Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, we just heard my friend from Michigan talk about how NATO allies have to live up to their obligations.

NATO allies have been living up to their obligations. In fact, article V of NATO has only been invoked once, and it was on behalf of the United States by our NATO allies.

The way to get NATO working is not to blow up a NATO summit, and it is not to disparage NATO allies--allies of half a century. Now we see that same wrecking ball strategy in the United Kingdom, our oldest ally on the face of the Earth.

This is no way to conduct foreign policy. It is destructive, and it will hurt the United States' interests that have been served long by our allies and by NATO in particular.

I hope the President of the United States comes to his senses and understands talking discretely is far better than blowing it up.

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

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on H.R. 50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act.

We have seen this bill before. It was a bad idea then, it is a bad idea now.

Proponents of this bill, as we have just heard, may argue that regulations are burdensome and costly--and sometimes they are--but, in fact, the benefits of agency regulations far outweigh the costs.

The most recent draft report of the Trump administration's own Office of Management and Budget on the benefits and costs of regulations found that the estimated annual benefits of rules between 2006 and 2016, which covers nearly all of the regulations during the previous administration, were between $219 billion and $695 billion. Those are the benefits, the value of benefits.

By contrast, it said that the cost of those same rules were estimated at between somewhere around $59 billion and $88 billion. The benefits far outweigh the cost to the American public.

This bill will impose numerous requirements that will slow down the regulatory process and give regulated industry an unfair advantage over public health organizations, doctors, scientists, and ordinary Americans when new rules are made.

The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was important in helping to strike a balance between the need for Federal regulations and the burden those regulations placed on State and local governments. I know that. I was the head

of a very large local government. Congress should endeavor to strike, however, a similar balance with mandates on the private sector, without putting our fingers on the scale for the very industries that need regulations, as this bill does.

Under this bill, agencies would be required to consult with impacted entities in the private sector on a proposed rule before the rule is even made available to the public, giving a very unfair advantage to the industries to be regulated. Agencies should consult with industry on proposed rules, of course. Regulated corporations, however, should never been given an explicit and unfair preference over other stakeholders, particularly the American families and consumers these rules are designed to protect.

Drug manufacturers, for example, should not get to influence an opioid safety regulation before public health experts. The energy industry should not get to weigh in on a regulation before those citizens whose air and water quality would be affected are heard from.

This bill would also significantly expand in almost a sweeping way judicial review under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

UMRA currently prohibits a court from delaying or invalidating a rule based on an agency's compliance with UMRA. This bill would eliminate that restriction.

This bill would also allow judges to second-guess agency experts by evaluating the adequacy of agency analyses, including cost-benefit estimates, giving broad new power to the judiciary to get into the rulemaking process and, in some cases, perhaps, to substitute themselves for regulatory agencies. This is something I don't believe we want to see.

The bill would also require an agency to conduct a retrospective cost-benefit analysis of any existing rule if requested by the chairman or ranking member of the committee. This provision would require agencies to conduct analyses on potentially thousands of rules, diverting unnecessary time and attention away from fulfilling their missions. That is designed, basically, to preclude new rulemaking from happening at all.

H.R. 50 would also repeal the exemption that is currently in UMRA for independent agencies. As a result, the independence of agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Consumer Product Safety Commission could be compromised because the Office of Management and Budget would now have a role in shaping rules those agencies issue.

The bottom line is that regulation can make our air cleaner to breathe, our water safer to drink--by the way, we are reminded of that right now here in Washington, D.C., where we have a water boil advisory--the products we use safer, and provide protections that are critical for a healthy economy. H.R. 50 would impose new roadblocks that would make it harder to provide those protections for the public we serve.

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

Mr. Chair, before I recognize Mr. Cummings, the distinguished ranking member of our committee, I do want to say, it is the same old thing: Oh, this is just commonsense. Of course we favor sensible regulation that protects our air and water.

Really. The same crowd that says that is witnessing the dismantlement of regulations and, frankly, the defenestration of the regulatory agencies charged with that mission, like the EPA. The late, lamented Administrator of the EPA has set about on a wrecking ball mission at EPA, and I don't hear my Republican friends speaking up, decrying that, and defending those regulations to protect the public.

This is a pig in a poke. My colleagues should not support it.

Mr. Chair, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

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

My friend from Texas is right. This will certainly provide a lot more clarity for private enterprise. I am not sure it is the kind of clarity we want, because they are going to get their nose into the business of rulemaking to serve their interests.

There are rules that could not have been enacted if H.R. 50 had been law. For example, after the Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 crew members and set off the worst oil spill in American history, the Department of the Interior finalized a rule in 2016 to tighten controls in blowout preventers and calling for rig operators to have third parties certify that the safety devices worked under extreme conditions. That rule would have been precluded because of the provisions of this bill.

