Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, another week has passed while Republicans in Congress continue their blockade on the renewal of federal unemployment insurance. More than 1.5 million jobless Americans remain without unemployment insurance and another 72,000 hardworking men and women will be cut off with each additional week of inaction that passes by.

House Democrats have continued their push to hold a vote on extending emergency unemployment insurance. In fact, this is the third time that I join my colleagues in making sure that we renew our promise to the American people by demanding a simple vote on a three-month extension. Every day that we fail to act means more families will be left wondering how they will put food on the table or pay for basic goods as they seek employment.

Instead of devoting so much time in Congress trying to overturn the Affordable Care Act, House Republicans should reconsider the impact that allowing unemployment insurance to expire will have on the U.S. economy and American families. It is estimated that the lapse in unemployment coverage removed $400 million out of state economies in just a single week, while failing to extend unemployment insurance will cost the U.S. economy 240,000 jobs this year.

Mr. Speaker, this is an issue of restoring economic security for millions of Americans and their families. I am truly disappointed to

see that the House Republican agenda for 2014 does not include renewing federal unemployment insurance. The long-term unemployed cannot wait on Congress to restore this critical support any longer, and I urge my Republican colleagues to act now.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3824 to end the Republicans' refusal to extend unemployment benefits that protect over 72,000 workers in Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Ann M. Williams, Founder and Artistic Director of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Mrs. Williams will retire this May after 38 years of dedication to the performing arts community in Dallas.

Mrs. Williams has a highly decorated career in the arts. She holds a Master of Arts degree and Related Arts from Texas Woman's University and was inducted into the Texas Women's hall of fame in 2002. Among her various accolades, she was honored at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC as a part of the Masters of African-American Choreography series in 2005.

Mrs. Williams had the vision to create a diverse and community- oriented dance institution with a strong emphasis toward the African- American community. Over several decades, Mrs. Williams built the Dallas Black Dance Theatre from the ground up, growing it to become one of the most well-known Dallas-based nonprofits. It has garnered recognition from the City of Dallas, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

The Dallas Black Dance Theatre is the oldest continuously operating professional dance company in Dallas and is host to a multi-ethnic troupe of dancers who specialize in contemporary modern dance. Since its founding in 1976, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre has brought cultural and artistic value to millions of people throughout 30 states and 14 different countries such as Great Britain, Japan, and Canada.

Mr. Speaker, under Mrs. Williams' direction, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre has become an invaluable addition to the Dallas arts community. The Dallas Black Dance Theatre has contributed greatly to the revitalization of downtown Dallas by bringing added educational and artistic capital to the area. I would like to recognize Mrs. Williams for her contributions and I join my constituents in wishing her a fruitful and fulfilling retirement.

Mr. Speaker and House Republicans, happy new year. You look great, but we have failed to address the issues of the people who are unemployed. I call upon all of us today to remember that many people, as we sit here, are facing fiscal devastation.

The social safety net is used to purchase very basic necessities, such as food and rent; and many Americans are treading now, just staying above the water. There were 1.3 million Americans who were without unemployment insurance as of December 28. In another few weeks, 1.9 million more will join them, and 174,000 of them are from Texas.

I know that we have not really thought about this seriously. I know that so much time was spent in attempting to overturn the Affordable Care Act that we forgot that there are people we have failed to provide jobs for who are now unemployed and whom we cannot forget.

This is not just their problem. This is our problem. Please join me in making sure that we restore their safety net.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of extending Federal unemployment insurance (UI) as part of a comprehensive and bipartisan budget agreement. Without Congressional action, 1.3 million Americans will lose access to vital UI benefits on December 28. Within the first half of next year, an additional 1.9 million Americans will lose access to Federal unemployment insurance.

As Congress heads home for the holidays, it is important that we do not leave millions of Americans without a social safety net to protect against long-term job loss. Long-term unemployment as a percentage of the unemployed still remains around 37 percent, meaning these individuals will be left without any support after their state unemployment insurance expires. Further, failure to extend the Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program could cost the U.S. economy an additional 240,000 jobs.

