Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise as the designee of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon), and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, the bills to recognize lower drug prices passed the Energy and Commerce Committee with unanimous bipartisan support.

They were genuine efforts to address the most expensive component of healthcare, but Democrats have packaged these bipartisan drug-pricing solutions with controversial, ideologically driven legislation that will not be taken up by the Senate. Shame on them.

So here we go again. According to The Washington Post, in so doing, the Democrats have put a pothole in the path of drug pricing. We have all seen the charts and seen the quotes here earlier in the day.

Mr. Chairman, as the 11th-most bipartisan Member of the House, I recognize the importance of playing nice in the sandbox and putting good legislation before politics. This combination fails that test.

My amendment is simple. It would strike the most controversial portions from the bill, leaving those areas that allow us to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

Therefore, if your goal is to lower the cost of prescription drugs, I would encourage my friends and colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment. But if you want to play politics with the healthcare of Americans and see this bill stopped in the Senate, then vote ``no,'' and you will see what happens.

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

Mr. Chairman, this is the third time today I have heard the word ``sabotage'' so that must be the new operative word coming from my colleagues across the aisle.

I would submit to you, I will turn the table back because if there is someone trying to sabotage the effort of lowering healthcare prices, it is you.

Our chairman on the other side, however, I think genuinely wanted to lower the healthcare prices when the bills came out in a nonpartisan fashion which was universally adopted by us. But someplace from the time they left Energy and Commerce to the time they came to the floor, they were put into something that the Senate has already indicated they have no appetite for.

So if we truly want to lower healthcare prices in this vote, then it is a ``yes'' vote. But if you want to sabotage this legislation, you go right ahead and do what you have to do.

So I know, Mr. Chairman, there were good efforts here, bipartisan efforts to try to get something done. It looks like something has crept in to cause a problem.

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

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, let's be clear. We must have a global approach to the climate crisis, but giving a pass to countries like China and India subverts that process. Look at their record. Since 2001, there has been a 290 percent increase in emissions; India, 235. We have got a negative 16. We are reducing that.

So because of their miserable record of curtailing greenhouse gases, we still, in America, across the country, in rural areas, are going to face droughts, wildfires, and sea level rise. Because of India and China, experts are saying that Miami, Florida, and Baltimore are still going to flood.

So let's be honest. The Paris accord is really nothing more about political theater than actually addressing climate change.

Instead, we should have an agreement that is enforceable with legally binding targets and specific financial support that provides for liability or compensation for damages that could be caused and an understanding that global communities are still fossil fuel driven.

America should not unilaterally transform our energy policies while gambling that other nations will voluntarily--and I underscore that, voluntarily--reduce their emissions. History and past agreements indicate other nations are not following the lead of the United States.

Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' on H.R. 9.

Madam Speaker, on Wednesday, I voted against H.R. 1644 because it could open Internet Service Providers (ISP's) in rural areas to burdensome regulations that stifle innovation and slow the deployment of efficient and reliable broadband internet service. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss my vote.

A free and open internet is critically important, but heavy-handed regulation is not the only way to achieve net neutrality. I support the important concepts of no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization and have cosponsored legislation to support this including: The Promoting Internet Freedom and Innovation Act of 2019 (H.R. 1096), the Open Internet Act of 2019 (H.R. 1006), and ACCESS BROADBAND Act (H.R. 1328.)

Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, designating broadband as a Title I Information Service and subjecting it to a ``light touch'' regulatory system. As a result, the internet transformed into one of the most important drivers of economic growth and job creation.

In 2015, the Obama Administration's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reclassified the internet as a Title II Telecommunications Service, implementing heavy regulations and reporting requirements originally intended for rotary landline phones. This action led to a $3.6 billion decline in broadband investment; the first period of declining investment in the internet era. In 2017, the Trump FCC reversed the order to return the internet to its original light touch framework.

H.R. 1644 would bring back the heavy-handed regulation and government control of the internet. The measure would lock in approximately 700 unpublished rules that have not been shared with Members of Congress, some of which would allow the FCC to set rates, impose new taxes, approve the deployment of new technologies, and dictate how internet companies interact with their customers. The internet has thrived without government intervention and should continue to do so.

