federal surface water storage projects. The measure establishes the Bureau of Reclamation as the lead agency for purposes of coordinating all reviews, analyses, permits, licenses, or other Federal approvals as required by law, which will streamline the current multiagency permitting process and eliminate unnecessary delays for job-creating construction projects that directly benefit local communities and economies.

As the lead agency, Reclamation will be required to coordinate and prepare the unified environmental documentation that will serve as the basis for Federal decisions authorizing the use of Federal lands, as well as to coordinate project development and the construction of qualifying projects.

Additionally, H.R. 1654 will allow the Secretary of the Interior to expedite the evaluation of permits for qualifying projects through the use of funds contributed by a non-Federal public entity.

Mr. Speaker, the rule we consider here today provides for the consideration of two bills that will have positive and lasting impacts for the American people, ratepayers, rural communities, and many Western States, as well as our entire country's economy.

H.R. 1654 will provide the type of coordination and streamlining that is essential to the development and construction of much-needed water storage projects, certainly benefiting my home State of Washington, as well as water-stricken communities across the country.

H.R. 1873 will create a framework for vegetation management near transmission and distribution lines on Federal lands while also providing electric companies with much-needed clarity and defined authority to remove hazardous trees that pose a risk of falling into power lines. Managing this vegetation is a critical component in ensuring the safety and reliability of the electrical grid, which will benefit all of our constituents.

For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this rule as well as the underlying legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, the beauty of having a diverse membership in this body is that we have people from all over the country who live and breathe the issues that are before us. We are privileged today to have the young lady from Wilson, Wyoming (Ms. Cheney) here to speak on these bills. I appreciate her offering to help in these arguments.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Cheney), my young colleague.

Mr. Speaker, let me just say that it is good news that our brother from Louisiana is in fair condition. I appreciate that news report.

And I also want to take up the previous speaker's offer to work with us on tax reform. We look forward to his assistance in moving that issue forward.

I might say that he is mistaken. The bill that we are talking about today is about protecting public interests. The last time I checked, people who I know like green trees, not black ones; they like their electricity to be there when they turn their light switch on; and they like water. These are three issues that we are looking to protect and make sure that people in the United States can enjoy all of these attributes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Buck) to talk about exactly that.

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

I appreciate the time of my colleagues, who have joined me on the floor today, to speak in support of these underlying bills, as well as for the hard work of the House Natural Resources Committee.

First of all, H.R. 1873 is a bipartisan bill by any measure--five Democratic cosponsors, passed bipartisanly through the committee.

This will reduce the threat of electricity outages caused by contact between overgrown trees and power lines. It is that simple.

Existing Federal regulations and red tape can make it extremely difficult for utilities to gain the access that they need to their rights of way in order to perform needed maintenance. Before taking this action, they must receive approval from Federal agencies. They have been criticized for not allowing these utilities to carry out vegetative management policies on a consistent and timely basis.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, just one down tree on a transmission line can have devastating impacts, causing blackouts for thousands or millions of homes as well as businesses, or it can ignite fires that consume entire forests. Yet it can take months to remove one single tree, due to our outdated Federal regulations and cumbersome bureaucracy.

H.R. 1654 streamlines the current multiagency permitting system, which creates significant delays for project construction and completion, by creating a one-stop shop, a permitting process at the Bureau of Reclamation.

Mr. Speaker, the Bureau was created to oversee water resource management in the West and to prevent water shortages by building dams and conveyance systems. Yet, over the past 40 years, Federal regulations and policies have slowly made it increasingly difficult to build dams and reservoirs throughout the Western United States. Presently, it is nearly impossible to even expand the storage capacity at existing facilities.

The Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act establishes a framework where the Federal agencies with jurisdiction over new surface water storage projects must work together, coordinate their schedules, share technical information and data, and publish their findings publicly. This important measure will allow water providers to better manage their systems to modernize and enhance their water storage infrastructure and optimize water resource management in preparation for future droughts and shortages, which we know will come.

The Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act will prevent wildfires and power outages while enabling utilities to safely supply electricity to rural and Western communities.

H.R. 1873 will ensure that practical measures are taken to protect power lines and conserve our public lands, which is especially important in Western States where overgrown Federal forests are too often the norm rather than the exception.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the rule provides for consideration of two commonsense measures that will implement much needed improvements to the Federal management of our water resources, our Federal lands and forests, and electricity infrastructure. I urge my colleagues to support this rule as well as the underlying bills.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project in my district. Specifically, this legislation will provide for a ``commencement of construction'' deadline extension for the Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project that is being developed in Washington State by the Okanogan Public Utility District.

On July 9, 2013, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted the Okanogan Public Utility District an original license for the Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project, which will be located at the existing Enloe Dam that is situated about 3.5 miles northwest of the City of Oroville in the State of Washington. The current Enloe Dam was constructed in 1920 on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land for power generation. However, operations ceased in 1958 when the extension of Bonneville Power Administration's

high voltage transmission line into the Okanogan Valley provided a less expensive source of electricity. The proposed Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project makes economic and environmental sense, as it will convert currently untapped energy in existing flow releases into clean, renewable energy.

The Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project will have a footprint that is roughly half the size of the existing facility but will provide approximately three times the generating capacity of the decommissioned plant. Completion of the Project will provide Washingtonians and the Pacific Northwest region with a clean, renewable energy resource that generates an estimated 45,000 megawatt hours per year of carbon-free, renewable power. Additionally, the proposed project will create jobs and needed employment opportunities in a region with an unemployment rate that far exceeds the national average, underscoring the many positive benefits this project will have for the local community, state, and region.

The legislation will allow for development of this critical hydropower facility to move forward under a realistic regulatory timeline and in a manner consistent with prior congressional actions on similar projects. By passing this measure and extending the commencement of construction deadline for the Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project, Congress can help spur hydropower development in Central Washington and ensure the Project's many benefits are realized. For these reasons I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, which will have a positive and lasting impact on the region's energy supply and economic viability.