The sanitary transportation of human and animal food, this rule establishes requirements for parties engaged in the transportation of food, including food for animals, to use sanitary transportation practices. That would have been precluded.

The corporate average fuel economy standards to regulate miles-per- gallon number of light-duty vehicles such as sedans, minivans, and any vehicle that weighs less than 10,000 pounds would have been precluded.

The long-term care facilities arbitration agreements ban nursing homes and assisted living facilities from forcing patients and their families into private arbitration to resolve disputes. We protected the interests of consumers and their families at a time of need. That rule would have been precluded, too.

So that may be the reason why the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards, 150 organizations, have come together to oppose this bill. It is not in the public interest.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), a distinguished member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. It gives me great pride to recognize my dear friend.

Mr. Chairman, may I ask how much time I have left.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), a distinguished member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. It gives me great pleasure to recognize my distinguished colleague.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend from North Carolina. I appreciate her fervor, and I know she is sincere in her convictions with respect to this legislation and to the underlying issues.

As someone who came from local government, coming here to Congress, running one of the biggest local governments in the United States, I certainly am sympathetic to the purposes of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, and I supported many of those provisions.

This goes too far. This isn't just an UMRA improvement. This is gutting, wholesale, the regulatory process that provides enormous benefits, and we know that from the OMB itself in terms of the benefits versus the cost of rulemaking to protect the public.

Where we can make improvements, great, but gutting it, giving the regulated industries an inside opportunity to shape or block those regulations before the public ever even sees them, expanding, in a great way, the role of the judiciary to second-guess and subvert the role of rulemaking agencies in the executive branch, I think, does raise constitutional issues, as Mr. Cummings said, that sooner or later will have to be addressed.

So I think this is a very flawed piece of legislation, despite the good intentions of my friend from North Carolina. I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on something that is simple, neat, but wrong, as H.L. Mencken once said.

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

Mr. Chairman, I thank my good friend for her thoughtful amendment.

This amendment would significantly improve an already bad bill by exempting the independent agencies, who should not be brought under the penumbra of this bill at all. It will absolutely cut their independence and make them subject to the rulemaking and the supervision of the OMB in a way that Congress never intended. That is why they are independent agencies.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to adopt this thoughtful amendment, and I thank my good friend from New Jersey for her leadership on this matter.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend from Maryland for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. It is a thoughtful addition. Certainly, more transparency is a good thing.

But, as Mr. Raskin suggests, it doesn't change the underlying fact that this is a flawed bill. It doesn't change the fact that it guts independent agencies. It doesn't change the fact that it broadly expands the role of the judiciary in an executive branch rulemaking process. It doesn't change the fact that it basically gives unilateral authority to the chairman and ranking member here in Congress to block rules, period. And it doesn't change the fact that it gives the private sector an unprecedented role in rulemaking a priority in a way that is absolutely against consumer interests.

I know my friend from Maryland understands that, so I thank him for his thoughtful amendment.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, this is a simple, clear amendment to the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act. This amendment seeks to establish a performance-based sunset mechanism stipulating that, in the event that the annual rate of real GDP growth remains below 5 percent over the first four quarters occurring after the date of enactment, then the statutory changes made by H.R. 50 are repealed because the bill will have proved to have been ineffective.

If the promise of deregulation and gutting the protection of the American people is greater economic growth, then let's test that theory.

This amendment sets up a real-world measurement and a sunset mechanism that supporters and opponents can support. It features the flexibility to ensure an appropriate response to the impact of H.R. 50 on America's economic

growth over the year following enactment.

If the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, by lessening the independence of independent regulatory agencies and by strengthening the influence of the private sector to be regulated in the Federal rulemaking process, does, in fact, spur economic growth, we should hold the policy accountable. During the Obama administration--a time when President Obama's critics believed that overregulation was inhibiting the economy from growing and stunting recovery after the Great Recession, quarterly growth contradicted them. Quarterly growth of real GDP was at least 5 percent once and over 4 percent 11 times.

In fact, in 2014, when Congress last considered, but did not enact, this bill and the supposed hobnail boot of government was on the neck of our economy, GDP actually grew at an annual rate of 4.6 percent and 5.2 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively, of that year.

The provisions of H.R. 50 would make it harder for Federal agencies to safeguard air and water quality, the safety of food and consumer products, and the health and welfare of all Americans, all in the name of spurring economic growth. Therefore, it follows, if it fails to spur that promised economic growth and achieve an average annual growth of 5 percent over the year following the enactment of the law, then the statutory changes made by this bill should be repealed because they failed. Anything less would be a bad deal for the American public.

