Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, how much time is remaining?

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for taking this amendment on.

When you think about it, we are only funding about 300 to 400 projects a year. But in testimony before our committee, there are 450,000 contaminated sites across America; and if we are only renovating 400 sites, you can imagine how many thousands of years it will take assuming no additional brownfield sites are developed as a result of this.

So this idea of grasping just $7 million I think is a fundamental way of trying to say: We need to do more in this effort; we need to put more funds in it.

I agree with the gentlewoman's remark. If $250 million was authorized, then we need to put more money in this if we are serious about brownfields and removing the stigma across our community.

Mr. Chairman, I support this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, increasing funding for arthritis research within the Department of Defense is an issue that deserves and warrants our attention. Military servicemembers and veterans live with arthritis at significantly higher rates than civilians.

A recent study found that servicemembers aged 20 to 24 had osteoarthritis at a 26 percent higher rate than their civilian counterparts. In the same study, servicemembers over 40 are twice as likely to develop osteoarthritis after returning to civilian life. Arthritis affects one in three veterans and is the second leading cause of medical discharges.

The corresponding healthcare and disability compensation costs are ultimately borne by the taxpayer. But by increasing research funding, we could help identify ways to reduce the risk and help prevent the development of arthritis in our military training and service.

As co-chairman of the Arthritis Caucus with Anna Eshoo, I have been engaged with the Arthritis Foundation, the American College of Rheumatology, and other organizations on this important issue. We are asking Chairwoman Granger to commit to working with us to ensure that arthritis research receives the funding it deserves.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairwoman for her consideration on this important issue, and I look forward to working with her as we move forward.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 6. Over the past 2 weeks, America has witnessed something impressive. Both parties have come together, once again, to take action on one of the more challenging issues of our time: the opioid epidemic.

But this health threat is not unique. In the past, Congress faced the AIDS epidemic that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans, and stared down the Ebola nightmare. Congress responded methodically and thoughtfully by investing massive resources into medical research at the NIH and into treatment and prevention programs.

That is exactly what Congress is trying to do today. In this bill, we are funding NIH to develop alternatives to opioids for pain management, increasing treatment and prevention programs, and equipping our law enforcement to stop dangerous drugs like fentanyl from coming into America.

This bill is going to make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans. Congress is building on the work that it started with CARA and with the 21st Century Cures, but this isn't the end. It is vital to continue working together.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for those kind remarks. This is not just West Virginia, but it is all across this country. I think we are speaking for all and trying to give a voice all across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5176, the Preventing Overdoses While in the Emergency Room Act. The demand

for these substance abuse services in America's emergency rooms far exceeds their availability. Treatment is particularly scarce in rural counties, in spite of having an average overdose rate that is 45 percent higher than more urban areas.

In March, the Centers for Disease Control reported that the emergency room visits for opioid overdoses had risen 30 percent since July of 2016, in less than 2 years, a 30 percent increase.

That is why I am honored to be joined by Congressman Doyle in introducing this bipartisan act, also known as the POWER Act. This legislation will provide competitive grants to ensure that overdose patients receive the treatment they need while still in the emergency room, giving them a better shot at recovery. This bill, hopefully, is intended to reduce repeat overdoses and thereby save lives.

I want to thank the cosponsor of this bill, Mr. Doyle, and particularly our chairman, Mr. Walden, for their work on this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment, but let's just step back a second. Here is the reality.

America and the entire world will be relying on fossil energy for years to come. The Energy Information Administration estimates that, in 2040, fossil energy will still make up 78 percent of the energy used in the world.

Let's look at two examples of what America stands to lose if this amendment is adopted.

The fossil R&D program has put America on the cusp of producing zero carbon emissions from electric generation using the innovative and unique Allam cycle.

The innovative NET Power plant in Texas was funded by DOE in its research. It is amazing what they are doing using CO2 to spin a turbine instead of as an emission.

To this end, Congress should be putting more money into this program on research, not reducing it.