My home State of Texas is not immune from these expiring benefits. Once the UI benefits expire, 68,900 unemployed workers in Texas will lose access to Federal unemployment insurance. Within the first six months of 2014, an additional 106,900 workers will also lose these benefits.

Mr. Speaker, as long as millions of unemployed workers struggle to find a job, Congress is doing a great disservice to this country by allowing Federal unemployment insurance to expire. Federal unemployment insurance serves as a vital lifeline for job seekers and their families. The very least we could do for these workers as we enter the holiday season is to provide them with the support they need to weather these challenging economic times.

Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. Speaker, I very reluctantly vote for H.J. Res 59, having been quoted accurately that it is a D+ piece of legislation.

It sadly represents what Congress has become. It is now a victory to avoid another government shutdown. It is a victory to temporarily prevent application of the Sustainable Growth Rate that would penalize medical providers and our senior citizens. It is the least we could do to find a tiny bit of budget breathing room so that it may be possible for the appropriations process to resume again.

It is frustrating that, at a time when there are still many unmet needs of our citizens and while our economy is sputtering, people are celebrating legislation that doesn't damage the economy more. It is sad that it has come to this.

I am hopeful, however, that this might serve as a point of departure over the next three months to be able to face the realities of what America needs.

I, for one, will continue working for the big picture, on the three bills that I have introduced to help rebuild and renew America and on arguing for a grander bargain, rather than the least that we can do. I will fight to build on the platform of healthcare reform so that we get medical providers off the SGR merry-go-round, instead moving towards the promise of healthcare reform. It is shameful that Congress is willing to cut food stamps yet give money to wealthy farmers, while ignoring the plight of the long term unemployed, illustrating the gap between what the American public expects and what we should do. I am hopeful that the new year will be more constructive.

In the meantime, we will celebrate avoiding another damaging government shutdown and we will celebrate not having a destructive resolution on the floor muddying diplomacy with Iran. I suppose in the holiday spirit we should be thankful for what we can get and then usher this least productive session in Congressional history out of town.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2019, The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act. This bill completely bypassed procedure in the House, skipping any committee action prior to a full House vote and leaving no opportunity for discussion as to what could be the best way to fund pediatric research.

While my colleagues and I fully support increased funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and pediatric research, the ``Kids First Research Act'' would not provide any additional funds to the NIH for this purpose. The bill merely authorizes that the Presidential Election Campaign Fund be available to a certain extent. These funds would still be subject to the Budget Control Act caps and the normal Appropriations Committee process.

H.R. 2019 is merely a messaging tactic for House Republicans to appear to be supportive of biomedical research funding. House Republicans attempted to cut $1.6 billion from NIH funding in 2011. This year, sequestration cut the NIH budget by $1.55 billion and took an additional $255 million from the cancer institute and $66 million from the child health institute within the NIH.

If House Republicans intend to increase funding for NIH research, they should do so by replacing sequestration with a more balanced approach. This bill not only restricts funding for the NIH, it represents Congressional micromanagement of research. Overall, HR. 2019 does nothing to advance the goals of biomedical research. I urge my colleagues to support the work of our scientists and researchers and oppose the Kids First Research Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3309, the Innovation Act. I would like to applaud my colleagues for bringing this important issue to the floor today.

Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have long supported the principles for reforming patent litigation to prevent troll litigation. As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology I have long supported policy in order to prioritize investments that will advance our knowledge, create new industries and jobs, and give our children the grounding in science and technology they will need to succeed in a competitive world economy. During this time of economic need, I support H.R. 3309 which is integral to curbing frivolous and costly patent litigation that currently hinders our ability to innovate, create jobs and economic growth.

Many companies, from both the technology and non-technology sectors, have been the target of numerous, merit-less lawsuits from patent trolls. Since 2005, the number of defendants sued by patent trolls has quadrupled, activity that is estimated to have cost the U.S. economy $80 billion in 2011. And, what's even more startling is that in 2012 patent trolls sued more non-tech companies than tech companies. I am supportive of the Innovation Act of 2013 which takes a multi-faceted approach to end this abuse.