Most importantly, I have heard from many small internet service providers in West Virginia that the reclassification forced them to comply with extensive rules. These rules require them to write new policies, take money, and employee time to complete verifications on prioritization that they were not capable of engaging in to begin with. This bureaucracy is not only incredibly burdensome to small businesses, but it drives vital resources away from the deployment of broadband internet service in rural areas that need it most.

Lacking broadband service is more than an inconvenience, it is a barrier to education, connectivity, and economic growth. It is my hope that we can arrive at a permanent bipartisan solution that protects consumers, encourages innovation, and preserves an open internet. Unfortunately, this bill does not accomplish that.

I am hopeful that we can come to a bipartisan solution in good faith. The state of West Virginia is blessed with beautiful mountains and heavily forested land. However, the geography that makes our state so special also poses unique challenges in deploying internet technology.

Mr. Chair, the Violence Against Women Act is an important law that authorizes funding to protect women from violent crimes and supports victims. Let me be clear: the Violence Against Women Act needs to be reauthorized. In 2013, I was proud to vote to reauthorize this legislation. Last fall, I joined a letter urging Speaker Ryan to pass a clean extension of the Violence Against Women Act before it expired. Finally, I will vote to support a clean one-year extension of the Violence Against Women Act.

Unfortunately, my Democratic colleagues let politics stand in the way of funding to help victims of violent crimes. They have included provisions in H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019, to deny citizens of their constitutional Second Amendment rights without due process. Our requests for a clean reauthorization, without such politicized provisions, have gone unanswered.

Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault deserve better. This is why I opposed

H.R. 1585. Congress needs to work towards a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that removes these poison pills and puts victims before politics.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Wheeling Park High School Speech and Debate Team, which has won the West Virginia State championship for 40 years in a row.

Think about that.

Their uninterrupted string of victories began when Jimmy Carter was President, and now has extended through the administrations of Presidents Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43, President Obama, and now President Trump.

Their winning streak is longer than most of my staff has been alive. Their 40-year record may very well be the longest in the country's history.

Their students are part of a dynasty. Some even have a personal family legacy because they are following the footsteps of their parents, who also won when they competed in the high school competition at Park.

Look, Generation Z suffers from a lot of negative stereotypes, but the team members on the Wheeling Park Speech and Debate Team are examples of a great new generation and what they can do.

These students are dedicated. They work year-round and compete in competitions to hone their skills. They are able to convey emotions and sway an audience while passionately arguing today's most pressing topics.

We couldn't be prouder of these students. There is no doubt in my mind, they have a bright future ahead of them, and that has everything to do with their work ethic and dedication.

I would also like to congratulate and thank their coaches, Bill Cornforth, Kayla Nelson, Isabella Droginske and Brigitte Mazure, as well as the team's founding coach, Fran Schoolcraft, who led them through their first 25 victories.

Congratulations on their first 40, and here's to the road to 41.

Congratulating American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

My wife, Mary, was a critical-care nurse for over 45 years and served as the past president of AACN. Her time as a critical-care nurse taught me how difficult it is to have a career in nursing.

It requires working long hours, weekends, and caring for people during the most challenging times of the patients' lives. And while sometimes nurses get to see happy endings, other times, they share in the emotions of families making very difficult decisions.

That is why it is important to honor the American Association of Critical-

Care Nurses, their dedication to their patients, and their push for excellence because, like their mission statement says, ``Nothing less is acceptable.''

Madam Speaker, I rise to remember the life of Robert ``Scat'' Scatterday, Jr., of Wheeling, WV, a businessman, retired professor, a Vietnam veteran, a father and a friend.

Scatterday was known throughout our community for his leadership and service to others. For over 30 years I had the privilege of calling him my friend.

He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a major with 37 years of service, including 136 combat missions in the Vietnam War. His military decorations include the Bronze Star.

Scatterday spent 30 years teaching at Belmont Technical College in Belmont, Ohio, and treated every citizen of Wheeling, West Virginia, as part of his family.

Scatterday was active in the Wheeling community. He helped plan the Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic and other events.

He served as a board member of the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America; founded the Golden Gathering in Wheeling; supported the United Way of Upper Ohio Valley and Young Life in the Ohio Valley.

