Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Virginia for his leadership on this very important piece of legislation, important not only for the Commonwealth of Virginia but for the rights of all Americans, beginning with the original Americans.

When we talk about the Americas, we sometimes talk as if the Americas began in the early 17th century, with Jamestown, with Plymouth, and with the subsequent colonization of the East Coast. But, in fact, there were millions of Native Americans here long before European colonization. They had rich culture. They had incredible artistic expression. They had a way of life. It was disrupted by European colonization.

As if some genocidal policies of the 18th and 19th century weren't bad enough in terms of their terrible impact on this population, the racism my friend from Florida described that went on shamefully in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the early 20th century deeply compounded the problem by denying the identity of individuals and communities as Native American so that the battle for them to have their rights restored that my good friend, Mr. Wittman, is trying to right today was made so much more difficult and complex.

If I destroy your identity papers, I destroy your ability to prove who you are. That is the dilemma and that is the catch-22 in which we find ourselves today.

This is a matter of simple justice. This is a matter of Congress righting a wrong. It is a proud moment to stand shoulder to shoulder, Republican and Democrat from Virginia, to want to right this wrong. And I know we are joined by all of our colleagues and former colleagues, including our friend Jim Moran for his great leadership in this matter.

So I am proud to support the efforts of my colleague. I urge all Members of the House to support this legislation, and let's turn a page in history the right way.

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

I thank my friends, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor.

Of course, I rise in support of the bill, H.R. 2227, the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, we have all witnessed the chaos and havoc that sophisticated cyber attacks can, and do, wreak on our Nation and around the world.

Just this past week, there was a massive ransomware attack that hit 200,000 victims in 150 countries, and those numbers are expected to grow exponentially. This is just the latest in a string of high-profile attacks, including Sony, Yahoo, the OPM data breach, and even efforts to influence our elections and those in Europe.

These attacks jeopardize America's safety, privacy, and cost untold millions of dollars in the private sector and public sector as well. These attacks affect both the public and private sector, and bad actors repeatedly target our Federal Government. Those attacks often succeed because Federal computer systems are so outdated that they cannot implement network defenses as basic as encryption. Some legacy systems go back a half a century.

The Federal Government spends nearly $60 billion a year sustaining its existing IT systems. When agencies are forced to spend nearly 80 percent of that to maintain legacy computer systems, they have fewer resources to modernize and reinvest. As a result, agencies cannot afford to invest in the modern technologies that other large enterprises need to survive. Many Federal agencies do not use cloud computing to help secure computer networks and improve our ability to deliver services to the American people.

The MGT Act we are talking about today and on which I am proud to be one of the lead Democratic cosponsors is a critical step to help improve the Federal Government's IT systems. The MGT Act of 2017 will help our cyber defenders protect our most important digital resources.

This bill marries two bills from the previous Congress, both of which I was proud to be an original cosponsor of--the IT Modernization Act and the MOVE IT Act. The MGT Act establishes a clear role for both of these pieces of legislation to improve Federal IT systems.

I was an original cosponsor for Minority Whip Steny Hoyer's IT Modernization Act, which created a revolving fund using $3 billion appropriations for Treasury to replace legacy systems.

I was pleased to join my friend, Ms. Kelly, the ranking member of the Information Technology Subcommittee, and Mr. Hurd, on the MOVE IT Act, which revived a proposal first discussed during the consideration of the legislation FITARA, the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act.

These two bills were different, but complementary, and worked, ultimately, to join the two to create this act in front of us today, the MGT Act. That act lays the foundation for the future of IT modernization funding and reinvestment and investment by the Federal Government long overdue. The act will authorize an upfront investment to retire minimal large-scale legacy systems and affect multiple agencies.

This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will provide mechanisms and much-needed funding for agencies to speed up that slow process of moving from legacy IT systems to cutting-edge, 21st century technologies. It would also provide needed reporting requirements to ensure that agencies are acquiring modern technology and that we can measure that it is being done in a cost-effective way. It places an emphasis on following the practices of private industry and moving toward cloud computing solutions.