Secondly, the fossil R&D program also has had tremendous success in extracting rare earth elements from coal and mine drainage. But, currently, China controls over 90 percent of the world's rare earth elements. These minerals are critical to our national defense and are used in hybrid vehicles, wind turbines, fuel cells, and portable electronics.

By adopting this amendment, we would be unnecessarily putting the environment at risk and lose a potential key supply of rare earth minerals.

Fossil fuels will be around for the foreseeable future. We should be utilizing them in the cleanest, most efficient manner through research, and all of that requires more research at the Federal level.

The House has soundly defeated a similar amendment in the past, and I urge my colleagues to do so now as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize National Arthritis Awareness Month. Every May, we call attention to the hardships associated with arthritis, a chronic disease that results in the inflammation or swelling of one or more joints of the body. Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the United States, and carries a total economic burden of more than $300 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity.

During this month of recognition, it's critical we remember the more than 54 million Americans, and 300,000 children, living with arthritis. There are over 100 different forms in which this disease manifests, the most common being: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and psoriatic arthritis.

While arthritis limits their daily activities, people with arthritis are fighters, and take action to conquer this disease. As co-chair of the Congressional Arthritis Caucus, along with my colleague Representative Eshoo, we work together to address some of the most pressing issues facing the arthritis community today, like the high out-of-pocket costs for medication.

Increased awareness can lead to early detection and treatment, and it fosters an environment that supports people with the disease in our communities. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing National Arthritis Awareness Month.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment to H.R. 5515.

Let's put this in historical context: In 1941, Congress passed the Berry amendment, which requires the Department of Defense to purchase certain items only from American companies. That list includes American-made products and already includes textiles, clothing, shoes, food, and certain tools. Our amendment would simply add dinnerware.

America has some of the best and most talented producers of nontoxic, lead-free dinnerware in the globe. Companies like Coors in Tucson, Arizona; Emerson Creek in Bedford, Virginia; and Homer Laughlin in West Virginia.

It makes common sense that when we purchase equipment for our military, whether it is weapons, food or supplies, it is incumbent upon us to consider American jobs as well.

This amendment solidifies that belief. It shows our strong support for American manufacturing and already has been supported and endorsed by the Alliance for American Manufacturing. Importantly, it would ensure access to safe dinnerware for our military, free from lead or other carcinogenic materials.

According to the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, there have been numerous violations involving lead and other contaminants in dinnerware coming from China, Mexico, and other suppliers around the world leading to concerns for their use by American troops.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to stand with American manufacturers, safety and health concerns, and the jobs that are created in our communities by supporting this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the remarks of the chairman.

As far as it relates to national security, our schools and our hospitals all across America consider it a serious enough situation on their chinaware because of the lead content and other carcinogenic materials that they have mandated for the health of our children across America that they must have lead-free chinaware.

But, unfortunately, what is happening for our military is that we don't

have that requirement. By putting lead-free American products in, we would be able to have control. You say our troops can get sick from tainted food. They can get sick as well from the plates that they eat from if it migrates out of the material into their food when you put hot contents on it or cook it in a microwave. Those things can happen with that.

If the schools and the hospitals think it is enough of a concern that they make this mandate, quite frankly, I think we ought to consider the same thing for our troops so that they are not made sick.

As far as the price and the quality, if that language in the Berry amendment deals with satisfactory quality and fair price is the standard, all we are doing is adding that to it.

So I don't see that issue being valid on this, because if it is not good quality, even if it is American-made, you are going to be able at a very minimum to acquire it from someone else at the same time.

Mr. Chairman, again, I urge my colleagues to stand with us on this issue of American-made products safe for our troops.

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

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 3663, which would name the VA medical center in Huntington, West Virginia, after a true American hero and my personal friend, Hershel ``Woody'' Williams.

Woody is recognized as the last living Medal of Honor recipient from the notoriously horrific Battle of Iwo Jima; but in West Virginia, Woody is known far more for his work on behalf of veterans.