While I recognize there may be no single solution that addresses all complexities surrounding our nation's patent process, H.R. 3309 is a good faith bi-partisan first step towards addressing patent trolling. I am pleased that the Administration is also supportive of H.R. 3309. Moving forward, I would like to work with all sides on this issue to curb patent trolling. I would like to think that all of us in Congress agree that we must work to address the problem of patent trolls.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Every day, persons with disabilities around the world must face undue physical, social, and economic hurdles in society. International Day of Persons with Disabilities is just one of many opportunities to focus on these individuals' accomplishments.

Since 1992, the United Nations has promoted this international day of observance in order to promote a better understanding of disabilities and to enhance the well-being of persons living with disabilities. These individuals frequently lack access to basic resources such as gainful employment or healthcare. With over one billion people around the world living with some form of disability, it is critical that we raise awareness around these issues.

The National Industries for the Blind (NIB) is one organization that works to raise awareness and provide tangible services and assistance to those living with disabilities. NIB, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, works in 35 States at more than 250 locations across the United States to provide these invaluable services. NIB continues to promote new opportunities for individuals with disabilities through its widely recognized AbilityOne Program.

In my district, I have had the distinct pleasure of visiting the Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind, a non-profit organization that provides job training and services to visually impaired individuals. The Dallas Lighthouse, a local National Industries for the Blind agency, employs 185 visually impaired persons and has provided training for employees within certain agencies of the Federal Government.

Mr. Speaker, as we join the international community in recognizing International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it is important that we highlight the local organizations here at home that bring real value to communities across the U.S. The National Industries for the Blind is one such organization and that I am pleased to recognize as it celebrates 75 years of enhancing the lives of others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the passing of an extraordinary and progressive individual, our 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. President Kennedy was elected during a time period when change was imminent even in the midst of resistance. Throughout a tumultuous time in this country's history, President Kennedy stood strong against those who saw this nation's progress as a threat.

During the height of the civil rights movement, President Kennedy's willingness to engage in the struggle for the equal rights of all people transcended the era. He embraced civil rights and encouraged an entire nation to join him in the fight for justice. His civil rights engagement was seen as a turning point in the fight for equality.

President Kennedy also advocated for technological advancement and encouraged unprecedented innovation during his time. As the ranking member on the Science, Space and Technology committee, I admire the will of President Kennedy to further our country's space exploration capabilities. President Kennedy placed an emphasis on the country's scientific competitiveness that few considered necessary. President Kennedy displayed a courageous and resilient vision for this country that is consistent, in every way, with the title of Commander-in-Chief.

Today, many cities around the country, including my district in Dallas, will hold ceremonies to commemorate his legacy. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing his legacy. May his eternal flame continue to burn as a symbol of his lasting impact on this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of World AIDS Day which we celebrated on Sunday, December 1. Each year since 1988, we commemorate those who have died and show our support for those living with HIV.

While numerous scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, World AIDS Day reminds us that HIV is still destructive and that there is no cure. There is still a critical need for funding, research, and education in our country and abroad.

The passage of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and Stewardship and Oversight Act (PEPFAR) is encouraging because of the necessity of an international response to the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic. Eleven years ago, I initiated the first round of PEPFAR talks with President George W. Bush while I was the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

As we embark on another reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, it is imperative that we remain diligent in the battle against AIDS. I will continue to do what is necessary to engage in this fight to promote public health around the world. I urge my colleagues to fight this battle and to join me as we recognize World AIDS Day.

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

I rise today to speak in support of H.R. 3547, a bill to extend the application of certain space launch liability provisions through 2014.

First established by Congress as part of the Commercial Space Launch Act Amendments of 1988, the commercial space transportation risk- sharing liability and insurance regime has been extended seven times since its original enactment. The current extension expires on December 31 of this year, so it is important for Congress to act now so that there is sufficient time for this legislation to make its way to the President's desk before the current authority expires.

The liability and insurance regime that would be extended by this legislation is three-tiered.

In the first tier, licensed commercial launch providers are required to purchase third-party liability insurance to compensate for possible losses from third-party claims by the uninvolved public up to the maximum probable loss level determined by the Federal Aviation Administration as part of its licensing process, or a maximum level of $500 million.