The MGT Act language will allow agencies to reinvest those savings, as my friend just indicated, and that is a commonsense proposal, but not one we find commonly in the Federal Government.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my friend, the distinguished whip on the Democratic side.

May I inquire of the Speaker how much time is left on this side?

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 5\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), my good friend.

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

In closing, I think this is an important piece in the information technology modernization effort that our committee and this body has undertaken for the last 5 or 6 years. One of the key pieces of legislation undergirding today's bill is the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act I was proud to cowrite and coauthor with then-Chairman Darrell Issa.

I am equally proud today to have worked with my friend Mr. Hurd from Texas, my friend Ms. Kelly from Illinois, and, of course, Mr. Steny Hoyer, the Democratic whip, in forging this additional piece that we believe will bring the Federal Government into the 21st century-- technologically literate and protecting the databases that protect the American people.

Hundreds of millions of pieces of data are at risk in the current cyber environment, and some simple but critical investments can make all the difference. That is what we are voting for today.

I urge passage of the legislation and, again, congratulate my colleagues and friends for working together in a bipartisan way to bring this bill to fruition.

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 in support of the Federal Agency Mail Management Act, which I introduced along with, of course, the author of the bill, Representative Steve Russell. I want to thank Representative Russell for working in a bipartisan manner on this legislation.

The bill would make a technical correction to clarify that the Administrator of the General Services Administration is responsible for managing mail in the executive branch. The Administrator of GSA has historically had this responsibility, but when the Federal Records Act was updated in 2014, changes made to the statute left it unclear whether the Administrator's role had changed.

You would think it is a simple commonsense measure, but it requires an act of Congress to clarify. Congress never intended to take away the Administrator's authority to manage mail. The bill was approved by the House without opposition last year. We are hoping the same will pertain this year.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill would cost the Federal Government nothing, because GSA already processes mail for Federal agencies.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill and give clarity to the GSA and the National Archives, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 195, the Federal Register Printing Savings Act. My friend, Mr. Russell, is going to develop a reputation around here for being just too commonsense. This bill would prohibit the Government Publishing Office from sending printed copies of the Federal Register to Members of Congress and other Federal offices unless they wanted them.

The Federal Register includes rules, regulations, executive orders, and other Federal documents. It is a very important and useful publication. It does not make sense, however, as my friend from Oklahoma has pointed out, for GPO automatically to send it to offices that don't want it and end up putting it in the garbage, hopefully recycling.

The Federal Register is available online, as my friend has pointed out, which significantly cuts down on the need for printed copies for most of us. This bill would reduce waste both in paper and in Federal dollars.

The Congressional Budget Office says this bill would reduce Federal spending by $1 million a year. It was the late Everett Dirksen of Illinois who said: ``A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon it adds up to real money.'' CBO also estimates this bill would result in 1,000 fewer copies of the Federal Register being printed each day.

This bill is good for the environment, good for taxpayers, and a useful discipline for us all in terms of excess we don't need.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Russell for his leadership, his common sense, and his collaboration on this committee, and I urge all Members to support the bill.

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 in strong support of H.R. 653, the Federal Intern Protection Act. In fact, it is hard to believe we need this legislation at this point in the 21st century, but we do.

Under current law, Federal employees are protected from discrimination on the basis of race, religion, age, and sex. Unfortunately, interns don't qualify. They have no such protections.

I appreciate the wonderful work of our distinguished ranking member, Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, on this important measure. I am not surprised, and neither are my colleagues, that he would pick up on this and see the need for this protection to be extended to young men and women who want maybe to pursue a career or part of their career in the Federal Government. They need these protections like the employees they are working with side by side.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings).

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

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to laud my friend from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for his perspicacity in ferreting out this issue. It is a very important one.

The use of internships in the Federal Government is a very underutilized tool when compared to the private sector. Many private sector companies will use internships for recruiting the talent it needs for the future. In many cases, 70 to 80 percent of those who intern for private sector corporations end up being hired because they have a carefully monitored program from orientation and recruitment to the tasks at hand during the pendency of the internship. The Federal Government does no such thing systematically.