Finally, I would note that, according to the preliminary estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, this amendment would not increase direct spending or reduce revenues, and I strongly urge my colleagues to adopt it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my good friend from California for his leadership in this very important amendment, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor with him.

This amendment would require an intelligence briefing on the anticipated geopolitical effects of emerging infectious diseases and pandemics. These threats have serious implications for the national security of the country. Just ask Director of National Intelligence, Daniel Coats, who earlier this year warned that the increase in the frequency and diversity of reported disease outbreaks probably will continue, including the potential of a severe global health emergency that could lead to major economic and societal disruptions, strain governmental international resources, and increase calls to the United States for support.

An outbreak in a remote village can spread to major cities in all six continents in less than 36 hours. Such an event can lead nations to close borders, disrupting the flow of people, goods, and services, and incurring grave economic, social, political, and security costs.

Nearly 70 percent of the world's nations are underprepared to manage and control such outbreaks.

These are not just hypotheticals. SARS, for example, spread across four continents, infected 8,100 people, killed more than 700, and cost the global economy $40 billion between February and July of 2003. The Ebola and Zika outbreaks cost the American taxpayers more than $6 billion.

Understanding the ability, Mr. Chairman, of affected nations and international organizations to detect and manage infectious diseases and transnational pandemics is a vital step to ensuring an effective response. I urge all of our colleagues to support Mr. Bera's and my amendment.

I thank Mr. Bera for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that the President of the United States is engaged in a massive campaign of deception that threatens to upend U.S. policy towards Crimea, shake confidence in U.S. global leadership, and override the stated will of the United States Congress.

This dangerous precedent set in Crimea cannot be overstated. Putin's forcible and illegal annexation of Crimea, the first forcible seizure of territory in Europe since World War II, undermines Ukrainian sovereignty and threatens the stability of European borders.

Acquiescence on the part of the United States threatens the security of sovereign nations. Who is next? Moldova? Georgia? The Baltic States?

It is the longstanding policy of the United States not to recognize territorial changes effected by force, as dictated by the Stimson Doctrine established in 1932 by then Republican Secretary of State Henry Stimson.

We upheld that doctrine with the issuance of the Welles Declaration in 1940, which stated emphatically that the United States would not recognize the illegal annexation of the Baltic States by then the Soviet Union. That policy remained in effect for 50 long years.

For more than 50 years, we stood by the Baltic Republics of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, sometimes in the face of ridicule. Today, they are independent sovereign states and good members of NATO. The collective wisdom of the previous and current administrations, Congress, our European allies, and the American public is that similar principles must be adopted with respect to Crimea.

Crimea was Putin's original violation in the Ukraine, and we have limited credibility objecting to Russia's subsequent invasion of the Luhansk and Donetsk if we do not stand firm with respect to Crimea.

The Obama administration established a nonrecognition policy toward Russian sovereignty over Crimea and levied sanctions against individuals and entities enabling Russia's occupation. Our allies in Europe stood with us shoulder to shoulder in emphasizing and enforcing those sanctions.

Congress codified President Obama's Crimea sanctions and has repeatedly used the power of the purse to prohibit the use of government funds for any action that would recognize the de jure or de facto illegal annexation of Crimea.

And in the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, Congress reiterated its support for the Stimson Doctrine and its application to the illegal invasions by Russia and occupations of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, Crimea, and eastern Ukraine, and the Transnistria region of Moldova. Even the State Department for the current administration has reiterated our nonrecognition policy and enforced Crimea sanctions.

But through all of this, one man stands alone atop his bully pulpit with opaque intentions and armed with an arsenal of half-truths and downright lies. That person is the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

I do not particularly care that Donald Trump personally admires Vladimir Putin. Everyone needs a role model. However, President Trump's willful ignorance of the crisis in the Ukraine has had him repeat propaganda and support policies that are so foreign that they would make Mr. Putin very happy.

It was candidate Trump who said both ``Crimea has been taken'' and Putin is ``not going into Ukraine.'' I will not attempt to untangle the contradictions therein. I trust President Trump has had time to study and understand why his comments betrayed a shockingly tenuous grasp of U.S. foreign policy and our increasingly dangerous geopolitical climate.

As Commander in Chief, the President has since had time to learn more about the situation in the Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Unfortunately, he has learned all the wrong lessons and has adopted a confrontational approach to current U.S. policy regarding Crimea.

In justifying his position, the President has repeated several myths, some of which were no doubt originated by the Kremlin's own propaganda machine.

Myth number one: The people of Crimea have said they preferred Russia--only in a referendum in an occupied Crimea with Russian troops all over the state. No referendum has validity at the end of a barrel of a gun.