In the second tier, for claims above those maximum probable losses, the U.S. Government may pay successful liability claims up to $1.5 billion in 1989 dollars, or about $2.8 billion in today's dollars, subject to funds being appropriated by Congress for that purpose.

In the third tier, for successful claims above the aforementioned $2.8 billion, the licensee assumes responsibility for payment.

It should be noted that the U.S. Government has not appropriated a single dollar to pay for the third-party claims in the two-decade history of this program.

The existence of the liability risk-sharing regime has helped enable the development and the sustainment of a commercial space launch industry in the United States, including the emergence of several new companies in recent years. In addition, the regime has

allowed U.S. companies to remain competitive with their international counterparts, almost all of whose governments provide similar or more generous risk-sharing liability regimes to that of the U.S.

The commercial space transportation liability and insurance regime has worked. It has not cost the American taxpayer a single dollar in claims, and it has strengthened U.S. competitiveness in commercial space launch--and this is not a blank check since any potential payments for claims would be subject to prior congressional appropriation.

The bill before us today extends the liability risk-sharing regime for a period of 1 year. While that is less than some in the industry would like, I believe it is an appropriate length. That is because much has changed since the risk-sharing liability and indemnification regime was established in 1988 and because the commercial space launch industry continues to evolve over time.

Commercial providers are delivering spacecraft to orbit and commercial resupply services to the international space station, and companies are working hard toward providing commercial human spaceflight. I am excited about the entrepreneurial spirit many of these new companies exhibit, and I want them to succeed, but I also want to ensure that the Nation's commercial space transportation legislation reflects the changing industry and protects the American public.

The commercial space industry has been evolving in ways that were not envisioned when the risk regime was first established, and we need to evaluate if changes are needed to this decades-old law. The 1-year extension provides the Congress with the time to conduct necessary hearings, perform our due diligence, and enable the enactment of a comprehensive update to existing commercial space legislation.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank the chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Mr. Lamar Smith; the chairman of the Space Subcommittee, Steve Palazzo; and the subcommittee's ranking member, Donna Edwards, for cosponsoring this bill with me. This is a good, bipartisan bill, and I urge Members to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlelady from Maryland (Ms. Edwards).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.

I urge support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1545, The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Stewardship and Oversight Act (PEPFAR). Eleven years ago, as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I initiated PEPFAR talks with President George Bush to discuss the necessity of an international response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. President Bush helped make a $15 billion commitment to worldwide AIDS relief.

Not only has PEPFAR driven down the cost of commodities, it has seen real success targeting each country's specific epidemic by coordinating resources within numerous AIDS responses.

PEPFAR is a vital emergency response and it has been able to transition to long-term sustainability through country ownership. This bill not only strengthens all that PEPFAR has achieved, it extends critical oversight and authority in order to continue its success.

While PEPFAR has been a major accomplishment, we must continue to support its efforts. The U.S. investment in the Global Fund is key to the success of PEPFAR.

Our contributions have not only secured resources but also helped to increase coverage of health services and saved millions of lives. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of S. 1545 and continue to support this critical program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Family Caregiver Awareness Month. This November, let us take a moment to celebrate the 90 million family caregivers in the United States. During this month, it is important that we not only thank these selfless individuals, but that we also raise awareness and increase support for caregivers.

While some care for parents, veterans, or even children with special needs, we must recognize the important tasks that caregivers perform. Whether it is managing multiple medications, providing wound care, operating home medical equipment, family caregivers work tirelessly each day. Family caregivers provide nearly $450 billion worth of unpaid care each year and should be recognized as the backbone of our nation's long-term care system.

More than 15 million family caregivers provide care to 5 million individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease rapidly increases the total number of family caregivers in this country. Overall, two out of every five adults are family caregivers. Approximately 39 percent of all American adults are considered family caregivers in some capacity, an increase from 30 percent in 2010.

