Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the time.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 269. This important bill reauthorizes the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act and provides FDA with needed revenue and authority to improve oversight of over-the- counter drugs.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed this bipartisan legislation at the end of the 115th Congress, and I am pleased that we are acting on this bill once again at the beginning of the 116th Congress. I am proud to have helped introduce this legislation, and I urge my Senate colleagues to quickly pass this bill into law.

My chairman, Mr. Pallone and Representative Burgess have talked and spoken well of why we must address the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. Headlines in the Detroit paper today talking about a death in an area hospital because of a power outage is why we must prepare these institutions to be ready for crises, but I want to speak about the over-the-counter part of this bill.

Today, 60 percent of all medicines sold in the United States are over the counter. Americans trust that they are safe, yet the FDA has only 18 full-time employees--only 18--to oversee the entire market of drugs sold across this country.

This outdated system has the potential to put patients at risk and does not match the realities of our modern healthcare system.

The bill we are discussing today reforms this system for the better. It creates a new user fee program to give FDA the resources it needs to improve public health. It also improves the efficiency by allowing the agency to update OTC monographs through administrative order rather than the rulemaking process.

These changes are a big win for patients, who will benefit from improved product safety, and for industry, as they will have a reliable pathway to bring new, innovative products to market. It has been years since a new sunscreen product has been brought to market simply because of this outdated system.

I want to thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for all the time and effort they put into this legislation; to Representatives Eshoo and Brooks, who worked so hard on the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act; and to my colleague, Representative DeGette, and my Republican colleagues, Representatives Latta, Guthrie, and Burgess, for all the work that they did.

We need to get this important bill passed and into law. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 269.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7328, and I thank all of my colleagues for the very hard work that has gone into this.

This important bill reauthorizes the Pandemics and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, and it also gives the FDA revenue and authority to improve their oversight of the over-the-counter drugs.

Although the hour is late, I am very glad we are sending this bill to the Senate today, and I urge my colleagues to quickly pass this bill before the 115th Congress expires. I know we all want it to expire, but we can do some good things before it does.

Today, 60 percent of all medicines sold in the U.S. are over the counter; yet the FDA has only 18 full-time employees overseeing that entire market. That is not reflective of the way that our healthcare systems run, and it is putting patients at risk every single day.

Our bill reforms the system for the better by creating a new user fee program to give the FDA resources it needs to improve public health, and it allows the agency to update OTC monographs by administrative order rather than the ineffective rulemaking process we have been watching. This will be a big win for patients, who will benefit from the improved safety of their products, as well as the industry, as they will have a reliable pathway to bring new, innovative products to market. We haven't seen a new sunscreen on the market in more than a decade.

I want to thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Energy and Commerce Committee for all of the time and the effort they put into this legislation. I especially want to thank Kim Trzeciak of the committee staff for all of her hard work.

Let's get this done before we go home for the holidays. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7328.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Ranking Member Gene Green, for yielding me the time.

I rise in support of H.R. 7217, the IMPROVE Act, and I thank Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Pallone, and Representatives Upton and Guthrie for their leadership in negotiating this important bill and for bringing it to the floor today.

I also thank and acknowledge my dear friend Joe Barton for all of his leadership on the ACE Kids Act and congratulate him on his retirement. Joe has been a great friend to John and me over the years, and he will be dearly missed in the next Congress. Getting the IMPROVE Act signed into the law by the end of the year will be a fitting tribute to his decades of service in the Congress.

Ranking Member Green has also been critical to so many measures. Texas has had two valuable public servants.

Improving long-term care has been one of my top priorities since coming to Congress, and our system is completely broken. We need a broader overhaul of long-term care financing, and we also need to build off existing programs to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure that we are enhancing the opportunities for independent living and supporting aging with dignity.

I am proud to have authored two important provisions in the IMPROVE Act that extend critical programs that are about to expire.

The first is a 3-month extension of the Money Follows the Person program. This very successful program provides grants to States to cover transitional services for individuals who voluntarily wish to leave a nursing home or other institution and transition to a community care setting. Money Follows the Person is a win for both beneficiaries and taxpayers, because the program has demonstrated significant savings over the years while bringing a real benefit to people's lives.