Scatterday inspired all those around him; he was a quiet, unassuming and humble man, a caring and thoughtful father and grandfather, and a wonderful friend.

He will be missed but remembered for everything he contributed to the Wheeling community and the positive difference he made in the lives of so many.

Scatterday is survived by his four children, his seven grandchildren and his large extended family.

May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize John Overington for his long record of legislative service to the State of West Virginia.

Opting to retire, John won't be representing the people of Berkeley County, West Virginia, for the first time in 34 years when the House of Delegates convenes in Charleston next month.

John and I served together in the legislature for decades in the eighties and early nineties. I came to know John as someone who has always followed his conservative principles, even when it wasn't in vogue.

During the 34 years he served in the minority, many of those votes were lonely fights, but he never swayed from his staunch, unwavering commitment to conservative principles.

After the 2014 election, the Republicans took the majority in West Virginia Legislature for the first time in 84 years, and his conservative values helped dictate a new agenda. He chaired the Industry and Labor Committee and served as speaker pro tem.

I wish the best to John and his wife, JoAnn, as he retires from this legislative service. Serving as a citizen-legislator can often be a thankless task. The people of West Virginia owe him a debt of gratitude for his decades of service and his dedication to West Virginia.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2389) to reauthorize the West Valley demonstration project, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

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

Madam Speaker, H.R. 2389 is a bill to reauthorize the West Valley demonstration project, which was introduced in May of 2017 by our New York colleague, Tom Reed.

The bipartisan legislation moved through the Energy and Commerce Committee by regular order, including legislative hearings and markups, as part of our broad nuclear waste management agenda. It was reported to the full committee, with a bipartisan amendment, by a voice vote.

Let me thank the ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Environment, Mr. Tonko, for working closely with us on this legislation.

H.R. 2389, as amended, authorizes appropriations to support the Department of Energy's environmental remediation at its West Valley cleanup site in New York through 2025. It also directs a study to help Congress determine the final disposition of the radioactive waste that DOE is cleaning up at the site.

H.R. 2389 also continues the work of this Congress to address the Federal Government's obligation for treatment and disposal of the legacy waste produced during the Cold War and through the Federal Government's early efforts to develop a civilian nuclear energy industry.

The Department of Energy has successfully remediated 92 sites of this waste, but the most technologically challenging projects remain in place at 17 locations, one of which is the West Valley site.

In 1980, Congress passed the West Valley demonstration project to direct DOE to address legacy environmental issues and authorized the appropriations, however, only through fiscal year 1981. The project has not been reauthorized since that time, despite Congress funding DOE's work at the site for the past 37 years. H.R. 2389 corrects this situation and provides a path to answering important questions concerning waste disposition and ensures spending at the site is subject to an active authorization.

I urge all Members to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2278) to extend the authorization of the Uranium Mill Tailing Radiation Control Act of 1978 relating to the disposal site in Mesa County, Colorado, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2278 was introduced by my Colorado colleague, Scott Tipton, and cosponsored by my Energy and Commerce colleague from Colorado, Diana DeGette.

H.R. 2278 extends the authorization of the Uranium Mill Tailing Radiation Control Act of 1978 as it relates to the disposal site in Mesa County, Colorado.

The legislation was considered by the Subcommittee on Environment and marked up through regular order. It was reported by the full committee with a bipartisan amendment and passed on a voice vote.

Mining and processing uranium generates a byproduct known as uranium mill tailings. Congress passed the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act 40 years ago to establish the framework for DOE to dispose of mill tailings, which are left over from the nuclear defense activities and the development of our nuclear commercial industry.

The act also authorizes the Grand Junction, Colorado, site to serve as a disposal location.

This is the only DOE uranium mill tailing disposal site remaining open in the Nation, and so it is necessary for the final disposition of mill tailings discovered throughout this country.

H.R. 2278 extends the site's current authorization until 2030. The extension will enable the site to plan long-term operations to protect the public health and the environment.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton), who is the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, again, this is the last remaining disposal site that we need to keep open.