Upon his retirement from the Marines, Woody served 33 years as a counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs. He served as the commandant of the veterans nursing home in Barboursville, West Virginia, for years, providing care to aging veterans. Then, in 2012, he helped start a Medal of Honor foundation dedicated to honoring Gold Star families and their fallen loved ones.

The foundation has erected monuments in 36 States, like Tennessee, and offers scholarships to children in Gold Star families. Woody frequently travels to Washington to participate in special ceremonies at Arlington National

Cemetery in honor of our fallen heroes. Earlier this year, as my colleague had mentioned, he received national recognition for his service to our country when he was asked to perform the coin toss for the Super Bowl.

It is often said that the character of a person isn't measured by their actions while in the limelight, but rather by the work they do when they are not being in the light, when no one is looking. Woody's life is a manifestation of working behind the scenes. He has been unwavering in his support for our veterans, and Congress has an opportunity to offer him our heartfelt thanks and gratitude.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 3663, and I thank my colleague, Evan Jenkins, for this introduction of the bill and his support for Woody Williams.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 613, the Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati Correctional Officer Self-Protection Act, and urge its immediate passage.

Mr. Speaker, every year when we are back in the district I conduct over 300 meetings with constituents to understand some of the issues they are facing. That might be from senior citizens, to nurses, to school teachers, to correctional officers. We do this on an annual basis to listen and learn and bring back their concerns, what is affecting them, back to Washington, so we can work on legislation.

These meetings shape a large portion of the legislation our office works on. When student veterans in our district told us they were having problems using their GI Bill benefits to pay for their degrees, we came back and passed legislation to address that issue.

When the story of correctional officer Eric Williams' brutal murder was brought to our attention, we developed and passed legislation allowing officers to carry pepper spray, simple pepper spray, at all times. Now, when that was adopted, that might have prevented his death by inmates who took his life.

Now, correctional officers in our district have brought us other concerns about being targeted when they finish their shift and leave prison for the day. We heard the story about how Lieutenant Albarati was targeted and brutally murdered on his way home from work at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Puerto Rico.

All this was in retaliation for his investigation into a cellphone smuggling ring that was occurring in the prison. He was targeted, shot, chased, and killed after leaving work that day.

Correctional officers often find themselves as targets, we are hearing, for retaliatory attacks for what they have done at work. Unfortunately, Bureau of Prison policy prohibits officers from carrying or storing their personal firearms at the Federal facility where they work or anywhere on the grounds.

This bill requires that every Federal facility have a safe and secure area in which officers can store their personal firearms during their shift. With passage of this bill, we will provide them with one more tool to ensure they make it home safely to their families every day, giving them the peace of mind that they can perform their duties and not worry about the aftermath.

Look, our Nation's prison guards are often taken for granted. They are the forgotten men and women of America who face evil, and I mean that in the strongest way. They face evil every day to keep our communities safe.

Today, we have the opportunity to honor Lieutenant Albarati for his service and weep with his widow and his three children for their loss. His sacrifice, as the chairman said, must not be in vain. The lessons that we have learned can be used to prevent another tragedy like this from happening ever again.

I thank the Judiciary Committee, its chairman, Mr. Goodlatte, and the House leadership for bringing H.R. 613 to the floor and urge all my colleagues to honor the memory of Lieutenant Albarati by voting ``yes'' and sending this bill to the Senate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 40th anniversary of the Willow Island disaster, when 51 construction workers perished in the deadliest construction accident in United States history.

These men were building cooling tower No. 2 at the Pleasants Power Station in West Virginia. Just after 10 o'clock on that tragic day, as the third lift of concrete was being lifted, the cable housing on the crane went slack and the crane collapsed in on the tower.

The concrete that had been poured the previous day then started to unwrap the tower, taking out the scaffolding. All the men who were on the scaffolding at that time were killed, and many workers on the ground were buried under the falling debris.

This horrible accident spurred a national conversation about more construction safety and led to improved standards. And for those of us who have worked in the construction industry, it underscored just how fragile life is and that paying attention to every detail can make a difference whether we go home or not.