At the very beginning, if we are going to use internships as creatively as the private sector to recruit the next generation of Federal employees, since one-third of the current workforce is eligible for retirement over the next several years, we have to follow the lead my friends, Mr. Cummings of Maryland and Mr. Russell of Oklahoma, have just given us, and that is to make sure it is a safe workplace. Otherwise, who would be attracted to it?

This piece of legislation is critical to our making Federal internships a meaningful tool in their recruitment and retention, so long as that workforce is protected by the same norms and same regulations as any Federal employee.

I thank my friend, Mr. Cummings, for bringing this to our attention, and I thank Mr. Russell for his leadership.

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

Mr. Speaker, I certainly add my voice to that of my colleagues in support of this important legislation. Syria is a mess. It does affect all of us, as Mr. Kinzinger said, whether we like it or not. It is destabilizing the entire region. I believe this bill can be a useful tool in our diplomatic efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel), my friend and colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from New York, our very distinguished ranking member.

I rise today in support of H.R. 1644, the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act. I am pleased to cosponsor this bill, an act that updates and expands the North Korea sanctions policy that was enacted just last year. It is undeniable that North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs have accelerated in recent years. In 2016 alone, the regime conducted two nuclear tests and more than 20 missile tests.

In response to this threat, the U.S. helped negotiate the passage of the U.N. Security Council Resolutions 2270 and 2231 to strengthen U.N. sanctions against the regime. H.R. 1644 builds on those Security Council resolutions by expanding mandatory and discretionary sanctions and authorizing new sanctions provisions related to evasion and the use of North Korean exported labor, correspondent banking, and trade in oil, textiles, food, and agricultural products.

For example, if someone knowingly transfers significant amounts of jet fuel to North Korea, then the President could freeze that person's assets that come within the jurisdiction of the United States. Vessels that use North Korean ports will be banned from entering U.S. waters or using U.S. ports. The bill also establishes restrictions on the use of foreign assistance to any country that violates these provisions.

I want to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership and for including my amendment, which will ensure that U.S. sanctions against North Korea do not impede the provision of vital U.S. assistance to developing countries for maternal and child health, disease prevention, and response.

U.S. sanctions are necessary, but they are not a complete tool to address the threat of North Korea's impending nuclear development program. The U.S. must undertake a rigorous diplomatic effort to urge the global community, and China in particular, to use their goodwill, their leverage to enforce international sanctions and to get North Korea back to the negotiating table.

The Korean Peninsula remains one of the most dangerous flash points in the world. President Trump, sadly, I think has escalated regional tensions by sending mixed signals about the location of U.S. military assets, about his views, as the ranking member said, about Kim Jong-un, and about how best the United States ought to respond that we are going to disabuse ourselves of the previous policy which seems to mean the only policy left is kinetic, a military option. I don't think that makes anything better on the Korean Peninsula.

I thank the leaders for this effort. I think it is the right way to go. I support it fully.

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

When we are going to pass a bill on a bipartisan basis, it might be useful to acknowledge the bill has a Democratic cosponsor. I am proud to be the lead cosponsor with Congressman Duffy on the Follow the Rules Act--in fact, he asked me to play that role--and I rise

clearly in strong support of the legislation which will protect, critically, whistleblowers who disclose waste, fraud, and abuse.

I want to thank my colleague, Representative Duffy, for working with me in a bipartisan way on this important bill. We initially introduced the bill together in the 114th Congress, and it passed the House without opposition. Unfortunately, the Senate did not act. Hopefully, this Congress we will be able to persuade the Senate to enact this important protection.

This bill would clarify that, under the Whistleblower Protection Act, an employee who refuses to obey an order that would require the employee to violate a law, rule, or regulation is protected.

Congressman Duffy and I introduced the bill to address a misinterpretation of the Whistleblower Protection Act by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in the case of Rainey v. MSPB in 2016, as my colleague from Kentucky suggested. In that case, a contracting officer, Dr. Timothy Rainey, was ordered by his supervisor to tell a contractor to rehire a terminated subcontractor. Dr. Rainey, in principle, refused because carrying out that order would have required him to violate the Federal Acquisition Regulation by improperly interfering with the contractor's personnel decisions and requiring the contractor to act contrary to the terms of the contract.