Myth number two: The demographics of Crimea demand they be part of Russia because most of them speak Russian. I am sure Russian speaking populations in the Baltic Republics revolt at that kind of notion. And the claim also erases history because Crimean Tatars were forcibly removed from Crimea by the dictator Stalin.

This is the President's most insidious myth, the third one; recognizing Crimea could help improve relations with Russia.

I don't think so. Russia has a much more extensive agenda.

It is time for the United States to recognize----

* * *.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) and to congratulate the recipients of its Annual Awards of Excellence. Founded in 1989, the mission of GOPIO was battling human rights violations committed against persons of Indian origin. Today, while that mission continues, GOPIO has also broadened its mission to include pooling resources of persons of Indian origin for the benefit of not only themselves and their Indian homeland, but also the communities they currently reside in.

Indian-Americans have made countless contributions to the United States in the fields of business, education, medicine, science, technology, and public service while preserving and sharing their culture in a manner that promotes tolerance and mutual understanding.

Many of our awardees tonight have been at the forefront of those efforts. It is my honor to include in the Record the names of the following individuals:

Dr. Ravi Chaudary--Science and Technology

Dr. Ram Reddy--Entrepreneur

Dr. Prashanth N. Bharadwaj--Education

Mr. Jay Mandal--Journalism

Dr. Rajesh Mehra--Medicine

Ms. Swati Sharma--Arts and Culture

Northern Virginia, which I am proud to represent in Congress, is blessed by its diversity. We are home to more than 40,000 people of Indian descent and (one of) the largest number of Asian-American, including Indian-American owned small businesses and tech firms in the nation. This diversity enriches our entire community and contributes to our region being considered one of the best places in the country in which to live, work, raise a family, and start a business.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating all of the recipients of the GOPIO Awards of Excellence on their accomplishments. I commend them for their service to their communities and to our nation, and I wish them success in all their future endeavors

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the recipients of the Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Awards, presented by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. These awards, presented annually, are given to individuals, businesses and non-profits in Northern Virginia that have demonstrated exceptional dedication to business leadership, employee engagement, and corporate social responsibility.

In Northern Virginia, we are blessed to have a strong tradition of civic engagement, which extends not only to our neighborhoods, but to our thriving business community as well. Efforts like the ones exhibited by the recipients of these awards are among the many reasons why Fairfax County remains one of the best places in the country in which to live, work, raise a family, and start a business.

It is my honor to include in the Record the names of the 2018 Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Awards:

Non-Profit of the Year--Cornerstones.

Public Sector of the Year--Fairfax County Office of Public Private Partnerships.

Emerging Leader of the Year--Stephen Gillotte, President & CEO, Reinventing Geospatial, Inc.

Executive Leader of the Year--Timothy Lyden--Partner, Northern Virginia--Hogan Lovells.

Small Business--ThunderCat Technology.

Mid-Size Business--Acumen Solutions.

Large Business--Accenture.

Mr. Speaker, as a former member and Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I have seen firsthand how the partnership between our public, private, and non-profit sectors come together to improve the lives of innumerable members of our community and maintain our high quality of life. I thank the Northern Virginia Chamber for once again sponsoring these important awards and extend my congratulations to all of the award recipients. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking them for their service to our community and in wishing them great success in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize SOS International LLC (SOSi) and to congratulate its employees and leadership on another successful year. Founded in 1989 to provide specialized analytical services to the U.S. law enforcement community, SOSi has evolved into an international solutions provider with experience in 30 countries worldwide. SOSi provides intelligence, technology, and project- management solutions to large government and private-sector organizations and is known for its innovation, flexibility, and agility.

Every year, SOSi holds a company-wide meeting to review the accomplishments of the past year and to look ahead to the challenges of the future. A number of employees are also recognized as recipients of the Challenge Awards in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the company and the safety of our nation and its communities. It is my honor to include in the Record the following names of the 2018 Challenge Award recipients:

Rising Star Award

Christine de Souza

Diana West

David Prattis

Steve Bartimus

Challenge Award

Rufus Parker

Abdulrazaq Almusawi

Billy Blake

Cindy French

Pauline Abraham

Heather Crampton

Excellence Award

Charika Kelly

Dan Alderman

John Billings

SOSi Teamwork Award

SEC Project Management Team

ISG DOJ LIS Team

Exemplary Leadership Award

Charles ``OB'' O'Brien

Mr. Speaker, these individuals are proof of the commitment to public service that exists throughout Northern Virginia. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating each honoree on receiving a Challenge Award and thanking all of the employees and leadership of SOSi for their efforts to better our community and protect our country. I especially want to commend SOSi President and CEO, Julian Setian, for his leadership and vision. Under his guidance, SOSi has continued to grow and has become the standard bearer for progress and innovation in the government contracting industry. I thank them for their service and wish the SOSi Team continued success

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Julie and Buck Waters, the Eighth Annual Hylton Performing Arts Center Awards Gala honorees, for their endless contributions to expanding the reach of the arts in the Greater Prince William County area.