I am also pleased that legislation I authored with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton), my good friend, the Protecting Married Seniors from Impoverishment Act, is also included in this bill. Extending spousal impoverishment protections for seniors in Medicaid is just common sense. Nobody should be forced to spend down all of their resources and have to go bankrupt just to get the care they need.

But these are only partial victories. Both programs are extended for 3 months. This is enough to keep these important programs alive for now, but all of us have a lot of work to do when we come back in the new year.

Let me be clear: I will continue to fight for long-term extensions of both programs in the next Congress, and I am confident that we can get that done with the Democratic majority. These programs clearly have bipartisan support, and they do so much good for so many people.

Once again, congratulations to my two dear friends from Texas for their leadership. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to H.R. 6784, the Manage our Wolves Act.

Despite the claims made by our colleagues across the aisle, gray wolves play a critical role in keeping ecosystems healthy and balanced, including across Michigan and the Great Lakes region.

At one time, gray wolves roamed in the hundreds of thousands. Today, there are fewer than 6,000 gray wolves in existence. Just this week, the National Park Service announced that a gray wolf died after being relocated from Minnesota to Michigan's Isle Royale National Park.

The threat to gray wolves is still real, and they must be protected. The bill before us would remove all protections for gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act, including reissuing a 2011 rule by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that delisted the gray wolf in the western Great Lakes.

H.R. 6784 also seriously undermines scientific integrity, which is one of the foundations of the Endangered Species Act. It would remove scientists from the decision-making process to delist gray wolves. Scientists, not Congress, should be making listing or delisting decisions.

As a keystone species, these iconic animals are vital to the structure of the ecological communities in which we live. Two decades ago, the lush landscape of Yellowstone National Park was not as we see it today. Instead, it was riddled with defoliation, erosion, and an unbalanced ecosystem.

Due to the absence of predators, deer and elk populations were out of control. Despite efforts to manage them, they overgrazed the park's vegetation. That all changed when gray wolves were reintroduced into the park in 1995.

As a top predator in the food chain, wolves hold together that delicate balance of the ecosystem. Once wolves were brought back to the park, the natural balance of the ecosystem was restored. The regenerated forests stabilized the riverbanks, leading to less erosion and more suitable wildlife habitat. And not to mention, wolves reduce the coyote population by as much as 50 percent. The whole landscape was dramatically transformed with the reintroduction of just a few gray wolves, and their presence can similarly be felt across the Great Lakes region.

Finally, gray wolves not only benefit the ecosystem, but they provide significant economic benefits as well. Just 10 years after reintroduction, wolf-related tourism generated more than $35 million for communities in Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen what the absence of gray wolves can do to the ecosystem. We have seen how wildlife and plant populations suffer, from our national parks to the Great Lakes, without a proper predator- prey balance.

Yes, good progress has been made to revive the gray wolf population, but there is more work to do. H.R. 6784 would halt and potentially reverse the progress that has been made. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding and Chairman Walden for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. This is a critical first step in addressing the opioid epidemic.

I have lived on all sides of this. I lived in a home with a father who was an opioid addict before anyone knew what it was. I had a sister who died of a drug overdose. Yet I also live with a man who has very serious chronic pain and needs opioids to live his life comfortably.

We cannot let the pendulum swing too far in either direction, and we cannot be denying medication to those who need it. I am confident that this legislation strikes the right balance.

This bill has four provisions which I authored included in it:

The ACE Research Act, which I cosponsored with my friend Mr. Upton, will spur innovative research into nonopioid pain medications at NIH and will help lead the next big breakthrough and bring benefits to patients. We need nonaddictive pain drugs.

I am also pleased that Jessie's Law, which I have worked on for years with Mr. Walberg, is in this. This provision, which is named after a young woman we lost far too soon, would require HHS to establish best practices to ensure that medical professionals have full knowledge of their patient's opioid history.

The Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act fixes a critical gap in our laws by permitting hospice employees from disposing of unused opioids after a patient has passed away or the medication is no longer needed.

Finally, I was pleased to work on language with Dr. Bucshon to ensure that the Welcome to Medicare wellness exam includes a review of the beneficiary's current opioid prescriptions and screening for potential substance use disorder.