What reward did Dr. Rainey get for doing the right thing? He was stripped of his duties and given a negative performance rating.

The Federal circuit, God knoweth how, held that an employee who refuses to obey an order is protected only if the order would violate a law, a statute, but not if the order would violate a rule or a regulation. Talk about looking at angels on the head of a pin. The court's ruling was contrary, clearly, to the Whistleblower Protection Act and the intent of this Congress.

In enacting the Whistleblower Protection Act, Congress clearly intended that protections granted to government employees who blow the whistle on waste, fraud, and abuse be construed broadly. We clearly had in mind not only laws, but rules and regulations as well.

Congress and the American people rely on whistleblowers to make government efficient, honest, and effective, and we in Congress want to support those people. As a member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I rely on whistleblowers to help us with our oversight and reform work. Without them, rooting out mismanagement, abuse, and corruption would be very difficult.

The underlying principle of the Whistleblower Protection Act is that employees should be protected from retaliation if they do the right thing, even if it means disobeying orders from their superiors. Given the Trump administration's attacks on the Federal workforce, it is especially important now, more than ever, for this Congress to uphold whistleblower protections for all of our public servants.

We cannot tolerate the issuance of gag orders to silence dissent, and we cannot permit the firing of agency employees who have differing political views from our own or who might object to administration actions. If the administration and my colleagues are serious about draining the swamp, we need to do all we can to ensure that Federal employees are allowed to perform their jobs free from political pressure to violate laws, rules, and regulations.

Protecting whistleblowers has been and should continue to be a bipartisan--indeed, nonpartisan--issue and something on which we can find common ground. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this important bipartisan legislation. I am proud to cosponsor it with my friend, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Duffy).

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my friend from Wisconsin. I think he laid out the case very well.

I think the ruling of the circuit court in many ways tells us about the perils of a very juridical view of what a statute is all about. To refuse to take into account context, history, legislative history, and congressional intent that is reflected often in the kind of debate we are having here on the floor I think is not in the spirit of trying to interpret the laws as Congress intends them. Sooner or later I think Congress is going to have to address this kind of fundamentalist, originalist approach to laws that I think is nonsensical and leads to this kind of cherry-picking about what it was Congress intended to protect.

I agree with my friend from Wisconsin. I think this bill is necessary because we have to clarify the law, apparently, for the courts and protect people like Dr. Rainey.

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

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

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1242, the 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act, introduced by my friend and colleague from Virginia, Bobby Scott. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

In the 400 years since the first Africans arrived at Point Comfort, Virginia, African Americans have made an indelible contribution to our Nation. They have been pioneers in the arts and sciences. They have led the charge for civil rights and spoken out against injustice against anybody. They have also ascended to the highest level of politics, athletics, and business, and sacrificed for our country in every military engagement from the American Revolution to the present-day fight against terrorism.

African Americans have played a crucial role in the establishment and evolution of our Nation:

Crispus Attucks, a Black man, became the first casualty of the American Revolution in my hometown of Boston when he confronted British soldiers in what became known as the Boston Massacre.

James Armistead, a slave who fed false information to the British, helped the Patriots' cause to secure victory in the Battle of Yorktown.

Abolitionists, from Sojourner Truth to Frederick Douglass to Harriet Tubman spoke out against slavery and fought to realize the meaning of Thomas Jefferson's founding creed that all men are created equal.

And African Americans helped our country awaken its collective consciousness during the epochal civil rights movement, with the courageous actions of so many from Rosa Parks in the Montgomery bus boycott to the persevering spirit of our colleague John Lewis and the Freedom Riders, and the bold vision, of course, of Martin Luther King, Jr., that ``injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere.''

The bill before us today would recognize those accomplishments while acknowledging the sorry, tragic history of slavery in America and the subsequent era of discrimination and economic deprivation after the Civil War. H.R. 1242 would establish a commission charged with celebrating the rich history of African Americans in the United States.

Along with States, community groups, and nonprofit organizations, the commission would plan and execute anniversary activities throughout the Nation and encourage the publication and distribution of scholarly research on African-American history.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1242.

