Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I missed Friday's votes to be in Florida with my wife while she had surgery. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 650 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 651.

Mr. Speaker, due to a family medical emergency, I had to return to my district in the early afternoon of Wednesday October 25.

Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 585, NAY on Roll Call No. 586, NAY on Roll Call No. 587, and YEA on Roll Call No. 588

Mr. Speaker, due to a family medical emergency, I had to return to my district in the early afternoon on Wednesday October 25. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 589 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 590.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2105) to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to disseminate guidance to help reduce small business cybersecurity risks, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on H.R. 2105.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the leadership for giving us this time to debate this important bill. It is especially timely as October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, so taking up this bill at this time is a perfect time. We must come together to protect all businesses--large, small, and medium--from the constant threat of cyber attacks.

America's small businesses are the backbone of our economy, accounting for 54 percent of all American sales and 55 percent of American jobs. Unfortunately, small businesses are especially vulnerable, with some reports noting that 43 percent of cyber attacks specifically target them. These small businesses are more susceptible to attacks due to the limited access to the tools they need to prepare for such an event. Implementation of the NIST Framework into these small businesses will protect small business owners, their employees, and their customer base all while contributing positively to the economy.

H.R. 2105, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Small Business Cybersecurity Act, will help small businesses better address their cybersecurity risks to help them survive and thrive in the face of such adversity.

As an owner of a multigenerational family air-conditioning and heating business, I understand firsthand the importance of equipping and empowering small businesses to tackle these challenges so that they can grow and prosper.

About 10 months ago, my sons called me and said that there was a message on the screen of one of our computers that said: ``Your data has been frozen. You have been attacked.'' It had a little clock on there ticking down. ``If you don't pay a ransom by a certain time, then we will destroy your data. It is inaccessible.''

Well, there was something we had done, fortunately--not that we do every day, but we had done several days before--which protected us from that. We were able to fix our problem and wipe it clean and get started all over. But most small businesses may or may not--including ourselves--have done that just a few days before.

Thus, I introduced H.R. 2105 with the support and cosponsorship of many of my colleagues on the committee, including Chairman Smith, Chairwoman Comstock, and Ranking Member Lipinski.

H.R. 2105 would provide small businesses in my district, State, and across the country with the tools they need to meet the threats and challenges of the modern world.

This bill describes the vital role played by small businesses in the U.S. economy, the devastating impact of cyber attacks on a majority of small businesses and large businesses and what they need to develop to specifically help themselves.

It directs the NIST Director--within a year of the act's enactment-- to disseminate clear and concise resources, which are defined as guidelines, tools, best practices, standards, methodologies, and other ways of providing this information.

Dissemination would be in consultation with heads of other Federal agencies. These resources--based on the NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity--will help small businesses identify, assess, manage, and reduce their cybersecurity risks.

H.R. 2105 also clarifies that use of the resources by small businesses is voluntary, directs the NIST Director and heads of Federal agencies that so elect to make the resources available on their government websites, and specifies that no new funds are authorized to carry out this act.

This bill is very similar to S. 770, the MAIN STREET Cybersecurity Act, which is supported by the National Small Business Association, National Restaurant Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the International TechneGroup. The Chamber and International TechneGroup have also come out in support H.R. 2105.

On September 28, 2017, the Senate passed S. 770 by unanimous consent, and I ask my colleagues to similarly support H.R. 2105.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), chairman of the committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Comstock), the chairwoman of the subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).

Mr. Speaker, I thank those from both sides-- Ranking Member Lipinski, Chairman Smith, and others--who have supported this bill. It is a great idea. It is an opportunity to not only have available for us, it has bipartisan support and also bicameral support. This is a good opportunity to help all small businesses.

I know personally from my business and I know others who have small businesses who know that there is, in a sense, very little help right now for small businesses in this area of cybersecurity. The larger businesses certainly have their own IT people; we don't. So I am excited about the fact that this could happen, and I move passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, due to cleanup and recovery from Hurricane Irma which greatly impacted my district, I was unable to return to Washington D.C. for this vote on September 12.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 485.

Mr. Speaker, due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Irma in Florida, I departed Washington, D.C. to be in my district during this natural disaster.

Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 467; YEA on Roll Call No. 468; YEA on Roll Call No. 469; YEA on Roll Call No. 470; NAY on Roll Call No. 471; YEA on Roll Call No. 472; NAY on Roll Call No. 473; YEA on Roll Call No. 474; NAY on Roll Call No. 475; NAY on Roll Call No. 476; NAY on Roll Call No. 477; YEA on Roll Call No. 478; YEA on Roll Call No. 479; NAY on Roll Call No. 480; YEA on Roll Call No. 481; YEA on Roll Call No. 482; NAY on Roll Call No. 483; and YEA on Roll Call No. 484

Mr. Chair, due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Irma in Florida, I departed Washington, D.C. to be in my district during this natural disaster.

Had I been present, I would have voted:

``Yea'' on rollcall No. 457.

``Yea'' on rollcall No. 458.

``Nay'' on rollcall No. 459.

``Nay'' on rollcall No. 460.

``Nay'' on rollcall No. 461.

Amendment No. 76 Offered by Mr. Correa

Mr. Chair, due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Irma in Florida, I departed Washington, D.C. to be in my district during this natural disaster.

Had I been present, I would have voted:

``Nay'' on rollcall No. 462.

``Yea'' on rollcall No. 463.

``Yea'' on rollcall No. 464.

``Nay'' on rollcall No. 465.

``Nay'' on rollcall No. 466.

Amendments En Bloc No. 4 Offered by Mr. Rogers of Kentucky

Mr. Speaker, I had to miss today's votes on July 28, 2017, because I had a pre-scheduled meeting and briefing at the United States Air Force Academy. Also, I cast the same votes when each of these bills was considered under suspension on 7/24/17.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 437, and YEA on Roll Call No. 438.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Spring Hill, Florida

as the community celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

Spring Hill was founded in 1967 by the Mackle Brothers' Deltona Development Corporation as a sister city to Deltona. The Spring Hill waterfall, located at Spring Hill Drive and US 19, marks the original entrance to the community. The Mackle Brothers developed a fly and buy program where they would fly potential buyers down to play golf and see the community. The Mackle Brothers marketing strategy brought huge crowds to the community and within three years the majority of the 28,500 platted lots were sold.

Today, Spring Hill's award-winning golf courses and gated communities attract newcomers to the area. Situated near Weeki Wachee Springs and the Gulf of Mexico, Spring Hill has developed itself into the largest community in Hernando County.

I congratulate the people that live and work in Spring Hill. It is truly an honor to serve the residents of Spring Hill, and I thank them for their tremendous contributions to Florida's Adventure Coast.

Mr. Speaker, my flight from Florida was delayed due to weather, then due to pilot flight hour regulations, then again due to weather, and finally delayed again due to a second pilot's flight hour regulations.

Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 379, YEA on Roll Call No. 380, and YEA on Roll Call No. 381.

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

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

Today marks the Committee on Natural Resources' Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans' first step in advancing an infrastructure agenda that aims to improve our Nation's infrastructure and expedite the development of new infrastructure.

As vice chairman of the subcommittee, chaired by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), I have already seen a number of bills advance through the committee that, like the bill in front of us today, employ simple, pragmatic solutions to improve our Nation's infrastructure and advance an all-of-the-above energy and water strategy.

The Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act, a bipartisan bill offered by my colleagues, Mr. LaMalfa and Mr. Schrader, is about avoiding electricity blackouts, preventing forest fires, and promoting healthy habitat for wildlife on Federal lands.

This bill represents a simple, pragmatic solution to an issue that is born out of a lack of communication and consistency within a Federal agency.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Conaway for agreeing to help expedite consideration of this bill today.

I commend my colleagues, Mr. LaMalfa from California and Mr. Schrader from Oregon, for bringing up this bipartisan, commonsense piece of legislation.

I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Agriculture,

Washington, DC, May 19, 2017.

Hon. Rob Bishop,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 1873, the

Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act. It is my

understanding that, on April 27, 2017, the Committee on

Natural Resources ordered the bill reported with amendments.

This legislation contains provisions within the Committee

on Agriculture's Rule X jurisdiction. As a result of your

having consulted with the Committee and in order to expedite

this bill for floor consideration, the Committee on

Agriculture will forego action on the bill. This is being

done on the basis of our mutual understanding that doing so

will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the

Committee on Agriculture with respect to the appointment of

conferees, or to any future jurisdictional claim over the

subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation.

I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming

this understanding, and would request that you include a copy

of this letter and your response in the Committee Report and

in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of

this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

K. Michael Conaway,

Chairman.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).

Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop), the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. Chairman, I have no more speakers and I am prepared to close, so I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, again, I commend the bill's sponsors for bringing up this bipartisan, commonsense piece of legislation. I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, the goal of H.R. 1873 is to provide certainty to utilities, their line workers, and their consumers, not forcing unnecessary, one-size-fits-all regulations.

Each plan can be tailored by an individual utility based on the service territory, region, and other characteristics. Some utilities may not choose to submit plans because they are satisfied with their local Forest Service office. Others, especially those who have rights- of-ways that predate the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, may not want to trigger Federal paperwork costs that are ultimately passed on to their consumers.

This amendment, if adopted, would significantly burden Federal Land Management agencies by inundating them with all kinds of submittals. Additionally, if you want to increase the cost of this bill, then this amendment will do just that.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I would inject additional bureaucracy into the bill that is unintended to do exactly the opposite of what this bill intended to do.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment, but I am not opposed to it.

Mr. Chairman, the amendment prohibits any loss of funds for wildfire suppression activities. The bill also provides electric utilities with the certainty that they need to ensure that downed trees do not fall on power lines, which would prevent many of these wildfires from starting in the first place.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to be present on the House floor because my flight was cancelled due to inclement weather. Had I been present, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 286, and yea on Roll Call No. 287.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, City of Belleview Police Chief Terry Holland, and the law enforcement officers who keep Marion County safe every single day.

This week marks the annual observance of Police Week. Though we set aside one week a year to honor law enforcement, I encourage all Americans to join me not only this week, but every day, in recognizing the honor, courage, and commitment of America's law enforcement.

Our law enforcement are heroes in the community. They keep us safe, and are willing to put their lives on the line every day in the course of their duties. It is impossible to fully express our gratitude or adequately recognize the professionalism of the men and women who voluntarily put their lives on the line for our safety and security. It is with deep respect that we pause today to honor the memory of the heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion and made the ultimate sacrifice.

I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, City of Belleview Police Chief Terry Holland, and the law enforcement officers who bravely and selflessly serve Marion County. It is an honor to recognize them and all men and women in law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, City of Brooksville Police Chief George Turner, and the law enforcement officers who keep Hernando County safe every single day.

This week marks the annual observance of Police Week. Though we set aside one week a year to honor law enforcement, I encourage all Americans to join me not only this week, but every day, in recognizing the honor, courage, and commitment of America's law enforcement.

Our law enforcement officers are heroes in the community. They keep us safe, and are willing to put their lives on the line every day in the course of their duties. It is impossible to fully express our gratitude or adequately recognize the professionalism of the men and women who voluntarily put their lives on the line for our safety and security. It is with deep respect that we pause today to honor the memory of the heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion and made the ultimate sacrifice.

I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, City of Brooksville Police Chief George Turner, and the law enforcement officers who bravely and selflessly serve Hernando County. It is an honor to recognize them and all men and women in law enforcement.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell, Town of Lady Lake's Police Chief Chris McKinstry, City of Leesburg Police Chief Rob Hicks, City of Tavares Police Chief Stoney Lubins, Town of Howey-in-the-Hills Police Chief Rick Thomas, City of Fruitland Park Police Chief Michael Fewless, City of Mascotte Police Chief Eric Pedersen, and the law enforcement officers who keep Lake County safe every single day.

This week marks the annual observance of Police Week. Though we set aside one week a year to honor law enforcement, I encourage all Americans to join me not only this week, but every day, in recognizing the honor, courage, and commitment of America's law enforcement.

Our law enforcement officers are heroes in the community. They keep us safe, and are willing to put their lives on the line every day in the course of their duties. It is impossible to fully express our gratitude or adequately recognize the professionalism of the men and women who voluntarily put their lives on the line for our safety and security. It is with deep respect that we pause today to honor the memory of the heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion and made the ultimate sacrifice.

I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell, Town of Lady Lake's Police Chief Chris McKinstry, City of Leesburg Police Chief Rob Hicks, City of Tavares Police Chief Stoney Lubins, Town of Howey-in-the-Hills Police Chief Rick Thomas, City of Fruitland Park Police Chief Michael Fewless, City of Mascotte Police Chief Eric Pedersen, and the law enforcement officers who bravely and selflessly serve Lake County. It is an honor to recognize them and all men and women in law enforcement.