In recognition of the arts being the heart of a civilized society, net proceeds from the annual gala benefit the Hylton Center's many artistic performances, arts education programs, veterans art and outreach initiatives, and the Hylton Center's Endowment. These programs help to ensure the continuation of artistic excellence in performances as well as the accessibility to quality artistic programs.

Over the short, storied history of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, a series of milestones have been reached due to the support and enthusiasm of Julie and Buck Waters. Through their personal philanthropy and volunteerism, Julie and Buck Waters have demonstrated steadfast leadership and commitment to Prince William County, George Mason University, and the Hylton Center. Their dedication has helped the Hylton Center sustain the entertainment, education, and enrichment of Northern Virginia by providing diverse and accessible arts experiences in state-of-the-art venues. '

As a member of the first fundraising committee to build the Hylton Center, Buck Waters serves as a member of the George Mason University Prince William Campus Advisory Board. In addition, he is a former chairman of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Prince William & Manassas Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Potomac Business Committee for the Arts.

Julie Waters is a past recipient of the Kathleen K. Seefeldt Award for the Arts Excellence-Outstanding Volunteer award for her work helping to implement a program to bring children from the area's public school systems to the Hylton Center for performances as a way to expose them to the arts. Julie currently serves on the Hylton Center's Campaign Committee, as the chairman of the Water's Foundation, and as secretary of the Manassas Ballet Theatre.

As avid art enthusiasts, Mr. and Mrs. Waters supported the launch of the new Hylton Center EXTRA! Series. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, ``Art is never finished, only abandoned.'' We can take great comfort in knowing that with the support of Julie and Buck Waters as well as other great benefactors of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, art will never be abandoned in Prince William County. In an effort to continue the advancement of the Hylton Center, Julie and Buck Waters generously named the Practice Room Suite Anteroom within the new Education and Rehearsal Wing.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending the Eighth Annual Hylton Performing Arts Awards Gala honorees, Mr. and Mrs. Waters, for their tireless stewardship of the arts in Greater Prince William County.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia (LCNV) and to congratulate the volunteers, instructors, students, community partners, and others who will be recognized at the 2018 LCNV Recognition Celebration.

The mission of LCNV is to teach adults the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English in order to empower them to participate more fully and confidently in their communities and in society as a whole. LCNV serves low-literacy and limited English language proficient adults with a selection of low-cost, moderately intensive courses to help them transition into the workforce or other educational opportunities. LCNV provides the crucial first steps of language and literacy proficiency for workplace, citizenship, and community integration to help adults make measurable improvements in their lives.

Each year LCNV recognizes students and members of the community who have contributed their time, energy, and resources to achieving the mission of LCNV. LCNV will also recognize the recipient of the Patricia M. Donnelly Merit Scholarship. It is my great honor to include in the Record the following names of the 2018 LCNV honorees and scholarship recipient:

Community Partnership Awards

Cox Charities.

Fairfax County Office of Public Private Partnerships.

Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington.

Volunteers of the Year

Douglas `Kim' Lutz.

Teaching Team of Margaret Breen and Laura Schell.

Library Team of Sally Eckard and Bruce Miller.

Patricia M. Donnelly Merit Scholarship Recipient

Faustine Coulibaly.

I also want to recognize those volunteers who are celebrating service anniversaries with LCNV. Volunteers are being recognized for service milestones of 5, 10 and 15 years respectively.

Volunteer Service Anniversaries

15 years: Kathleen Nebhut, Dianne Rankin, Judith Sapienza.

10 years: Rob Abbot, Renee Dexter, Kristen Landry, Jeffrey Randorf, Lynne Sprung.