As we pass this legislation to combat this epidemic which has claimed so many lives, we cannot forget the 25 million people who do live in pain. We cannot let the pendulum go either way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3021, America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. Every Member in this House should be able to support it. It is how Congress should work, and it is what the American people expect.

Overall, the bill would authorize $6.1 billion in Federal funds for the Army Corps of Engineers to carry out new and existing projects critical to our Nation's economy, environment, public health, and safety, including the Great Lakes region.

This legislation also includes the Drinking Water Systems Improvement Act, which the Energy and Commerce Committee approved last year, in bipartisan fashion. These provisions will improve drinking water systems and authorize $4.4 billion for the State Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program, which will provide much-needed Federal financing for States and utilities to strengthen drinking water infrastructure.

Everybody remembers Flint. Now we have PFAS. It is important that every American be able to trust the water they are drinking. This is why I am proud that this bill includes important provisions from legislation I introduced that would increase drinking water notifications and make consumer confidence reports on drinking water easier for every American to understand. It is an essential part of our response to drinking water crises in this country.

We have a crisis of confidence in our systems, and consumers deserve clear and immediate notifications and transparency when it comes to the quality of the water they are drinking. By requiring large water systems to provide consumer confidence reports biannually, the American people will have more frequent reports on water quality, which will help identify and mitigate risks sooner.

With 90 percent of Americans receiving their drinking water from a public drinking water system, it is our collective responsibility to provide strong funding authorizations for modernizing drinking water systems, and we must continue to find effective ways to keep the public informed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the centennial anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). This Act has saved millions of migratory birds, protecting over one thousand species important to Americans and our natural world.

Since being signed into law in 1918, the MBTA has played a pivotal role in animal welfare. Within my own state of Michigan and in the 12th district, birds contribute greatly to the environment of our region. Southeast Michigan even includes designated Important Bird Areas like the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie Basin, which are used extensively for migration by waterfowl such as Canvasbacks, Tundra Swans, and more. What's more, their presence also provides substantial economic benefits. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that there are more than 2 million birders in Michigan, and throughout our nation there are over 45 million birders who collectively spend around $41 billion on birdwatching each year. And birds remain in serious need of protection. According to the 2016 State of the Birds Report, from the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, more than one third of North American bird species are in need of urgent conservation action. Most of the U.S. species are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so this foundational law remains key to their conservation.

100 years after its implementation, it is critical that we ensure the MBTA's continued success. We owe our children and our grandchildren the joy of experiencing the rich bird

life in this great country. The Fish and Wildlife Service has long used reasonable discretion to apply the law to hazards including spills and oil waste pits, saving countless numbers of birds by incentivizing the adoption of simple practices that protect birds. We should build upon its success and find solutions that benefit birds and people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating this monumental anniversary. My hope is that we continue building on the legacy of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so that there are many more anniversaries to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Yemeni American News as it celebrates 10 years of service to our Michigan community. Its journalism serves as a valuable voice highlighting national and local matters affecting the Yemeni American community in Southeast Michigan while facilitating dialogue on pressing issues facing this valued community.

Founded in 2008, the Yemeni American News was established with the mission of highlighting issues such as education, culture, and the economy while providing diverse viewpoints from within the Yemeni- American community. Today, the Yemeni American News is published by Rasheed Alnozili and headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan where it serves the same population that it set out to serve one decade ago. The paper honors outstanding individuals, and always works to highlight the rich cultural background and vibrant heritage of Yemeni Americans.

The Yemeni American News prints monthly, producing hundreds of stories, and showcasing the successes of our Southeastern Michigan community. It plays an important role in keeping our community informed and has kept pace with Yemeni-American society as it emerges within the fabric of our great multi-ethnic American society, while pressing for justice and reinforcing the importance of a free press, one of the most important pillars of our democracy. The Yemeni American News launched its website in 2008 as a cultural platform to spread educational, political, and legal awareness which is vital to southeast Michigan's dynamic Yemeni American population. Not only is it a bilingual newspaper, it is a platform that strengthens Yemenis' ties with their roots and history while building bridges and interdependence with other local communities.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Yemeni American News for enriching the lives of countless Michigan citizens through 10 years of service to our Michigan community. We look forward to the Yemeni American News' continued honest journalism and outstanding performance in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Downriver Senior Olympics for three decades of providing seniors the opportunity to compete in a variety of events. This event brings our community together for recreation and fun each summer.