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

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining on this side?

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), my friend and the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend Bobby Scott for his leadership. This is an incredible service, not only to my Commonwealth of Virginia and his, but, frankly, to all Americans. This isn't just an issue for African Americans or some subgroup. All of us are formed from our history, as we know from the popularity of the opening of the new African-American museum here in Washington, which is an incredible contribution, I think, to our Nation's culture and our discussion.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Mary and Hans Postma, the Seventh 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 by area residents to quality artistic programs.

Mary and Hans Postma have provided instrumental support to the Hylton Center even prior to its full conceptualization. As avid art enthusiasts, Mr. and Mrs. Postma have worked to ensure accessibility to art and artistic programs for all. In the fall of 2013, Mary Postma founded Performing Arts for Kids (PAK) to support and foster the arts among children of all socioeconomic backgrounds in Greater Prince William County by actively pursuing opportunities at the Hylton Performing Arts Center. Through their established community relationships, Mr. and Mrs. Postma have expanded the PAK membership total to 30 and have raised more than $20,000 to encourage the pursuit of advanced art education. During the 2013-2014 school year, PAK exposed more than 2,000 schoolchildren to live dance highlights from The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. In March of 2016, PAK sponsored A Place to Be's Same Sky Project, ``Where Music Meets Therapy.'' During the performance, children and young adults provided personal testimonies of their experiences dealing with bullying and low self- esteems in light of their diagnosis with autism, Asperger's, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, brain damage, and other ailments for an audience of 800 middle-school students and adults from Didlake, an AbilityOne Program.

Over the short, storied history of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, a series of milestones have been reached but nothing has come to fruition without the dedication and support of Mary and Hans Postma. In the fall of 2016, Mr. and Mrs. Postma presented the Hylton Center with a ``legacy gift'' to name a rehearsal hall in the Education and Rehearsal Wing currently under construction. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, ``Art is never finished, only abandoned.'' We can take great comfort in knowing that with the support of Hans and Mary Postma as well as other great benefactors of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, art will never be abandoned.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arthur A. ``Art'' Anselene on the occasion of his retirement as Town Manager of the Town of Herndon. For 41 years, Art has dedicated his life to the service of his community and the residents of Herndon. In 1976, he assumed the position of Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Herndon, a position in which he would serve for 31 years, and in 2007 he was appointed Town Manager.

His tenure as Director of Parks and Recreation was marked by the creation of many new events in the Town. These included, among others, the inaugural Herndon Festival, the Labor Day Festival, the July 4th celebration, the Turkey Trot, Holiday Arts and Craft Show, and the always popular summer concert series. In addition, Art worked with the Mayor and the Town Council on a number of public works projects including the Herndon Community Center, Chestnut Grove Cemetery, the Downtown Master Plan, and the Herndon Metrorail Station Area Plan.

Under his leadership, the Parks and Recreation Department became one of only 66 elite parks agencies in the country and the fourth in Virginia to receive national agency accreditation. He oversaw the development of a comprehensive parks and recreation system for the town which included a dozen parks, the Herndon Centennial Golf Course, an indoor tennis center, and the flagship Herndon Community Center. As Town Manager for Herndon, Art has had oversight responsibility for all town operations including Community Development, Finance, Human Resources, Parks and Recreation, Police, Public Works, Golf, Cemetery, Communications and Economic Development, IT, and the Town Clerk.

His efforts have resulted in the Town of Herndon receiving numerous local, state and

national awards and recognitions including a fourth Gold Medal Award for Excellence from the National Recreation and Park Association, the Virginia Municipal League's Achievement Award, and two Green Government Certifications to both the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Town of Herndon Police Department. In addition, the Town received the Government Finance Officers Association of both the United States and Canada's Award for Excellence in recognition of his commitment to fiscal responsibility and his work in maintaining the Town's AAA bond rating.

While one might think that this level of dedication and commitment would be enough for one individual, Art's involvement in his community also extends to his activities outside of his profession. He is a member of the Herndon Rotary and Lions Clubs, the National Recreation and Parks Association Commission on Accreditation, and the Virginia Local Government Management Association, to name a few.