5 years: Michael Carpenter, Liz Castillo, Eleftheria Frances, Alyse Goldman, Donna Kooperstein, Bruce Miller, Dahlia Orleans-Pobee, Fran Perros, Paul Schoen, Nancy Simmons, Robert Sutter, Gary Voegele.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending the Literary Council of Northern Virginia and in thanking and congratulating each of the honorees of the 2018 LCNV Recognition Celebration. l wish all of them great success in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the recipients of the Fairfax Federation of Citizens Associations Citizen of the Year Awards. The Federation is a coalition of civic and homeowners associations who work together to promote and support initiatives that will benefit all. Each year, the federation honors individuals for their extraordinary contributions to our community. I am honored to recognize the following individuals for their service to our community:

2018 Citizen of the Year: Gary Ambrose: A passionate advocate on behalf of those with mental illness and substance abuse disorders, Gary is an active member of National Alliance on Mental Illness, Concerned Fairfax, the Mental Health Subcommittee of the Fairfax County Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission, and the Steering Committee of the Fairfax County Veterans Treatment Docket. Since 2013, he has served on the board of directors for the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, two years as chairman. He is also the Chairman of Fairfax County's Diversion First Stakeholders Group. In 2016, he was recognized by the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards with the Senator Joseph V. Gartlan, Jr. Award.

Citation of Merit: Barbara Lippa: Following a 35-year career with the Fairfax County Planning Commission, including the last 14 years as Executive Director, since 2013 Barbara has focused her retirement activities primarily on women's empowerment. Barbara has served as the Sully District representative on the County Commission for Women since 2013, and is currently its Vice-Chairwoman. Since 2014, Barbara has also served on the Executive Board of the National Association of Commission for Women, including 2 years as Treasurer. In addition, she has served in various capacities at the local, District, and International levels of Zonta International, which strives to advance the status of women through service and advocacy.

Citation of Merit: Lyle ``Chet'' McLaren: Chet has served on the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Trails and Sidewalk Committee, the Environmental Quality Advisory Council, and the Tree Commission, to name a few . He has also served as President of the North Springfield Elementary School PTA, the Annandale High School PTA, the Annandale High School Band Boosters, the North Springfield Swim Club, and coach for the North Springfield Little League. In addition, Chet has also volunteered immeasurable hours to his North Springfield community and its nearby schools and parks, and was instrumental in the creation of the Friends of Lake Accotink Park.

Citation of Merit: Richard Raines: Since October, 2003, Reserve Deputy Richard Raines has volunteered more than 23,500 hours with the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office. Initially assigned to review and update the Sheriff's Office emergency plans and standard operating procedures, he assisted in the submission of applications for federal grants for the enhancement of security of the Fairfax County judicial

center. He and his partner formulated a plan for and conducted a full scale exercise for the emergency evacuation of the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. This has become the basis for the National Sheriff's Associations class for the emergency evacuation of jails. The American Jail Association named him the association's volunteer of the year in 2005. The Fairfax County Board designated March 25, 2014 Richard Raines Day in recognition of his service to the county.

Special Gratitude Award: Earl Flanagan: Earl Flanagan has been active in our community for decades. He has served as Mount Vernon District representative to the Fairfax County Planning Commission and Fairfax County Transportation Advisory Commission. Earl has served as President of the Riverside Estates Civic Association and of the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens Associations, and on the boards of the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations and the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation. A World War II veteran and former Air Force Officer, Earl served in General Patton's 3rd Army and later in Korea. He currently serves as the President of the 71st lnfantry Division Association.

Mr. Speaker, l ask my colleagues to join me in thanking these incredible individuals and in congratulating them on being honored by the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens' Associations. Civic engagement is the foundation of a healthy community, and Fairfax County residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life due in part to the efforts of these individuals. The contributions and leadership of these honorees have been a great benefit to our community and truly merit our highest praise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), and to congratulate the recipients of the 20th Annual Law Enforcement Awards of Excellence for Impaired Driving Prevention.

Founded in 1982, WRAP is an award-winning, public-private coalition formed to fight drunk driving, drugged driving, and underage drinking in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. Through educational and innovative public outreach programs, WRAP is credited with keeping local alcohol-related death rates consistently below the national average. Its programs educate students and the general public on the dangers of alcohol and drugs, particularly driving while under the influence. Through the WRAP Holiday SoberRide program, individuals who are impaired can request a free cab ride home. Since SoberRide was launched in 1993, 65,385 free cab rides have been provided in the Washington Metropolitan area, preventing potential accidents and deaths.

In 1982, the year that WRAP was founded, 26,173 people in the United States lost their lives in alcohol-related car accidents, and 60 percent of all traffic fatalities involved drunk driving. Due to the tireless efforts of WRAP, other organizations such as MADD and SADD, local and state police, and enforcement of more stringent anti-drunk driving laws, considerable progress has been made in decreasing the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities, especially here in the Washington Metropolitan Region. According to the Council of Governments, the number of alcohol-impaired fatalities, injuries, and crashes have all decreased since 2014. However, more work still remains as 32.75 percent of all traffic fatalities in the region in 2016 were alcohol or drug related.