During these decades, the Downriver Senior Olympics has hosted different athletic competitions where seniors can face off against their peers. More than 500 senior athletes will compete in the 2018 event and participate in the Unity Awards banquet at the end of the week. The Olympic athletes are divided into five divisions depending on their age. Sports include golf, horseshoes, bowling, bean bag toss, bocce ball, shuffleboard and many more.

The Downriver Senior Olympics is a testament to the toughness of Michigan's seniors. It is not a common sight to see hundreds of septuagenarians fiercely trying to win a game of frisbee or hockey. These activities help bring people from all walks of life together and foster friendships and community among seniors from our local community. We are grateful for the work that the volunteers do to make this event happen and look forward to its continuation in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Downriver Senior Olympics for giving our seniors the chance to experience the thrill of competition while engaging with the community in a healthy and positive atmosphere. Our seniors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and one of the ways to do that should be to actively include them in our communities with events like the Down River Senior Olympics.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 65th anniversary of the Korean War's Armistice Agreement. On July 28, 2018, the City of Dearborn is hosting its annual tribute at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center to honor local heroes who died in Korean battle. The event is supported by the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 51. Korean War veterans, their families and members of the public will be in attendance.

Known as the ``Forgotten War,'' the Korean War took place from June 1950 to July 1953 and claimed the lives of more than 36,000 soldiers. 103,000 soldiers were wounded, and more than 8,000 were listed as missing in action. More than five million Americans served in the war. The Armistice formally divided the Korean peninsula into the two countries we know today. The signed Armistice established the Korean Demilitarized Zone, the de facto new border between the two nations, put into force a cease-fire, and finalized repatriation of prisoners of war.

During the Dearborn Armistice Agreement Tribute, a wreath is placed at the memorial to honor the 26 men from Dearborn, Michigan who died in the war, in addition to all of those who bravely served our country. The Henry Ford Centennial Library campus is home to the City's Veterans Park and War Memorial--the library's outdoor memorial has four monoliths listing all the Dearborn service members who died during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War. It also includes a representation of an Eternal Flame and a Battlefield Cross, and information on every war America has fought. It is an honor to pause and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great nation during the Korean War.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Korean War veterans from Dearborn and calling attention to the anniversary of the Armistice Agreement. This day reminds us that our obligations to our soldiers and their families endures long after the battle ends.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 2345, the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act.

Suicide is now the tenth leading cause for death in adults aged 18 to 64, and, for every suicide, there are 25 attempts. Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that suicide rates increased by 28 percent between 1999 and 2016. Mr. Speaker, 49 States experienced an increase in suicide rates during that period.

As my colleague said, we also know that the risk is significantly higher for veterans. Veteran men are at a 19 percent higher risk, and veteran women are at a 2\1/2\ times higher risk than nonveteran women.

These statistics point to a problem that is all too real and, sadly, all too common. That fact was evident last month when, unfortunately, both Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, both very successful in their careers, took their own lives.

It is heartbreaking when someone is suffering so much that they choose to end their own life. Unfortunately, I know it in my own family, when people are afraid to reach out.

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline Improvement Act before us today would make it easier for people wanting to connect with someone through that hotline. The bill would set up a process to give Americans an easy-to-remember, three-digit code, like 911, to call when they or their loved one are in crisis, rather than the current 10-digit number.

The bill would also require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to study the effectiveness of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, currently known as 1-800-273-TALK, and the Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to study the effectiveness of the Veterans Crisis Line.

The Senate has passed a companion bill by unanimous consent. H.R. 2345 is a bipartisan, commonsense bill, and I want to thank the authors, Congressman Chris Stewart of Utah and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, for the very hard work and leadership they put into this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it today, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), the cosponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers. So I would like to say that perhaps, today, this House can act together and save a life, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2345.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 4881, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018.

Access to broadband internet service is essential for participating in modern American life for both individuals and businesses. Farmers are no different. For them, a reliable, high-speed internet connection has become a necessity for managing their businesses efficiently. Farmers use it to collect realtime data on crops, buy equipment, verify weather forecasts, and check grain and feed prices.