I appreciate the support, and I applaud the work of my colleague from Colorado (Mr. Tipton) for his efforts and Diana DeGette and the bipartisan nature of that cooperation between the two of them to get this done.

Mr. Speaker, I call upon the Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Command Sergeant Major Timothy Bolyard who lost his life this past Monday in the line of duty in the Logar province in Afghanistan.

A native of Thornton, West Virginia, Sergeant Major Bolyard was a decorated soldier with 24 years of service. He had received numerous recognitions for his dedicated service, including, among others, six Bronze Star Medals, two with valor; four Meritorious Service Medals; six Army Commendation Medals; 9 Army Achievement Medals.

This was Sergeant Major Bolyard's seventh deployment. His tours have included Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Albania.

Yesterday, the State flags in West Virginia were flown at half-mast in his honor.

Mr. Speaker, we grieve with Sergeant Major Bolyard's family and are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.

To Command Sergeant Major Bolyard, we thank you for your service and sacrifice. You, sir, were truly an American hero, an inspiration, and we will always honor your memory.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my long time friend, Judge James E. Seibert as he transitions into retirement after 33 years of service to the people of West Virginia.

Judge Seibert graduated from West Virginia University's College of Law in 1969.

Upon graduation, he joined the Law Firm of Seibert and Kasserman in Wheeling, West Virginia.

In 1985, Judge Seibert entered public service as a Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia.

But as much as he is recognized for his service on the bench, he is known for his contributions to the community, having served as: Chairman of the Ohio County Bar Association, President of the Wheeling- Ohio County Planning Commission, Chairman of Saint Vincent's Home, The Mental Hygiene Commissioner, President of the Wheeling Auto Club, and served on the Board for the Oglebay Park Children's Association.

I thank, Judge Seibert for his 33 years of service and wish him, his wife Jenny, his three adult children, and three grandkids all the best.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 1002, a bill originally introduced by Representative Dent of Pennsylvania, for the purposes of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Glenville State College in Glenville, West Virginia.

With an enrollment of 1,641 students, Glenville State has emerged as a pivotal institution of higher education in central West Virginia.

Under the leadership of its president, Tracey Pellett, they stand out for their efforts to reduce the cost of tuition, thereby giving more students access to an affordable education.

When we meet with students, their number one concern is the amount of debt that they are accumulating. That is understandable.

Since 1987, nationwide tuition rates have grown more than 213 percent. But since 2016, while most colleges have hiked their tuition, Glenville has frozen their rates and even cut the cost of summer courses by 25 percent.

For the upcoming school year, the school plans on reducing tuition by a full 2 percent. This could be a template for other universities and colleges across the country to follow.

I applaud Glenville State College for its dedication to ensuring that every student can access a quality, affordable education.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank Majority Whip Scalise for his work on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, as the lead cosponsor on this legislation, I, obviously, rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 119.

Throughout the years, despite what we are hearing from the other side, there have been numerous efforts promoting a carbon tax. There have been bills debated in committees; hearings held; and, subsequently, time devoted on the House floor. None were passed. Carbon taxes, however, create uncertainty in the marketplace.

Such a tax might reduce the amount of energy produced from coal and natural gas. I understand that. But as you have heard, it will also raise the cost of everything else Americans consume: gasoline, diesel fuel, food, clothing, and supplies. All would become more expensive.

We heard also that CBO and Stanford studies have warned that a carbon tax is the most regressive tax that could be implemented. And its impact on the poor and the middle class is at a rate of twice others.

This is a simple resolution stating that a carbon tax would be detrimental to American families and businesses, and it is not in the best interest of this country.

Now, just last Congress, this very same resolution passed 237-163, and it is our hope that this year's effort will reflect the same bipartisan level of support.

Thanks to tax cuts and regulatory reform, America's economy is clearly on the rise. Implementing a carbon tax at this juncture could very well put the brakes on that progress.

So instead of reverting to put an ideologically driven tax on everything, there are better ways to address environmental concerns. We could invest strategically in research and innovation to deliver clean energy technologies, like has been done at NET Power, Petra Nova, or Longview. We could provide incentives, like 45Q, to capture and utilize carbon emissions. Or, lastly, we could advance energy efficiency.

Mr. Speaker, America doesn't need more taxes. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.