This is a tragedy that is still felt throughout the Pleasants County community. Angie Colvin, who was just in the fifth grade at the time of the disaster, lost 12 family members that day, including her father.

The Willow Island community will gather this evening at the memorial erected in honor of those 51 workers. Our prayers are with the entire community on this day of remembrance.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Burgess for organizing this Special Order event.

Mr. Speaker, the United States represents only 5 percent of the global population, yet we consume over 80 percent of the opioids produced around the world. Shouldn't that have raised a red flag?

Since 2011, our office has conducted over 50 roundtable meetings with doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and law enforcement, listening and learning from professionals how we could best address this problem.

Congress has acted. As you heard a minute ago, the 21st Century Cures Act and CARA were good first steps, but it is evident that more work needs to be done.

Last month, under President Trump and the Republican Congress leadership, we secured an additional $4 billion in funding, the largest investment ever in this crisis. We have made progress in other areas. In the book, ``American Pain'' by John Temple, he cites an ever- increasing production quota as a contributing factor to this drug opioid abuse. Even as it became clear that the opioid abuse was a growing problem, our producers in pharmaceuticals were producing more and more pain medicine. Fortunately, yesterday, the DEA, under the leadership of President Trump, announced that they would finally begin limiting the number of pills being produced.

I also had the honor of working with the White House on the Opioid Task

Force; and thanks to Chairman Walden, the Energy and Commerce Committee has made fighting the opioid crisis a top priority. You heard his comments when he said that.

Our committee has been crafting another comprehensive opioid package aimed at treatment, prevention, education, and enforcement. Over the past few weeks, the committee has reviewed numerous bills, and I am proud to say--and I thank Chairman Burgess--that two of those bills are pieces that our office has crafted.

Now, as for the role of pharmacies. Currently, each State maintains its own database on prescriptions, but that information isn't always typically shared with neighboring States. So the committee is taking under consideration a nationwide prescription drug monitoring program, which would prevent people from abusing the system by filling their prescription in multiple States.

Congress needs to shut down these illicit, illegal pharmaceutical drug sales on social media, just as the Commissioner of the FDA made a strong recommendation just 2 weeks ago.

And, lastly, it is time to tighten our border security to stop the flow of drugs into our country. Hancock County, West Virginia Sheriff Ralph Fletcher has made it clear that the spike in heroin overdoses is directly attributable to this poison pouring across our southern border from Mexico.

And as Mike Burgess just noted a minute ago, the postal service system needs to be enhancing their monitoring program to halt this importation of fentanyl from China.

But through all this, shouldn't we be exploring the root cause of why people are turning to dangerous drugs? West Virginia, unfortunately, leads the Nation in virtually every statistic when it comes to opioids. Some have attributed it to our State's high unemployment, low household income, and low education levels.

But who is second? Until last year, New Hampshire was second. They have the highest level of employment. They have one of the highest levels of household income and one of the highest levels of degree of household education. So, clearly, it is simply not a socioeconomic issue. Something else is driving this epidemic, and we need to get to the root cause of it. There is plenty of blame to go around, and we need to hold people accountable.

Our committee has been accomplishing this through an investigation of the pill dumping that has occurred in West Virginia. On May 8, as you heard a minute ago, we are going to be holding another hearing with our CEOs from the Nation's largest drug distributors who have been shipping tens of millions of pills into small communities across West Virginia. What we hope to learn is why. Why would you dump millions of pills into small rural communities? Have you no shame?

Look, this is a multifaceted problem. While there is still a lot more work to be done, Congress has been taking a number of steps to eradicate this scourge of the opioid epidemic.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our Nation's dedicated teachers during this year's Public School Week.

When I think back to my teachers in public school, one in particular stands out: Ms. Eleanor Ball, my eighth grade English teacher. In addition to instilling in me a love and respect for the English language, she was a teacher who went above and beyond the call of duty and gave each of us youngsters a sense of confidence to face the challenges that would lie ahead in our society.