Since 1997, WRAP has sponsored an annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony to honor local law enforcement professionals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in the fight against drunk driving. It is my honor to include in the Record the names of the 2017 Law Enforcement Awards of Excellence for Impaired Driving Prevention recipients:

Officer Wesley Vitale, City of Alexandria Police Department

Master Police Officer Dimitrios Mastoras, Arlington County Police Department

Corporal Kevin Hedden, City of Falls Church Police Department

Officer Devin White, Fairfax County Police Department

Private First Class Eliezer Calo, Town of Herndon Police Department

Deputy John Chavez, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office

Trooper Dennis Moguche, Maryland State Police

Officer Derrick Ferguson, Metropolitan Police Department

Police Officer II Lawrence Caldwell, Montgomery County Department of Police

Police Officer III John Romack, Montgomery County Department of Police

Police Officer First Class Richard D. Carlson III, Prince George's County Police Department

Officer Matthew Sciabica, Prince William County Police Department

Officer Benjamin Tomasiello, United States Park Police

Trooper Lucie Vajglova, Virginia State Police

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the recipients of the Law Enforcement Awards of Excellence and in recognizing WRAP for its 35 years of public service. I commend the staff of WRAP, under the leadership of President Kurt Erickson and Board Chairman Gary Cohen, for their tireless dedication to eradicating underage drinking and drunk or drugged driving. Their efforts, combined with the support of partner organizations and law enforcement agencies, have saved lives and are deserving of our highest praise and gratitude.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend 2018 Bronze Medal of Valor Trooper II Brandon D. West for his extraordinary service and superior dedication to public safety he displays on a daily basis.

For the past 32 years, the Prince William Chamber of Commerce has paid tribute to our police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel for their extraordinary service. Each year, we gather to recognize the remarkable heroism and bravery above and beyond the line of duty exemplified by our public safety and law enforcement professionals.

In 2014, Trooper West received the Virginia State Police Superintendent's Award of Honor, the American Red Cross Lifesaving Award, and the Prince William Chamber of Commerce Silver Medal of Valor Award for his bravery, selflessness, and quick action in rescuing an individual and his dog before their disabled vehicle was engulfed in flames. These are just a few of the honors and awards bestowed to Trooper West in recognition of his dedication to public safety.

During a shift in 2017, Trooper West was stationary on Interstate 95 northbound at the Occoquan Bridge when he saw a Dodge pickup truck with a large trailer pull to the right shoulder of the bridge. Trooper West proceeded to the location. Fairfax Communications sent out a call for a safety service to respond and informed Trooper West that an additional request for rescue services had been dispatched. Upon his arrival to the scene, a passenger informed Trooper West that the driver was injured. Trooper West found the driver pale and in possible shock. Seeing a large amount of blood on the floorboard, Trooper West realized a broken drive shaft had come through the floor of the pickup, striking the driver and severing part of his leg. Trooper West applied a tourniquet to the driver's leg to slow the loss of blood. The tourniquet kept slipping, so Trooper West held the tourniquet in place until rescue services arrived and applied a second tourniquet. Ultimately, the driver was flown from the scene in good condition, thanks to Trooper West's rescue efforts.

In recognition of his act of valor, extraordinary dedication, and outstanding performance under unusually difficult circumstances, it is my honor to include in the Record Bronze Medal for Valor Award recipient, Trooper Brandon D. West of the Virginia State Police. Trooper West has exemplified the noble mission of all law-enforcement officers: to protect and serve in the line of duty.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues join me in recognizing Trooper II Brandon D. West and in congratulating him on receiving the 2018 Prince William Chamber of Commerce Bronze Medal of Valor Award. The selfless act of heroism by Trooper West merits our highest praise. I thank Trooper West, as well as all Virginia State Police law enforcement professionals, for their dedication and commitment to the protection of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the recipients of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce Annual Chamber Excellence (ACE) Awards. These awards are presented to individuals, organizations, and businesses whose extraordinary efforts make our community a better place.

I have been proud to represent this community since my days as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The level of civic engagement celebrated by these awards is a testament to the community spirit of Reston. I have often said that civic engagement is a key indicator of a healthy community and tonight's event proves that Reston is one of the healthiest communities in all of Northern Virginia! That is due in no small part to the actions of those honored here this evening and I extend my congratulations to all of tonight's honorees. I also wish to thank Charles Kapur and Mark Ingrao of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce for their tireless efforts on

behalf of others and to congratulate the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce as it celebrates its 35th anniversary.