Studies estimate that the use of broadband in precision agriculture can increase crop yields by 70 percent by the year 2050 and significantly reduce operation costs. Yet many people living in this country still do not have reliable high-speed internet service.

The Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018 would help facilitate the deployment of broadband to agricultural land by establishing a task force, led by the Federal Communication Commission in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture. The task force will identify and measure gaps in the availability of broadband on agricultural lands.

It will also develop policy recommendations to promote the rapid expanded deployment of broadband on unserved agricultural lands and promote effective policy and regulatory solutions to encourage the adoption of broadband on farms and ranches.

Moreover, the task force will recommend specific steps that the FCC should take to obtain reliable and standardized data on the availability of broadband and make sure that such data is reflected in future FCC broadband infrastructure programs.

H.R. 4881 is a bipartisan, commonsense bill, and I want to thank the authors, Mr. Loebsack and Mr. Latta, for the very hard work they have put into this measure. I urge my colleagues to support it today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 5709, the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act, otherwise known as the PIRATE Act.

Unauthorized radio operators, called pirate broadcasters, are a growing threat to the public airwaves. Not only do they cause an annoyance by interfering with news and entertainment programs of legitimate broadcasters, but they pose a serious risk in time of emergencies by preventing the public from hearing critical public safety alerts and messages. And they put their own listeners at risk because they are not equipped to carry these messages.

They may also interfere with the communication channels of important agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FCC has stepped up its enforcement against pirate broadcasters, but we can do more. The bill before us today increases the fines that can be levied against pirate broadcasters from $10,000 per day, currently, to $100,000 per day. It also sets a maximum penalty of $2 million for pirate broadcasters and those that knowingly and intentionally facilitate pirate broadcasters.

The bill also ensures that the FCC continues its sustained enforcement efforts on pirate broadcasters, while balancing the other important missions of the enforcement bureau and its field staff.

State and local prosecutors can be partners in this effort. The bill ensures that laws prohibiting pirate broadcasters enacted by States and cities are not preempted.

H.R. 5709 is a bipartisan, commonsense bill. And, yes, I agree with my colleague here about what a good bill this is. I thank the authors, Mr. Lance and Mr. Tonko, for the very hard work they put into this measure, and I urge my colleagues to support it today.

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5709, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove myself as a cosponsor of H.R. 2069.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my bipartisan amendment to H.R. 6147, the Interior Appropriations Act, which I am proud to introduce with my friend and colleague from Michigan, Congressman John Moolenaar.

Our amendment would provide funding to continue and advance the great science that is being done in the U.S. Geological Survey's Fisheries Program. We need more research to protect important ecosystems, like the Great Lakes, from invasive species and better understand how to conserve and protect important fishery resources.

The Great Lakes Science Center, which is strategically located near access fishery resources in communities across the eight Great Lakes States, would be an appropriate recipient of these additional resources.

The Great Lakes are a way of life for so many across Michigan and many other States, including agriculture, commercial and sport fishing, transportation, shipping, power generation, recreation, and tourism.

Whether you live, work, or vacation on the Great Lakes, we all benefit in preserving and conserving the Great Lakes for future generations.

The Great Lakes Science Center would be able to adopt cutting-edge technologies to support fisheries management, native prey fish restoration, and invasive species control by deploying autonomous underwater systems to assess impacts of bottom-dwelling invasive species on economically important fisheries and recreational resources.

The Science Center would continue to do their work on piloting gene silencing techniques to control zebra and quagga mussels in lakes and rivers with nationwide applications.

Fisheries science has been broadly recognized as a national and regional priority for many years, and nearly every action in the past has been to either maintain or increase the funding for the USGS fisheries assessments in the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes Fishery Program also has enjoyed long bipartisan support from Congress.

The Great Lakes are a treasured national resource, with more than 20 percent of the world's freshwater, 9,000 miles of shoreline, and supporting a $16 billion outdoor recreation economy.

It is critical we maintain funding to continue the United States Geological Survey's research and to enhance exploration in cutting-edge technologies to support fisheries management, native prey fish restoration, and invasive species control that is being done at the Great Lakes Science Center.

Madam Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important bipartisan amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I thank the chairman and I thank the ranking member, Representative McCollum, who shares the love of the Great Lakes with me.

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