Mr. Speaker, I have often said that public service is among the most noble of callings. The tireless dedication of individuals like Art are selfless acts that are truly worthy of our highest praise. I commend him for his service to our community and ask my colleagues to join me in wishing him great success in all his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding group of men and women in Northern Virginia. These individuals have demonstrated superior dedication to public safety and have been awarded the prestigious Valor Award by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

This is the 39th Annual Valor Awards sponsored by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. This event honors the remarkable heroism and bravery in the line of duty exemplified by our public safety officers. Our public safety and law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line every day to keep our families and neighborhoods safe. This year's ceremony will present 125 awards to recognize extraordinary actions above and beyond the call of duty in a variety of categories including the Lifesaving Certificate, the Certificate of Valor, and the Bronze and Silver Medals of Valor.

Twenty-three awards will be bestowed upon first responders who serve with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in recognition of their exceptional service. It is with great pride that I include in the Record the names of the following Valor Award Recipients.

Bronze Medal of Valor

Captain I Bruce A. Neuhaus

Lieutenant Ji Y. Lee

Lieutenant Sean E. Ferguson

Lieutenant Diron D. Powell

Master Technician Marc G. Campet

Master Technician Daryl T. Casey

Master Technician Herbert M. Knerr

Master Technician Michael C. Lewis

Master Technician Peter G. Zagorites

Technician Sean P. Allen

Firefighter Fidel A. Blanco

Lifesaving Award

Deputy Chief Andrew L. Duke

Captain II Mark E. Kordalski

Captain Walter Johnson

Lieutenant Scott F. Primrose

Technician James L. Campbell

Technician Travis L. Franks

Technician Michael A. Garcia

Technician James E. Pfister

Technician Adam J. Silvers

Firefighter Medic Vicki L. Swain

Firefighter Sidney B. Boyd

Firefighter Robert L. Knupp

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the 2017 Valor Award Recipients, and thank each of the men and women who serve in the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Their efforts, made on behalf of the citizens of our community, are selfless acts of heroism and truly merit our highest praise. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding this group of remarkable citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the recipients of the 2017 Fairfax County Student Peace Awards.

The program was founded in 2006 to encourage high-school-aged students to think about peace as both a means and an end, and to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. The program began with one high school and expanded gradually from there. By 2013, the program was offered in every public high school in Fairfax County, as well as in three private schools.

Participating high schools choose one junior or senior or one student group active in promoting peace and/or removing the causes of conflict. Examples of outreach include: committing to peace by engaging in activities that strive to end conflict, either locally or globally, seeking to discuss or otherwise resolve potentially controversial issues within the school or

community, promoting the understanding of divisive issues and situations to bridge language, ethnic, racial, religious, gender, sexual orientation, or class differences, and working to resolve conflicts among students or members of the community who feel isolated or alienated.

I am pleased to include in the Record the names of this year's Student Peace Award winners.

Ethan Mirani, Cedar Lane Anti-Bullying Committee

Jasmine Howard, Centreville H.S.

Shaan Chudasama, Chantilly H.S.

Vanessa Mae Avendano, Falls Church H.S.

Sabah Munshi, Hayfield S.S.

Surabhi Khanal, Herndon H.S.

Naba Khan, King Abdullah Academy

Shafia Talat, King Abdullah Academy

Jamie Hunstad, Lake Braddock S.S.

Donya Momenian, Langley H.S.

Chrissie Ivanova, Langley H.S.

Naomi Soquar, Robert E. Lee H.S.

Sean Doyle, James Madison H.S.

Aidan Kemp, George C. Marshall H.S.

Josh Leong, McLean H.S.

Sam Gollob, McLean H.S.

Roza Al Barznji, Mountain View H.S.

Yosaph Boku, Mount Vernon H.S.

``Blossoming Beauties'', Quander Road School

Narjes Bencheikh, South County H.S.

Emily Lockwood, South Lakes H.S.

Maiss Mohamed, JEB Stuart H.S.

Deema Alharthi, JEB Stuart H.S.

``TJ Minds Matter'', Thomas Jefferson H.S.

``Combating Intolerance'', West Potomac H.S.