But who are the Ms. Balls of today? Perhaps they are like Cristina Stout, a 4th grade teacher at Leading Creek Elementary School in Gilmer County, West Virginia. Ms. Stout is known for her compassion for her students. She often buys school supplies and winter coats for kids whose families can't afford them. One year she gave up every lunch break, every day, so that just one of her students who suffers with a sensory issue could eat in her classroom with her and avoid the overstimulating cafeteria. Most days, she stays late to tutor students who need the extra care, help, and assistance to ensure that they don't fall behind.

These are just two of countless examples of our Nation's teachers going above and beyond the call of duty every day across America.

To Ms. Ball, Ms. Stout, and teachers everywhere, we thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chair of the Congressional Hearing Healthcare Caucus, I rise today to recognize World Hearing Day, which is held on March 3rd of each year to provide awareness focused on the importance of hearing preservation, hearing loss identification, and treatment. This day, founded by the World Health Organization, moves the needle as it relates to hearing healthcare in the United States.

Hearing plays a critical role in one's quality of life and personal safety. We rely on hearing to feel connected to the world around us. Over 37 million adults in America suffer from hearing loss, and we're . seeing a growing number of children as well. Hearing loss has been tied to depression, economic hardship, and underlying medical conditions. Hearing aids are a proven method of rehabilitation for the majority of those who have lost their ability to hear. Yet just 30 percent of those who could be helped by hearing aids use them.

That's why I joined my colleague from California, Mr. Thompson, in introducing H. Res. 740, which expresses support for the designation of March 3rd as World Hearing Day, and recognizes the importance of hearing loss prevention and hearing healthcare access. I encourage my colleagues in the House to co-sponsor this resolution, and encourage all Americans to take appropriate steps to protect their hearing.

Mr. Speaker, gradually, many of America's largest multiemployer pension funds are slipping into insolvency, threatening the retirement income of millions of Americans. Funds such as the United Mine Workers of America, the Central States Pension Fund, the Boilermakers, the IBEW, and over 50 others are in critical condition.

Failure of these funds would leave retirees who have paid their dues throughout their entire career without the income that they were expecting and promised.

This pending economic crisis for families could mean a loss of hundreds of billions of dollars in funds and must be avoided.

I have worked with representatives of the coal miners and the construction building trades preparing a resolution. If we fail to act soon, our options become increasingly limited and extremely expensive.

For example, the UMWA pension fund has been predicted to collapse by 2022, or sooner. But the real culprit to their pension crisis comes not from Wall Street, the management of the operations, but from right here in Washington. Environmental regulations aimed at putting coal out of business have resulted in the loss of over 470 coal mines, 350 coal- fired generating plants, and 86,000 coal jobs as a result of the bankruptcy of mining companies.

Some have suggested that the funds could fall into the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation, but the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation says it, too, is underfunded. Assuming the liability of one or more of these troubled funds will lead to their own insolvency.

H.R. 3913, the American Miners Pension Act, would allow their funds to recover by borrowing funds that will be paid back. It is important to emphasize this point. The loans are designed to be paid back. It is not a bailout.

A bipartisanship Pension Protection Caucus that I co-chair with Representatives Richard Nolan and Debbie Dingell shares this common goal of raising attention to this crisis before it is too late.

Congress must come together and find a bipartisanship solution that works for all of these critical funds and takes care of the families that need peace of mind.

So on behalf of the American coal miners, the Teamsters, the builders, bakers, boilermakers, and many others, we must act now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gunnery Sergeant Dale Sigler from Moundsville, West Virginia.

Dale's life has been one of leadership and service to his community and country. At the age of 17, during the height of World War II, he got his parents' permission and enlisted in the United States Navy, even before he had finished high school. He served in the Navy until 1946 before returning home to finish his education. Upon graduation, he then joined the Marines and led an exemplary military career as a gunnery sergeant.

Dale retired after 20 years of military service, but his desire to serve the community didn't stop there. He went on to serve as a chaplain for the local chapters of The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Marine Corps League. He was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedicated service.

Gunnery Sergeant Sigler, we salute you and offer you our deepest gratitude. You, sir, are truly a great American.