There are many different types of caregivers and each deserves recognition and support. Many do not realize that they have become a family caregiver and need additional support and guidance. Others have been the primary caregiver for years and struggle with the stress of caring for a loved one. Some are part of a family care giving team and provide support from far away. Whatever role a caregiver takes, it is vital that we not only thank them but also commit to supporting their efforts. I urge my colleagues to recognize National Family Caregiver Awareness month and to support the caregivers of our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking Chairman Issa and Ranking Member Cummings for working with the university community to address a number of their concerns with specific provisions of H.R. 2061. I understand that the universities are still seeking some improvements to the legislation in order to ensure a transparent, fair, and effective process for improving the collection of data on federal funding, including of research grants to universities. I hope that the Chairman and Ranking Member will continue to work with the universities as this bill moves forward.

What concerns me most about this legislation is the sudden inclusion of major portions of H.R. 313 in this otherwise unrelated bill. I expressed my concerns about H.R. 313 when it was under consideration earlier this year, and these concerns remain in place today. I think we can all agree that federal agencies need to be wise and judicious in their use of travel funds, and that highly publicized past abuses, while very much the exception, were a wake-up call for us to exercise stricter oversight of taxpayer dollars. The Administration itself, through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has also sought to curb these abuses by instituting new travel caps and new reporting requirements on all agency travel and I applaud them for taking this seriously.

However, the scientific community, which includes tens of thousands of federal scientists and engineers at agencies such as the Department of Energy and NASA, depend on face-to-face interaction through conferences and workshops to foster innovation and launch new scientific directions. The scientific community, therefore, is rightfully concerned about the unintended consequences of travel restrictions stifling innovation and stunting economic growth by preventing federal scientists from participating fully in scientific exchanges with their fellow scientists and engineers from across the country and the world.

Once again, I want to thank Chairman Issa for taking into consideration some of the concerns expressed by the agencies and the scientific community regarding the travel restrictions in H.R. 313 that have now been incorporated into H.R. 2061. However, this legislation still requires significant improvement. While OMB requires all agencies to publicly report on conference expenses in excess of $100,000, H.R. 2061 would require even more detailed reporting for an agency sending even a single employee to a conference for which the conference's total cost--which may or may not be borne by taxpayer dollars--exceeds $10,000. In other words, while the intent may have been otherwise, the language as written would not create any reasonable threshold for agency reporting. Are we really going to pay agency staff to post an explanation of how the participation of an employee advanced the mission of the agency for every $30 roundtrip train ticket to a large meeting or workshop? It seems to me that in any given fiscal year, the cost of the additional bureaucratic resources necessary to meet this requirement will exceed the actual expenses incurred.

I also remain concerned about what I see as arbitrary limits on the number of agency employees who may participate in large, international, scientific conferences and on the total amount an agency may spend not just next year, but through fiscal year 2018. I hope that, if this bill should continue to move forward, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will work with our colleagues in the other body to continue to perfect this bill. As the Ranking Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I stand by to assist in whatever way I can to ensure that we do not implement new regulations with unintended negative consequences for the progress of U.S. health, science, and innovation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the devastating impact of hunger in America. The debate surrounding cuts to nutrition assistance coupled with nationwide food insecurity is a recipe for disaster for our neediest citizens.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a vital tool that help feed Americans struggling economically. More than 90 percent of SNAP beneficiaries are children, elderly, veterans, or disabled. Four to six million low-income people will be affected by cuts to SNAP funding, including the 450,000 residents in Dallas County, that are food insecure, 300,000 of which are children.

The GOP's efforts to cut $40 billion in SNAP are unconscionable and we must stand strong for the 16.4 percent of our population that remains food insecure. According to the USDA, one in every five Texas households experiences food insecurity. Out of the estimated 1.8 million Texas children, one in four live in food insecure households. Approximately 3.6 million Texas residents receive some type of federal food assistance.

In my district, I chair the Dallas Coalition for Hunger Solutions which is composed of organizations dedicated to fighting hunger and making Dallas County food secure. I strongly support the federal programs that work to support the needs of our citizens nationwide. I urge my colleagues to oppose any proposed cuts to nutrition assistance. Collectively, we can do so much to confront food insecurity in our nation.