Rodney Wrice, West Springfield H.S.

Audrey Weyer, West Springfield H.S.

Mr. Speaker, the efforts of these young people to build a more peaceful world in their own communities are the building blocks of a more peaceful and tolerant world. I commend them on their efforts and dedication, and ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating each recipient on receiving this award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 92, condemning North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile and nuclear weapons program.

I am pleased to cosponsor this resolution, which reaffirms the U.S. commitment to security on the Korean Peninsula.

It is undeniable that North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs have accelerated in recent years. In 2016 alone, the regime conducted two nuclear tests and more than 20 missile tests.

In its most recent test, North Korea simultaneously launched four intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan, three of which landed within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In response to the threat emanating from Pyongyang, the United States and South Korea made a joint decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to protect South Korean security and alliance military forces.

Once deployment is completed, THAAD will provide upgraded ballistic missile defense capabilities on the Korean Peninsula.

This resolution urges China to cease its attempts to block THAAD and calls upon Beijing to pressure the North Korean regime to dismantle its weapons programs.

Importantly, H. Res. 92 calls on the United States to both enforce sanctions on North Korea and to undertake a rigorous diplomatic effort to urge the global community to fully enforce international sanctions on North Korea.

The Korean Peninsula remains one of the most dangerous flashpoints on the globe.

Navigating this complex web of regional stakeholders will require patient and committed U.S. leadership to avert the ever-present potential of conflict.

I ask that my colleagues support this resolution, which demonstrates our commitment to halting the regime's destabilizing provocations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the draconian 31 percent cut to the international affairs budget proposed by the Trump Administration.

President Trump's budget would starve our nation's diplomacy and development efforts at a time of increased challenges to global security and stability.

Strategic investments in development and diplomacy, alongside a strong defense, are essential to fight terrorism, support our allies, and uphold America's leadership role in the world.

If the United States retreats from our global commitments, then we cede ground to countries that do not share American interests and pose a risk to American values.

You do not make America great again by unilaterally withdrawing from the world.

Since World War II, we have been and we remain the essential nation. Ronald Reagan used to talk about making America that shining city upon a hill.

What he meant was a beacon, a place people could look to for succor, human rights advocacy, and protection. That is who we are.

Yesterday, the Trump Administration announced that it was ending all funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which works to provide access to contraceptives, prevent unsafe abortions, and stop maternal deaths around the world.

Cutting these funds threatens the lives of millions of girls and women.

Throughout U.S. development operations, we are fostering American values through support for civil society, free markets, independent media, and democratic institutions.

At a time when countries like Russia and China are undermining democratic institutions and the post-WWII international order, we need robust diplomatic and development operations more than ever.

Foreign assistance is not just a nice thing to do. It opens foreign markets for American businesses and creates enduring partnerships abroad.

For example, what began as a donor-recipient relationship between the United States and South Korea in the wake of the Korean War has since blossomed into an unbreakable alliance bound by shared military, diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties. South Korea is now our sixth largest trading partner.

We turn to diplomacy to solve our most intractable national security challenges.

It is a political solution we seek in Syria, not a military one. It is the JCPOA, a multilateral diplomatic effort, that has effectively reversed the Iranian nuclear threat.

It is our aid and reconstruction efforts that will eliminate terrorists' sanctuaries in Afghanistan, not a permanent military presence.

Pulling out the rug beneath our nation's diplomats not only makes their efforts less effective, but it also further exposes our military by shifting the entire burden to them.

More than 120 retired generals and admirals recently wrote a letter to Congress on this matter saying ``the State Department, USAID, Millennium Challenge Corporation, Peace Corps and other development agencies are critical to preventing conflict and reducing the need to put our men and women in uniform in harm's way.''

This is no longer a battle about numbers or a budget. This is a battle about who we are as a people and what role we will play in shaping the world we hand over to our children and grandchildren.

There are people who benefit from the United States' diplomatic and foreign aid efforts, who are fighting for democracy as we speak, putting their lives on the line counting on us to have their backs.

This is not the time to retreat. But that is what this budget does. We must fight this budget for the sake of that shining city upon a hill.