It is my honor to include in the Record the recipients of the 2018 ACE Awards:

Committee of the Year--NOVA B2G Conference Steering Committee

Small Business of the Year--Tagence

Medium Business of the Year--AOC Key Solutions

Large Business of the Year--SOS International, LLC

Member of the Year--Dave and JoAnne Adams Group--Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

New Member of the Year--Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurant

Volunteer of the Year--Omicron Kappa Kappa Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Young Professional of the Year--Colin May

Pinnacle Award--Charles Kapur, Access National Bank

Presidential Award--Tom Maddon, Visual Impact Productions

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the 2018 ACE Award honorees for their tremendous contributions and in thanking them for their service. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and all of its members for lending their time and energy to the betterment of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the City of Manassas Police Department and its outstanding members who have demonstrated superior dedication to ensuring the safety of their colleagues and members of the community and their designation as 2018 Prince William Chamber of Commerce Valor Award recipients. The annual Valor Awards ceremony recognizes the remarkable heroism and bravery above and beyond the line of duty exemplified by our public safety and law enforcement professionals. For the past 32 years, the Prince William Chamber of Commerce has paid tribute to police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel for their extraordinary service.

Incorporated in 1975, the 10 square miles of the City of Manassas is located thirty miles southwest of the Nation's Capital and surrounded by Prince William County. Recognized as a ``Gold Standard with Excellence Agency'' by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the City of Manassas Police Department maintains a proactive approach to crime prevention built on established relationships within the community. As a result, the 120 employees maintain a high-level of professionalism, dedication, and commitment to the more than 41,000 residents.

It is my honor to include in the Record the following names of the City of Manassas Police Department law enforcement professionals. These brave men and women put their lives at risk on a daily basis to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. In recognition of their acts of valor, the following individuals are being honored for their extraordinary dedication and outstanding performance under unusually difficult or dangerous circumstances.

Valor Merit Award: Officer Luis Armas, Officer Nicole Arrington, Communications Supervisor Jeremey Bergeron.

Valorous Unit Award: Officer John Casteline, Officer Jeff Shubert, K9 Officer Rex, Detective Andrew Speights, Sergeant Chris Shields.

Hillary Robinette Valor Award: Master Detective A. Geovani Barahona.

Silver Award for Valor: Sergeant Jake Martz, Officer Jon Casteline, Officer Colin Heinke, Officer Steve Shillingburg, Officer Chris Sutton.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 2018 Prince William Chamber of Commerce Valor Award recipients of the City of Manassas Police Department. The selfless acts of heroism by this distinguished group of men and women merits our highest praise. I thank each honoree, as well as all City of Manassas Police Department law enforcement professionals, for their dedication and commitment to the protection of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mr. David J. Molchany on his retirement from Fairfax County government after a long and distinguished career. Dave currently serves as the Deputy County Executive for Fairfax County, a position he also held during my time as a Member and Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. I was proud to partner with him on many efforts to improve the lives of the citizens of Fairfax County.

Dave's career with Fairfax County began in 1995 with the Department of Information Technology as CIO of Fairfax County, a role he held until 1997, when he was appointed as Deputy County Executive. Dave's portfolio in this role was extensive, as he was responsible for overseeing the following areas within the Fairfax County government: Fairfax County Public Library and Archives, Department of Information Technology, Department of Cable Communications and Consumer Services, Department of Vehicle Services, Facilities Management Department, Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs, Environmental and Energy Programs, and HIPAA Compliance. Dave has also chaired the e-Government Steering Committee, the Energy and Efficiency Conservation Committee, and is responsible for the County's Arts Committee.

During my tenure as Chairman, my colleagues and I created an Environmental Vision for Fairfax County, the first comprehensive environmental agenda of its kind for local government. Implementation and oversight of this plan fell to Dave's office and the careful consideration and proficiency with which he directed these efforts ensured that the County not only continued to strive to meet the goals, but in fact achieved some results ahead of schedule. His efforts are part of the reason why Fairfax County has created a model for sustainability programs across the region and indeed across the entire country. Another area that should be highlighted is Dave's management of the IT side of the County government. As one might expect from an entity with tens of thousands of employees, more than one million residents and a budget in the billions of dollars, the County government's IT infrastructure is massive and complex. Dave's expertise in enterprise architecture, application development and support, data management, cyber-security, and other related areas is crucial to the effective operation of the county. In recognition of his immeasurable contributions in this area, Dave has received numerous awards and accolades including Governing Magazine's Public Officials of the Year (2003), Federal Computer Week Magazine's ``Federal 100'' (2003), Computerworld Magazine's Premier 100 Informational Technology Leaders (2002), Government Technology Magazine's ``25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers of Information Technology (2002), and Public Technology Institute's Technology Leadership Award for Large Jurisdictions (2002).

Mr. Speaker, the residents and public servants of Fairfax County have benefited enormously from Dave Molchany's commitment and leadership. I thank him for his great service to his community and ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating him on his retirement and in wishing him continued success.